Safety + Rules
CicloSDias provides the chance for participants to enjoy a fun day connecting with fellow San Diegans and exploring neighborhoods whole new way.
CicloSDias works hard to provide a safe and secure environment for all participants. By familiarizing yourself with the following information, you can help to make this first ever CicloSDias a safe and fun event for everyone.
Share the Road: Cars are not allowed at CicloSDias, but any other form of non-motorized transportation is. Be aware of how people around you are traveling—biking, walking, skating, etc.—and respect their right to the road.
Please check out this link from the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition to learn about general bike rules.
Maintain a safe speed at all times during CicloSDias. Stay on the proper side of the road, biking or skating with the flow of traffic.
Police and transit officers will be at crossing intersections to monitor the flow of CicloSDias and car traffic.
CicloSDias is not an ideal place to teach a child, or an adult, how to ride a bike due to the heavy flow of bike and pedestrian traffic. While we encourage participants of all ages and skill levels, we strongly suggest that children and all participants learn the basics of bike riding before participating on the CicloSDias route. Fortunately, the event offers great opportunities for walking and other non-bike travel.
The San Diego Police Department provides a strong security presence at CicloSDias. In addition, there are emergency medical technicians roaming the route. In case of an accident, go to the nearest Hub to report it to CicloSDias staff. If you are between Hubs, look for the nearest uniformed officer or responder, or CicloSDias staff member. If you notice any suspicious activity or a suspicious package, immediately report it to the nearest CicloSDias staff member or uniformed officer. Remember, “see something, say something.” At CicloSDias, the safety and well being of our participants is our primary concern. We work closely with the City of San Diego and with the San Diego Police Department to provide as safe and secure an environment as possible. We also partner with other local agencies who provide additional security elements along the route and at public transit locations.
CicloSDias staff can be identified by the CicloSDias t-shirt that says Staff on the back. Staff members can assist with you with finding the answers to questions and with helping to find the right person to respond to emergencies. Most likely, the staff person will contact a Hub or Route Marshall for answers or assistance. If you are missing a member of your party, have been in a minor accident or have been part of an incident, please contact the nearest CicloSDias Hub or staff member. This is often the fastest way to ensure police officers or emergency personnel respond to the situation rapidly and effectively.
The streets don’t belong to bikes or to skateboards or to pedestrians. They belong to everyone!
This is not a judgment on your cycling or walking skills. This is a matter of safety. Keeping slow traffic to the right makes for a more predictable route and helps people avoid accidents.
In case you missed the previous point.
There is no reason to go as fast as you can. Going too fast is dangerous. You can’t predict what the thousands of people around you will do. Give yourself time to stop and others time to get to the right, if they’re moving slowly.
You are naturally slower than the bicyclists. Also, use common sense. If being in the street is obviously unsafe because a pack of 500 cyclists are coming up behind you, please consider moving to the sidewalk to be safe.
You know how it drives you crazy when people in cars don’t acknowledge your right to the road? Same thing. Treat pedestrians with respect if they are in the street. It’s their CicloSDias right.
And, if you’re moving slower than most traffic on the street, stay to the right.
CicloSDias is not a place to learn to ride a bike and can be extremely intimidating and frightening for children who do not possess moderate cycling skills. Their unpredictability also can create a hazard for cyclists around them.
Children under 18 on bikes must wear a certified helmet according to California state law. Adults and skaters are also strongly urged to wear a helmet
In a crowded CicloSDias environment, there may not be enough room to maneuver successfully and you may need to dismount with your fellow participants.
No electric motor bikes. No motorized scooters, boards, carts, cars, or anything else with the exception of:
When the route gets too crowded to ride your bike, dismount and walk your bike.
Follow the signs to stop and obey the instructions of traffic officers, police and volunteers at vehicle and soft closure pedestrian crossings.
If there is a mandatory dismount on a hill, please check your surroundings and dismount as soon as possible.
Take a look around and enjoy the neighborhoods. Visit the businesses and thank them for opening their doors to you. Talk to participants around you. Sit down and watch the action around you. CicloSDias is as much about stopping as it is going.
Be nice and kind to each other. Be safe. Don’t litter. We’re all here to have a great time!
“Last year we had 50,000 people come out on the first day, [this year] we’re easily double that, it is just incredibly exciting. You look at the faces of people, it just completely captures the enthusiasm, the excitement, the wonder, of using our streets a little differently.”
Janette Sadik-Kahn, New York DOT Commissioner
Help us make CicloSDias San Diego even more amazing! Even a small donation can make all the difference. All donations raised go towards event safety, traffic control, and spreading the word of the benefits of CicloSDias.
Make a donation Today