You may have already seen this ad popping up on billboards and buses in the Puget Sound region asking motorists to give cyclists 3 feet of space when passing.
It's an awareness campaign aimed at motorists and funded in part by a federal grant given to the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation in 2006.
Several states, Texas is the latest, have put the 3-foot clearance law in the books. But the state of Washington has had it in another book for awhile, the Washington State Driver's Guide.
It's not the law, per se, in Washington, but it's the way the courts and police have been instructed to interpret the law, says David Hiller, advocacy director for Cascade.
To be honest, I didn't know it was in the manual. Bicycling is covered on pages 78 and 79 of the Washington State Driver's Guide. Here's what it says:
“– Allow at least three feet of space when overtaking or passing a bicycle
“– Pass to the left of a pedestrian or bicyclist that is on the right hand shoulder or bicycle lane at a distance that will clearly avoid coming into contact with them
“– Do not return to the right side of the road until safely clear.
“– Do not drive on the left side of the roadway when you see an approaching pedestrian or bicyclist if the width of condition of the roadway, shoulder, or bicycle lane makes it unsafe.”
The Cascade campaign will run in May, June and July this year. It was funded by a Transportation Enhancements grant issued by the federal government last year in addition to matching funds and creative support from Group Health.
In addition to Texas, other states have have legislated the three-foot gap to pass bicycles include Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
Although this is preaching to the converted, you can see what motorists will read if they go to the give3feet.org website and frequently asked questions.
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