Assemblywoman
Amy Paulin of New York's 88th district (White Plains, Bronxville, New Rochelle and thereabouts) has introduced a bill that would require motorists to keep a minimum distance of 3 feet while passing cyclists. Amazingly,
most states have no specific law on the matter, but for the few that do 3 feet is pretty much the standard. Paulin is introducing the
safe passing bill after bike activist
Merrill Cassell died last week under the wheels of a bus that was overtaking him.
Of course, this is a great law for cyclists who ride outside the city, but let's be realistic: no driver's gonna give up 3 feet of space on a New York City street, not to a car, not to a bicycle, not even to their own mother. Really, we just need more bike lanes (to be employed in the correct direction, of course). Still, it's nice to know that people with actual political power give a damn about cyclists at all.