Virginia - three feet when passing cyclists

Panel OKs Bicycle Safety Bill
Motorists have to give an extra foot to bicyclists.
By Danny Rathbun
http://ballston.patch.com/articles/panel-oks-bicycle-safety-bill

RICHMOND (CNS) – Virginia motorists would have to give bicyclists a little
more room on the road under a bill approved unanimously by the Senate
Transportation Committee.

Senate Bill 928 would increase from two to three feet the minimum distance
for cars passing bicycles. The bill also would add bicycles and mopeds to
the list of vehicles that cars cannot follow “more closely than is
reasonable.”

Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Mechanicsville, who proposed the bill, said he was
against the idea in the past, but personal experience recently changed his
mind.

“I’d been a little resistant to the concept until I had an experience over
the summer, while I was riding my bike … and had somebody pass me at a
rather close distance,” McDougle said.

Champe Burnley, president of the Virginia Bicycling Federation, said that
while an extra 12 inches may not seem like a lot, it would make a big
difference for cyclists in Virginia.

“We had 11 fatalities last year – 11 fatalities the year before – of
bicyclists hit by vehicles,” he said. ”We feel that this will help.”

Burnley said the extra foot of passing room would bring Virginia up to the
standard recommended by the League of American Bicyclists. This would
entice more bicyclists to visit Virginia, he said.

“It’s a great state for tourism bicycling,” Burnley said. “People who come
in from out of state to ride here know, as we have already known, what a
beautiful area it is to ride in.”

Sen. John Watkins, R-Midlothian, said he’s not sure the proposed law can
realistically be enforced.

“How many people have we cited in this state for passing a bike too
closely?” Watkins asked. “Have we ever cited anybody?”

Even so, Watkins voted for SB 928, along with the 14 other members of the
Senate Transportation Committee. The bill now is awaiting action by the
full Senate.

On the Web

For information about the League of American Bicyclists,
visit www.bikeleague.org

To track or comment on Senate Bill 928,
see www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2011/sb928