Ride in Ca. With No Drivers License ???

Man. The way I see it to a cop your not DRIVING A 2 TON TRUCK on a suspended license.
You are riding a BICYCLE with a SMALL ENGINE that can get you to point B without suffering from a heart attack.
So to most cops,I think you are doing yourself and everyone around you a service. I wouldn't sweat too much about this. A cop that will pull you over and write you a ticket on just the no license alone and nothing else is not a good cop.

Yes - Large Filipino -- I think that you are right.. I have done what I can do considering the circumstances -- low power - low noise - obey laws - DMV one time plate ordered - today ride like a sane man... That's enough for me -- not to be TOO TAME -- NO... Happy Riding from Mountainman
 
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Clever move.

OK -- I asked DMV (on the phone - main office Sacramento) twice the same question - can I ride my 1.6 gas engine under 2 hp on the streets in Ca. without a drivers license ? The first lady was very polite and asked which motorcycle handbook I had - told her 2007 Ca. Motorcycle Handbook - she read page 3 to me and then said "YES you can ride your motorized bicycle in Ca. without a drivers license." IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SMART TO HAVE GOTTEN HER NAME !!!!! The next day I called DMV again - exact same question - answer was "NO." Next - while looking into many sites on my computer - taking into account that we are on a very slow dial up here in the mountains - takes a lot of time to surf the net - anyway - I found out that there ARE MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES who answer questions in regards to Ca. driving laws - through E-mail... The very first two that I sent my question to - sent back replies within a couple of days stating that --- I COULD RIDE MY MOTORIZED BICYCLE WITHOUT A DRIVERS LICENSE... Here's the question - do I think that if I get pulled over and show the pooolice these copies of approval - not to get a ticket --- there is the big question -- some pooolice NEVER WANT TO BE PROVEN WRONG !!!!! My conclusion is -- I may not be legal - the state of Ca. favors elect over gas - a grey area which should be addressed. Happy Riding from - Mountainman
 
To be free, or locked uop, that is the question

Hi Mountainman, did you read the Highway Patrol link that someone posted? It is really quite good, and oddly enought the first time I had seen that page.

The CHP states clearly DOT helmet not bicycle type (which, for a while, we had previously thought was ok) and clearly states DL requirements.

One of the main reasons I DO NOT refer my customers to the local "Field Offices" or even the DVM central is that on obscure points like Motorbicycle law they do not know what they are doing!

Read the CHP, and know that the authority represented there is much greater than a woman, answering the phone, for DMV.

Sadly, this is an area of CA law where old "expired" statutes are not removed, and since Motorized Bicycle is such a small portion of the workload, WE have to find the most recent truths, and abide by them.

Mike, yes here in Sacramento........
 
MotorbikeMike -
Here is the link: http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/motors.html

Here is the text regarding the type of helmet:
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.

It would be silly to require a DOT helmet on a bicycle. I don't know about you, but I still sweat at times on my MB. Also, you may have seen some actual motorcycle riders, (you know who they are), that ride with the little turtle shell helmets. Some of those carry the "DOT" sticker.

I know my bicycle helmet (Specialized) carries an 'ASTM' certified label inside. That's good enough for me.

Just my $.02

--John
 
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Motorbikemike -- that CHP page -- yes - first time that I saw it also !! I thought that I had been to most web pages -- should have known better.. I called you on the phone when I first got into my bike with motor -- very helpful -- thank you --- I do think that the Ca. laws should be more laz -- Happy Riding from - Mountainman
 
MotorbikeMike, Did you read the page?
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/motors.html

The CHP website clearly says no drivers license required if over 16 and a
bicycle helmet is OK for a Motorized Bicycle

CHP said:
Motorized Bicycle (Section 406(b) VC)

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

Helmet requirement

CHP said:
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[SIC] a motorized bicycle.

Hi Mountainman, did you read the Highway Patrol link that someone posted? It is really quite good, and oddly enought the first time I had seen that page.

The CHP states clearly DOT helmet not bicycle type (which, for a while, we had previously thought was ok) and clearly states DL requirements.

One of the main reasons I DO NOT refer my customers to the local "Field Offices" or even the DVM central is that on obscure points like Motorbicycle law they do not know what they are doing!

Read the CHP, and know that the authority represented there is much greater than a woman, answering the phone, for DMV.

Sadly, this is an area of CA law where old "expired" statutes are not removed, and since Motorized Bicycle is such a small portion of the workload, WE have to find the most recent truths, and abide by them.

Mike, yes here in Sacramento........
 
Hi forbisher --- I think this is what the CHP site is stating -- 406-a (which includes many of our gas bikes - requires a license and a motorcycle helmet... 406-b (elect. bikes) bicycle helmet needed and no license required... Happy Riding from - Mountainman
 
Mountainman, I really don't know what you are on about, I don't remember this conversation, vagually perhaps. No, I don't endores names on the internet as you say, not a good move. But I am staying right out of politics from now on and stick to technical, at least I know if it's a left hand thread I can change direction if I thought it was right hand thread. But some of these topics on law and stuff, the way it carries on, there will be no *&^%#$%* threads !
 
No License Required in CA if under 2 hp and 30 mph

I called California Highway Patrol today and an officer researched this and directed me to the following sections of the Vehicle Code that says:

"A person operating a motorized bicycle is not subject to the provisions of this code relating to financial responsibility, driver's licenses, registration, and license plate requirements, and a motorized bicycle is not a motor vehicle."

And a motorized bicycle is also defined:

"A 'motorized bicycle' or 'moped' is any two-wheeled or three-wheeled device having fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power, or having no pedals if powered solely by electrical energy, and an automatic transmission and a motor which produces less than 2 gross brake horsepower and is capable of propelling the device at a maximum speed of not more than 30 miles per hour on level ground."

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc24016.htm
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d01/vc406.htm

The officer originally directed me to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html where you can look up the Vehicle Codes, but it's a little easier to read on the DMV site.
 
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