Category: advocacy

Sonoma County first in nation to pass vulnerable users ordinance

Richard MasonerMarch 19, 20133 Comments on Sonoma County first in nation to pass vulnerable users ordinance

The Sonoma County (California) Board of Supervisors became the first county in the nation to pass a -vulnerable users- cyclist anti-harassment ordinance when the Board voted unanimously for the legislation earlier today on Tuesday, March 19, 2013.

The new law allows cyclists and pedestrians to file suit against motorists who physically assault them or attempt to assault them. Further prohibitions on attempting injury, threatening injury, intentionally distracting, or intentionally forcing a cyclist or pedestrian off of the street allows the person to sue for monetary damages, legal fees, and any other or additional relief the court deems appropriate.

Unlike similar legislation now on the books in the cities of Los Angeles, Sunnyvale, Berkeley and Sebastopol, California, the county ordinance places no limits on the monetary damages.

This new ordinance takes effect 30 days after today. The Sonoma Ordinance applies only to unincorporated areas of Sonoma County. Several cities within the county are considering similar laws that would be applicable within their municipal boundaries.

Sonoma County is one of the nine counties making up the San Francisco Bay Area. Road cycling is a tremendously popular activity.

For more information, read this update from the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, which has spearheaded the effort to get this law passed.

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Petition for three feet in California

Richard MasonerMarch 11, 20131 Comment on Petition for three feet in California

Two years in a row, Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach introduced a safe passing bill to the California legislature. Two years in a row, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the bill in spite of heavy lobbying by California cyclists.

Lowenthal has since moved on to the U.S. Congress, and nobody has yet taken up his safe-passing torch in the California legislature.

Los Angeles cyclist Rick Risemburg hopes to bring this to statewide attention again with his safe passing online petition to be delivered to Jerry Brown’s desk. He’s already most of the way there to the required 1000 signatures. Sending this over the top will highlight the importance of this issue for California cyclists.

20 states and several local governments have a 3 foot law in place. Rick Perry of Texas and Brown are the only two governors to have vetoed 3 foot legislation.

Risemburg realizes the deadline has passed to introduce new legislation in California for the 2013 session, but hopes for action in 2014. Although Lowenthal termed out of the state Senate last year, we now have other bona fide bike people among the freshmen members of the California assembly.

View the petition here –> Three Feet Please! for California.

Via Biking In LA, where you can find a good collection of weekend CARnage.

Posted In advocacy | california | politics

Four bills that affect California cyclists

Richard MasonerFebruary 25, 20139 Comments on Four bills that affect California cyclists

Proposed laws include agency immunity from liability on any street with bike lanes; CEQA exemption for bike plans

The deadline to submit bills for the 2013 legislative session passed last Friday. Among the 2200 bills submitted by our representatives since the legislative year began, I’ve listed the bills I found that directly affect cyclists in California.

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Posted In advocacy | california | politics

MAP-21 performance measures and cycling fatalities

Richard MasonerFebruary 20, 2013Leave a Comment

US DOT safety goals and the League of American Bicyclists petition

The MAP-21 transportation funding bill passed by the US Congress in 2012 mandates the establishment by the US Department of Transportation of safety goals. Specifically, the law says the USDOT must track serious injuries and fatalities per VMT and set a national safety goal to reduce those injuries and fatalities.

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San Mateo, pedestrian friendly El Camino Real, and drive through coffee

Richard MasonerFebruary 19, 20133 Comments on San Mateo, pedestrian friendly El Camino Real, and drive through coffee

The city of San Mateo, California is centrally located between Silicon Valley and San Francisco on the San Francisco Peninsula. Over half a million vehicles cross through the city daily on US Highway 101. Another 300,000 vehicles pass through San Mateo on Highway 92, while about 50,000 vehicles travel through on El Camino Real (ECR).

Much of ECR today is a six lane traffic sewer with mixed development on either side of the road.

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