FABB Blog

 

3 Feet Please - On July 1 it will be the law

Beginning on July 1 Virginia law requires that any driver passing a bicyclist "shall pass at a reasonable speed at least THREE feet to the left of the overtaken bicycle" according to 46.2-839 as amended. Increasing the passing distance from two feet to three feet was a major victory for bicyclists in the 2014 VA legislative session.

Virginia Bicycling Federation is working with Senator Reeve's office, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), State Police, the health community, local police and others on a Three Foot Passing campaign.  The goal is to have a press conference on June 26. We'll post more info as it develops.

It's not too early to start spreading the word. Three feet will be the MINIMUM passing distance. At higher speeds a greater passing distance is better. The new law is a great opportunity to educate motorists that bicyclists belong on the road. When we're riding in a lane that is not wide enough for us to ride safely and a motorist to pass by three feet, then they shouldn't pass. We're not required to ride on the sidewalk as many people seem to think when they shout at us from their cars. Riding on the sidewalk is usually more dangerous than riding in the road, and most sidewalks do not connect to the places we want to travel.

Labels: three feet to pass

posted by Bruce Wright at 2:09 PM permalink