New law for passing bicyclists starts Tuesday in CA

ninerbuff

The Three Feet for Safety Act goes into effect Tuesday. According to Banning-based California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Darren Meyer, it will be enforced statewide like all traffic laws.

The law reads: “A driver of a motor vehicle shall not overtake or pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a highway at a distance of less than three feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator.”

If there is insufficient room for the 3-feet gap, motorists will be required to slow to safely pass riders.

http://www.pe.com/articles/bicycle-749809-safety-law.html

What's not mentioned is that is if there is a double yellow line, even if there is no oncoming traffic, it would be a violation to overtake by crossing the double yellow line.

My city has bike lanes and paths, but in alot of the urban areas and backroads, I'm sure there will be backlash from drivers. Especially if on the back roads riders decide to go 2-3 wide on rides.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

kayemme

The Three Feet for Safety Act goes into effect Tuesday. According to Banning-based California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Darren Meyer, it will be enforced statewide like all traffic laws.

The law reads: “A driver of a motor vehicle shall not overtake or pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a highway at a distance of less than three feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator.”

If there is insufficient room for the 3-feet gap, motorists will be required to slow to safely pass riders.

http://www.pe.com/articles/bicycle-749809-safety-law.html

What's not mentioned is that is if there is a double yellow line, even if there is no oncoming traffic, it would be a violation to overtake by crossing the double yellow line.

My city has bike lanes and paths, but in alot of the urban areas and backroads, I'm sure there will be backlash from drivers. Especially if on the back roads riders decide to go 2-3 wide on rides.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I think you'll find that most bicyclists will move to the right as soon as is possible to allow cars to pass. If a driver has to wait for a minute until it is actually safe to pass, then so it shall be! btw, 3ft law is already federal as I understand it, so if cyclists wanted to enforce it, they could.

ninerbuff

Heck yeah! I hope other states do the same real soon.


EDIT; And I'm every bit of a driver as much as I am a cyclist.

Give 'em a break! er uh brake.

2 lane road. Traffic high going the opposite direction. Have 2 feet clearance to pass a biker, but CAN'T do it due to new law. So in essence, traffic behind biker has to slow to their speed until it's safe to pass with a 3 foot clearance. That could be for a few miles traveling at 15 miles an hour.

I'm not for or against the law, just looking at possibilities of issues that may arise from it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

The Three Feet for Safety Act goes into effect Tuesday. According to Banning-based California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Darren Meyer, it will be enforced statewide like all traffic laws.

The law reads: “A driver of a motor vehicle shall not overtake or pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a highway at a distance of less than three feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator.”

If there is insufficient room for the 3-feet gap, motorists will be required to slow to safely pass riders.

http://www.pe.com/articles/bicycle-749809-safety-law.html

What's not mentioned is that is if there is a double yellow line, even if there is no oncoming traffic, it would be a violation to overtake by crossing the double yellow line.

My city has bike lanes and paths, but in alot of the urban areas and backroads, I'm sure there will be backlash from drivers. Especially if on the back roads riders decide to go 2-3 wide on rides.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I think you'll find that most bicyclists will move to the right as soon as is possible to allow cars to pass. If a driver has to wait for a minute until it is actually safe to pass, then so it shall be! btw, 3ft law is already federal as I understand it, so if cyclists wanted to enforce it, they could.

Well personally if I was a rider, I'd move and not insist since I'd never win a battle with a car. But there will be people on bikes who will INSIST it's their right. Just hoping this doesn't turn into more of an issue of road rage when it gets instated.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Bluwaves1

We already have that law in Massachusetts. It doesn't really change the driving except if you hit a bike rider you are screwed! I think people need to slow down a little and be more aware of safety anyway so it is not a bad law. I recently observed a student driver move over on an undivided road to pass two children riding thier bikes and a big Hummer passed going off the road and startling the student driver, the hummer had to run on someones lawn to aviod an accident. Wonder if it is really worth geting there 20 seconds earlier?

mrbyte

Is this only for highways? I don't see many riders on highways.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Heck yeah! I hope other states do the same real soon.

EDIT; And I'm every bit of a driver as much as I am a cyclist.

Give 'em a break! er uh brake.

2 lane road. Traffic high going the opposite direction. Have 2 feet clearance to pass a biker, but CAN'T do it due to new law. So in essence, traffic behind biker has to slow to their speed until it's safe to pass with a 3 foot clearance. That could be for a few miles traveling at 15 miles an hour.

If you have to slow to 15mph from 45mph for 2 miles you lose about 5 minutes.

kayemme

The Three Feet for Safety Act goes into effect Tuesday. According to Banning-based California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Darren Meyer, it will be enforced statewide like all traffic laws.

The law reads: “A driver of a motor vehicle shall not overtake or pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a highway at a distance of less than three feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator.”

If there is insufficient room for the 3-feet gap, motorists will be required to slow to safely pass riders.

http://www.pe.com/articles/bicycle-749809-safety-law.html

What's not mentioned is that is if there is a double yellow line, even if there is no oncoming traffic, it would be a violation to overtake by crossing the double yellow line.

My city has bike lanes and paths, but in alot of the urban areas and backroads, I'm sure there will be backlash from drivers. Especially if on the back roads riders decide to go 2-3 wide on rides.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I think you'll find that most bicyclists will move to the right as soon as is possible to allow cars to pass. If a driver has to wait for a minute until it is actually safe to pass, then so it shall be! btw, 3ft law is already federal as I understand it, so if cyclists wanted to enforce it, they could.

Well personally if I was a rider, I'd move and not insist since I'd never win a battle with a car. But there will be people on bikes who will INSIST it's their right. Just hoping this doesn't turn into more of an issue of road rage when it gets instated.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Most cyclists don't want any trouble. We'll move over as soon as we can, swearsies.

kayemme

Is this only for highways? I don't see many riders on highways.

cyclists can ride on highways, but not freeways (interstates, and the like, and why would we want to?) but most cyclists will find the last trafficked route as possible for several reasons, mainly because traffic = exhaust and exhaust is nasty and because a lot of drivers don't ride bicycles enough to understand the terrain we're faced with.

When I have to take a lane, I take it. If that means a driver has to slow down for a minute or two, then that's what it means. I don't feel bad about it because I'm looking out for my own safety just as they would if they were me. I'm in Rhode Island.. I am not sure if we have the 3' rule here, but it is generally observed. Nobody wants an accident... and I do my best to keep right as often as I can and is safe for me to do so. Most vehicle accidents are due to people being in an unnecessary hurry.

kayemme

Heck yeah! I hope other states do the same real soon.

EDIT; And I'm every bit of a driver as much as I am a cyclist.

Give 'em a break! er uh brake.

2 lane road. Traffic high going the opposite direction. Have 2 feet clearance to pass a biker, but CAN'T do it due to new law. So in essence, traffic behind biker has to slow to their speed until it's safe to pass with a 3 foot clearance. That could be for a few miles traveling at 15 miles an hour.

If you have to slow to 15mph from 45mph for 2 miles you lose about 5 minutes.

This is hyperbole if I have ever.. a) roads that have a speed LIMIT (notice,not minimum, but maximum) of 45 are often (and understood not always) more than 2 lanes. b) most cyclists will avoid roads with a 45mph limit. c) if a cyclist is not avoiding a 45mph zone, they're probably traveling faster than 15 (I go between 12-18 in the city, up hills, etc). d) you should probably leave earlier if you're worried about 5 minutes

Bluwaves1

People who live in warmer climates will probably be seeing more bikes out there with the way gas prices are going!

No police are going to pull anyone over if they move over to pass a bike unless they swerve into oncoming traffic. If you don't drive like a maniac you have nothing to worry about.

Also if I encounter a bike 'road hogging' for no apparent reason I am not afraid to let them know, haha. When I ride my bike I keep over to the side.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Heck yeah! I hope other states do the same real soon.

EDIT; And I'm every bit of a driver as much as I am a cyclist.

Give 'em a break! er uh brake.

2 lane road. Traffic high going the opposite direction. Have 2 feet clearance to pass a biker, but CAN'T do it due to new law. So in essence, traffic behind biker has to slow to their speed until it's safe to pass with a 3 foot clearance. That could be for a few miles traveling at 15 miles an hour.

If you have to slow to 15mph from 45mph for 2 miles you lose about 5 minutes.

This is hyperbole if I have ever.. a) roads that have a speed LIMIT (notice,not minimum, but maximum) of 45 are often (and understood not always) more than 2 lanes. b) most cyclists will avoid roads with a 45mph limit. c) if a cyclist is not avoiding a 45mph zone, they're probably traveling faster than 15 (I go between 12-18 in the city, up hills, etc). d) you should probably leave earlier if you're worried about 5 minutes

Exactly. 5 minuets is probably the biggest possibly delay and not a big deal at all.

michellemybelll

what about protecting the runners from the maniacal cyclists?

MB_Positif

The Three Feet for Safety Act goes into effect Tuesday. According to Banning-based California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Darren Meyer, it will be enforced statewide like all traffic laws.

The law reads: “A driver of a motor vehicle shall not overtake or pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on a highway at a distance of less than three feet between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its operator.”

If there is insufficient room for the 3-feet gap, motorists will be required to slow to safely pass riders.

http://www.pe.com/articles/bicycle-749809-safety-law.html

What's not mentioned is that is if there is a double yellow line, even if there is no oncoming traffic, it would be a violation to overtake by crossing the double yellow line.

My city has bike lanes and paths, but in alot of the urban areas and backroads, I'm sure there will be backlash from drivers. Especially if on the back roads riders decide to go 2-3 wide on rides.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I think you'll find that most bicyclists will move to the right as soon as is possible to allow cars to pass. If a driver has to wait for a minute until it is actually safe to pass, then so it shall be! btw, 3ft law is already federal as I understand it, so if cyclists wanted to enforce it, they could.

Sadly in the area where I live groups of cyclists 3-4 wide don't go to the right at all on back roads. I patiently wait to pass them and give plenty of room and cross double yellow lines to do so, but I always get frustrated because I remember when I used to ride my friends and I ALWAYS got as far right as we could when we heard a car coming.

Bluwaves1

what about protecting the runners from the maniacal cyclists?

They only have to worry about crazy dogs...

PrizePopple

I think you'll find that most law abiding bicyclists will move to the right as soon as is possible to allow cars to pass. If a driver has to wait for a minute until it is actually safe to pass, then so it shall be! btw, 3ft law is already federal as I understand it, so if cyclists wanted to enforce it, they could.

There, I fixed that for you.

I've had a guy on a bike start screaming at me because *HE* rode through a stop sign and almost hit the back end of my car. It's people like him who give other cyclists a bad rap, and sadly the parts of town where I go, it's not the law abiding variety. I don't mind sharing the road with those who follow the rules of the road.

wozkaa

I'm in Australia, and similar laws hae come into effect recently. We are legally allowed to cross a double unbroken line if it is safe to do so (duh!) to enforce the 1 metre clearance.
I havent noticed any difference, but I live in a semi-rural area.

Anxieux

That's been a law here in Minnesota for quiet some while. It's pretty nifty.

michael1976_ca

what about bicycle carriers in the big city of LA. they must be cheering. there job just became safer. I'm already a fan of giving them there space. I'm not going to risk getting in a wreak for no one. if people hate how i drive they can pass me