BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Let's start things off with a state Senate action, a proposal to modify the handling of probational licenses for repeat traffic law offenders. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20170&cosponId=21009

Today, in the YGBFKM department, an actual piece of legislation introduced in North Dakota. http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/65-2017/documents/17-0351-01000.pdf 32-03.2-02.2. Liability exemption for motor vehicle driver. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a driver of a motor vehicle who negligently causes injury or death to an individual obstructing vehicular traffic on a public road, street, or highway may not be held liable for any damages.

So an old person is crossing the street, trips and falls, breaks a hip, can't get up, a driver comes along with plenty of time to stop, but decides to go into Grand Theft Auto mode. If ND passes this law, the driver is not at fault, at least if he can convince people it was an accident??

I think the key is the phrase Notwithstanding any other provision of law   And how it relates to current law.   This may have been in response to a recent situation and maybe the DA or Attorney General for the state recommended clarification?

If you read the whole thing it clearly relates to pedestrians walking along the road. They're supposed to walk on the sidewalk if it's there, on the left side if not, and so on. I don't think it has anything to do with an old person trying to cross the road.

More from N.D. http://www.sopghreporter.com/story/2017/01/17/news/mt-oliver-receives-funding-to-expand-streetscape/17393.html “But there’s a line between protesting and terrorism, and what we’re dealing with was terrorism out there. [Drivers] who were legally doing their business or just going home and all of a sudden they’re in a situation they don’t want to be in.” One distraught driver in particular caught Kempenich’s [N.D. state legislator] attention — his 72-year-old mother-in-law. She was driving on Highway 1806 when suddenly she found herself swarmed by protesters, chanting, holding signs and, she told her legislator son-in-law, jumping in front of her car. Apparently it has more to do with the oil pipeline than it does transportation.  

This makes perfect sense. If you're bothered by protesters swarming your mother-in-law's car, make it OK to run them down without consequence.

Re the new DOT rules about considering people flow instead of just cars   Last night I heard a npr planet money podcast about the Midnight Rules law, which came about when newt Gingrich was running the house. It allows Congress to invalidate any and all rules finalizes in the last 60 legislative days of a presidency. http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/01/18/510456884/episode-748-undoing-obama   It has only been used once before, but once can imagine that as Obama administration rushes to finalize rule changes before tomorrow that Congress and Trump may use this law to wipe them all out with a stroke of a pen. The usual way of undoing a rule is to do the same process that it took to put the rule in place. That typically takes years. So this for more complete streets policy may not be safe.

Email from Andrea Lavin Kossis, the city planner in charge of riverfront areas:

Here is the presentation [PDF] from January 18th’s Re-Envisioning Smallman Street project. Over the course of several months, more than 130 of you gathered at the Society for Contemporary Craft to help craft the vision for the future of Smallman between 16th and 21st Streets. The presentation is a draft concept plan that reimagines how the street can be used to accommodate existing vehicular activities, and provide space for increased public use. The draft plan provides for improved infrastructure and safety, and will enhance the experience of all street users.

Via BCGP:  PennDOT has requested the state senate create a bill that would enable cities to construct parking-protected bike lanes (by removing the requirement to park within a specified distance of "the curb"), increase penalties for careless driving that results in the injury or death of vulnerable roadway users (and also redefine a 'vulnerable user'). http://bicyclecoalition.org/penndot-change-enable-parking-protected-bike-lanes/ (Note that while the BCGP post refers to 'the legislation', I don't see it on the PALeg website, so it may have been drafted but not actually introduced yet.)

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2017/02/16/Pittsburgh-bike-lanes-advisory-plan-gains-traction-with-City-Council/stories/201702160093 "A proposed advisory panel for bike lanes won support Wednesday from Pittsburgh City Council, which could take a final vote Tuesday. “As we increase the bike lanes across the city of Pittsburgh, I think we need to make sure we’re engaging more of the public,” said Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith." For the usual bike lane backlash nonsense, see the comments there. This panel, its redundancy with the Complete Streets panel, and its apparent intent at obstruction have been noted previously. BikePGH put out a statement earlier: http://localhost/2017/01/04/bike-lane-infrastructure-advisory-board/

https://twitter.com/bikinginla/status/835766691065819137   https://www.ems1.com/legislation-funding/articles/198589048-Ohio-lawmakers-rush-to-fix-bill-allowing-drivers-to-run-red-lights/

Maybe this belongs here and maybe it does not.  It seems like something of which to be aware:   This came in an email from the Outspoken' Wheelmen, in Youngstown, Ohio:   PeopleForBikes is the national bike advocacy organization working to make bicycling better in the U.S. They're looking for riders of all types to tell them what it's like to bike where they live. Share your thoughts and give your city a roadmap for becoming a better place to ride. Take this survey today: http://coronainsights.com/PlacesForBikesCommunitySurvey/ More info from their web site: Everyone can participate regardless of where, how or why they ride. It asks questions such as how safe biking feels, whether it’s getting better, and where are your favorite places to ride. Click on the link above to take the 10 minute survey and share this link with family, friends, neighbors and colleagues. The more responses we get by April 15, the better picture we'll have of local biking. One more piece of info specific to local city leaders: To get the full picture of bicycling in your community, we are also gathering data on your city’s bike network and recent progress. Please forward this link to your city leaders and ask them to complete the City Snapshot. The deadline for completed City Snapshots is also April 15, 2017. One staff person from each city or town should fill out the City Snapshot. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY SNAPSHOT > http://www.peopleforbikes.org/placesforbikes/pages/city-snapshot

@stu -- re the ohio accidental idaho stop.  It looks like in ohio they are rushing to fix a law that was accidentally passed while the same law was purposefully passed in PA and just went into effect.  Or am I thinking about this incorrectly?