From: rewignot <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 8:49 AM
To: City Clerk Group <[email protected]>
Cc: Paula Perotte <[email protected]>; [email protected]; Stuart Kasdin <[email protected]>; James Kyriaco <[email protected]>; Kyle Richards <[email protected]>; Robert Nisbet <[email protected]> Subject: May 7, 2024 City Council Meeting - Public Forum Item
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Dear City Clerk Staff,
Re: May 7, 2024 City Council Meeting – Public Forum Item
Attached to this email for your information are three documents:
1. A diagram illustrating the requirements of AB 413, a new state law effective as of January 1, 2024, requiring additional red painted curbing near crosswalks.
2. An explanation of another law, AB 1909, also known as the OmniBike Bill, effective as of January 1, 2023, requiring motorists to move over a lane when passing bicyclists.
3. A petition asking City Council to stop the Interim Striping Project on Hollister Avenue in Old Town, with 136 signatures including those of 50 Old Town business owners and managers.
I plan to speak on the above during the Public Forum at tonight’s meeting of the City Council, with a focus on item 3. I am copying the Mayor, Council Members, and the City Manager on this email, in the interests of time and paper.
In closing, I would like to add a big “Thank You” to all of you during this week, Municipal City Clerks Week, for all the time and effort each of you put in to make City Hall function smoothly. You are the best!
Sincerely,
Bob Wignot
6155 Verdura Avenue
Goleta, CA 93117-2003
[email protected]
Bicycle accidents are a frequent problem in California and all 50 states.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), 125 cyclists in the state lost their lives in traffic accidents in 2021 alone. In an effort to reduce the number of bicycle accidents, California lawmakers passed new laws that change the way bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers share the road.
Move-Over Law When Passing Bicyclists
As of January 1, 2023, motor vehicle drivers in California must move over one lane when passing bicyclists, instead of only keeping a distance of three feet. This is the new law under Assembly Bill 1909, also known as the OmniBike Bill, which was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2022. This new law changes California’s Vehicle Code with four modifications, one of which is a new move-over rule.
Previously, state law in California required motor vehicle drivers to provide bicyclists with at least three feet of distance when passing. However, the new law replaces the three-foot rule with one that requires even more space. As of 2023, drivers must move one lane over when passing a bicyclist when available, the same as they would to pass a passenger car. Breaking this law can result in a fine of $238 up to $982, if the infraction causes serious injuries.
If an open lane is not available to allow a motor vehicle driver to move over to pass a bicyclist, the driver must slow down and wait until it is safe to pass the cyclist. This means until at least three feet of space is available between the vehicle and the bike.
According to a spokesperson for the OTS, Timothy Weisberg, this new move- over law will reduce conflict points between bicyclists and motorists and decrease the risk of near misses or crashes.
Another reason why keeping two traffic lanes in each direction on Hollister Avenue through Old Town is sensible!