Mike, Personally I'm in favor of getting strict with the 3-foot passing rule. But that law should be applied uniformly.
Just the other day I was passing a parked car, so I made sure to leave enough room when passing. Of course, the motorist behind was upset that I was 'taking up the whole lane' - he honked, and then buzzed past me. So that he could get to the red light a little bit sooner. So we get it coming and going - If you try to ride responsibly you risk getting nailed by motorists who don't. I wonder if the cop in this case is aware of this. I propose that the Madison police department spend a month actively enforceing the 3-foot rule in *all* circumstances. I'd be happy if they just gave warnings instead of tickets. Then prepare a report indicating how many violations they observed. -d -- ===== darin ---- Michael Rewey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > All any thoughts? > > It seems that the change in the bike laws a few years ago inadvertently made > bikes less of an > equal in one regard. i.e. Bike gets "doored" and the biker gets a ticket. > Car or Motorcycle > gets "doored" and the parked car door opener gets a ticket. > > Attached is Linda's letter. > > Mike Rewey > > > ------- Forwarded message follows ------- > From: Linda Willsey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Michael Rewey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: RE: Bicycle laws > Date sent: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 14:24:42 -0500 > > Mike, > > I was cited for allegedly failing to exercise due care when passing a parked > vehicle. I was about 2 or 2 1/2 feet away from the parked vehicle on a narrow > street instead of 3 feet as specified in the state statute. See the attached > letter to Sen. Risser that includes the relevant state statute. I > specifically asked the officer the next day about the discretion issue; she > claimed she had none, even though her colleague disagreed with her and > thought it was a stupid state law. > > What are the chances that bike federation types will support a change in the > law and make motorists at least equally liable for opening car doors without > checking for bikers? If I had been riding a motorcycle or moped, she would > have been cited. > > Linda > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 15:30:21 -0500 > > Subject: Re: Bicycle laws > > > > What was your ticket for? Officers have descretion. > > > > Mike > > > > ************************ > > > > On 4 Aug 2008 at 14:45, Linda Willsey wrote: > > > > Hi Mike, > > > > I ended up on the pavement after a bicycle-car door incident on Henry St > > (in front of the > > federal courthouse) a couple of weeks ago, and was shocked to be ticketed > > by the > > responding officer while the woman who opened the door into me was held > > blameless. I'm > > inclined to challenge the ticket; I think the law is absurd in an urban > > area. I am also amazed > > that the officer felt she had no discretion in issuing the ticket (her > > colleague disagreed), but > I guess I should be grateful that Madison PD > > officers are not following the example of the > > NYPD rookie who body-slammed a bicyclist on July 25th. Any comments or > > advice from you? > > > > Thanks, > > > > Linda Willsey > > > > > > Reveal your inner athlete and share it with friends on Windows Live. Shar > ------- End of forwarded message ------- _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list Bikies@danenet.org http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
