Bike Coalition Backs Killea’s Cyclists Bill

The Orange County Bicycle Coalition, which represents bike riders in the county, has thrown its support behind a bill in the Legislature that would emphasize rights for bicyclists.

The measure is SB515, being carried by state Sen. Lucy Killea (I-San Diego).

An explanation of the bill was published in the March-April edition of SpokesPeople, the newsletter of the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. The newsletter said the coalition has long sought some of the protections proposed by the bill, including one that would make it a misdemeanor for anyone to throw something at a bike rider.

Tom Higgins, a legislative assistant to Killea, said in the newsletter that the intent of the bill is to stress “the needs bicyclists have for safety as they travel the streets with vehicles that weigh many thousands of pounds more than they do.”

Higgins said Killea’s measure would provide specific statute language empowering police to protect bike riders.

“This bill will highlight special areas where bicycles need protection from harassment and from unsafe passing,” he said.

Killea’s bill also would nullify an existing law that allows local agencies to impound bicycles that are not registered.

The bicycle coalition has urged supporters of the bill to write letters of support to the chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee in Sacramento and to their local city councils.