New CA bike law on passing
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This is one of the benefits of eBikes becoming popular. People who would never ride a "real" bike are buying eBikes; they see cyclist safety as something that applies to them now. More of us is good for us.
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
(Post 22750651)
This is one of the benefits of eBikes becoming popular. People who would never ride a "real" bike are buying eBikes; they see cyclist safety as something that applies to them now. More of us is good for us.
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Originally Posted by popeye
(Post 22750666)
I think they just need to wear a helmet but I understand that just me.
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While riding last summer my friends and I decided to count how many e-bikes we encountered and the percentage of those riders wearing helmets. 50%
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Concerning the section about the Training and Safety program, how will that be administered to riders? Will it be mandatory like a motorcycle class?
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Originally Posted by popeye
(Post 22750634)
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Originally Posted by urbanknight
(Post 22750794)
I mentioned this one to my wife and she said "like they'll enforce that anyway", and she's right. The "increased protections" will only be imaginary unless and until cops start citing drivers for violating it.
As for helmets, I suspect the increase in e-bikes will lead to an increase in head trauma accidents, perhaps a higher increase than would be the case in just an increase in regular bikes. People with less bike handling skills will be more tempted to “ ride “ with more accidents. |
Originally Posted by Tomm Willians
(Post 22750784)
Concerning the section about the Training and Safety program, how will that be administered to riders? Will it be mandatory like a motorcycle class?
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This law will prohibit local governments from requiring bicycle registration and allow local authorities to prohibit any electric bicycle on a horse, hiking or other recreational trails. |
Originally Posted by popeye
(Post 22750634)
This new law will provide increased protections to bicyclists by requiring passing vehicles or overtaking a bicycle in the same direction, to move over to an adjacent lane of traffic, if one is open, or slow down and only pass the bicyclist when it is safe.
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Originally Posted by waters60
(Post 22750898)
Exactly. There are plenty of laws on the books that should, theoretically, protect bike riders. Enforcement is a whole other matter.
Bob Mionske had some columns on the subject over at VeloNews. |
Originally Posted by asgelle
(Post 22750989)
The enforcement comes through the courts. Should a rider be hit by a vehicle or file a charge of harassment against a driver, with this law, the burden will be on the driver to show that they moved into the adjacent lane. It makes it much easier to convict the driver, and the cyclist to win a civil suit.
Bob Mionske had some columns on the subject over at VeloNews. Again, I wonder what this means for group rides. If there's a crash in a group ride, could someone sue another rider for failing to "change lanes" to pass them? I suppose there's a whole host of group-ride lawsuit precedents out there that bike lawyers are probably familiar with. |
Originally Posted by popeye
(Post 22750666)
I think they just need to wear a helmet but I understand that just me.
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Originally Posted by asgelle
(Post 22750989)
Should a rider be hit by a vehicle or file a charge of harassment against a driver, with this law, the burden will be on the driver to show that they moved into the adjacent lane. It makes it much easier to convict the driver, and the cyclist to win a civil suit..
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
(Post 22751113)
I think cyclists need to lift some weights, but I understand that's just me.
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Originally Posted by Troul
(Post 22750966)
huh?
But I'm glad you read it that way, because I didn't see anything wrong with it until your comment, which then made me picture an electric bicycle on horseback. |
Originally Posted by urbanknight
(Post 22751742)
lol our language has its flaws, doesn't it? It would allow them to prohibit riding an electric bicycle on a trail designated for horses, hiking, or other recreational use. An oxford comma may have cleared the original quote up, but maybe not.
But I'm glad you read it that way, because I didn't see anything wrong with it until your comment, which then made me picture an electric bicycle on horseback. i tend to read the words at face value & don't assume or try not interpreting them for what it is not. |
Originally Posted by urbanknight
(Post 22750794)
I mentioned this one to my wife and she said "like they'll enforce that anyway", and she's right. The "increased protections" will only be imaginary unless and until cops start citing drivers for violating it.
I’d love to be wrong and see more police action against cars behaving badly towards cyclists, but things like close passes are just hard to be caught in the act, and I think that a safe pass— i.e. within not less than 3ft in CA— will be considered a safe pass regardless of an open adjacent lane, and therefore a very low level concern for police. Like, if someone pulls halfway into an adjacent lane, yielding something like 6ft to the bicycle, what’s the point of a police enforcement? I also doubt a cyclist could do anything trying to take a pass like that to the courts; what’s the complaint? Excessively safe passing without moving into adjacent lane? |
Originally Posted by chaadster
(Post 22751904)
Yeah, the I suspect the only really consequential pieces of AB1909 are that bikes can legally jump reds (unless specifically prohibited) …
i didn’t see this part. i thought they were just extending the ability to cross on the “walk” sign to bikes? around here, there are four way ped crossing intersections (all the walk signs light up, lights still red) and the walk signs come on quite a few seconds before the light turns green. currently, it’s technically illegal to cross on a bike then. Under existing law, a pedestrian facing a solid red traffic control signal may enter the intersection if directed to do so by a pedestrian control signal displaying "WALK" or an approved "walking person" symbol. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2024, extend this authorization to cross the intersection to a bicycle, unless otherwise directed by a bicycle control signal. |
Originally Posted by popeye
(Post 22751638)
I would expect that from someone who is too fat for this sport but I know that is not you. :-} I have 3 concussions and one unconscious with a helmet so I have a different perspective along with the knowledge that there is a 6yo here who survived a crash in the trailer but her bare head mother on the e-bike did not. A few years ago a fellow cyclist here fell clipping in on the drive way no helmet yet fell, hit his head and done. Please lets drop the helmet issue before ........................0...0 I'm afraid this law low will just create more animosity for cyclists when the 3 foot law should be enough. Perhaps.
I worked with somebody who ruptured a disc in her spine sneezing, her doctors said lack of exercise left her with not enough core strength to protect herself. She went through a lot of agony, and lost her job because she was in too much pain to be able to sit. I sure don't want to go through an experience like that and am happy to learn from other people, so I lift weights to protect myself. Just like I wear a helmet when I ride, to protect myself. I'm glad you're still here! 😁 |
Originally Posted by mschwett
(Post 22752007)
around here, there are four way ped crossing intersections (all the walk signs light up, lights still red) and the walk signs come on quite a few seconds before the light turns green. currently, it’s technically illegal to cross on a bike then.
In parts of Pasadena, they have intersections that go full red while the walk signs let pedestrians cross in any direction (even angled), then no walking while the various phases of vehicle green lights happen. Saw pedestrians getting ticketed on more than one occasion when I lived there. |
Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
(Post 22752095)
I worked with somebody who ruptured a disc in her spine sneezing, her doctors said lack of exercise left her with not enough core strength to protect herself. She went through a lot of agony, and lost her job because she was in too much pain to be able to sit. I sure don't want to go through an experience like that and am happy to learn from other people, so I lift weights to protect myself. Just like I wear a helmet when I ride, to protect myself.
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Originally Posted by urbanknight
(Post 22752118)
In parts of Pasadena, they have intersections that go full red while the walk signs let pedestrians cross in any direction (even angled), then no walking while the various phases of vehicle green lights happen. Saw pedestrians getting ticketed on more than one occasion when I lived there.
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Originally Posted by Bah Humbug
(Post 22752607)
Hong Kong works like that; I had never seen or heard of it in the US. Interesting.
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