Advocacy & Safety - IL Cyclists - Senate Bill 80 in committee

Just received a note from The League of Illinois Bicyclists that Illinois Senate Bill 80 is in committee.

LIB info at http://www.bikelib.org/political_state/bikelawproposal_sb80.pdf

IL SB 80 seeks to :
1) implement a 3 foot passing rule
2) clarify hand signals for turning
3) clarify lane positioning near right turn lanes

More info in SB80 is at IL General Assembly web site.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GA=95&DocTypeID=SB&DocNum=80&GAID=9&SessionID=51&LegID=27287

You might want to your call or e-mail your own state senator if he or she is on the transportation committee. Transportation Committee members are: http://www.ilga.gov/senate/committees/members.asp?committeeID=394

I like LIB's clear explanation of what the law changes (and what it doesn't).

Funny, here in NC not one of those three is in the traffic law either.

Common sense bill here.

can someone paraphrase these into bike forums instead of just posting links? Thanks.

can someone paraphrase these into bike forums instead of just posting links? Thanks.

Sure. IL SB 80 seeks to :
1) implement a 3 foot passing rule
2) clarify hand signals for turning
3) clarify lane positioning near right turn lanes

I edited the OP as well

I like LIB's clear explanation of what the law changes (and what it doesn't).

Funny, here in NC not one of those three is in the traffic law either.

I personally would like a 3-foot minimum clarification and a right-hand signal option added to NC law.

As for the stay-right rule, here in NC it reads as follows:


§ 20-146. Drive on right side of highway; exceptions.
(b) Upon all highways any vehicle proceeding at less than the
legal maximum speed limit shall be driven in the right-hand lane
then available for thru traffic, or as close as practicable to
the right-hand curb or edge of the highway, except when
overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same
direction or when preparing for a left turn.


The "or" is interpreted by many cyclists as limiting the "as close as practicable" language to those situations with more than one marked lane.

I personally would like a 3-foot minimum clarification and a right-hand signal option added to NC law.

As for the stay-right rule, here in NC it reads as follows:

The "or" is interpreted by many cyclists as limiting the "as close as practicable" language to those situations with more than one marked lane.

Thread hijack....

I know it's a minor detail, but I'd like it to read, "as close as IS SAFE AND practicable" (emphasis mine), for those times I'm told by drivers that I have to stay "all the way to the right". I know the law allows me to move left if it's safer to do so, but the law doesn't say that. I'd like to be able to point to it in writing when I'm arguing with drivers.

End thread hijack

SB 80 made it out of the Transportation Committee last week. I'm not sure when it's scheduled to go to the senate for a vote.

I know the law allows me to move left if it's safer to do so, but the law doesn't say that. I'd like to be able to point to it in writing when I'm arguing with drivers.

Do you really argue with drivers and expect them to care what you say is written in the fine print of vehicle code?

Do you really argue with drivers and expect them to care what you say is written in the fine print of vehicle code?
Um, actually, I've seen it happen a lot, at least where I live now. At least I haven't personally succumbed to the urge - yet. I'm a verbal type, so it's bound to happen to me sooner or later. :o

Um, actually, I've seen it happen a lot, at least where I live now. At least I haven't personally succumbed to the urge - yet. I'm a verbal type, so it's bound to happen to me sooner or later. :o
You mean you've observed an errant driver having an "A-Ha! moment" after being read the law (or the riot act) by an offended cyclist? I'm amazed, unless that cyclist happened to be a law enforcement officer. And then as we all know, they don't necessarily accurately read or quote the fine print to get a driver's attention.

You mean you've observed an errant driver having an "A-Ha! moment" after being read the law (or the riot act) by an offended cyclist? I'm amazed, unless that cyclist happened to be a law enforcement officer. And then as we all know, they don't necessarily accurately read or quote the fine print to get a driver's attention.
Of course not, but one of these days I won't be able to help myself. Kinda like a burp. :D

I called my senator today. He's already a co-sponsor I see, but I figure it doesn't hurt to know there's support out there. Some punk teens ran my wife off the road intentionally last summer, and I was able to track them down through traffic and residential streets, and ended up with a police report out of it.

Provides that, in addition to the existing exceptions, the rider is not required to ride as close to the right-hand curb or edge as practicable and safe when the rider is approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.
This is already clarified in CA... one of my favorite exceptions. Good to see it clarified here.

Few cyclists seem to know about it, judging by the strong gravity-like force that seems to keep them confined to the margin space even at approaches to intersections where they are going straight. It truly makes my day when I see a cyclist look back at an intersection approach, much less look back and merge left, but it happens so rarely...

Called my senator today ... for whatever good it will do. :(

Called my senator today ... for whatever good it will do. :(

Thanks!

It probably will do a lot. It's surprising how much weight a letter, phone call, or e-mail can have in the legislature.

L

I personally would like a 3-foot minimum clarification and a right-hand signal option added to NC law.

As for the stay-right rule, here in NC it reads as follows:



The "or" is interpreted by many cyclists as limiting the "as close as practicable" language to those situations with more than one marked lane.

IANAL, standard disclaimer applies....

If you read that, the way I did, on a two lane road (one each way), stay as far right as practicable, practicable being one of those wonderful words that 5 different courts can define 7 different ways..... however in a multi-lane road (more then one lane each way), then your only required to stay in the right hand lane.

Maybe I'm dense, but why do the hand signals need clarifying? Those are the ones I was taught to use in grade school way too many years ago. Has there been some confusion sense then?

Maybe I'm dense, but why do the hand signals need clarifying? Those are the ones I was taught to use in grade school way too many years ago. Has there been some confusion sense then?
New law proposal lets you use your right arm to signal a right turn.
Al

Status as of 03/08/20007: SB 80 PASSED the Senate 57-0!. It next moves to House committee.

You who called your senators helped make it happen.

Let's hope it passes. Thanks for the heads up.

It took a while, but 3 foot passing is finally law in IL ... From the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation web site http://biketraffic.org


Released: Aug. 17, 2007
Contact: David Callahan
david@biketraffic.org

Motorists in Illinois must pass bicyclists with at least three feet of room thanks to Gov. Blagojevich’s signature on Senate Bill 80 yesterday, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation announced.

This measure was supported by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and led by our partner organization, the League of Illinois Bicyclists. It's a significant victory for bicycling statewide.

The bill, effective immediately, amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to also provide that bicyclists may signal a right-hand turn with their right arms.

In addition, the law states that a bicyclist is to ride as close to the right-hand curb as practicable and safe. The law previously provided that they ride as close as possible.

This also means that the bicyclist is not required to ride as close to the right-hand curb or edge as practicable and safe when the rider is approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.

Please pass on this update to your driving and cycling friends. If you have any questions about the new law or other legislation related to bicycling, please contact David Callahan at david@biketraffic.org

Text of the law is here
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=095-0231

You mean you've observed an errant driver having an "A-Ha! moment" after being read the law (or the riot act) by an offended cyclist? I'm amazed, unless that cyclist happened to be a law enforcement officer. And then as we all know, they don't necessarily accurately read or quote the fine print to get a driver's attention.

Actually I have never had a motorist that I am talking to have an "Ah-ha" moment... I have at best gotten a begrudging nod. But on the other hand I have had co-workers respond to the laws posted outside of my cube and give an "I didn't know that... "

BTW just for the sake of "Oh yeah, prove it..." I carry small business cards that have the Bike Laws printed on them.