[BikeLongmont] Re: Support HB1218

[Jerryanddiane2 at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/14/2005 10:13:30 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
David.Oliver at amd.com writes:

Hi  Jack,
Thanks for your response and your support.  I agree that  stopping 
before pedaling a crosswalk
would be reasonable.  The  high speed cyclist should be on the street 
anyway, not the sidewalk.
I  will copy our longmont bicycle advocacy group email list.  Many of  
them live in your district as
well and would be interested to hear your  position.
-David

Jack Pommer wrote:

>Hi  David,
>
>I support the bill and I told Greg (the sponsor) that  I'd vote for it.
>Since then, however, I've had second thoughts about  one provision: the part
>that says cyclists riding on sidewalks don't  have to dismount before
>crossing streets.  It worries me because I  know that bicycles can travel
>pretty far in the time it taxes a car to  turn right.  Drivers tend to glance
>at the sidewalk far enough  back to see any pedestrians, but not necessarily
>far enough back to see  a fast-moving bicycle.
>
>I was thinking of asking Greg about an  amendment that would require cyclists
>riding on sidewalks to at least  stop before crossing streets.  What do  you
>think?
>
>My family and I ride a lot and I really want  to make cycling easier, but I
>don't want to get anyone hurt or  killed.
>
>jack
>
>Rep. Jack Pommer
>Colorado  House District 11
>(303) 517-2773 (work)
>(303) 866-2780  (capitol)
>jack.pommer.house at state.co.us
>www.hd11.org
>Keep  current on Capitol Issues
>by signing up for my newsletter.
>  
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: David Oliver  [mailto:David.Oliver at amd.com] 
>Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 9:29  AM
>To: jack.pommer.house at state.co.us
>Subject: Support  HB1218
>
>Dear Mr.  Pommer,
>
>  I don't  know your position on HB1218, but I want to urge you to 
>support  it.  This
>bill before the Transportation committee fixes several  places in traffic 
>code where
>the current law contradicts common  sense for safe bicycling.  It makes no
>changes to the rights and  responsibilities of motorized traffic, only  
>bicycles.
>
>.  Bicycle safety instruction usually  teaches signaling a right turn 
>with the right
>hand.   However, existing colorado law requires the raised left hand.   
HB1218
>would legalize the right hand signal which most cyclists use  already.
>
> Current law requires single file riding if there is a  car within 300 
>feet, even on
>wide shoulders.  HB1218  allows side-by-side riding unless it is impeding 
>traffic.
>This  is just common sense as well.  Cyclists can't generally watch 300  
>feet behind
>them.  For many people cycling is a social  activity, and there is no 
>reason to
>prohibit riding together on  roads with a wide shoulder, such as the CO-119
>diagonal, a popular  boulder county cycling route.
> 
>  As cycling continues to  grow in popularity for both transportation and 
>recreation,
>we  need to be sure our laws encourage the most safe and efficient ways 
>to  share
>the roads.  As an avid boulder county cyclist, I ask for  your support on 
>this measure.
>
> Thanks,
>   David Oliver
>  2339 Flagstaff Drive
>  Longmont, CO  80501
>
>
>
>   
>


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I agree that if your riding on the side walk you should stop at the  
intersection.   Especially blind intersections.   Most vehicles will pull up to the 
street their turning into without looking  down the sidewalk.  
 
Jerry Seguin
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