A Press Democrat Blog

Road Warrior

Trying to make sense out of getting around

Sound Off: Bikes vs. cars, red-light runners, more examples of courtesy gone awry

Wednesday, at 6:26 by

Some recent comments from readers: Unsafe bicycling on skinny roads I am new to the Sonoma County backroads. I believe in sharing the road with bicycles, but was surprised by their behavior. Last Saturday I drove out to the coast on Petaluma Point Reyes road, narrow, double yellow line. The cyclists were riding 2, sometimes 3 across. Even when they looked back and saw me, they didn’t always shift into single file. There is NO WAY on those narrow roads… Read More »

Mailbag: What’s a STAR smog test? Bicyclists must follow rules of the road

Friday, at 5:15 by

We’ve had several readers write in asking what the new STAR smog test program is. Here’s an answer: The state Bureau of Automotive Repair on Jan. 1 changed its smog test program by eliminating Gold Shield smog-check stations, which generally handled potentially high polluting vehicles, and creating STAR test stations, which must meet a higher performance standard for technicians and the stations themselves as set by the bureau. Some of the STAR stations are test only while others can do… Read More »

Senate OKs bill with strict rules for passing bicyclists

Saturday, at 11:09 by

The state Senate on Friday approved legislation that would require drivers to be at least three feet away when passing bicyclists in most cases and would allow drivers to cross solid yellow lines to pass if safe to do so. If safety conditions didn’t allow for the three-foot clearance, then drivers would have to slow to a reasonable and prudent speed, taking into consideration the size and speed of their vehicle, traffic, weather and road conditions. The base fine for… Read More »

State Senate votes to hike cellphone fines, penalize bicyclists, too

Monday, at 7:44 by

A Palo Alto state senator again is trying to raise the fine on motorists who illegally use cellphones and, for the first time, to fine bicyclists who text or talk on a hand-held phone. The state Senate on Monday approved 24-9 legislation by Democratic Sen. Joe Simitian calling for the new fines and sent it to the Assembly. The Legislature last year passed a similar bill by Simitian, but Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed it. Last year’s bill would have raised… Read More »

Sound off: Readers’ gripes, comments

Saturday, at 6:10 by

ARE THESE BICYCLISTS RIDING LEGALLY? I am sending you this letter and attachment in the hope that you will help educate the biking community to their responsibilities under the law. I  understand and support the individual bicycler’s right to share the road with me. But I do expect that each bicyclist follow the laws that govern their use of the roads. A prime example of what gives bicyclists a bad reputation happened to me Saturday while driving from Occidental to… Read More »

Passing cyclists? 3 feet or 15 mph

Friday, at 6:47 by

A bill winding its way through the Legislature would require drivers to make sure they stay at least three feet away when passing a bicyclist or slow to no more than 15 mph when passing a cyclist if less than three feet away. The measure, Senate Bill 910, passed the Assembly Transportation Committee on an 8-5 vote Monday after an apparent raucous hearing and now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It passed the state Senate in May. The bill… Read More »

SRPD crackdown on bicyclists

Thursday, at 11:07 by

In one of several crackdowns on bicyclists who ride unsafe, Santa Rosa police ticketed 14 riders in the downtown area. Police Sgt. Lance Badger said five uniformed officers roamed the Courthouse and Railroad square areas early Monday evening and cited the bicyclists mostly for riding on the wrong side of the road and ignoring stop signs. Thirty-one warnings were issued to cyclists and pedestrians. Based on the Sonoma County traffic court’s website, it appears the total fines are $194 for… Read More »

Mailbag: Crossing the double yellow line

Saturday, at 5:49 by

Here’s a question from a reader: Out on some rural roads in the county, it’s double yellow lines all the way. Sometimes I have to cross it to pass bicyclists. Is what I’m doing legal? Peter CHP Officer Jon Sloat responded: By the letter of the law, yes, it is illegal. If it can be done safely to avoid a confrontation with the cyclists, the average officer can recognize that. However, never try this in a location without sufficient visibility,… Read More »

10 holiday wishes for drivers

Tuesday, at 6:00 by

Here’s my Christmas wish list for all of us who drive: 1. That everyone always use their blinkers when switching lanes or turning. Besides being the law, it’s just plain nice to give me some warning before you suddenly move into my lane. 2. That Caltrans finally raises the speed limit on Highway 101 between Santa Rosa and Windsor back to 65. It seems that nearly everyone is doing it already, so why wait. (UPDATE: This wish was granted today… Read More »

Tougher cell phone bill dies in Assembly

Tuesday, at 7:00 by

A state senator has failed in his effort to require bicyclists to stop using hand-held cell phones and to double fines for motorists who don’t go hands-free. Legislation by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, passed the state Senate in June but it got bottled up in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and was killed Thursday. That action came just days after a Bay Area crackdown by the CHP on drivers illegally using cell phones. Simitian told the Sacramento Bee he… Read More »