Joe Stafford of Pennsylvania Walks and Bikes is reporting that Governor Corbett has signed HB170 on Thursday which does much to clarify and codify what drivers must do to safely pass a bicyclist. According to language directly from the new law:
The driver of a motor vehicle overtaking a pedalcycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of the pedalcycle within not less than four feet at a careful and prudent reduced speed (emphasis mine).Not only does this law require more from drivers than the three foot minimum required in many other state's "safe passing" laws but PA's new law also requires drivers to reduce their speed to what must assumed to be less than the posted speed limit when passing a cyclist.
But wait! There's more!
Besides this, the law clarifies that drivers can cross the double yellow line to pass cyclists as long as it is safe and the overtaking driver yields to all oncoming traffic. This is something that is conspicuously absent from New Jersey's vehicle code which calls into question the technical legality of crossing a double yellow line to pass not only cyclists but also slow moving vehicles like farm tractors and construction equipment.
Also, the new law states that drivers cannot interfer with cyclists riding within the law:
No turn by a driver of a motor vehicle shall interfere with a pedalcycle proceeding straight while operating in accordance with Chapter 35.This is essential a no "right-hook" law. Way to go PA!
Finally, this new law allows would seem to allow cyclists the full use of a lane on a road that is no more than one lane in each direction. This legal privilege comes with the very reasonable caveat that cyclists "shall use reasonable efforts so as not to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic." For the protections and privileges this new law provides it reasonable to allow cars to pass when reasonable and safe to do so.
New Jersey could learn a lot from the recent Bicycle Safe Passing Laws passed in Delaware (move over language and this week clarifications with regards to shoulder and right-turn-only lanes) and now Pennsylvania. The language of the current "safe passing" bill floating around the New Jersey Legislature is meek at best and might make matters worse as argued by me (1 & 2) in this blog and doesn't clarify issues like passing cyclists in no passing zones.
6 comments:
The "crossing the double yellow line" confusion bugs me.
A double yellow line means that stretch of the road is a no passing zone. If a motorist is concerned about getting a ticket for crossing the line, why is he not concerned about getting a ticket for passing in a no passing zone?
What bugs me more is that some people think its better to pass me within a hairs breath of my life because they won't dare cross the double-yellow line even though there isn't anyone coming for miles! I'm a reasonable person and will allow overtaking drivers to pass me when it safe for them to do so. I just expect a little respect in return.
This is why these issues need to clarified in the eyes of the law. The new PA law is a very good step in that direction.
Does the proposed NJ 3 foot rule include similar language that clarifies crossing the centerline?
No.
The link to the bill is in my original post above.
Sorry, should have reread the article on the site, rather than skipping from the truncated view in the newsreader to the comments.
I hope this gets added at the 3-foot session at the NJBW summit at the end of the month. Unfortunately, I probably won't be able to attend this year.
I'll be at the Summit (I'm presenting on NJ TRANSIT issues). I'm also on the NJ BPAC Legislative Sub-Committee and I cannot support NJ's 3-foot bill as it is currently proposed. Don't worry! There is a voice on this issue that want's something much more than a messily 3-feet.
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