California 2017 driving manual revisions

California’s DMV 2017 edition of its driver handbook will contain numerous revisions related to driving around pedestrians and cyclists. The only thing nobody seems to know anything about is “Added bicyclists to the Tailgating section,” but I guess we’ll find out the new driving manual becomes available Any Day Now.

Fisherman entering the traffic circle

New content:

  • Yield Lines (Shark’s Teeth), with accompanying graphic.
  • Pedestrian Phases (Pedestrian Scrambles), with accompanying graphic.
  • Emergency Notification System for vehicles stalled on the tracks, with accompanying graphic. This information has been added to the Road Signs section and the Safety Tips section regarding stalled vehicles.
  • Information related to the speed of large vehicles when passing pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists and the strong winds it can cause.
  • Information related to green bicycle lanes, with accompanying graphic.

Revised content:

  • Information regarding sharing the road with bicyclists added to the Roundabouts section.
  • New graphic added related to not passing another vehicle stopped at a crosswalk (multiple threat).
  • Added information regarding pedestrians and bicyclists to the CA Basic Speed Law section.
  • Added bicyclists to the Tailgating section.
  • Regarding bicycles, we have elaborated and updated the sections related to Sharrows, Bicycle Lanes, Bicycles in Travel Lanes, and Bicycles (in general).
  • The Taking Dangers One at a Time and Passing sections now include references to properly passing a bicyclist.

Miscellaneous changes:

  • Various sign adjustments and revisions.
  • New content will list road users by most vulnerable; prior content will change as it is revised (pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist, vehicle).

H/T Jim Baross of CABO.

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