Give me a "high 5".

EoinC

I don't know what the wording is to the legislation that JH has lobbied for. I don't know whether it specifically relates to motor vehicles passing bicycles, or any vehicle passing any vehicle.
It would certainly seem to be unfair if a car were not allowed to pass a bicycle without a 3' clearance, but a bicycle were allowed to do the reverse. Much like why bicycle riders are not allowed to ignore Stop signs.
JH may elucidate on the what's and wherefore's of the new Tennessee.

SEAcarlessTTLE

Hmm...I'll have to think about that one for a bit. I am generally in favor of "same roads, same rights, same rules", but when a car passes me less than three feet away, my life is at risk. When I pass a car less than three feet away, well, again, my life is at risk. Cyclists are in a fundamentally asymmetrical relationship with motorists, so it doesn't seem so unfair to me at first blush that we be afforded certain special protections.

As for darting through holes in traffic, that seems likely to be illegal already, strictly speaking, so I'm now considering whether I would be willing to give that up. (Then again, I seldom rely on splitting lanes to get around, so I can't speak for folks who ride in places like NYC.)

jhuskey

The laws are not the same! I deal with lawsuit on a daily basis and can argue with anyone til the cows come home but to what end in this case.
A cycllist has to ride as far to the right as possible,unless doing the speed limit or turning left. There is no such law that applies to motor vehicles and there are other variables in other sections of the law.
This comes down to reason and what a reasonable person would expect not apples to oranges. The fact is I got the law past so deal with it.
California is not Tennessee and driver profiles are different from state to state.
If it saves only one life!

__________________
Whenever I can't get excited about riding I just fantasize about someone else's bike.

FreeHueco

I give up...


I can't argue with a lawyer...

__________________
" Life sucks, but work is really cool." -Travis Hugh Culley

http://mikedeitchman.blogspot.com/

Bianchi San Jose (SS or Fixed)
Rock Lobster Steel CX (w/SRAM Force)

ontheroadid

Hey, JHuskey, thanks for working to get legislation passed.

Why cyclists could be against this just because it won't change everyone is beyond me. And why the objection to "simply give the cops another excuse to write more tickets"? If someone passes me in an unsafe manner, I don't mind hitting them in the wallet, even if those funds do not go to me. Punitive steps like fines and citations do get results.

If it makes a few more people realize that cyclists need space and consideration as equal vehicles on the road, it's good by me. Thanks.

jhuskey

That is what is all about, awareness of the public. I am meeting with the local paper tomorrow and have faxed the new law to all the bike shops in the area.

__________________
Whenever I can't get excited about riding I just fantasize about someone else's bike.

Ike90

I can certainly understand the logic of this law, but the notion that because a speed limit or anti-molestation law is good, all laws are therefore good is preposterous at best.

I've been riding on city streets for 35 years. I've had plenty of falls, but I've never been struck by a motorized vehicle. I basically do everything possible to avoid roads that put me in danger, and I think that many times the rather indignant sense of entitlement exuded by cyclists is responsible for the dangers they face (see the Suicide Ride post).

In my daily commute, I must ride about one mile on a very busy two-lane road that has a gravel parking strip along it. I have to ride right on the white line at the right edge of the pavement, and although the speed limit is only 25, it's uphill so I can only manage about 15 m.p.h.

Under the afore-mentioned law (although I don't live in Tennessee), no one could pass me while I'm on this road, as oncoming traffic is also bumper-to-bumper. Over the course of four minutes or so, I would have perhaps 50 cars behind me.

Interestingly, although no such law exists in my area, I find that drivers are too cautious. Many won't pass me, even though they can hug the centerline and leave at least two feet of room. If they're in a sub-compact, they have all the room in the world, but even many drivers of tiny cars are reluctant to pass me.

I could take many other narrow, shoulderless roads on my commute, and many of my fellow cyclists do just that. Personally, I think they are the ones puttiing themselves at risk on those roads, not the drivers.

FreeHueco

TLM...

Tax and spend. Tax and spend! Write more laws! Write more laws!

Next thing you know, no one is riding their bikes and people are afraid to live their lives. Is this 1984? Or have we moved on yet?

__________________
" Life sucks, but work is really cool." -Travis Hugh Culley

http://mikedeitchman.blogspot.com/

Bianchi San Jose (SS or Fixed)
Rock Lobster Steel CX (w/SRAM Force)

ontheroadid

I know I shouldn't even respond to hyperbole, but I have seen no concrete evidence of increased taxes playing a part in this. It's not as if they're going to add police officers or staff to handle the non-existent avalanche of citations for a new law. Frankly, pulling out references to "1984" and tax-and-spend pablum points to a lack of salient debate points.

Is it really reasonable to expect that to happen, or that when cars pass that closely in that situation that some Barney-Fife-type officer is going to ticket every car that passes you? In my experience, it's unlikely. A lot of traffic law is up to the discretion of the officer, whether it says so in the legislation or not. Your mileage may vary: you might wind up with a to-the-letter officer in that situation, but based on my and others' experiences with law-enforcement, I don't think it's likely.

I applaud and admire your years of bike commuting, Ike, and I hope we all enjoy an excellent safety record, whether we are protected by 1 or 51 roadway regulations.

James Bruce Gil

Greetings all!

And a hi 5 to you JH. Down under we drive and cycle on the other side of the road. However there are mirror image problems for cyclists here also. That is it essential to keep to the left, move to the centre of the road only when turning right and above all being sober while cycling.

The problem that we had here is that for many years the cyclist and pedestrians were seen as a nuisance by all other road users. There was also a bit of subculture which said that if you were too pissed to drive and you were in a bit of a hurry then cycling was the option.

Fortunately, that changed dramatically when a very intrepid cyclist disobeyed a baseless "regulation" which had been dreamed up by a government officer and in the litigation which followed, was able to demonstrate that that the regulation was out of step, even in opposition with the law that it was supposedly framed under.

The regulatory authorities suddenly realised that bicyles are valid vehicles, were defined as such in the legislation and as such are as equally entitled to use roads as any other vehicle. Cyclist are equally obliged to obey vehicle regulations. They were after all common long before motor vehicles were common. Police here can and occasionally do now breath test cyclists if they suspect they are not sober. The maximum fine is only AUD$70 but it is still a deterrent and at least gives the police the option of confiscating the bicycle and temporarily immobilising the inebriated cyclist.

I have been cycling daily for more than 50 years and unfortunately see (temporary) cyclist doing some very stupid things such as zig-zagging across busy intersections through cross flowing traffic and the like. Its only a matter of time before they are no longer cyclists. I all so occasionally see pedestrians run onto crossings on busy roads, not allowing sufficient time for anybody to avoid them. I have on occasions also seen and experienced some rediculous behaviour from motorists after very trivial incidents.

I think all road users need to be considerate of others, cyclists included. After all it is not difficult to cycle in a sensible manner. Most of us also drive other vehicles and so have a good knowledge of road ettiquete and we even occasionally walk!

What we all need to do is to appreciate that the road is for all of us and we all need to be responsible.

Kind regards,

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Bluto

equality7

High 5 JH!... Now you have the biggest hurdle in front of you, making drivers aware AND changing their behavior.

In a country where there are so few serious bike commuters and so many cars, the cars think they're King. If you increase the number of bikes on the road, I think drivers will become more familiar with how to act around them and will come to expect them.

Also, if the law is actually enforced, drivers will be more likely to adhere to it. As FreeHueco mention, people don't drive with their lights on when it's raining, even though it is a law. But, I rarely see this particular law enforced.

More Enforcement, More Awareness, More Bikes.

jhuskey

Agreed ,ignorance is always the enemy of good reasoning. This is just another tool to use in the quest for safer cycling.

__________________
Whenever I can't get excited about riding I just fantasize about someone else's bike.

ontheroadid

And it's getting some press!

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http://www.thedailytimes.com/apps/p.../NEWS/703310312

Bicycling advocates want to put brakes on bad drivers

NASHVILLE — As car and bicycle traffic grows heavier in the state, some bike enthusiasts are seeking new laws and tougher enforcement of existing ones to deal with motorists who hog the highways.

State lawmakers are considering legislation sponsored by Blount County and Sevier County representatives that would require vehicles to keep a 3-foot cushion between themselves and a bike when passing.

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Same legislation, JHuskey?

jhuskey

That the one. I wrote an amendment to the existing law and the Roth bill was introduced about the same time. The difference is that I insisted on the 3 foot margin which was in my resolution but not in the Roth bill but was introduced as an amendment to it by Richard Montgomery who is my state rep.
More press is what is needed now but I am glad it is getting some notice. I did not know the gentleman that was killed but I understand that he left behind a wife and three children.

__________________
Whenever I can't get excited about riding I just fantasize about someone else's bike.