Bicycle Law Blog

Federal support for bicycling is in trouble, again. The U.S. House and Senate have released bills that would reverse 20 years of progress toward making bicycling safe and stress-free for all Americans. The current Senate transportation bill eliminates essential biking and walking programs. To improve the bill, we’re asking senators to vote for a bipartisan amendment that…

Did you know? The California Bicycle Coalition has been responsible for some of the largest successes in the cycling community. Its achievements include: 1997 CBC writes and sponsors Assembly Bill 1020, which more than triples the funding allocated to the Bicycle Lane Account, the only Caltrans account dedicated solely to bicycle projects. 1999 CBC co-sponsors…

Formed by Caltrans in 1992, the California Bicycle Advisory Committee (CBAC) is composed of members who represent various California agencies and organizations. The committee provides guidance to Caltrans on bicycle issues. CBAC also reviews and comments on any proposed adoption or experimentation approval related to bicycle issues prior to consideration by the California Traffic Control…

The “left cross” is another common crash type. It happens to both bicyclists and motorcyclists. This can also be divided into 2 basic circumstances. The first happens when a driver simply does not see a cyclist or motorcyclist who is plainly visible. The best way to prevent this is to ride prominently, seek some indication…

The crash type known as a “right hook” is another common urban crash. There are 2 basic types of right hook crashes. One happens when an oblivious driver overtakes a cyclist and immediately turns right. This is best prevented by riding far enough into the lane to make drivers change lanes to pass, the ones…

Cyclists in large cities become aware of this one sooner or later. “Dooring” is what happens when a motorist or passenger opens a car door into the path of a bicyclist. A dooring can be relatively minor—resulting in nothing more than scrapes, bruises and rattled nerves—or it can result in death. While a cyclist can…

Speed Bumps in the Path of the Bicycle Juggernaut By SCOTT JAMES Dr. Frank Gilson is recuperating from a bad case of road rash — not from ill-fitting cycling shorts, but from a grueling encounter with San Francisco’s bike plan. Enlarge This Image Scott James/The Bay Citizen A new bike lane on 17th Street in…