Eric Westhagen asked <it was stated or implied that there is already a law that motor vehicles must maintain a space of three feet between themselves and bicycles. Is this true?>
Yes, and bicyclists must also leave three feet of clearance when passing a moving, standing, or parked vehicle. See below. Wisconsin State Statutes are online at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/Statutes.html The chapters of greatest relevance are 340 - - Vehicles General Provisions (definitions of terms used in other chapters related to vehicles) 346 - - Rules of the Road 347 - - Equipment of Vehicles 349 - - Vehicles - - Powers of State and Local Authorities 346.075 Overtaking and passing bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, and motor buses. (1) The operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device proceeding in the same direction shall exercise due care, leaving a safe distance, but in no case less than 3 feet clearance when passing the bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device, and shall maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device. 346.80 Riding bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device on roadway. (1) In this section, “substandard width lane” means a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device and a motor vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane. (2) (a) Any person operating a bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right−hand edge or curb of the unobstructed traveled roadway, including operators who are riding 2 or more abreast where permitted under sub. (3), except: 1. When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction. 2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. 3. When reasonably necessary to avoid unsafe conditions, including fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to ride along the right−hand edge or curb. (b) Notwithstanding par. (a), any person operating a bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device upon a one−way highway having 2 or more lanes available for traffic may ride as near the left−hand edge or curb of the roadway as practicable. (c) Any person operating a bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device upon a roadway shall exercise due care when passing a standing or parked vehicle or a vehicle proceeding in the same direction, allowing a minimum of 3 feet between the bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device and the vehicle, and shall give an audible signal when passing a bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device rider proceeding in the same direction. (3) (a) Persons riding bicycles or electric personal assistive mobility devices upon a roadway may ride 2 abreast if such operation does not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. Bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device operators riding 2 abreast on a 2−lane or more roadway shall ride within a single lane. (b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may not ride more than 2 abreast except upon any path, trail, lane or other way set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles and electric personal assistive mobility devices. Arthur Ross, Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Suite 100 PO Box 2986 Madison, WI 53701-2986 608/266-6225
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