in the state of california what does the DMV say about minibikes and motorized bicycles?

C_LOZS "G"

i was just wondering because ive been planing on making motorized bike or minibike for months

Answer
What is a moped or motorized bicycle?

There are two types of motorized bicycles, defined in the California Vehicle Code (VC) Sections 406(a) and 406(b).
Section 406(a) VC refers to a moped or motorized bicycle as any two or three wheeled device having fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power, or having no pedals if powered solely by electrical energy, has an automatic transmission, and a motor which produces less than 2 gross brake horespower and is capable of propelling the device at a maximum speed of not more than 30 miles per hour on level ground.
Section 406(b) VC refers to a motorized bicycle as a device that has fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power and has an electric motor that:
Has a power output of not more than 1,000 watts;
Is incapable of propelling the device at a speed of more than 20 miles per hour on level ground; and
Is incapable of further increasing the speed of the device when human power is used to propel the motorized bicycle faster than 20 miles per hour.

What is a motorcycle?

A motorcycle is a vehicle whose motor displaces more than 150 cubic centimeters and has a seat or saddle for the use of the rider. It is designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and weighs less than 1,500 pounds.



What is a motor-driven cycle?


A motor-driven cycle is a motorcycle whose motor displaces less than 150 cubic centimeters.


What is a moped or motorized bicycle?

There are two types of motorized bicycles, defined in the California Vehicle Code (VC) Sections 406(a) and 406(b).
Section 406(a) VC refers to a moped or motorized bicycle as any two or three wheeled device having fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power, or having no pedals if powered solely by electrical energy, has an automatic transmission, and a motor which produces less than 2 gross brake horespower and is capable of propelling the device at a maximum speed of not more than 30 miles per hour on level ground.
Section 406(b) VC refers to a motorized bicycle as a device that has fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power and has an electric motor that:
Has a power output of not more than 1,000 watts;
Is incapable of propelling the device at a speed of more than 20 miles per hour on level ground; and
Is incapable of further increasing the speed of the device when human power is used to propel the motorized bicycle faster than 20 miles per hour.
Helmet requirement

Motorcycles, Motor-Driven Cycles, Motorized Bicycles/Mopeds (Section 406(a) VC ) - A helmet meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218, self-certified by the manufacturer and displaying a 'DOT' emblem must be worn by all riders of motocycles, motor-driven cycles, and motorized bicycles/mopends.

Motorized Scooters - A bicycle helmet meeting the standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) must be worn to operate a motorized scooter.

Motorized Bicycles (Section 406(b) VC) - A bicycle helmet meeting the standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (SPSC) must be worn to operator a motorized bicycle.




What is a motorized skateboard or motorized scooter?

Effective 1/1/2005, a motorized scooter is any two-wheeled device that has handlebars, has a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding.
May have a driver seat that does not interfer with the ability to stand and ride and may also be designed to be powered by human propulsion.
Powered by electricity or other source.

Driver's License Requirements

Motorized scooter

Effective 1/1/2005, a Class C driver license or driver permit is required.

Motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, motorized bicycle/moped (Section 406(a) VC)

Must obtain an M-1 or M-2 endorsement on a driver's license.
M-1 allows the driver to operate a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle and moped
M-2 allows for operation of a moped or motorized bicycle only.
To obtain an M-1 or M-2 endorsement, the driver must:
Pass the appropriate written exam
Pass riding skills test (DMV will accept certificate of competence from an approved novice motorcyclist training program instead of skills test, such as the California Motorcyclist Safety Program).
If the individual is under 21 years of age, mandatory successful completion of a Basic Rider education course approved by the CHP is required, such as the Basic Rider course available through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program.
Motorized Bicycle (Section 406(b) VC)

Driver's License not required but rider must be at least 16 years of age.
Instruction Permit Requirements

Operator must be at least 15 1/2 years old
Operator must pass automobile written exam
Operator must pass appropriate endorsement requirements for an M-1 and M-2 endorsement
Operato

Commuting by bicycle in the cold rain?

jellymouse

My first attempt must not have been specific enough, so I'm re-asking with a few more prompts. Specific garments and brand names are helpful whenever possible. Please try to answer all questions if you can.

1. How do I keep my head warm and dry while still wearing a helmet? Is it unsafe to put something on underneath my helmet? If so, can I put something on over it? My helmet is vented and has a visor.

2. Please suggest a waterproof garment for keeping my face and neck dry-ish and warm.

3. Is there such a thing as waterproof shoes? If so, list brands if possible. If not, suggest how I may keep my feet dry and warm. Brands are helpful.

4. I am assuming I will also wear a waterproof jacket, waterproof pants (perhaps Gortex, but can you suggest a cheaper-but-still-reliable brand?), and gloves. Specific brand suggestions are helpful.

5. Suggestions on where I can buy these things for cheaper (I already know I can look on E-bay).

Thanks in advance, and again, specific brands and garment items are very helpful!

Answer
Steven gave a nice answer, too bad it is for motorcycling.

I moved from the Southwest back to the Pacific Northwest a few years ago so here is what if have found in my efforts to become waterproof:

1. How do I keep my head warm and dry while still wearing a helmet? Is it unsafe to put something on underneath my helmet? If so, can I put something on over it? My helmet is vented and has a visor.

You can get a synthetic or wool biking cap for under the helmet, which will get damp but still keep you warm. The other option that I have not tried but see often is a helmet cover, which will keep your head dryer.

2. Please suggest a waterproof garment for keeping my face and neck dry-ish and warm.

Dry is probably not a complete option here. I have found if you use a helmet with a visor that helps a bit. A synthetic/wool baklava or neck gator, will keep you warm if not completely dry. I use the same one I got for snow skiing.

3. Is there such a thing as waterproof shoes? If so, list brands if possible. If not, suggest how I may keep my feet dry and warm. Brands are helpful.

I have heard positive things about Lake Winter Boots. http://commutebybike.com/2008/09/28/lake-winter-boots
They are not cheap. None of the rain proof shoes are.
I use my regular biking shoes with shoe covers. Which you can get for $30-50. I have Sugoi (Link Below) Keeping your feet dry is a challenge. The hardest part is keeping water from wicking its way down your socks from the top of the boot. The best defense is too accept, especially on a long rainy ride, that they will probably get damp. Wear a good pair of wool socks as they will stay warm when wet.

4. I am assuming I will also wear a waterproof jacket, waterproof pants (perhaps Gortex, but can you suggest a cheaper-but-still-reliable brand?), and gloves. Specific brand suggestions are helpful.

Pants first. Riders go two routes. First, you can wear heavier lyrca. This acts like a wetsuit on a diver. You may feel a bit damp. I usually don't notice it. But you will stay warm. The main drawback I find with lyrca pants is that it is more difficult to keep my feet dry as the water is more likely to seep/wick into the top of my boot cover. Second get waterproof pants. I have a cheap pair from REI and they have been durable and effective for a few years now. They shed water well and when I place them over my shoe covers my feet stay dry for a very long time. The drawback is they have little or no ventilation so they can get hot and sticky. If you don't get overly warm when riding then these are the driest option.

Jacket: I have a Showers Pass Double Century Jacket and I love it. The best thing about it as a jacket is you can adjust the ventilation with armpit zippers and cuff straps. If you are looking for something cheaper, I think you can get a Novarro rain jacket from REI for less. If you are looking to save some $$, Don't go for Gucci breathing materials. Go for good venting options on the jacket. Good venting makes a much more significant difference than breathing material. Especially when it is raining.

5. Suggestions on where I can buy these things for cheaper (I already know I can look on E-bay).
If you are into bike commuting for the long haul buy your clothing out of season. I jet my jackets/winter gear during spring clearance and right now/last fall I'm watching for any summer riding gear that is being dumped.

BikeNashbar and Performance bikes can often yield a good deals.
I also save my searches on ebay and just be patient.
Last year I picked up a couple of Nike and Canari marino wool long sleeve jerseys on ebay. They are awesome for winter riding. I wash them maybe twice a season as they never smell like synthetics and are really warm when its wet.
Finally, if you hang around or work on a computer, try a site called Chainlove.com They sell one item at a time, usually at a very steep discount. You can have them e-mail or alert you when a new item comes up for sale. Often I see women's jackets and clothing listed. If you are an impulse buyer, maybe not a good thing but I have managed to control myself and have picked up things I really need with very good savings.

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In California, what is the penalty for getting a citation for not wearing a bicycle helmet when I'm 16?

Anonymous

today me and my friend pulled over by a cop because we weren't wearing our bike helmets, and he gave us both citations. he said that we would get a letter in the mail from the court telling us what we would do, and for us to show the ticket to our parents. what happens? what is the penalty? what is the court going to make me do?

Answer
To answer your question:
Youth Bicycle Helmets: Minors
California Vehicle Code 21212. (a) A person under 18 years of age shall not operate a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard, nor shall they wear in-line or roller skates, nor ride upon a bicycle, a nonmotorized scooter, or a skateboard as a passenger, upon a street, bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, or any other public bicycle path or trail unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or standards subsequently established by those entities. This requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or in a trailer towed by the bicycle.
(b) Any helmet sold or offered for sale for use by operators and passengers of bicycles, nonmotorized scooters, skateboards, or in-line or roller skates shall be conspicuously labeled in accordance with the standard described in subdivision (a) which shall constitute the manufacturer's certification that the helmet conforms to the applicable safety standards.

(c) No person shall sell, or offer for sale, for use by an operator or passenger of a bicycle, nonmotorized scooter, skateboard, or in-line or roller skates any safety helmet which is not of a type meeting requirements established by this section.

(d) Any charge under this subdivision shall be dismissed when the person charged alleges in court, under oath, that the charge against the person is the first charge against that person under this subdivision, unless it is otherwise established in court that the charge is not the first charge against the person.

(e) Except as provided in subdivision (d), a violation of this section is an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25).

The parent or legal guardian having control or custody of an unemancipated minor whose conduct violates this section shall be jointly and severally liable with the minor for the amount of the fine imposed pursuant to this subdivision.

(f) Notwithstanding Section 1463 of the Penal Code or any other provision of law, the fines collected for a violation of this section shall be allocated as follows:

(1) Seventy-two and one-half percent of the amount collected shall be deposited in a special account of the county health department, to be used for bicycle, nonmotorized scooter, skateboard, and in-line and roller skate safety education and for assisting low-income families in obtaining approved bicycle helmets for children under the age of 18 years, either on a loan or purchase basis. The county may contract for the implementation of this program, which, to the extent practicable, shall be operated in conjunction with the child passenger restraint program pursuant to Section 27360.

(2) Two and one-half percent of the amount collected shall be deposited in the county treasury to be used by the county to administer the program described in paragraph (1).

(3) If the violation occurred within a city, 25 percent of the amount collected shall be transferred to and deposited in the treasury of that city. If the violation occurred in an unincorporated area, this 25 percent shall be deposited and used pursuant to paragraph (1).

Added Ch. 1000, Stats. 1993. Effective January 1, 1994.
Amended Sec. 6, Ch. 674, Stats. 1996. Effective January 1, 1997.
Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 475, Stats. 2002. Effective January 1, 2003.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21212.htm

some further info...for future reference:

Bicycle deaths by helmet use, 1994-2005

No helmet Helmet Total*
Year Num % Num % Num
1994 776 97 19 2 796
1995 783 95 34 4 828
1996 731 96 27 4 761
1997 785 97 23 3 811
1998 741 98 16 2 757
1999 698 93 42 6 750
2000 622 90 50 7 689
2001 616 84 60 8 729
2002 589 89 54 8 663
2003 527 85 57 9 619
2004 602 83 87 12 722
2005 673 86 76 10 782

1. Bicycle helmets can reduce the chance of serious head injury by __________%. ?

zezo _

Answer
That's a seriously loaded question, and the answer depends on who you ask. Depending on who you ask, you'll get answers from 0% to 88% or so.

The problem is that bicycle helmets protect against minor things -- somebody throwing a beer can at you, slipping and falling, stuff like that. And they only help if the helmet actually hits something -- which is a relatively small percentage of accidents. And they make your head somewhat larger, which actually increases the chance of your head hitting something.

And of course if a car hits you at 60 mph, it doesn't matter how much your helmet helps -- you're still probably dead.

There have been many studies done on helmet effectiveness, and they tend to have an agenda behind them -- they either want to show that helmets are effective (usually to support a proposed requirement for wearing one) or that they're ineffective (usually to oppose a proposed requirement for wearing one.) And depending on how the study is done, you can find data that supports either point of view -- but usually the agenda of the study dictates how the study is done, and the other side of the coin is generally not discussed (or if it is, it's discussed only enough to dismiss it.)

In general, I'd say the `helmets aren't effective' studies are done with more scientific and statistic `rigor' than the `helmets are effective' ones, but in both cases the initial agenda colors the entire study.

All that said, I usually wear a helmet. But I also oppose any attempts at helmet laws, and I'm quite aware that *I* am generally the one responsible for keeping me safe -- not my helmet or gloves or anything else. It might help in a minor accident, but in a serious one, I'm likely to be seriously hurt, helmet or not.

Whenever anybody tells you about the effectiveness of bicycle helmets, consider their biases. I'm somewhat biased towards them not being terribly effective, but I'll acknowledge that voluntary helmet use probably helps more than it hurts in an accident.

But even with my bias, I've tried to be somewhat fair to both sides here. The wikipedia page below gives a relatively good breakdown of both sides. Also make sure you read the 1019.html link -- it explains why `a helmet saved my life!' anecdotes aren't as accurate as one might think.

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How do bicycle helmets work?

bicycle helmets effective image

Forgetful

There is a "shell" and a "liner" in a bicycle helmet, right? what is the purpose of those things? Is the shell supposed to stop it from breaking or is the liner supposed to be crushed?
Simple language please.
thanks!!!!!

Answer
There are variations depending upon the quality of the helmet and the purpose... for example, some DH helmets are practically MX helmets now but, in general...

Bike helmets have the liner and shell as you've mentioned, the liner actually does the majority of work in saving you from a fall. The shell is really just there to prevent things like stick and such on the tral from penetrating the liner and stabbing you in the head, or to keep the liner from coming apart on hard impacts. The liner is what handles the energy transfer that prevents you from sustaining severe injury. When you take an impact, the liner is supposed to get crushed... in doing so, it converts the kinetic energy (the energy of an object in motion) of the impact into thermal energy (heat) as the liner is crushed. Remember, energy can never be created or destroyed, it can only change forms... The type of material used in the liner and the overall quality of the helmet determine just how effective it is but that's the basic principle in ALL helmets actually. Most common helmets use an EPS liner, Expanded PolyStyrine, and are good for just one serious impact... Once the liner has been crushed, it no longer has the capacity to be crushed much further to allow for the conversion of energy needed to protect your head. Some other helmets use materials that allow the energy conversion to take place repeatedly and only need to be replaced if the shell material is compromised... these are typically MX helmets or very high-end downhill helmets.

Also, it's worth noting that essentially all bike helmets pass the same certifications so there isnt a whole lot of difference in protection between a $40 helmet and a $140 helmet... Most of the extra money that you pay goes into what was spent on R&D to figure out a way to incorporate more vents into the helmet without lessening the protection offered.

Are bicyle rodeos effective in helping prevent bicyle injuries?

adru09

As we all know bicyle rodeos are programs design to teach children to to safely drive bicyles, wear helmets, check bicycles, etc. Im doing reseach in whether or not these programs actually help prevent these injuries that could happen for the lack of this knowlegde. My research has come out rather dry. I was wondering if anybody had numbers, statistics, or information that could help me out. Please and thank you.

Answer
Well, I don't have any stats, but I do have personal experience.

I did a bunch of bike rodeo events when I was like 9-10, and just starting riding as a real hobby. My parents told me I had to do at least 3 of them before I could ride on the road. They really did help, because they teach you bike handling techniques, and teach you to ride through different conditions like narrow lanes, grass, rocks, etc. They set up an obstacle course at the end, and everyone had 2 chances to get the fastest time without knocking any of the cones down that they used to make the course. It was actually pretty fun, and looking back, it probably did help.

All in all, I say it definitely did help me. I guess it all depends on how much the kids actually pay attention during the class that regulates how effective it was.

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