Legalize Hand-Holding: Riding Two Abreast

You’re riding on a quiet street, or in a lane too narrow to share, so you take the lane. If you’re riding with your sweetie, you ride side-by-side. Maybe your sweetie is your child whom you’re instructing on safe riding practices or pointing out interesting things in the neighborhood. It’s safe; it’s legal; it makes no difference to other road users because you’re occupying the whole lane whether it’s you alone or with your riding partner. But police might ticket you anyway, on the false interpretation of the Vehicle Code. We’ve heard reports from around the state of people on bikes receiving tickets for riding side-by-side, even when both riders are in a wide bicycle lane. We’re out to change that, but we need your help.

We want to #legalizehandholding. Send us your pictures of riding while holding hands and we’ll use them in our campaign to clarify the law and prevent unjust tickets to people just enjoying a lovely bike ride with their sweetie.

In the 2016 legislative session, we’re pushing for a clarification to explicitly legalize two-abreast bicycle riding. Assemblymember Phil Ting has authored AB2509 to allow two-abreast riding.

Post your photos on social media with the hashtag #legalizehandholding