Bike Month wrapped up yesterday, and it was a wild success! Special thanks to our over 55 new members, anyone who came out to all the events throughout the month, and to SLO County for loving bicycles more than ever!
Here’s a cool photo series from photographer Zhao Huasen, of people commuting on ‘floating’ bicycles:
Paula Sigman [Bicycle Coalition Board Member] Dan Rivoire [Bicycle Coalition Executive Director] Dusty Colyman [New Frontiers]
Bike Month continues… and we appreciate everyones support and excitement about bicycles in SLO County!
Next week, Senate Bill 1464 will be voted on in the California Senate. This bill amends the California Vehicle Code on “overtaking” (passing from behind), specifically as it relates to motorists passing bicyclists, by requiring a minimum distance of 3 feet when a motorist passes a bicyclist from behind.
You may remember a similar bill being introduced last year, ultimately vetoed, and misunderstood by Gov. Brown. This version of the bill addresses his concerns and we are confident SB 1464 will gain his support. See a comparison of the two bills here.
The Senate Transportation & Housing Committee voted 8-0 to approve SB 1464 on April 17th. The full Senate will vote on the bill on Thursday, May 24th. The SLO County Bicycle Coalition, along with other advocacy groups across the state, urge you to show your support for such a law which promotes bicycle safety.
SUPPORT SB 1464:
THE LAWS:
THE REASON:
Check out this video of a rider in close call. SB 1464 would make motorist behavior like this illegal, and further protect the safety of bicycles who are legally using the roadway.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAkPlAkGTMo]
Click the photo above, click the link here, or call (805) 549-3784 to contact Senator Sam Blakeslee and ask him to support SB 1464 and increase the safety of bicycle riders in California. Simply fill out the form to show your support. Below is text you can use in your request to the Senator:
Dear Senator Blakeslee,
I’m a constituent from the 15th District and I’m writing to ask you to vote yes on Senate Bill 1464 (Lowenthal), which will be heard by the Senate in coming days.
Cyclists too often face dangerous conditions on California’s streets due to motorists passing too closely. This type of collision is the leading cause of adult bicyclist fatalities in California and the U.S.
Requiring motorists to give bicyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing, we can minimize a leading cause of deadly collisions and help more people feel comfortable about choosing to ride their bikes.
A specified passing distance provides a more objective and easily understood measure of what constitutes “safe” and gives law enforcement and the courts a more objective basis for enforcing California’s safe passing requirement. Most importantly, it helps emphasize a motorist’s special responsibility to safeguard more vulnerable road users like bicyclists.
Once again, I would like to ask that you vote yes on Senate Bill 1464. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Next week’s conversation is amongst Senators only – they won’t hear any outside testimony from organizations like the CA Bicycle Coalition. But Senators listen to their constituents. That’s why it’s so important for you to contact your Senator today!
Our latest Spoken Wheel newsletter is hot off the presses! Pick one up around town, in our downtown space, and elsewhere… This quarter’s issue is packed with information about Connect SLO County, upcoming events, a wordsearch puzzle, and more!
Can’t wait to get a copy? Read it online here.
Out for delivery!
The City of San Luis Obispo is in the process of updating the Land Use and Circulation element of the City’s General Plan. These parts of the plan relate specifically to creating a guide for future development, preservation and mobility (how we get around) San Luis Obispo.
This Land Use and Circulation update is part of the City’s General Plan, the blueprint for the future. It is representative of the values and vision of the community, and your opinion matters.
Our local governments know we people are interested in more bicycle connectivity in SLO and beyond, but they might not know that a majority of people want these improvements. This is your chance to have your voice heard and help increase the number of bikeways locally.
Wednesday May 16th is the first public workshop for this update, and you are invited to attend and speak up on behalf of better bikeways in San Luis Obispo. The Bicycle Coalition will be there, on behalf of our 600 members, to share our vision for better bicycle facilities in the city.
If you can’t attend the workshop, we’d encourage you to take their online survey to share your support for bicycles in the city. All responses are anonymous, and can have a large impact on the update of the plan. Take the survey here.
When: Wednesday May 16th, 6:30 pm
Where: The Monday Club, 1815 Monterey St, SLO (map)
Why: Help shape the vision of connectivity in San Luis Obispo
Come learn about the Kitchen, sign up for our next volunteer orientation Monday May 7th, 5:30 – 6:30 pm (every 1st Monday of the month!)
The Bike Kitchen is always looking for volunteers to help out in any way they can:
No mechanic experience necessary, anyone is welcome to join us! We’ll equip you with the basic information you’ll need to staff the Kitchen.
By volunteering, you also get to use the Kitchen every 2nd Monday of the month during our “volunteer only” work nights!
Sign up online for the next orientation, Monday May 7th, 5:30 pm
Join us for the first Kidical Mass of 2012, just in time for the beginning of Bike Month!
When: Thursday May 3rd
Where: Mitchell Park, SLO (map)
When: 6:00 pm
Theme: Rainbows
We’re excited for our third year of Kidical Mass rides, and hope you*, your friends, and your entire family will join us for the ride! We meet at 6:00 for a brief safety talk before we ride as a group through downtown to the Mission Plaza.
If you’re a kid at heart, and want to be a part of the ride, it’s a great chance to volunteer and help get the little riders excited about their bicycles. Sign up to volunteer here, it’s only a 30-minute commitment, and is a blast!
*Everyone on the ride should be on a bicycle, including parents and guardians (walking in the street alongside is not permitted).
SLO County Regional Rideshare just unveiled their new grant program for Safe Routes to School. Beginning in the 2012/13 school year, there will be three levels of funding available:
If you are interested in bringing some of these funds to you school, or in increasing the number of students biking & walking to school, visit our local Safe Routes to School site to make it a reality! Whether you want to host a onetime event or kick off a year long program, Rideshare has the funds to help get you rolling.
We all know the benefits of getting more kids biking & walking to school. Safe Routes to School is dedicated to making sure more kids are able to use active transportation to get to school, it’s better for their health, helps them focus at school, and provides them with a great chance to get to know their friends and neighborhoods en route!
