Traffic Enforcement

Yesterday, we discussed how a change in the threshold for a crime to be considered "Grand Theft" could impact cyclists who find their bikes stolen.  Today, we'll look at how a series of new laws could make our streets safer and more sustainable.

Earlier this week, in an article about the ongoing investigation of the death of a Hollywood publicist, a Beverly Hills Police Department spokesperson made a comment defending his department's position that the murder was perpetuated by a man riding a bicycle.  The Times quotes Lt. Tony Lee as saying:

There's callous, there's heartless, and then there's this.

As I worked on the daily "Today's Headlines" roundup for this morning, there were three items I wanted to pull because they paint an ugly picture about what's going on in our streets.

Any cyclist who has ridden the streets of Los Angeles with any regularity has a horror story.  Sometimes the story is because of negligence, such as a driver who passes too close or a taxi that pulls out of a parking space without looking.  Sometimes the story is caused by maliciousness, such as a hummer that drives through a group of cyclists or some kids in a truck that throw things.  These stories almost always end with the no consequences for the aggressor, because the police don't like to file reports without witnessing the act.  No report, no legal recourse.

Readers with long memories might remember that when Councilman Rosendahl was pushing for an anti-harassment ordinance for cyclists last January, his motion ran into trouble in the Public Safety committee.  Because the report from the City Attorney's (C.A.)office that would give cyclists more legal rights after a crash needs to be heard by the Transportation and Public Safety Committees, I reached out to the Councilman Greig Smith, Chair of the Public Safety Committee for his opinion.  The good news?  He's not going to stand in the way of the new motion.  The bad news?  He doesn't think too much of the C.A.'s recommendations:

Earlier this year, the City Council ordered city staff to create a list of changes to city and state laws that could help cyclists see justice after crashes.  At the time, City Council Transportation Committee Chair Bill Rosendahl referred to the motion as an anti-harassment ordinance, and hopes ran high that the city could create a three foot passing law, or could somehow further criminalize unsafe and aggressive behavior by drivers.

One of the more celebrated ballot propositions appearing on next month's ballot is Proposition 19 a measure that would legalize possession and smoking of Marijuana for people over the age of 21 under state law. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has vowed to continue enforcing a federal prohibition on marijuana regardless of the vote of California voters.