GIVE ME THREE FEET.

California’s “Three Feet for Safety” bill is still winding its way through the state Senate. AB 1371 was scheduled for a third reading and vote on the full Senate floor, but the bill was amended to include the date it becomes effective (September 16, 2014), so then another “second reading” was required, which happened yesterday, so maybe it went to vote today.

Assuming it eventually passes the Senate, the Assembly (which passed the bill May 16) must concur with the amendments introduced by the Senate, which is usually a rubber stamp if the substance of the bill hasn’t changed. Assuming it passes that final legislative hurdle, it goes on to Jerry Brown’s desk for his inevitable veto.

A flash flag is a little flag that sticks out from the side of a bicycle, like this product. Some people take a wooden dowel, paint the tip of it with metallic paint, and attach that to the bike sticking out sideways. The idea is that the dowel will snap if somebody hits it. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like what happens if a car nudges that log carried by that Serbian cyclist up there.

Another similar product is this safety wing cycling reflector that folds in and out.

The top image was filched from this Serbian news website. The bottom image came from Bike Forums somewhere.