Dear Capt. Nicholas,
I repeatedly see bicyclists—kids and adults—ride through stop signs in Seal Beach without even slowing down. Could you address this please?
John
Hi John,
Thank you for bringing up the issue of bicycle and vehicle safety in Seal Beach. This is an important topic, and as always, we’re glad you reached out.
Under California law, bicycles are considered vehicles, and cyclists are required to follow the same traffic laws as drivers of motor vehicles. This includes stopping at stop signs. According to the California Vehicle Code (CVC) §21200, “A person riding a bicycle upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle.”
This means that cyclists, just like drivers, must stop completely at all stop signs. Failing to do so violates CVC §22450, which requires all vehicles, including bicycles, to come to a complete stop at stop signs.
Additionally, bicyclists are required to signal their turns and obey all traffic signals, as outlined in CVC §22107.
We understand your concerns, especially when it comes to safety on our roads. The Seal Beach Police Department takes violations like these seriously, as they pose a risk not only to the bicyclists themselves but also to pedestrians and drivers sharing the road.
To help address issues like this, the Seal Beach Police Department receives funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through a grant aimed at improving road safety. This grant allows us to conduct specialized enforcement operations focused on reducing violations, like cyclists running stop signs, and ensuring safer streets for everyone.
If you see a pattern of cyclists ignoring stop signs in certain areas, we encourage you to report these incidents to the SBPD non-emergency line at (562) 594-7232.
Providing detailed information about the location and time of these violations can help us deploy extra patrols to monitor the situation more effectively.
We cannot be everywhere at all times, so we rely on the community to be our eyes and ears. It is a partnership that makes Seal Beach safe and that we are proud to be a part of.
We are committed to keeping our streets safe for everyone. If you have further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Keep your questions coming, Seal Beach. Email us at askacop@sealbeachca.gov today!
