Paulin pedals New York three-foot law at Albany Bike Summit
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- April
- 22
Assemblywoman Amy Paulin spoke to the New York State Bicycling Summit yesterday in Albany. She outlined her environmentally friendly three-foot law in time for Earth day.
Paulin formally introduced bill, A.10687 that will require a motorists to give cyclists at least three foot of space when passing. This bill is in response to the death of cycling advocate Merrill Cassell, a Greenburgh resident who was killed while riding by a Bee-Line bus on Rt 119 near his home. Cassell’s goal was to see cycling become a realistic comminuting option. Paulin had this to say about the law, “It’s common sense that we pass bills that encourage cycling, an act that encourages good health and helps the environment.”
Paulin’s press release quote’s Westchester Cycle Club and co-founder of the Westchester-Putnam Bike Walk Alliance, David Wilson as saying, “The three-foot rule will create a safety buffer between cars and cyclists. Making roads safer for cyclists is essential in our car-centric world.”
New York Bicycle Coalition executive director Jennifer Clunie, shared at the summit that that at least 17 states, including Connecticut, have passed three-foot laws requiring motorists to give cyclists a safety buffer.
“Cyclists may have the need-as well as the legal right-to move further into the travel lane due to hazards such as potholes and gravel, and to be more visible to drivers,” said Clunie, “Enactment of a three-foot minimum safe passing law is a step in the right direction toward reducing the high number of bicyclist and pedestrian injures and fatalities that occur each year. The bill will make our roadways safer for everyone.”
Let your local state senators and assembly people know your thoughts on the bill.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 at 7:30 PM by Randall Wolf. 
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Category: Advocacy, Bike Safety, Commute, Commuting, Consumer Safety, ghost bike, Merrill's LAw, NYDOT, Three-foot law
Bravo New York. I commend Assemblywoman Amy Paulin for moving forward to secure a 3 foot clearance law to protect NY cyclists. Fifteen states have seen the wisdom and value of having such a law on the books that requires motorists to give cyclists at least 3 feet clearance when passing from the rear. The value of this law isn’t found in giving motorists tickets, but rather, using the law as a tool to help educate motorists on what is considered a safe passing distance—at least 3 feet please.
Look, most motorists and cyclists get along very well together on our roads (and they are OUR roads). However, we have a lot of work to do to address the problems caused by the irresponsible and disrespecful scofflaws on both sides.
The question is really very simple: will a 3 foot law save NY cyclists’ lives? The answer is, YES. So, you know what to do NY…make it happen, please. Lives are at stake.
Thank you,
Joe Mizereck
Founder, The “3 Feet Please” Campaign
The article has the bill number wrong; it’s A.10697
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A10697