Comments on: I Want More Than Three Feet

By: Tony S

Tony S — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:59:25 +0000

I am a novice cyclist slowly learning how to deal with proper lane positioning and those evil iron monsters breathing fire down (or up as the case may be) the wrong place. Having been in law enforcement I have also seen the result of a statute where too much gray areas is, we might say, built in. There are often times too much left up to the individual officers and prosecutorial discretion. A safe distance to one officer or prosecutor could mean the passenger side mirror did not hit the cyclist (possibly true even if only by a single millimeter) and no one crashed, therefore the motor vehicle passed at a safe distance from the cyclist. Yes, that would be absurd to a cyclist, but who knows how a person who has never been on two wheels might see it. Yet to another officer or prosecutor, a motor vehicle not yielding the entire lane might be violating the safe distance clause. A codified distance would, at a minimum, remove officer and prosecutorial discretion and offer a known parameter to use as a basis from which citations could be issued to a violating motorist. I would prefer statutory language positively establishing the cyclists’ right to the whole lane but I suspect that would happen only after statutory recognition of avian swine.

By: loz

loz — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:45:05 +0000

Hi,
Here in France the legal distance is 1 meter in town, and 1.5 meter everywhere else.
It seems fair to me (but note streets are much narrower here), or it would be fair if respected (and I mean mesured from the tip of the stem to the tip of the mirror).

By: danc

danc — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:28:54 +0000

2007 Tennessee enacted a 3 ft law called a "Jeff Roth Bicycle and Pedalcyclists Protection Act" with less than desirable results. Hamilton County, Chattanooga Plan 3 Foot Bicycle Law Enforcement, Education Gov. Bredesen Weighs In On Tennessee's 3 Foot Law Will 3 ft law deny a "I did not see the cyclist" defense when I cyclist is hit? Likely not. Are 3 ft passing laws aimed at helping cyclists with "poor lane positioning" feel safer or comfortable? Most probably

By: Steve A

Steve A — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:37:31 +0000

I have taught my daughter to not even think about it, but just to make a full lane change to pass anything on the road (cyclist, pedestrian, equine), regardless of where he/she is. Even the shoulder.

By: John

John — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:30:57 +0000

Thanks. Your logic is impeccable! It is curious why legislators would choose any fixed distance for passing. Safe distance is relative to a number of variables such as size, weight, speed of both vehicles, condition of road (3 feet on a gravel road ? ouch !!), weather conditions, etc. Legislating fixed distances may be appropriate for stationary objects, like STOP signs or fire hydrants, but not moving vehicles.