IPMBA News

New Bicycle Bill Introduced in California

by Kirby Beck, PCI #002T/EMSCI #017T
Coon Rapids (MN) Police Department

In February 15, 2017, California Assembly Member Phil Ting (D-19th District, representing western San Francisco and northern San Mateo County) introduced Assembly Bill 694 (AB 694), an act to amend Section 21202 of the Vehicle Code, relating to bicycles. 

This bill would eliminate the language “as close to the right as practicable”, replacing it with language requiring bicyclists to operate in the right-hand lane, in the same manner as any other slow-moving vehicle, or in a bicycle lane if one is present.  Only in situations in which the lane is sufficiently wide enough for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to operate side-by-side would the cyclist be required to move to the right in order to allow faster vehicles to pass.  If hazardous conditions exist or right turns are authorized, the cyclist would be exempt from that requirement.  If the lane is not wide enough for both the bicycle and the motor vehicle, the motorist would be required to wait until it is safe to pass by moving into the adjacent or oncoming lane.  The full text of the Legislative Counsel’s Digest and the bill itself appear below. 

California residents may wish to support this legislation.  Others may wish to try to implement something similar in their states.  Either way, I would suggest the following modifications. 

1) Do not mandate use of bike lane.  There are many places where the design is poor (e.g., in the door zone), or obstacles exist (debris, parked cars, snow). There are also times you are preparing for a left turn, or dealing with a large truck or bus on your left.

2) Clearly define “wide lane”.  Practically speaking, only a lane of at least 14 feet is wide enough to safely allow a motorist to pass a cyclist.  Anything narrower is not safe.  

Below left is a 12 foot lane illustrating a cyclist and a Ford F-150; as the shading to the right of the truck indicates, the minimum three-foot passing clearance is inadequate.   

The solution to safety is to take and control the lane.

------------------------------------

February 15, 2017

An act to amend Section 21202 of the Vehicle Code, relating to bicycles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 694, as introduced, Ting. Bicycles.

Existing law requires any person operating a bicycle under specified conditions to ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except under specified conditions, including, among other things, when reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that make it unsafe or when approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.

This bill would recast those provisions to instead require a person operating a bicycle to ride in the right-hand lane or bicycle lane, if one is present, and would additionally require a person operating a bicycle in a lane that is wide enough for a vehicle and bicycle to travel safely side by side within the lane to ride far enough to the right in order to allow vehicles to pass, except when it is reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that make it hazardous to continue along the right-hand edge of the lane, and when approaching a place where a right turn is authorized. By redefining the elements of a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

See the full text of Assembly Bill No. 694 by going to: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB694

(c) 2016 IPMBA.  This article appeared in the Winter 2017 issue of IPMBA News. 

Share this post


Leave a comment