Help make our roads safer for bicycling
Give Me 3 is the California Bicycle Coalition's campaign to ensure that California drivers give bicyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing from behind.
Many Californians who want to ride their bikes on streets and roads won't ride because they're concerned about drivers who pass too closely. They've either seen or heard about a bicyclist who was buzzed or hit by a passing car and they're scared!
Sometimes drivers deliberately pass too closely but more often they do it because they don't understand that it's really dangerous.
Here's why: Bicyclists need a little bit of space around them to get around debris or rough pavement. If they need to move to avoid a hazard and a passing driver doesn't give them enough space, a deadly collision can occur.
Passing-from-behind collections aren't the most common type of car-bike collision, but they're the most deadly: they're the leading cause of bicyclist fatalities in California.
Unfortunately, existing law simply tells drivers to pass at a "safe distance" but doesn't say what passing distance is actually safe. How are drivers supposed to know what to do?
Giving 3 feet will save lives.
The California Bicycle Coalition and the City of Los Angeles are cosponsoring Senate Bill 1464, authored by Sen. Alan Lowenthal of Long Beach. It will require drivers to give bicyclists at least 3 feet of clearance when passing them from behind. Nineteen other states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws similar to SB 1464.
SB 1464 also legalizes the existing practice by safe drivers to cross a double yellow centerline, when safe to do so, to pass a bicyclist. It also sets a base fine of $220 (that's $959 once court fees and other expenses are added) for injuring a bicyclist in violation of this statute.
CURRENT STATUS: SB 1464 is awaiting the Governor's signature. You can urge him to sign the bill here. You can also read the bill's current language of the bill here.
Get answers to frequently asked questions about SB 1464
Donate to our Give Me 3 campaign today! Join California bicycling legend Gary Fisher to make sure we have the resources we need to win this campaign and help make our roads safer so that more people can confidently choose bicycling for transportation. More bicycling means less traffic, calmer neighborhoods, cleaner air and healthier, happier people. Everyone benefits!