Sharing the road
When does the handbook allow a bicyclist to ride on the sidewalk?
- Only where the city allows it. Correct answer
- Whenever the street has no bike lane.
- Only if the rider is under 18.
Why
A bicyclist belongs on the road, riding in the same direction as traffic, and the sidewalk is off-limits unless the city allows it. So the answer depends on local rules, not on how the street is laid out. Where there is no bike lane, the handbook sends the cyclist to a through traffic lane, not onto the sidewalk. Under 18 is the age that matters for helmets, which riders that young must wear, and it has nothing to do with sidewalks. A cyclist who wants to cross like a pedestrian may stop and walk across in the crosswalk, which is a different thing from riding along the sidewalk.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is Only where the city allows it.
The rule behind this one
Sharing the road in California goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on sharing the road
- A bicyclist is riding in your travel lane and you cannot move into another lane to pass. How much space must you leave between your vehicle and the bicyclist?
- A school bus ahead of you on a two-lane road has stopped and its red lights are flashing. What must you do?
- You are driving behind a large truck. How can you tell whether the truck driver can see you?
- Which statement about sharing the road with motorcycles in California is correct?