Passing Distance Bill Headed to Governor
Posted by: ScottJun 27 2007, 3:30 pm
According to the Oregonian's politics blog, the Oregon House today passed the final version of SB 108, a bill that will require rural drivers to give cyclists enough room so if cyclists fall over, the car won't hit the cyclist. It also will require trucks to have mirrors to see things in front of them.
The cyclist provision is a version of the BTA's effort to clarify passing distance law. This passing distance language is from Sen. Floyd Prozanski, who was a good friend and riding partner of Jane Higdon, a cyclist killed last year by a passing truck in rural Lane County.
The provisions don't apply on roads with bike lanes, or where drivers are going less than 35 mph. Read the Statesmen Journal article written by AP writer and cyclist Aaron Clark
The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
"The provisions don't apply on roads with bike lanes, or where drivers are going less than 35 mph." So on a 35 mph speed limit road where drivers are regularly going faster does the law apply? What about a 25mph road if the driver in question is going 40? Can you explain what the speed limit mentioned above really means to the rider?