“Give Me 3” Goes Statewide as SB 910 Moves Through Senate

Last summer, a coalition of bicycle groups and the City of Los Angeles joined forces to create the "Give Me 3" public service announcement campaign to encourage drivers to give cyclists a larger berth when passing.  Less than a year later, the California Bike Coalition (CBC) has launched its own "Give Me 3" website and campaign to build support for Senator Alan Lowenthal's (D-Long Beach) Senate Bill 910.  S.B. 910 would create a state 3 foot passing law for California.  Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa remains personally committed to enshrining a passing law in the California Vehicle Code.

When Streetsblog first discussed SB 910 back in February, the legislation was still in nascent form.  However, May has proven to be a defining month for the legislation.  On May 3, the Senate Transportation Committee held a hearing on the bill and moved the amended legislation on a party-line 6-3 vote.   Opposition to the legislation comes not only from Republican Senators but also the American Automobile Association, and the Southern California Auto Club, both of whom have a history of opposing legislation that would slow or calm traffic.

When similar legislation was proposed five years ago, municipalities and the California Highway Patrol were also in opposition, but they have avoided taking a position on this bill.

However, one bicycling group is also opposing S.B. 910, the California Association of Bicycle Associations.  CABO is worried the bill is unenforceable and ambiguous.  I'm not certain how S.B. 910, which sets firm passing guidelines, could be any more ambiguous than current law which requires passing at "a safe distance."

Which isn't to say that cycling groups don't support SB 910 for the most part.  Last week the CBC launched its "Give Me 3" Campaign at a party in Long Beach, in the heart of Lowenthal's district.  The Coalition readily admits that the campaign is building on the messaging work done in Los Angeles, noting "The City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Los Angeles Police Department, Midnight Ridazz and Champion Studio have donated to the CBC the design for the citywide Give Me 3 public awareness campaign they created and ran last fall."

To get SB 910 through the Senate Transportation Committee earlier this month, Lowenthal accepted a pair of friendly amendments to make it easier for drivers to follow the law.  The current draft of SB 910 allows drivers to cross a double-yellow line if needed to pass cyclists safely and allows for drivers traveling less than 15 miles per hour faster than the cyclist to pass closer than the mandated 3 feet.

But even the CBC admits there are still issues to work out before S.B. 910 is ready for a final vote.  For example, there is still the issue of how to handle passing situations in narrow streets where there isn't room for a car, a bike, and three feet of travel space.  While the obvious answer is to tell drivers to slow down before passing, at Cycleicious, Richard Masoner notes a political problem that kind of thinking.

S.B. 910 still needs approval from the Senate Appropriations Committee before heading to the full Senate for a vote.  Neither vote is scheduled at the time of publication.