PD Editorial: Sharing space on the street

Has peace broken out on Sonoma County’s roads?

It’s been quite a while since we’ve heard from drivers enraged by the presence of bicycles on local streets - or from cyclists aggrieved by aggressive motorists.

No, this isn’t an attempt to refuel the fight.

It’s a small expression of optimism that a new state law enacted to protect cyclists on public thoroughfares won’t require aggressive policing because self-enforcement already is taking place.

If that’s indeed the case, the Three Feet for Safety Act, will still stand as a reminder that roads aren’t reserved exclusively for motor vehicles. The law, which took effect Tuesday, requires motorists to allow a three-foot buffer when passing a cyclist.

Focusing on passing maneuvers makes sense - and not only because cars usually travel faster than bikes. More than half of the 552 car vs. bicycle fatalities in the United States in 2012 involved cyclists hit from behind or struck by the side of a passing car, according to research by the League of American Bicyclists.

If there isn’t room to pass safely while allowing three feet, the new law says drivers must wait until there is room or until they can slow to a prudent speed and pass safely. A previous attempt to require a three-foot buffer allowed drivers to cross double yellow lines to pass bicycles. But that bill was vetoed, and the new law includes no such exemption.

The fine for violating the law is $35, increasing to $220 if a motor vehicle strikes a bicycle while passing illegally.

California is the 33rd state to enact a law requiring motorists to yield some space to bicycles, and it’s the 23rd state to establish a three-foot standard. Two years ago, Sebastopol adopted an ordinance allowing pedestrians and cyclists to sue drivers who threaten or harass them.

But it will take more than legislation, lawsuits and $35 tickets to ensure that streets are bicycle friendly as well as auto friendly.

That’s a shared responsibility of drivers and cyclists.

Cyclists need to use bike lanes where they’re available, ride single file and respect stop signs and turn signals. But failing to do so never grants a driver license to mete out vigilante justice from behind the wheel.

There are good reasons to promote cycling in our community. Riding is healthy and non-polluting. More riders translates into fewer vehicles and less traffic, a bonus for those who choose to drive or, for whatever reason, must drive. Beyond that, bicycles have the same legal right to use the roads as motorists.

While we’re on the subject of traffic laws, a second significant change is underway in Sonoma County. Caltrans is activating metering lights along Highway 101, first on southbound lanes and, beginning in October, on northbound lanes. They’re intended to smooth the flow of traffic by controlling the volume of traffic entering the freeway.

Most drivers probably have encountered metering lights elsewhere, but they - like the new bicycle safety law - will take some getting used to. So take your time, and, to borrow Sgt. Esterhaus’ trademark line from television’s “Hill Street Blues,” be careful out there.