Cycling regulations in Santa Monica, California
The California Vehicle Code governs bicycling throughout California. In addition, Santa Monica traffic regulations prohibit the following:
- Riding on the Third Street (Beach) Promenade.
- Riding on sidewalks.
- Riding in public parking structures.
- Clinging to moving vehicles.
- Riding on handle bars.
- Operating a pedicab without a pedicab permit.
- Traffic Regulations
- Bike Share
- Pedicabs
Traffic Regulations
Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) 
Contents:
Article 3: PUBLIC SAFETY
Chapter 3.12: TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
3.12.230 Vehicle.
3.12.372 Sidewalk obstruction.
3.12.540 Bicycle riding or coasting restricted.
3.12.550 Bike-path and beach promenade.
3.12.560 Prohibited vehicles.
3.12.570 Reckless cycling.
3.12.580 Riding on handle bars prohibited.
3.12.630 Clinging to moving vehicles.
3.12.670 Vehicle occupancy restrictions.
3.12.690 Accident reports.
3.12.720 Removal of illegally parked vehicles.
3.12.730 Green parking zones.
3.12.740 Yellow loading zones.
3.12.760 White loading zones.
3.12.770 Disabled parking zones.
3.12.790 Angle and head-in parking.
3.12.800 Emergency stopping, standing or parking.
3.12.930 Parking on private property.
Article 3: PUBLIC SAFETY
Chapter 3.12: TRAFFIC REGULATIONS (Link to ordinance)
3.12.230 Vehicle.
“Vehicle” includes every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be propelled, moved or drawn upon a street, except a device moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
3.12.372 Sidewalk obstruction.
(a) No person shall block or obstruct any public sidewalk so that less than a four-foot contiguous sidewalk width is kept clear for pedestrian passage at all times. Conduct prohibited by this Section includes, but is not limited to, blocking or obstructions caused by:
(1) Placing any property, material, or other item upon any public sidewalk; or
(2) Sitting or lying down upon any public sidewalk; or
(3) Sitting or lying down upon a blanket, chair, stool, bench or any other portable object placed on a public sidewalk; or
(4) Performing sit-ups, push-ups, weight training or similar stationary exercise activity upon any public sidewalk.
(b) The prohibitions contained in this Section shall not apply to any person:
(1) Sitting or lying on a public sidewalk due to a medical emergency or as permitted by Federal, State or local law; or
(2) Sitting or lying on a public sidewalk while participating in or attending a parade, festival, rally, demonstration, meeting or activity lawfully conducted pursuant to a City-issued permit or license on the public sidewalk; or
(3) Sitting on a public sidewalk within a bus stop zone while waiting for public or private transportation.
(c) Any person violating this Section shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding two hundred fifty dollars, or a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.
3.12.540 Bicycle riding or coasting restricted.
(a) It shall be unlawful to ride a bicycle or to coast in any vehicle upon any public sidewalk, except as provided for in Section 3.12.550. It shall be unlawful to ride a bicycle or to coast in any vehicle in any public parking structure.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Section, or any other Section of this Code, public safety personnel may operate bicycles or roller skates at any place in the City in the performance of their duties.
(c) Any person violating subsection (a) of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both fine and imprisonment; or shall be guilty of an infraction, which shall be punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars but not more than two hundred fifty dollars.
3.12.550 Bike-path and beach promenade.
(a) It shall be unlawful to ride a bicycle or to coast in any vehicle upon the Beach Promenade; bicycle riding shall be permitted along the beach bike-path, within the City limits and in those areas where the Promenade constitutes a portion of the bikeway and are otherwise permitted by sign. All persons riding bicycles on the bike-path shall comply with all lawful signs and directional markings, including, but not limited to, painted, directional arrows, bike-path route boundaries, and signs designating permissible travel lanes.
(b) It shall be unlawful to operate a pedicab upon the beach bike-path.
3.12.560 Prohibited vehicles.
In the area where bicycle riding is permitted by Section 3.12.550, no vehicle of any type shall be permitted except unicycles, bicycles, bicycles with training wheels, wheelchairs, and single-person tricycles operated by a person eighteen years of age or older.
3.12.570 Reckless cycling.
Any person operating a bicycle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless cycling.
3.12.580 Riding on handle bars prohibited.
No operator of any bicycle or motorcycle shall carry any other person upon the bar, handle bars or tank of any such vehicle, and no person shall so ride upon any such vehicle.
3.12.630 Clinging to moving vehicles.
No person traveling upon any bicycle, coaster, roller skates, motorcycle or any toy vehicle shall cling to or attach himself or his vehicle to any other moving vehicle or street car.
3.12.670 Vehicle occupancy restrictions.
No vehicle occupied by any person for more than thirty minutes between the hours of twelve a.m. and five a.m. shall be parked on any street in the R-1, R-2, R-2R, R-3, or R-4 Residential Districts after any occupant of such vehicle has been ordered by a peace officer to move such vehicle from such street.
3.12.690 Accident reports.
It shall be the duty of every person riding, driving, or in charge of any animal or riding, driving, propelling or in charge of any vehicle upon any public street, alley or other public place, within the City that shall collide with any animal, or with vehicle, or with any fire hydrant, ornamental lighting post, telephone pole, electric light or power pole, ornamental shade tree or other property, or object of like nature located in or along any public street, alley or other public place within said City, to report the same within twenty-four hours to the Police Department, in writing.
Said report shall state the time when, and the place where such collision took place; the correct name and address of the person owning and of the person or persons riding, driving, or in charge of the animal, or riding, driving, propelling, or in charge of said vehicle, and the correct license number of such vehicle.
3.12.720 Removal of illegally parked vehicles.
Police officers are authorized to remove from streets or highways within the City to the nearest garage or other place of safety, or to a garage or other place of safety designated or maintained by the Police Department, any vehicle which has been parked or left standing in violation of an official sign or marking prohibiting the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles and giving notice that such vehicle may be removed.
3.12.730 Green parking zones.
A green parking zone shall exist where the curb is painted green. The words “15-Minute Limit” may also be stenciled on the curb within the zone. No person shall stop, stand or park in any green parking zone for more than fifteen minutes.
3.12.740 Yellow loading zones.
A yellow loading zone shall exist where the curb is painted yellow. The words “15-Minute Loading Only 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon—Sat” may also be stenciled on the curb within the zone. No person shall park in any yellow loading zone between the hours of seven a.m. and six p.m. Monday through Saturday. No person shall stop, stand or park in a yellow loading zone for a longer time than necessary to load or unload materials, freight or passengers, and in no event longer than fifteen minutes. A yellow loading zone may be established if all of the following factors exist:
(a) Sufficient loading activity exists to warrant reducing curb parking by installing the more restrictive loading zone;
(b) Curb availability for loading is insufficient due to heavy area parking demand;
(c) Off-street or alley loading is not available.
3.12.760 White loading zones.
A white loading zone shall exist where the curb is painted white. The words “3-Minute Limit Passenger Loading Only” or “Loading Only” may also be stenciled on the curb within the zone. No person shall stop, stand or park in any white loading zone for a longer time than necessary to load or unload passengers or deposit mail in an adjacent mailbox and in no event longer than three minutes. A white loading zone may be established if curb parking is insufficient due to heavy area parking and sufficient loading activity exists to warrant reducing curb parking by installing the more restrictive loading zone or the following factors exist:
(a) An adjacent hotel or motel with at least fifty rooms and a desk clerk on duty twenty-four hours a day does not have off-street loading;
(b) An adjacent apartment or apartment-hotel has the same existing factors as in subsection (a) and at least fifty percent of the average monthly occupancy is of a transient nature.
3.12.770 Disabled parking zones.
(a) A disabled parking zone shall exist where the curb or edge of the paved portion of the street adjacent to the on-street parking space or where the stalls or spaces in an off-street parking facility have been designated for parking for disabled persons in the manner required by the Vehicle Code.
(b) No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in a disabled parking zone unless the vehicle has a distinguishing license plate issued to a disabled person pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 5007 or displays a distinguishing placard issued to a disabled person pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 22511.55 or 22511.59. Any vehicle parked in violation of this Section may be removed from the disabled parking zone in the manner authorized by law.
(c) A disabled parking zone may be established if either of the following factors exists:
(1) On-street parking is insufficient due to heavy area parking; or
(2) Sufficient vehicular activity by disabled persons exists at the location.
3.12.790 Angle and head-in parking.
(a) All parking upon a roadway or street shall be parallel, except upon those streets which have been marked for or have a posted sign indicating angle parking, upon which streets vehicles shall be parked at the angle to the curb indicated by such markings or signs and not otherwise.
(b) No person shall disobey instructions of any official traffic sign requiring head-in parking.
3.12.800 Emergency stopping, standing or parking.
The provisions of this Chapter prohibiting the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle shall apply at all times or at those times herein specified, except when it is necessary to stop a vehicle to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device.
3.12.930 Parking on private property.
No person shall park or leave standing any vehicle in a private driveway or on private property without the actual or implied consent of the owner or person in lawful possession of such driveway or property.
