Fixing Michigan Transit ... one bike law at a time.
The Michigan senate today received SB 1224 - a bill that clarifies/fixes some of the rules regarding bicycles on the roads. The laws for bicyclists are... um... well... here's a few examples for you... Did you know?
...in Michigan, if you bike in a crosswalk and are hit by a car, the law does not protect you like it does pedestrians. You are potentially liable.
...in Michigan it is illegal to park a bicycle on a sidewalk.
...in Michigan bikes are required to stay to the far right of the road, no exceptions are listed. So, if you want to make a left turn, you have to do it from the far right side of road. If you come across a dumpster along the right side of the road, you have to stop and walk around it (or crash into - but don't go to the left around it!). If you catch another cyclist on the road, you cannot pass her/him.
...in Michigan cities have the right to forbid bikes from riding on the road, if they provide a side path beside the road.
None of these make any sense. This new bill fixes these, and the senator who sponsored (Michelle McManus) it is pushing for these rule changes to be included in the drivers education booklets and tests.
I ask that everyone in Michigan send their state senator an email or fax asking them to fix these problem by voting in favor of SB 1224. You can find your senator through here http://www.senate.mi.gov/ or here: http://www.vote-smart.org/
My senator just happens to be a co-sponsor of the bill, so my letter is basically a thank you letter. But here it is, with talking points to include in your own letter...
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Hello Senator Leland:
I am an avid cyclist and someone who works with kids to get them more active and bicycling - particularly inner-city youth. I want to thank you for your support of Senate Bill 1224, sponsored by Michelle McManus, and urge you to continue to supporting bills that promote the use and safety of bicycles in Michigan.
If your fellow senators require additional information regarding this bill, I am happy to provide what information I have about the improvements to road safety for EVERYONE. As I understand it, this bill helps to clarify four critical items from the current law:
Yielding to bicyclists in crosswalk
- The use of crosswalks by bicyclists is becoming more common with the proliferation of off-road trails and greenspaces. Oftentimes the only means to cross a street is the crosswalk. Children are the largest group that uses crosswalks on their bicycles, particularly in cities. All non-motorized users should be protected while in the crosswalks and automobile traffic should have to yield to them.
Elimination of the Mandatory Side Path Rule
- Since bicyclists have the same rights, duties and responsibilities as any other road user including cars and motorcycles, there is no reason for them to be relegated to a side path, which studies have shown to be more dangerous. It is good fiscal sense to change this because of the liability exposure that results from mandatory use of facilities known to be hazardous.
Setting exceptions to the "as far right as practicable law"
- Currently it is defective because it does not permit cyclists to leave the right edge in many circumstances where it is unsafe or impractical to keep right. When there are hazards in the roadway such as debris, damaged roadway, or even broken-down vehicles, it makes sense for bicyclists to move away from the far right to avoid these. Not doing so creates an unsafe condition.
When approaching a corner where there is a right-hand-turn lane it is very dangerous for a bicyclist to remain to the far right when he/she is going straight. It is also confusing for the motorist trying to determine what the bicyclist is going to do.
When making a left turn, the bicyclist, just as the automobile driver, must gradually change lanes until in the proper lane to turn left safely. It is dangerous to turn left from the far right lane in an automobile; it is even more dangerous to turn left from the far right lane on a bicycle crossing perhaps several lanes of traffic.
Allowing bicycle parking on sidewalks
- In order to facilitate the use of bicycles for short trips (i.e., bank, post office, etc.) we need the ability to park our bicycle on the sidewalk in front of the store or business. We should permit parking bicycles on sidewalks, with reasonable restrictions, as in the current version of the national Uniform Vehicle Code.
In addition to supporting this bill, I strongly urge you to support Senator McManus in her quest to have these rules included in the driver education process. Again, I thank you for sponsoring this bill and I appreciate and fully support your efforts to promote a safer and bicycling-friendly Michigan.
Best regards,
Dave Hurst