Bicycles Yielding – CA -Assembly Bill AB1103 – Pending

California Assembly Members, Jay Obernolte, Republican, 33rd District, and Phil Ting, Democrat, 19th District, introduced a proposed amendment to Section 21200 of the California Vehicle Code, relating to bicycles – AB1103.

AB1103,  would authorize, “a person operating a bicycle approaching a stop sign, after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching from another highway or street so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving across or within the intersection without stopping. However, if required for safety, the person shall stop before entering the intersection, and may proceed after yielding the right-of-way.  A person operating a bicycle pursuant to this section shall continuously signal an intention to turn right or left during the last 100 feet traveled before the turn, provided that a signal by hand and arm need not be given if the hand is needed to control or operate the bicycle.”

While the thought of a cyclist not having to come to a full stop may create an initial knee jerk reaction on the part of motorists, consider the following.  It is a fact, that there is a much higher incidence of motorists involvement in traffic accidents at traffic signals where there are cameras.  Motorists become anxious to avoid a costly ticket. so they speed up or slam on their brakes to avoid running the red, thus causing an accident.  By the same token, it takes bicyclists more time to move through an intersection from a full stop, so the tendency is to beat the light.  It takes cyclists more time to come to a full stop, then get back in the saddle when the light changes, get back up to speed and move through the intersection, causing motorists longer wait times.  Sometimes, the motorist doesn’t want to wait, so they cut the cyclist off, also causing an accident. Motorists don’t care to wait at traffic lights any more than cyclists do.  By law, cyclists and motorists alike must yield to each other and pedestrians too, hence the expression, “Share the Road.”

AB1103 would simply allow bicyclists who approach a four way stop sign, after yielding to motorists and pedestrians, to safely proceed through the intersection signaling their intention to turn left or right, without having to make a full stop.  By doing this, there will be less wait time for bicyclists and motorists.  Remember, AB1103 applies to four way stops only, not traffic lights.  This in turn would encourage cyclists to plan their routes away from busy streets with traffic lights, instead choosing streets with four way stops in order to avoid long wait times, benefiting both the motorist and cyclist.

(AB1103- Principal co-author:Senator Wiener; Coauthors: Assembly Members, Bloom, Chávez, and Kiley.)