In the wake of several vehicle collisions that have left bicyclists dead or injured, legislators are proposing a law that would make it a legal requirement for automobiles to give bicyclists a minimum clearance of three feet when passing.
You can read more about SB 1464 HERE.
SB 1464 has passed the state Senate and is up for a vote by the Assembly Friday.
As with other places in California, the greater San Gabriel Valley has some spots that are very popular with bikers: the Angeles Crest Highway and Glendora Mountain Road both see a lot of bike traffic on weekends.
There were several notable fatal accidents in 2011 in Pasadena, a serious involving bikers in Monrovia last month, and a in January of 2012 also in Monrovia.
However, who believe that bad cyclist behavior is a major problem on the road that also leads to accidents.
So we want to know what you think: will this law help decrease cyclist accidents? Or do you believe that bike accidents will only decrease if cyclists start doing more to obey the law? As a driver, do you think this law will impact how you drive? As a cyclist, will you feel more protected under this law or not?
Tell us what you think in the comments section and vote in our poll below.
I said anywhere but controlled access highways. A freeway is a controlled access highway.
I had to do all of that study in bicycle safety in order to understand bicycle safety. That's the point. You're trying to pretend that you understand a subject which you have not studied. Do you know three languages by just making them up as you go along? Of course you don't. You studied them. That's why you know them. You're not an idiot for not knowing bicycle safety. The problem comes in pretending that you know it.
"big·ot [big-uht] noun a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion."
You think that you don't have to study bicycle safety in order to have a valid opinion on it. You have to study it to have a valid opinion.
I don't tell people how to speak Chinese because I haven't studied Chinese. Unless you are willing to study bicycle safety, then you needs to stop telling bicyclists how they should ride.
You gave me a quote. I'll leave you with one. You may consider me the extremist, I think it of you and your position. "What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists is not that they are extreme, but they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents." Robert Kennedy. Thus far, people are psychotic, liars, should not drive the road (though are you going to support me if I cannot get to work, would you prefer that I go on welfare or disability?). Your position has been cavalier. You own a driver's license. Did you not know the vehicle code said what I have included?
The fact is that I am an expert on 21202. Not only have I read it many times, I have read legal analysis of it by lawyers and read multiple courts cases on it. Remember where I mentioned that I had studied the vehicle code? This is what I'm talking about. CVC 21202(a) exempts bicyclists from the requirement to keep far right "(3) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge, subject to the provisions of Section 21656. For purposes of this section, a "substandard width lane" is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane." It turns out that most outside lanes are too narrow for a bicycle and a car to travel safely side by side within the lane. According to most safety experts and some state laws and/or road designs standards any lane under 14 feet is too narrow. The law says ANY condition that makes it unsafe qualifies and exemption. 21202(a) also exempts bicyclists from the requirement to keep far right "(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized." This is because drivers are far more likely to turn in front of a bicyclist when they are keeping far right. Reading skills please.
You are intolerant of knowledge.
I think the world of bicycling NOT as a sport, because I'm not riding for sport. I'm riding for the same reason you drive, to get from A to B. Not all of us are rich and can afford cars (esp including maintenance and gas), and the mass transit system is way too lacking in this city. You mention a cyclist riding in the center to prevent a car from making a RIGHT turn. What should they have done? Ride on the right so the car can speed up and turn in front of them (unsafe), or ride further over to the left so the car can pass them quickly on the right on a very narrow lane (unsafe). The car should've waited, if I understand your post correctly. Ya, I might've reacted similarly.
The law already says that as a cyclist must ride as far to the right as safely possibly. If you wanted your quote above added, then by all means, and we can add "unless it is unsafe to do so", since we need to still provide for safety of avoiding dangerous obstacles, potholes, etc. In fact I often take the lane (after looking back to ensure it's safe; yes, some cyclists do that), when I notice people who are getting into their car or a car parking, just in case they do go out into the street unpredictably. I.e. riding as far to the right is PURPOSELY vague, it has to be. You may argue that the law already states that cyclists should be passed at a safe distance, however the whole problem is that this statement is TOO vague and how open is to interpretation has obviously been dangerous to human life.
You want to drive without obstacles, and cyclists want to be able to ride on the road (where they often prevent many of you from going at your preferred pace). This in addition to being in a city where going at your preferred pace is near impossible due to the traffic. I get it, it's a sensitive topic. That said, as a cyclist, I find it goes a bit to close to inciting violence against me for being where I should be, and I just think the comment is a bit irresponsible.
People who refuse to change lanes are only slowed down by their own stupidity.
I suppose it's like me saying that because you are a car driver, you are an angry, rich totalitarian. I doubt that really applies to most car drivers. It's just another divisive trick and you've been bought into the stereotypes that you claim the rest of us are buying into.
"If most bicyclists in your community use incorrect maneuvers, drivers will have some trouble understanding your correct maneuvers." Alas, so true. I just love getting yelled at when I don't pull over to the curb in the gaps between parked cars, or when I don't go into a right-turn-only lane when I'm proceeding straight through an intersection on my bike.
The thing that kind of drives me crazy is drivers who expect me to roll through stop signs even though it's not my turn. They'll even start waving me through sometimes. I'd much rather that they just took their turn. I find the right turn only lane thing a bit aggravating too. It's actually illegal to travel straight through in a right turn only lane (CVC 21461+CA MUTCD 2B.20.02,14) but some drivers get angry with me for not doing that.