At the September 11, 2015 meeting of the HB232 Bike Law Study Committee, committee members began substantive discussion of the safety and legal issues identified in HB232 as well as additional issues raised by the committee. The committee voted 7-2 against requiring bicyclists to carry ID as a condition of road use, voted unanimously in favor of allowing bicyclists to use the right arm when signaling a right turn, and voted in favor of requiring bicyclists to use either a red rear light or reflective vest (in addition to the required front headlamp) when cycling at night. The committee tabled the issue of passing on narrow roads with solid centerline and the issue of riding abreast pending additional research and will revisit those issues on October 6.
During the meeting, presentations were made by Lauren Blackburn (NCDOT), James Gallagher (UNC HSRC), and Steven Goodridge (BikeWalk NC). The BikeWalk NC presentations covered safe passing, passing law issues, and riding abreast. These presentations and supplemental materials provided to the committee by BikeWalk NC can be found here.
The full draft minutes for the meeting may be read here.
From the draft minutes:
Summary of actions taken by the committee:
- The committee approved meeting minutes from the August 7, 2015 committee meeting.
- The committee tabled a vote regarding overtaking bicycles on roadways where sight distance is sufficient pending the following additional information: 1) Steven Goodridge will research the bicycle laws in Ohio [BikeWalk NC comment: This action item was for NCDOT, not Steven Goodridge], 2) Kevin Lacy and Steven Goodridge will prepare draft recommendations for permissible behavior as it relates to crossing the center line of a roadway.
- The committee tabled a vote on riding two abreast pending information from Kevin Lacy who will look into current North Carolina traffic laws regarding limitations on the number of vehicles allowed in a single lane.
- The committee tabled the issue of the 2-foot versus 3-foot safe passing distance pending resolution of the permissible behavior as it relates to crossing the center line.
- The committee voted not to carry forward the requirement of cyclists carrying identification.
- The committee approved carrying forward language adding “or right hand” to existing laws to allow cyclists to signal a right turn with their right arm.
- The committee approved carrying forward language that specifies a requirement for either a rear light or clothing/vest that is sufficiently reflective.
The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 6, 2015, from 10 am to 2 pm, at the NCDOT Transportation Building in the Emergency Information Center (EIC) Conference Room – 1 South Wilmington Street in downtown Raleigh. Here is a link in Google maps https://goo.gl/maps/J8LHyzvvgQU2.
The public is allowed to attend, but not invited to speak. Attendees will need to check in at the front security desk and receive a visitor’s badge (please bring a picture ID). Security will then direct you to the EIC, which is on the first floor of the Building. NCDOT will try to post internal signage to help you find your way to that conference room. The room seats 60, so we should have more than enough space.
