Gov. Jerry Brown Vetoes Bicycle Bill As Unsafe

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed the bicycle safety bill that would have required motorists to give bicyclists at least 3 feet of passing room or slow down.  He believed this bill was fundamentally unsafe because it would cause more car accidents.  By asking people to slow way down on one lane 40 MPH roads, Gov. Brown fears that incidents of accidents and road rage will increase.  The other 20 states (and the District of Columbia) that have passed similar safety laws did not seem to give this concern as much merit as Gov. Brown does.  Instead, they seem to prioritize the safety of their bicycling citizens, making sure that the laws around bicyclist passing are clear and the consequences actionable.

The bill was endorsed by Lance Armstrong and LA Mayor Villaraigosa, but Gov. Brown claimed that Highway Patrol and Caltrans both raised legitimate concerns. (Word is that other Automobile interest groups like AAA and the Teamsters Union have come out against the bill as well).

The bill’s creator, state Senator Lowenthal, is understandably disappointed.  Not all hope is lost, however, as Gov. Brown claims he’d be willing to work with Lowenthal to “address his concerns” in the bill next year.

You can see the full story at the website for the Los Angeles Times by clicking here. Sign On San-Diego has another great article about the conflict around the bill as well, click here to read it.

CHP Revises Findings in Fatal Collision: Bicyclist Not To Blame

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has revised its assessment of a fata collision between a bicyclist and a big rig truck that happened last November. Initially the CHP investigation team said that the bicyclist on Alpine Road was to blame for the fatal collision, but after a review and re-investigation they have changed their minds. The findings now show that the bicyclist was struck while still upright.

The family of the deceased bicyclist are planning to sue the truck driver, as he had been involved in a prior fatal accident and was likely “reckless.”

Please check out the article at LosAltosPatch for more information.

Education Is Key For Bicyclist and Motorist Safety

Greg Walker, both an endurance athlete and Engineering Professional in Bakersfield, California, has written a moving, well-reasoned, and important editorial about SB 910 (otherwise known as “Give Me 3″).  As one of the estimated 51,000 bicyclists to visit the Emergency Room for a motor-vehicle-related accident, he has a particularly personal story to tell about bicycle safety.

You can read his article in the Bakersfield Californian to hear the story of his bicycle accident, his reasons for supporting the “Give Me 3″ bill, and his important call for education of both motorists and bicyclists.

Happy 4th of July, readers! Ride safe!

CA Senate Approves 3-Foot Passing Bill

California may soon become the 19th state to pass a bill protect bicyclists against unsafe vehicular passing practices.  Senate Bill 910, also known as the 3-Foot Passing Bill, was approved 27-9 and is headed to Assembly.

This bill essentially seeks to enforce the California Driver’s Handbook-recommended passing distance between bicycles and cars by enacting a fine for motorists who injure a bicyclist in violation of this rule.  It also seeks to legalize the behavior of motorists crossing a double yellow line in order to safely pass a bicyclist.

18 other states have similar bicyclist-protection laws in place.  For more information see the Examiner’s article on the bill.

One Bicyclist Dead and Another Injured in Rancho Peñasquitos

Last Tuesday night, at about 6:20 PM an SUV plowed through the chain link fence that separated the bike lane from traffic, killing one bicyclist and injuring another.

The driver, an unidentified female, seemed to be trying to transition from one lane to another when she lost control of her vehicle.  The SUV veered to the right, went up a grassy embankment and then plowed through the fence and into the bike lane.

The bicyclist who died was described as being in his 30s or 40s, and was pronounced dead at the scene.  Another bicyclist also believed to be in his 30s or 40s, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Apparently both bicyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

The cause of the accident is being investigated, it is unknown at this time whether drugs or alcohol played a part in the accident.

Stay tuned for updates to this tragic accident.

Carlsbad Man Arrested In Hit-And-Run Fatality

According to this SignOnSanDiego.com article, 36 year old Joseph Ricardo Fernandez was arrested in relation to the hit-and-run death of James Steven Swarzman.

According to police, Fernandez got in touch with the Carlsbad police on Monday  and said that he might have been involved in a collision.  When Fernandez’s truck was examined, officers found the damage to be consistent with Swarzman’s hit-and-run.

Drinking may have been a factor.

Fernandez is currently being held in Vista on $50,000 bail, with an arraignment scheduled for Wednesday in Vista Superior Court.