http://www.sdbicyclecoalition.org/2010/01/27/three-foot-law-fits-with-rural-roads/ South Dakotans for Better Bicycling. Wed, 19 May 2010 15:25:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://www.sdbicyclecoalition.org/2010/01/27/three-foot-law-fits-with-rural-roads/comment-page-1/#comment-393 Jason Harms Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:17:21 +0000 http://www.sdbicyclecoalition.org/?p=114#comment-393 Be careful what you ask for. Does anyone think that SDCL 32-20B-5 (shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway) has made bicycling any better. Compare what you think that law means for traffic control to SDCL 32-26-1. While I have seen some tractors and forklifts hug the edge of the roadway, most of the vehicles going less that the average are using the middle of the road. The special law for bicycles allows people to discriminate against us. I once had a county sheriff yell at me out his window that I had to get farther to the right. I went to his office the next day to ask him why. Sighting SDCL 32-20B-5 he thought I could not be in the middle of my lane in a no passing zone on a 2 lane road 3 miles outside of town. There were three of us riding at the time. I have had a patrol captain tell me: riding in the middle of a right hand lane of a 5 lane road is not far enough to the right, if there is a shoulder I have to ride on the shoulder, and ‘my safety’ is not a valid reason to move from the right, despite the fact that 32-20B-5 has the wording “included but not limited to”. If they would enforce SDCL 32-26-26 (driver of an overtaking vehicle shall pass at a safe distance to the side of an overtaken vehicle), we would not need a 3 foot law. Is 3 feet enough? I am about 6 feet tall. If I hit something and fall over, parts of me could be over 6 feet from where I am riding. Do we really want another discriminatory law? If I were to write a discriminatory law for bicycles it would say something like: When passing a bicycle and the next lane is clear, you must yield full lane to the bicycle. When the next lane is not clear you must pass the bicycle as if it is another vehicle. Pedaling 6000 miles a year, I know there is nothing wrong with the roads or laws we already have. Education is what we need. Be careful what you ask for. Does anyone think that SDCL 32-20B-5 (shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway) has made bicycling any better. Compare what you think that law means for traffic control to SDCL 32-26-1. While I have seen some tractors and forklifts hug the edge of the roadway, most of the vehicles going less that the average are using the middle of the road. The special law for bicycles allows people to discriminate against us.
I once had a county sheriff yell at me out his window that I had to get farther to the right. I went to his office the next day to ask him why. Sighting SDCL 32-20B-5 he thought I could not be in the middle of my lane in a no passing zone on a 2 lane road 3 miles outside of town. There were three of us riding at the time.
I have had a patrol captain tell me: riding in the middle of a right hand lane of a 5 lane road is not far enough to the right, if there is a shoulder I have to ride on the shoulder, and ‘my safety’ is not a valid reason to move from the right, despite the fact that 32-20B-5 has the wording “included but not limited to”.
If they would enforce SDCL 32-26-26 (driver of an overtaking vehicle shall pass at a safe distance to the side of an overtaken vehicle), we would not need a 3 foot law.
Is 3 feet enough? I am about 6 feet tall. If I hit something and fall over, parts of me could be over 6 feet from where I am riding.
Do we really want another discriminatory law?
If I were to write a discriminatory law for bicycles it would say something like: When passing a bicycle and the next lane is clear, you must yield full lane to the bicycle. When the next lane is not clear you must pass the bicycle as if it is another vehicle.
Pedaling 6000 miles a year, I know there is nothing wrong with the roads or laws we already have. Education is what we need.

]]> http://www.sdbicyclecoalition.org/2010/01/27/three-foot-law-fits-with-rural-roads/comment-page-1/#comment-389 KartaPurkh S Khalsa Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:02:51 +0000 http://www.sdbicyclecoalition.org/?p=114#comment-389 You know, it sounds like fun but riding with no shoulders on a heavily traveled highway with rec-vees speeding past kind of takes the "fun" out of it and adds danger. I would love to travel alongside the Missouri River and follow Lewis & Clarke but I also value my noggin and limbs too much to put myself in harm's way like that. Ride safe, you guys. You know, it sounds like fun but riding with no shoulders on a heavily traveled highway with rec-vees speeding past kind of takes the “fun” out of it and adds danger. I would love to travel alongside the Missouri River and follow Lewis & Clarke but I also value my noggin and limbs too much to put myself in harm’s way like that. Ride safe, you guys.

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