Pacific Northwest - State lawmaker pushing for the 3-foot rule

Found this on the Seattle Times today:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008751183_bicycle17m.html

Officers already won't enforce the traffic laws we have. Ever called the "aggressive driving" hotline number to report someone? I was specifically told "if an officer doesn't witness the behaviour, they can't ticket for it" which means that report call-in number is useless.

Try calling the police and reporting that you were passed with less than 3 feet of clearance, even if it becomes law. Unless you were run over, they won't send anyone. If you were run over, they might issue a citation for "distracted driving".

reading the newspaper comments just reminds me why I shouldn't read the newspaper comments.

I'm astounded that so many motorists think there are only two possible actions when coming up behind a cyclist:

1) don't slow down and run over the cyclist.
2) don't slow down, go into the oncoming lane and get in a head-on collision.

I'm astounded that so many motorists think there are only two possible actions when coming up behind a cyclist:

1) don't slow down and run over the cyclist.
2) don't slow down, go into the oncoming lane and get in a head-on collision.

Watch drivers on any highway during "rush hour" and observe the peel-out and screech-stop behaviour. Apparently new vehicles have a binary throttle system which either operates at "floor it" or "stomp the brakes" speed.

I will admit that it's nice that someone at the policy-making level is paying attention to us. Apparently this Pedersen is a bike commuter. I wonder if he ever hangs out here?

The comments are certainly vitriolic, to say the least. There were the usual complaints about our not paying for the roads, how each and every one of us constantly and with great pleasure and malice break every traffic law on the books, laughing as we do so, calls for licensing riders and requiring insurance (actually, I wouldn't mind having some insurance -- the two times I've been hit were by uninsured motorists), etc., etc., etc.

It never ceases to amaze me how drivers fail to see those of us who ride carefully and responsibly, and how they similarly fail to recognize that so many of them break the same laws many riders do, and many more, in the daily operation of their precious automobiles.

I did like the calls for a pollution tax if there were to be a bicycle tax. Hybrids would pay less than sedans which would pay less than SUVs. Very amusing.

When I was learning to drive, the instructor gave us one piece of advice I've always found helpful. Remember, he said, that you're operating something with the ability to take a life in the blink of an eye. Treat this vehicle with the same respect you would a loaded pistol or rifle; it has the same ability to kill.

I didn't bother with the comments in the article; I've read enough of them by now to write them. I never cease to be amazed by the venom towards cyclists.

I never cease to be amazed by the venom towards cyclists.

Not me - I've seen too many cyclists do really stupid things that give the rest of us a really bad name. Then there is the whole critical mass thing which is nothing but a bunch of cyclists out to give all of us a black eye.

But how many bicyclists KILL others?

Let's not turn this into a scofflaw/CM argument...

Let's not turn this into a scofflaw/CM argument...

Oh, all right, I guess...;) there's another forum for that, isn't there?

I was dissapointed by the state patrol spokesperson mentioning

"We're for any measure that increases safety, so if prescribing a 3-foot passing distance increases motor safety we're in support of that,"

made me think the state patrol is not really concerning themselves with 'road users' but more with the 'motorists'

and that's a lame POV for the state to take about the proposed 3-foot rule.

That's an interesting point. Like the County sheriff who didn't stop for me in the crosswalk the other day, after I waited for the two near lanes to stop before proceeding-huge blind spot. But I digress.

I followed a drunk driver for over half an hour, calling the State Patrol every time I got back into a spot with signal, from Quincy to Wenatchee. They were swerving heavily all over the road onto the shoulder and then across the center lane. I was behind them in my car at the time, at about 3:00AM. I followed this car into town, while talking with the dispatch. I gave them a description of the car and the license plate number. I gave them turn by turn directions until the guy pulled into his destination.

No officer ever showed up. I doubt they ever did anything. Now I am disgusted every time I see one of the 'we are cracking down on drunk drivers' commercials.

After that experience, a law requiring a 3 foot clearance sounds a lot like something they will care a lot less about.

I'm actually really surprised we don't have a three foot law, what with being a "bike friendly" area an all. In fact, I thought we did have a three feet law until this proposal came to light. I agree that it wont actually do anything to prosecute motorists that pass to closely, but at least it would give us something to cite after getting buzzed, whereas right now, motorists can pass us with a millimeter of space and not be considered as in the wrong.