Re: [Gyros: 15347] Re: FW: [jlows] Fwd: Proposed NC law to restrict/kill group rides

[Keil Wurl]

House Representative Pricey Harrison (Dem) introduced the original bill Here's her contact info. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=504 As currently written, it allows 2-across riding. The question is: Who is trying to change the proposed bill into more than that? (the suggested changes forcing bikers to move to single file?) I've sent her an email asking for clarification on the status of her bill - what is being proposed for edits - and who is requesting the changes?  I'll see if she responds. This is the first time I've ever communicated with my government officials in my life time and I'm quite skeptical of the process. We'll see!!! Carbo21 wrote: I got this off the Chapel Hill Cycling group... Ok how do we fight it??? Contact these elected officials directly to voice your dis approval Speaker of the house: Joe Hackney http://bit.ly/dgZbG9 (He happens to represent our neck of the woods as well) Other local house members: Bill Faison http://bit.ly/cPQwub Verla Insko http://bit.ly/anl3mb State Senate: Marc Basnight - President Pro Tempore - http://bit.ly/bgSbYo Local Senator for Orange Eleanor Kinnaird - http://bit.ly/blqImu Durham - Chatham Bob Atwater - http://bit.ly/9hh4by Durham Floyd McKissick - http://bit.ly/bACGje On May 11, 9:43 pm, "mary dorsey" <dorse...@mindspring.com> wrote: Have any of you all heard of this piece of legislation? I haven't but wanted to forward it on.  Perhaps someone knows more than I. mary   _____   Subject: Proposed NC law to restrict/kill group rides Matt's mention of the Tuesday ride prompts me to note that fans of that ride, as well as the P ride or just about any group ride should have their eye on a piece of legislation that just got proposed in the NC house.  You can read the text of the proposed amendment here: http://blogs. <http://blogs.newsobserver.com/crosstown/legislation-would-boost-motor... everage-with-tow-truckers-and-with-bicyclists?storylink=misearch#ixzz0naAfL M gg> newsobserver.com/crosstown/legislation-would-boost-motorists-leverage-with- t ow-truckers-and-with-bicyclists?storylink=misearch#ixzz0naAfLMgg This law would kill most group rides.  It makes it illegal for cyclists to: - ride more than two abreast, even temporarily (like dropping off the front) and even if the road is totally empty - ride more than one abreast when there is faster car traffic on the road.  If you're on the front, you're there for good, and if fast cyclists encounter slow cyclists, they *can't* pass, so that cars *can* - "impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic," thereby letting us know what the bill's authors think of bike traffic -- we're unnormal and unreasonable For the first time *ever* in NC vehicle law, the amendment would: - create a special sub-class of vehicle users, namely cyclists, with more limited rights than other classes.  The rest of the vehicle code treats all road users the same, with the same rights and responsibilities. - revoke cyclists' rights to the full lane when needed, with no qualifications mentioned for safety, lane conditions, whether we're about to take a left turn, or any of the other nuances in similar parts of the vehicle code. - place the responsibility to ensure that a pass is safe on the overtaken vehicle (the cyclist) rather than the overtaking one - penalize vehicle operators (cyclists) for their behavior as a group rather than individuals: cars aren't required to make sure that other cars follow the speed limits, but cyclists would be required to make sure that other riders move over, or the entire group is punished Some of the things the amendment outlines are, indeed, examples of good road courtesy on the part of cyclists, but there's a reason we don't usually try to legislate courtesy -- legislation is too heavy-handed a tool for this application.  What we're really seeing, it seems to me, is an ignorance on behalf of the bill's author (a retired auto dealer) to acknowledge that two- or even three-abreast often *is* the safest and easiest way -- for cars as well as cyclists -- to co-exist on the road.  Instead of trying to understand that by entering into the cyclists' position on the road, they're trying to legislate us off the road. Fuming -- Adam Reply <mailto:rburn...@hotmail.com?subject=fwd:%20Proposed%20NC%20law%20to%20restr ict/kill%20group%20rides>  to sender | Reply <mailto:jl...@yahoogroups.com?subject=fwd:%20Proposed%20NC%20law%20to%20rest rict/kill%20group%20rides>  to group | Reply <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jlows/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwN24xdWllBF9TAzk... zE0BGdycElkAzE4NjY1MzA5BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2MDk1MARtc2dJZAM3OTEEc2VjA2Z0cgRz b GsDcnBseQRzdGltZQMxMjczNjI0ODU3?act=reply&messageNum=791>  via web post | <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jlows/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmbnJla2Y4BF9TAzk... zE0BGdycElkAzE4NjY1MzA5BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2MDk1MARzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0 a W1lAzEyNzM2MjQ4NTc-> Start a New Topic Messages <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jlows/message/791;_ylc=X3oDMTMzaHZzcWoy... k3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE4NjY1MzA5BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2MDk1MARtc2dJZAM3OTEEc2VjA 2 Z0cgRzbGsDdnRwYwRzdGltZQMxMjczNjI0ODU3BHRwY0lkAzc5MQ-->  in this topic (1) Recent Activity: * <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jlows/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJnZmdnaXJqBF9T... 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