Another attempt for 3-foot passing law in California

The struggle to pass a law in California that requires motorists to give cyclists 3 feet of space when passing won’t die.

A state senator from Long Beach on Friday submitted SB 1464 to the state legislature. It makes it illegal for the driver of a motor vehicle to overtake a bicycle traveling in the same direction “at a distance of less than three feet… ”

So far, 20 states nationwide require that motorists give bicyclists at least a 3-foot margin when passing.

Third attempt

This is the third 3-foot passing bill introduced in the California Legislature since 2007. The first bill died in committee. A 3-foot bill last year passed the Legislature but was vetoed by Gov. Edmund Brown Jr. in October.

The California Bicycle Coalition, one of the bill’s sponsors, says that Brown expressed support for the concept of the bill in his veto message, but objected to an exception to the 3-foot requirement meant to accommodate drivers in dense urban traffic.

“SB 1464 contains the same
language as SB 910 [the 2011 bill], but without that exception. We’re confident this
version of the bill is one that Gov. Brown will sign.”

Fines

The CBC and the City of Los Angeles are co-sponsoring the bill penned by Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach).

SB 1464 sets a $35 fine against a motorist who overtakes and passes a bicyclist by less than 3 feet. If a violation of the law results in a collision and bodily harm to the bicyclist, a $220 fine will be imposed, according to the first draft of the bill.

The bill allows drivers to cross the yellow line on roads that are too narrow for cars to pass bicyclists with the 3-foot margin.

Nebraska

Meanwhile, Nebraska state Sen. Tom Hansen has introduced a bill, LB1030, that requires motorists give bicyclists three feet of space when passing. It arrived in the Transportation Committee in March.

20 states

Pennsylvania is the latest state to enact a minimum distance for passing bicyclists. While the previous 19 set the distance at 3 feet, Pennsylvania went one better at 4 feet.

The other states are Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia ,
Illinois, Louisiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma,
Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

Also: California Bicycle Coalition’s Give Me 3 website

Elsewhere: Florida roads are still dangerous in spite of 3-foot passing law. Miami Herald reports “Across Miami-Dade, passions run high when cars and bikes share the road.”