Tag | bikes
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.
Bell Sports Files Suit Against Specialized, Alleging Unlawful Business Practices
Specialized Bicycle Components was recently hit with a lawsuit filed by Bell Sports which claimed that the company engaged in “unfair and unlawful” business practices.
The September 9, 2011 claim alleges that Specialized attempted to force dealers not to sell Giro brand bicycling shoes. Bell Sports claims that Specialized threatened to withhold inventory bicycling shoes, and that some retailers were told that they would not receive their manufacturing rebates or their year-end purchase volume incentives if they sold Giro cycling shoes.
This unlawful restraint has and will, according to the complaint, “substantially prevent Giro cycling shoes from competing with Specialized’s cycling shoes”.
For all of the down and dirty details on this lawsuit click over to BicycleRetailer’s article here.
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.
Harassing Bicyclists In LA Is Now A Crime
The streets of LA may have gotten a bit safer for bicyclists–thanks in no small part to the Los Angeles council. The LA Times reports that this last Wednesday the council passed an ordinance that would make harassing bicyclists a crime. Not only are motorists prohibited from verbally and physically threatening bicyclists, the ordinance would also allow bicyclists who were victims of harassment to sue in civil court without formal charges.
Thanks, no doubt, to a small but vocal band of bicyclist-activists, Los Angeles seems to finally be taking the rights of bicyclists seriously. This ordinance–about which you can read more in the Los Angeles Times article here–is the toughest in the country. Hopefully it will help motorists think twice before threatening the life of bicyclists, the road is enough of a challenge without driver hostility!
Big Win At Kalispell For 4Mil and Wounded Warrior Project
Joe Arnone and Team 4 Mil, all either current or former military veterans, participated in this year’s Race Across America. Team 4 Mil outperformed all other military teams, winning the Armed Forces cup with a time of 5 days, 12 hours , and 5 minutes. The team also finished 2nd fastest in the 8 man division.
As if this accomplishment weren’t awesome enough, Arnone and team were racing to raise awareness and money for the amazing Wounded Warrior Project, a favorite organization of ours here at the Law Firm of Richard L. Duquette.
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!
