spandexwarrior

Here is some impressive legislation waiting to be voted on in the Maryland General Assembly. I will summarize some of it, but you will have to read the article to read all of it:

House Bill 173/Senate Bill 218 – Homicide by Aggressive Driving
This bill would make killing somebody (a cyclist, pedestrian, or motorist) while driving aggressively (breaking three specific motor vehicle laws) a criminal offense and subject to jail time.

House Bill 1319/Senate Bill 758 – Accommodation of Bicyclists and Pedestrians
This legislation would require the state to construct all state roads with bicycling and pedestrian accommodations, allowing for three specific exemptions. The wording of this bill is very close to existing USDOT guidance. If this bill gets passed an exemption would have to be granted for each project that does not provide for bike/ped access, making the provision of such access the rule rather than the exception. The bicycle facilities need not be bike lanes (although that's certainly encouraged) but could also be paved shoulders or wide curb lanes. Whichever facility SHA chooses to build, motorists will gain as much as bicyclists will. It is a very good bill that will help the state to build "complete streets" the first time they're built, saving money in the long run and even more importantly providing safer facilities for all road users.

Full article:
https://onelesscar.org/TopLevel/legislation2004.php

erraticrider

Cool, I'm calling my reps.

slvoid

Wow this is scary, you'd think if you kill someone while driving aggressively, it'd be murder! But it's not, yet...

I imagine if I'm waving a hammer around "aggressively" with people around me and I kill someone, I better be found responsible or this whole court of law thing doesn't work worth squat.

Chris L

Also note the "Driving aggressively" apparently requires the breaking of "three specific motor vehicle laws". I always thought that was possible without breaking as many as three laws, but then I don't drive, so what the hell do I know?

I'd also like a more specific definition of "bicycle accommodations", too. There are many so-called "facilities" around there, that I point blank refuse do use because they are dangerous, impractical or both.

LittleBigMan

I would love to see cops crack down on aggressive driving. I think it's a great thing to have on the books.

But around here, they don't crack down on anything except driving without insurance. Speed limits mean nothing. Drivers make their own rules. I wonder if new laws will make any difference.