SFPD Park Station Safer Cycling Public Safety Campaign

On June 9, 2015 the San Francisco Police Department Park Station began a campaign to conduct daily cyclist education and traffic safety enforcement. The purpose of this operation is to educate all cyclists as to the inherent dangers of rolling through red lights and stop signs without stopping, as well as yielding the right of way to pedestrians at crosswalks, both of which are mandatory under the California Vehicle Code.

As the popularity of cycling has escalated over the course of the last several years, the numbers of cyclists competing for space with motorists and pedestrians has skyrocketed. Our goal is to make the streets safer to walk, ride, and drive. By changing illegal traffic behaviors that are dangerous to public safety, together pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists can work towards San Francisco’s Vision Zero goals. The following violations are the “Focus on the Five” behaviors under Vision Zero:

• 21453 CVC: Red Light
• 22450(a) CVC: Stop sign
• 21950(a) CVC: Yield to pedestrian in cross walk
• 22350 CVC: Unsafe speed
• 21801 CVC: Left turn must yield to oncoming traffic

While other states have adopted laws that allow cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, California law requires all cyclists abide by the California Vehicle Code. California law requires cyclists and vehicles to stop at stop signs. However, if new legislation is passed, SFPD will of course enforce the new law. We are required to enforce the laws on the books, and all citizens have a responsibility to keep the roads safe whether on foot, two wheels, or four wheels.