From Deseret News archives:

Cyclists rally on Capitol Hill in support of bill

HB49 would clarify what safe passing distance is

Published: Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2005 8:49 p.m. MST
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Many clad in neon neoprene, bicycle enthusiasts rallied on Capitol Hill Tuesday in support of legislation they believe will make them more visible on the road and in the law.

Rep. Roz McGee, D-Salt Lake, was asked to sponsor the bill after Salt Lake City resident Josie Johnson was struck from behind and killed while riding her bike up Big Cottonwood Canyon this past September. Johnson was wearing a helmet and brightly colored clothing at the time of her death.

HB49 would further define "safe distance," which is already written in state code referencing vehicles overtaking bicyclists on the roads. It would require vehicles to allow cyclists a specific distance of three feet while overtaking the bicycle and to maintain that distance until safely past the rider.

"This is not the first time for bicycle safety in Utah law," McGee said. "Right here in our code book, it talks about the operations of bicycles. Bicyclists have responsibilities for safety on the road as well as motorists. We just want cyclists to have an even chance of using the roadways in Utah."

William Fails of Beaver County was also killed last year while riding on Utah's roads.

Story continues below
"Numerous other Utah cyclists were also injured in such accidents or forced from the road by motorists who were unable or unwilling to provide the bike space while passing," said University of Utah professor John Weis.

Weis said the three-foot distance required in the bill will help to educate the motoring public and cyclists.

"The total purpose of this bill is to save lives and prevent injuries," he said.

Jason Bultman of the Salt Lake County Bicycle Advisory Group said he was deeply affected by the cyclist deaths in Utah last year. Bultman has been hit by a motorist while riding his bike, but he said such an event is rare.

"The guy that hit me wasn't looking for bicyclists, because nobody ever rides 33rd South," he said.

HB49 would provide the grounds for educating the public who choose to use Utah's roads on how to use them safely, Bultman said.

Malcolm Campbell, a member of the Bonneville Bicycle Touring Club, pleaded with lawmakers to "take this law seriously."

"It's here to help people, it's here to help communities and it's here to help safety," he said. "Just being a cyclist doesn't make us guilty of a capital crime worthy of death."

As proposed in the bill, failure to comply would be a class C misdemeanor.

The bill passed out of committee unanimously Tuesday. It is expected to hit the House floor sometime next week. If it passes the House, it will then move on to the Senate for approval.

McGee said the bill seems to have an "excellent chance" for success in this year's legislative session.


E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

Cyclists roll down Guardsman Way on a memorial ride last October for Josie Johnson, who was killed Sept. 18 while cycling in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

previousnext

Latest comments

Reagan much-beloved in Utah

But Reagan won our hearts by surviving an assassination attempt in which his...

Who are the BYU fans that are going "on and on about Max"? Do you know how...

@Rick: at least the Congress has to account for where the money is spent. The...

Editorial: Cancer screening

We cannot rely on what is written and what we read in cases like this. It is...

BYU had 2 touchdowns taken away due to penalties. The tV guys never showed a...

Utah Utes whip SDSU

Straight from Wikipedia, don't you envy this? The 1984 NCAA Division I-A...

Schools may have to account for $$

All school districts and their FAT admin offices should be disbanded and...

It's about time someone starts organizing against the loud liberal minority...

You can tell by the radical leftists responding to anything Palin, that they...

Cougar passing shreds Air Force

BYU had 2 touchdowns taken away due to penalties. The tV guys never showed a...

Advertisements