Change road rules to increase cycling

In the states there is usually no required minimum distance(it varies state by state) so I'd say you are ahead of us in terms of cycling getting its due on the road. Good luck, and happy cycling.

Over 17 states now have a cycling law on the books that requires a minimum passing buffer.

jhuskey said:

Over 17 states now have a cycling law on the books that requires a minimum passing buffer.

Interesting, what is the general buffer cars are required to leave?

Over here I think there is going to be a national TV ad campaign, reminding people they're supposed to leave a meter of space between themselves and cyclists. Will be interesting to see if it has an effect.

I was able to get the 3 foot passing standard put into out state law in 2007 and got the paper to do a story on it but ignorance of the law persists even with law enforcement officers.
A share the road section is supposed to be included in the new drivers licensing manual.

In AZ, the buffer is 3 feet.

also when planners(county) go to start planning to repave a section of roadway(in rural areas), its best to then plan to make the roadway a bit wider(2-4 feet at least on either side). This way, cyclists actually have a bicycle lane and it distinguishes their area of the roadway to motorists. Interestingly, if you widen roadway in cities it promotes more conjestion of cars/trucks/motorcycles; however in rural areas that is not the case.🙂

Adam-from-SLO said:

also when planners(county) go to start planning to repave a section of roadway(in rural areas), its best to then plan to make the roadway a bit wider(2-4 feet at least on either side). This way, cyclists actually have a bicycle lane and it distinguishes their area of the roadway to motorists. Interestingly, if you widen roadway in cities it promotes more conjestion of cars/trucks/motorcycles; however in rural areas that is not the case.🙂

Here....er, in Pima County, AZ....new roads have to have bike lanes. I think this applies to road widening, too, as all the newly widened roads have sprouted big, fat cycling lanes. The county and cities in the county have definitely made cycling an important part of the future transportation picture. Things would be nearly perfect if they could only get rid of all the freakin' Hummers out here.

You are absolutely right about safe and healthy cycling. To increase more Cycling and Cyclists on road, the rules needs to be changed, as you have stated in your post.

lostinsk said:

In the states there is usually no required minimum distance(it varies state by state) so I'd say you are ahead of us in terms of cycling getting its due on the road. Good luck, and happy cycling.

alienator said:

The county and cities in the county have definitely made cycling an important part of the future transportation picture. Things would be nearly perfect if they could only get rid of all the freakin' Hummers out here.

I also dislike wide-loads.
Have you ever tried asking someone who drives a H1, H2 , or H3 why they chose to buy/driver such a vehicle ??!!

Adam-from-SLO said:

I also dislike wide-loads.
Have you ever tried asking someone who drives a H1, H2 , or H3 why they chose to buy/driver such a vehicle ??!!

Argh! Wide loads. On a two lane road out here, a couple of years ago, a semi with a wide load, a giant bulldozer, passed me at about 60 mph, close enough that the blade on the bulldozer nicked my elbow and removed a wee bit of skin. That was a bit too close for comfort.

I assume that people have bought their Hummers for a variety of reasons (although I've never asked):

• They're great for driving to the grocery store
• The Sinaloa cartel pays well
• They actually think they do own the road
• It impresses the other soccer moms and dads
• Obviously their driveway has a 173% grade (60 degree slope)
• All the other survivalists are using them
• A Hummer has fewer complications than penis enlargement surgery

wild story about that wide-load.. glad to hear you were able to make it home fine, with a story to boot!

Actually, the one friend of mine who lives locally, he's got a H2. What he told me was only women roll in H3's (which I guess I agree... those Hummers are very-very sad).

When I asked him "hey, how come you drive a H2 hummer", he said "because it fits my personality" :p🙂. IT was crazy, because about 10 minutes before I asked him that, I was parked next to a Toyota Landcrusier(3.4L V6 I think.. but might have been a V8 engine). Anyways it was about 90 degrees out, kinda humid(which is rare where I live.. its usually dry+hot), and the guy in the Landcruiser was at idle, doing shuffling some paperwork for about 5-7 minutes as I was getting a package ready to be mailed at USPS. So, as I go to leave my car(small sub-compact Toyota = 45mpg), I knocked on his window. I said "hey bro, you know if your going to be at idle for over a minute its good to just shut off your engine so you save on gas". He comes back to me, and says "ohhhh, yeah, but its hot out.. and I've got the AC on... trying to stay cool" 😕😕 .... darn Global Warming + Peak oil, ... some people just dont get it.

The road rules definetly need changing to incorporate the needs of cyclists but I also think the mindset of motorists needs to change also. At the moment, many motorists look upon cyclists as a nuisance rather than legitimate road users. The emphasis seems to be on the cyclist to avoid cars rather than the other way round. An education program needs to be launched to promote the rights of cyclists.

Adam-from-SLO said:

also when planners(county) go to start planning to repave a section of roadway(in rural areas), its best to then plan to make the roadway a bit wider(2-4 feet at least on either side). This way, cyclists actually have a bicycle lane and it distinguishes their area of the roadway to motorists. Interestingly, if you widen roadway in cities it promotes more conjestion of cars/trucks/motorcycles; however in rural areas that is not the case.🙂

Sadly though it is not the planners who need to be barraged about bike lanes - its the engineering departments that are in charge or road design. Sadly the two groups don't typically talk much. 🙁

pcrx said:

Sadly though it is not the planners who need to be barraged about bike lanes - its the engineering departments that are in charge or road design. Sadly the two groups don't typically talk much. 🙁

Depends on your location.

When I think back on the years I was driving, I remember one thing being paramount in my choices of vehicles -- can it accelerate? If I get that tickle in my belly when I hit the gas, I'm a happy driver. If not, I quietly curse the car.

I was one of the MILLIONS of fools out there....

Car companies have long tried to give the consumer what they ask for -- it's built into the business model. But in the mid/late 70's, that changed, temporarily. I think we need to go back to that -- slow-rolling dogs of cars. High mileage goals? Back off the VROOOM factor!