Originally Posted by
009jim
My opinion is that the 3 foot rule applies whether you are in a car or on a bike. In other words none of us likes to have someone go past really close because it would mean that if we had swerved a little, for any reason, it would have resulted in an accident including most likely some broken bones and/or bike damage and no riding for a week or two. So if we use the old "do unto others....." rule - you should only pass someone closer than 3 ft, if YOU would like someone to pass YOU closer than 3 ft.
Nope! That won't work for a number of reasons. First of all, it's a judgement call, and subject to subjective human error. I can just hear it all right now:
Judge: Why didn't you give the plaintiff three feet, before passing?
Defendant: I did give that idiot three feet!
Judge: Did the defendant give you three feet before passing, plaintiff?
Plaintiff: No, absolutely not! That moron didn't even give me one foot! That's why my collar bone is broken! I was startled, and it threw me off course!
So you see, you'd have to practically bring a yardstick, in order to make that determination!
Also, there's the real moron, who just doesn't give a darn. He passes you at 20 mph within an inch of clearance. What's his penalty for ignoring the three-foot rule?...Nothing! Therefore, the rule is unenforcible. That means that it's meaningless!
We've just got to have written laws that are enforcible!
I could imagine some anal person right now, sticking his yardstick out, just to see if it's legal (not necessarily safe) to pass. 