Legislating A Safer Bike Ride In California

The tragic death of a tri-athlete student while bicycling in southern California has sparked a bill to create a three-foot buffer for any vehicle passing a cyclist – but will it create more problems than it attempts to solve?

1 minute read

December 22, 2006, 10:00 AM PST

By Irvin Dawid

"Current California law does not specify a minimum clearance but says motorists must pass to the left at a 'safe distance without interfering with the safe operation' of a bicycle."

"Violators would be subject to base fines of $250, rising to about $875 once local fees are tacked on. Motorists could be charged criminally if a bicyclist were killed or seriously injured."

"Statewide, bicycle collisions killed an average of 123 people and injured 11,101 annually from 2000 to 2005, according to the California Highway Patrol, which does not keep tabs on how many crashes stemmed from an unsafe pass."

"Opponents argue AB 60 would create unintended consequences in a state stretching hundreds of miles, with roads generally 11 or 12 feet wide, not counting shoulders or parking slots."

Thanks to MTC-ABAG library

FULL STORY: Wider berth for bicyclists sought to cut road deaths

Monday, December 18, 2006 in The Sacramento Bee

Government / Politics Transportation California

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