Missouri Bicycle News

A column by Senator Kevin Engler in the Ste. Genevieve News recently summarized the Bicycle Safety Legislation recently passed by the Missouri General Assembly. Senator Engler was Senate sponsor and Rep. Mike Sutherland was House sponsor of the bill, which was supported by the Missouri Bicycle Federation, bicycle clubs around the state, and many invidual Missouri bicyclists.

Senate Bill 372, which I sponsored, was delivered to Governor Blunt in late May and awaits his signature. The legislation includes a number of measures relating to bicycle safety as well as the duties owed to bicyclists by motorists.

For example, the act prohibits blocking or obstructing a designated bicycle lane with a parked or standing motor vehicle or other stationary object. Cars and trucks may be driven in a designated bicycle lane only for the purpose of crossing the lane or to provide safe travel. If a driver must travel in or cross a designated bicycle lane, the driver must yield to any bicycle in the lane.

In order to reduce the number of collisions between motorists and cyclists, the act requires motorists overtaking a cyclist as they travel in the same direction to leave a safe distance when passing the bicycle and maintain that distance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.

Many roadways in Missouri were not designed to accommodate designated bicycle lanes, so cyclists are forced to share the roads with cars and trucks, creating potential hazards for both the motorist and the cyclist. SB 372 allows bicycles operating at less than the posted speed or slower than the flow of traffic to operate on the shoulder adjacent to the roadway. The cyclist riding on the shoulder must travel in the same direction as other vehicles operating on the roadway.

Finally, the act requires bicyclists to signal their turns, although the rider does not have to signal continuously by hand and arm if the hand is needed to control the bike.

Cycling is a great form of exercise and a fantastic way to explore the beauty of the Show-Me-State. These new bicycle-friendly provisions will help to ensure the safety of cyclists who share the roads with motorists and by reducing the potential for collisions.

If you have any questions about SB 372 or any other legislation, please feel free to contact me at (573) 751-3455 or by e-mail at: kevin.engler@senate.mo.gov.

permanent link to article: "Summary of new MO Bicycle Safety Bill in Ste. Genevieve News"
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/05/2005 11:52:12 PM |comment on this article