bikeme

Help stop hit and runs on cyclists. Sign the California Bicycle Coalition's petition. https://thndr.it/1fL07ET

Bobsled

Yeah, it's gotten really crazy with the hit and runs. Seems no one is safe anymore.

Sign me up.

TrojanHorse

Not to be a negative nancy here, and I agree with the petition but it would help if the police uniformly enforced the laws we DO have. How frustrating is it to see a driver kill a cyclist and get off with a very light slap on the wrist (which is more of a court problem than a police problem, I get it)? What about the hit and run drivers - they seem to be able to get away with "oh, I didn't see/hear/feel my car smashing into that cyclist"

Bobsled

I think first of all we need to change people's attitude about hitting some one and leaving them in the street to die. People see running easier as the chance of getting caught are slim in most cases. The petition changes the laws to stiffen the fines to be more inline with the criminal act of hit and run (for those that end up getting caught). It's complicated, but every little bit helps.

prathmann

Agreed, but if we want to reduce hit-and-run violations we should strengthen the penalties and seek better enforcement of those rather than enact another set of laws for a particular class of victims. One problem that's increasing the hit-and-run issue is that DUI penalties have gotten much harsher and as a result there's a greater incentive for an impaired driver to flee the scene. Even if they are later found it'll probably be too late to get proof of intoxication and they may well be better off being convicted of the hit-and-run offense instead of the DUI they would have gotten by remaining at the scene.

GP

I hit a plumbing truck once and the driver didn't have a clue until he came out of a store and saw two police officers looking at the truck. I remember watching him drive off and thinking I was screwed. Luckily he pulled into a parking lot a few hundred feet away.

TrojanHorse

Well, I "signed" it... I guess I can look forward to more spam from change.org.

skidder

Read the law before you sign the petition; it doesn't really do much:

• It still treats hitting a bicyclist/horserider/pedestrian with a car as only an infraction; at least raise it to a misdemeanor.
• Fines increased from $65 - $95 to $220 - $1,000, that's not even keeping up with the CPI since the original law was passed.
• Driving privledges are only lightly restricted, not taken away; a driver can still drive to-and-from work, AND can still drive if its part of their employment. No real punishment there. Take away driving privledges and make 'em walk, use public transit, or (ironically) bicycle to where they want to go.
• Worst of all is any increased costs for enforcement of this law will be bourne by local law enforcement, which means it'll be a low priority; the LEO will only issue a citation unless there's reason to arrest someone (drunk driving, hit-and-run, etc); If I was on foot and punched a cyclist and caused him/her harm, I'd could be charged with the more serious offence of assault and arrested!

Overall this looks like a 'feel-good/do-nothing law' that's the SOP of the California legislature. I can't support it in its current form.


Link to the legislation (AB2398):

https://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/...ed_asm_v98.htm