Governor Edmund G. Brown
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: SB 1464 to Safeguard Cyclists
Dear Governor Brown,
I'm writing on behalf of
the Venice community and cyclists throughout California to urge you to
sign Senate Bill 1464 so that drivers must give at least three feet of
clearance when overtaking a person on a bicycle.
When a passing driver
fails to give a bicyclist enough space, the slightest error by the driver or
the most minor shift by the bicyclist to avoid trash, broken glass, a car door
opening or rough pavement can lead to a collision. This type of collision is
the leading cause of adult bicyclist fatalities in California
and the U.S.
By requiring drivers to
give bicyclists more space when passing, we can minimize a leading cause of
deadly collisions and help more people feel comfortable about choosing to ride
their bikes. And by making it possible for more people to feel confident about
choosing to ride a bicycle, we can encourage more Californians to bike
routinely and begin to achieve some of the state's crucial goals for less gas
consumption and improved air quality.
Specifying a minimum
passing distance provides a more objective and easily understood measure of
what constitutes "safe" and gives law enforcement and the courts a
more objective basis for enforcing a safe passing requirement. Most
importantly, it helps emphasize a driver's responsibility to safeguard more
vulnerable road users like bicyclists. It will save lives without imposing any
costs on government.
Please sign SB 1464 into
law.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Mark Ryavec
Mark Ryavec, President
