Ohio General Assembly approves 3-foot safe passing law protectingcyclists on the road

On Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 5:47:49 AM UTC-8, Garrison Hilliard wrote:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Bicyclists in the Buckeye State are about to find the
roads a bit bike-friendlier.

The Ohio Senate approved Thursday, by a 30-1 margin, House Bill 154,
which will require motorists to pass bicyclists on the road with no
less than a 3-foot cushion. Later Thursday night, the Ohio House
approved, 88-4, amendments proposed by the Senate, sending the bill to
Gov. John Kasich's desk.

The law will fortify four Ohio cities, including Cincinnati, that have
already enacted 3-foot passing laws on a municipal level.

"The passage of the 3-feet legislation will help make our streets and
roads safer for all users," said Frank Henson, president of Queen City
Bike.

Upon Kasich's signature, Ohio will become the 40th state to enact some
sort of safe passing legislation, although only 28 currently mandate a
specific distance motorists must maintain, [125]according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures. Some states employ general
"safe distance" requirements, while others are even more stringent than
3 feet, calling for 4-, 5- and even 6-foot cushions.

Ten states, including Kentucky and Indiana, have no passing
requirements enacted into law, although [126]Kentucky's General
Assembly was considering a 3-foot safe passing law during its regular
2016 session last winter. That bill, Senate Bill 80, passed out of the
Kentucky Senate but failed to get out of the House Transportatio

Committee before the 2016 legislative session concluded.

Currently, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recommends a 3-foot
cushion, but the recommendation has no legal support behind it.

There's some debate as to how much safer roads become for cyclists
after 3-foot passing laws are enacted.



As WCPO has previously reported, the problem isn't that they don't make
roads safer. It's that no one's really sure, at least when it comes to
hard data. That's not because no one's collecting the data, but because
most authorities agree that the laws are hard to enforce. [128]One
study, out of Rutgers University, listed "difficulty of enforcement" as
the laws' top limitation.

Ohio attorney Steve Magas, who has made a career out of representing
cyclists in criminal and civil cases, previously told WCPO that 3-foot

laws can be thought of as less an enforcement tool and more a marketing
strategy.

"Having the 3-foot law helps... maybe not in writing tickets, but more
so in promoting cycling and giving everyone an awareness that, 'Hey,
these folks are allowed to be out there. Give them a few feet to pass.'
It's almost as much a marketing tool for safe driving as it is a law,"
he said.

The bill also includes a provision allowing cyclists to proceed through
an intersection after coming to a full stop and yielding right-of-way,
even when not detected by a device meant to move the traffic signal
from red to green.

Pat LaFleur reports on transportation and development for WCPO. Connect
with him on Twitte



http://www.wcpo.com/news/government/...ts-on-the-road

This law has been in effect in California for a year or two now. These laws make no difference whatsoever unless they are enforced and they are not.

On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 11:57:50 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 5:47:49 AM UTC-8, Garrison Hilliard wrote:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Bicyclists in the Buckeye State are about to find the
roads a bit bike-friendlier.

The Ohio Senate approved Thursday, by a 30-1 margin, House Bill 154,
which will require motorists to pass bicyclists on the road with no
less than a 3-foot cushion. Later Thursday night, the Ohio House
approved, 88-4, amendments proposed by the Senate, sending the bill to
Gov. John Kasich's desk.

The law will fortify four Ohio cities, including Cincinnati, that have
already enacted 3-foot passing laws on a municipal level.

"The passage of the 3-feet legislation will help make our streets and
roads safer for all users," said Frank Henson, president of Queen City
Bike.

Upon Kasich's signature, Ohio will become the 40th state to enact some
sort of safe passing legislation, although only 28 currently mandate a
specific distance motorists must maintain, [125]according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures. Some states employ general
"safe distance" requirements, while others are even more stringent than
3 feet, calling for 4-, 5- and even 6-foot cushions.

Ten states, including Kentucky and Indiana, have no passing
requirements enacted into law, although [126]Kentucky's General
Assembly was considering a 3-foot safe passing law during its regular
2016 session last winter. That bill, Senate Bill 80, passed out of the
Kentucky Senate but failed to get out of the House Transportatio

Committee before the 2016 legislative session concluded.

Currently, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recommends a 3-foot
cushion, but the recommendation has no legal support behind it.

There's some debate as to how much safer roads become for cyclists
after 3-foot passing laws are enacted.



As WCPO has previously reported, the problem isn't that they don't make
roads safer. It's that no one's really sure, at least when it comes to
hard data. That's not because no one's collecting the data, but because
most authorities agree that the laws are hard to enforce. [128]One
study, out of Rutgers University, listed "difficulty of enforcement" as
the laws' top limitation.

Ohio attorney Steve Magas, who has made a career out of representing
cyclists in criminal and civil cases, previously told WCPO that 3-foot

laws can be thought of as less an enforcement tool and more a marketing
strategy.

"Having the 3-foot law helps... maybe not in writing tickets, but more
so in promoting cycling and giving everyone an awareness that, 'Hey,
these folks are allowed to be out there. Give them a few feet to pass.'
It's almost as much a marketing tool for safe driving as it is a law,"
he said.

The bill also includes a provision allowing cyclists to proceed through
an intersection after coming to a full stop and yielding right-of-way,
even when not detected by a device meant to move the traffic signal
from red to green.

Pat LaFleur reports on transportation and development for WCPO. Connect
with him on Twitte



http://www.wcpo.com/news/government/...ts-on-the-road

This law has been in effect in California for a year or two now. These laws
make no difference whatsoever unless they are enforced and they are not.

Fundamentally, this is management by exception: only when someone is killed or
maimed will they bring charges against the motorist.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO

On 12/15/2016 10:18 AM, wrote:
On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 11:57:50 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 5:47:49 AM UTC-8, Garrison Hilliard wrote:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Bicyclists in the Buckeye State are about to find the
roads a bit bike-friendlier.

The Ohio Senate approved Thursday, by a 30-1 margin, House Bill 154,
which will require motorists to pass bicyclists on the road with no
less than a 3-foot cushion. Later Thursday night, the Ohio House
approved, 88-4, amendments proposed by the Senate, sending the bill to
Gov. John Kasich's desk.

The law will fortify four Ohio cities, including Cincinnati, that have
already enacted 3-foot passing laws on a municipal level.

"The passage of the 3-feet legislation will help make our streets and
roads safer for all users," said Frank Henson, president of Queen City
Bike.

Upon Kasich's signature, Ohio will become the 40th state to enact some
sort of safe passing legislation, although only 28 currently mandate a
specific distance motorists must maintain, [125]according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures. Some states employ general
"safe distance" requirements, while others are even more stringent than
3 feet, calling for 4-, 5- and even 6-foot cushions.

Ten states, including Kentucky and Indiana, have no passing
requirements enacted into law, although [126]Kentucky's General
Assembly was considering a 3-foot safe passing law during its regular
2016 session last winter. That bill, Senate Bill 80, passed out of the
Kentucky Senate but failed to get out of the House Transportatio

Committee before the 2016 legislative session concluded.

Currently, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recommends a 3-foot
cushion, but the recommendation has no legal support behind it.

There's some debate as to how much safer roads become for cyclists
after 3-foot passing laws are enacted.



As WCPO has previously reported, the problem isn't that they don't make
roads safer. It's that no one's really sure, at least when it comes to
hard data. That's not because no one's collecting the data, but because
most authorities agree that the laws are hard to enforce. [128]One
study, out of Rutgers University, listed "difficulty of enforcement" as
the laws' top limitation.

Ohio attorney Steve Magas, who has made a career out of representing
cyclists in criminal and civil cases, previously told WCPO that 3-foot

laws can be thought of as less an enforcement tool and more a marketing
strategy.

"Having the 3-foot law helps... maybe not in writing tickets, but more
so in promoting cycling and giving everyone an awareness that, 'Hey,
these folks are allowed to be out there. Give them a few feet to pass.'
It's almost as much a marketing tool for safe driving as it is a law,"
he said.

The bill also includes a provision allowing cyclists to proceed through
an intersection after coming to a full stop and yielding right-of-way,
even when not detected by a device meant to move the traffic signal
from red to green.

Pat LaFleur reports on transportation and development for WCPO. Connect
with him on Twitte



http://www.wcpo.com/news/government/...ts-on-the-road

This law has been in effect in California for a year or two now. These laws
make no difference whatsoever unless they are enforced and they are not.

Fundamentally, this is management by exception: only when someone is killed or
maimed will they bring charges against the motorist.

Similar laws exist in something like 25 states. The motivation is, I
believe, to have a useful metric for motorist education.

In the absence of a definite number, most states (including Ohio) say or
said that a motorist must pass "at a safe distance." But that allows a
jerk motorist to purposely do a near-sideswipe, and if challenged, to
say "I didn't hit him, so my distance was safe." Even less aggressive
motorists might think there's no problem with coming extremely close,
since they don't visualize a cyclist suddenly having to avoid a pothole
or other road surface hazard.

If Ohio cycling organizations can publicize that "The law says minimum
three feet" it should improve motorist education. It should also make
its way into the new editions of the drivers' manual that beginners
study to earn their driver's licenses. Hopefully it will eventually
improve motorist behavior and make riding easier, especially for timid
cyclists.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 7:52:06 AM UTC-8, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 12/15/2016 10:18 AM, wrote:
On Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 11:57:50 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sunday, December 11, 2016 at 5:47:49 AM UTC-8, Garrison Hilliard wrote:
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Bicyclists in the Buckeye State are about to find the
roads a bit bike-friendlier.

The Ohio Senate approved Thursday, by a 30-1 margin, House Bill 154,
which will require motorists to pass bicyclists on the road with no
less than a 3-foot cushion. Later Thursday night, the Ohio House
approved, 88-4, amendments proposed by the Senate, sending the bill to
Gov. John Kasich's desk.

The law will fortify four Ohio cities, including Cincinnati, that have
already enacted 3-foot passing laws on a municipal level.

"The passage of the 3-feet legislation will help make our streets and
roads safer for all users," said Frank Henson, president of Queen City
Bike.

Upon Kasich's signature, Ohio will become the 40th state to enact some
sort of safe passing legislation, although only 28 currently mandate a
specific distance motorists must maintain, [125]according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures. Some states employ general
"safe distance" requirements, while others are even more stringent than
3 feet, calling for 4-, 5- and even 6-foot cushions.

Ten states, including Kentucky and Indiana, have no passing
requirements enacted into law, although [126]Kentucky's General
Assembly was considering a 3-foot safe passing law during its regular
2016 session last winter. That bill, Senate Bill 80, passed out of the
Kentucky Senate but failed to get out of the House Transportatio

Committee before the 2016 legislative session concluded.

Currently, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet recommends a 3-foot
cushion, but the recommendation has no legal support behind it.

There's some debate as to how much safer roads become for cyclists
after 3-foot passing laws are enacted.



As WCPO has previously reported, the problem isn't that they don't make
roads safer. It's that no one's really sure, at least when it comes to
hard data. That's not because no one's collecting the data, but because
most authorities agree that the laws are hard to enforce. [128]One
study, out of Rutgers University, listed "difficulty of enforcement" as
the laws' top limitation.

Ohio attorney Steve Magas, who has made a career out of representing
cyclists in criminal and civil cases, previously told WCPO that 3-foot

laws can be thought of as less an enforcement tool and more a marketing
strategy.

"Having the 3-foot law helps... maybe not in writing tickets, but more
so in promoting cycling and giving everyone an awareness that, 'Hey,
these folks are allowed to be out there. Give them a few feet to pass.'
It's almost as much a marketing tool for safe driving as it is a law,"
he said.

The bill also includes a provision allowing cyclists to proceed through
an intersection after coming to a full stop and yielding right-of-way,
even when not detected by a device meant to move the traffic signal
from red to green.

Pat LaFleur reports on transportation and development for WCPO. Connect
with him on Twitte



http://www.wcpo.com/news/government/...ts-on-the-road

This law has been in effect in California for a year or two now. These laws
make no difference whatsoever unless they are enforced and they are not.