Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday vetoed legislation that would have required drivers to make sure they stayed at least three feet away when passing a bicyclist or slowed to no more than 15 mph when passing if less than three feet away.

While noting he “wholeheartedly” supports bicycle safety, Brown said in his veto message that “Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol have raised legitimate concerns about other provisions, such as the 15-mph requirement. On streets with speed limits of 35 or 40 mph, slowing to 15 mph to pass a bicycle could cause rear-end collisions. On other roads, a bicycle may travel at or near 15 mph, creating a long line of cars behind the cyclist.

“I encourage the author, proponents and opponents to send me a bill next year that solves these problems.”

The bill, SB910, by state Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, also would have allowed drivers on narrow roads to go over a double yellow line, when safe, to pass a bicyclist to achieve the three-foot gap. Most drivers do that now on country roads when passing cyclists even though technically it’s illegal.

Lowenthal’s chief of staff, John Casey, has said 19 other states require the three-foot distance, and bicycle groups in California have been advocating such a law here. Current law requires a “safe distance” but doesn’t define that.

The bill called for fines of $35 for violations, with additional fines if the driver hits and injures a bicyclist.

To read earlier story on the bill, CLICK HERE.