South Dakota Bicycle Coalition

The next Senate Transportation Committee meeting is Wednesday. The first item on the agenda is SB70 – the 3ft Please Bill. Please call or write to the members of the committee and encourage them to pass the bill. Let’s have the voices of South Dakota cyclists fresh on the minds of the committee.

Some good bits of information to send them are written in the SDBC policy paper we released earlier today.

The South Dakota Bicycle Coalition agrees with South Dakota Law that bicycles are vehicles and should act and be treated as such on the roadway, and that drivers of overtaking vehicles should pass at a safe distance.

However, given the frequency and high consequences of motorists failing to pass at a safe distance, the coalition agrees with South Dakota cyclists – and 14 other states – that additional guidance within the law is necessary. SB70 and 3-foot can provide this to motorists and cyclists in South Dakota.

The complete Senate Transportation Committee members are:

• Senator Mike Vehle, (R) – District 20, Mitchell – 605-224-6877 – sen.vehle@state.sd.us
• Senator Dennis Schmidt, (R) – District 33, Rapid City – 605-773-3821 – sen.schmidt@state.sd.us
• Senator Art Fryslie (R) – District 6, Willow Lake – 605-625-3067
  - sen.fryslie@state.sd.us
• Senator Gary Hanson (D) – District 1, Sisseton – 605-224-4200 – sen.hanson@state.sd.us
• Senator Gordon Howie, (R) – District 30, Rapid City – 605-773-3821 – sen.howie@state.sd.us
• Senator Frank Kloucek, (D) – District 19, Scotland – 605-773-3821 – 605-583-4468 – sen.kloucek@state.sd.us
• Senator Ryan Maher, (D) – District 28, Isabel – 605-850-3598 – sen.maher@state.sd.us

The South Dakota Bicycle Coalition has published a position paper regarding SB70 the 3ft Passing Bill. All are welcome to read and use the paper to support SB70 or as a tool for futher understanding of the legal use of a bicycle on public roadways.

The document is available here in PDF form.

SB70 will be considered by the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday, February 10 @ 7:45am. We invite anybody intending to testify to the committee please let the coaltion know so that efforts can be better coordinated. E-mail: sdbicyclecoalition@gmail.com

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Meet your legislators. Find a legislative crackerbarrel near you and introduce them to SB70, the 3 foot bill.

The South Dakota Bicycle Coalition encourages you to attend a crackerbarrel in your community. Then, find out if your legislators support this bill, which could make cycling safer on South Dakota roadways. Offer them encouragement and thank them for their help in passing this valuable legislation.

The next crackerbarrel events are Saturday, Feb. 6 in Aberdeen, Brookings, Chamberlain, Kimball, and Watertown. Watch your local media for additional opportunities to meet your legislators.

Times & Locations:

• Aberdeen: NSU Jerde Dining Hall, 10-12am
• Brookings: City Hall, 9-10am
• Chamberlain: Dakota Milestones, 9am
• Kimball: Senior Center, 10:30am
• Watertown: Watertown Regional Library, community room, 10-11:30am

This story is one of many told to the SDBC. The stories illustrate why South Dakota needs increased awareness of how to properly share the road.

I was grinding up highway 1806 near the west end of Oahe Dam one morning, riding with a friend who was ahead quite a ways. I was right of the fog line on a gravelly shoulder, making 10 or 11 mph, and probably wondering to myself what kind of friend passes his gravity-enhanced riding buddy with a cheery “see ya.” 

Nearing the top, I saw the cab of a semi passing, probably doing 50 mph up the grade. It seemed like he was giving me plenty of room until a monstrous tractor tire whizzed by less than a foot from my left shoulder, followed quickly by another. 

Had I moved a few inches toward the traffic lane to avoid one of the many breaks in the shoulder pavement, I would have been tagged from behind by a jagged lug of a tire extending an easy 5 feet beyond the transport trailer.

SB 70 remains absent from the Senate Transportation Committee agenda. We’re monitoring – waiting for just the right moment to contact the members of the committee.

By Jessica Giard, SDBC Board Secretary

When I think of the need for a 3-foot law, I think of South Dakota’s rural roads. These roads are what make this state great for long-distance bicycling and touring by bicycle. Scenery is unmatched. And, as a cyclist, you experience that unmatched scenery unlike you would in a vehicle. And, that, I think, is a huge magnet for bicycle tourists.

BUT these rural roads tend to have little to no shoulder, and cyclists are likely to share the road with motorists unaccustomed to safely sharing the road. These may even be the type to honk at you for using the road (if not more egregious acts), but wouldn’t think twice of a pedestrian walking on the side of the road.

Living in Chamberlain, one road that fits this bill is Highway 50 heading north out of Chamberlain. I’ve driven it, and I’ve cycled it. Some of you have, too. Following the Missouri River, the scenery is both amazing & challenging.

I have been told I’m crazy for bicycling that road. Maybe I am, especially considering the non-existent shoulder, the heavy spring & summer recreational traffic (RVs and trailered boats) and people driving the hills & curves too fast.

But, here’s the thing. Roads like Highway 50 – which connect South Dakota’s rural communities – are exactly why a 3-foot law should be considered. These are the roads that carry bicycle tourists across the state. These are roads that the pockets of communities of bicyclists in South Dakota’s communities use for riding.

Until all the highways in South Dakota are built with wide shoulders and lanes meant for sharing, a 3-foot law will serve as a standard, objective measure to keep cyclists and motorists safely sharing the road.

The existing law does not provide a solid enough measure of what safe passing of a cyclist is. By standardizing 3 feet – which some say isn’t enough – is a start to support a campaign to safely share the road with South Dakota’s growing bicycling community.

Meet your legislators. Find a legislative crackerbarrel near you and introduce them to SB70, the 3 foot bill.

The South Dakota Bicycle Coalition encourages you to attend a crackerbarrel in your community. Then, find out if your legislators support this bill, which could make cycling safer on South Dakota roadways. Offer them encouragement and thank them for their help in passing this valuable legislation.

The next crackerbarrel events are Saturday, Jan. 30 in Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Murdo and Yankton. Watch your local media for additional opportunities to meet your legislators.

Supporters of SB70 should take note. The bill will first be heard in the Senate Transportation committee. If it passes committee, the bill continues its journey. Two Rapid City legislators sit on this committee: Dennis Schmidt and Gordon Howie. Consider attending a Rapid City crackerbarrel to shake hands with these gentlemen and give them a personal side to think about when considering the 3 foot bill.

Committee member, Senator Gary Hanson from Sisseton is a co-sponsor of this bill.

Of course, as this bill progresses ALL senators and representative will be presented chance to consider it. All contacts are valuable.

Times & Locations:

• Rapid City: 9 to 11am – South Dakota School of Mines New Classroom Building
• Sioux Falls: 10am – Holiday Inn City Centre, Starlite Room, 100 W. 8th St.
• Murdo: Turner Community Center
• Yankton: 10am Roncalli Center at Mount Marty College

The complete Senate Transportation Committee members are:

• Senator Mike Vehle, (R) – District 20, Mitchell – 605-224-6877 – sen.vehle@state.sd.us
• Senator Dennis Schmidt, (R) – District 33, Rapid City – 605-773-3821 – sen.schmidt@state.sd.us
• Senator Art Fryslie (R) – District 6, Willow Lake – 605-773-3821 – sen.fryslie@state.sd.us
• Senator Gary Hanson (D) – District 1, Sisseton – 605-224-4200 – sen.hanson@state.sd.us
• Senator Gordon Howie, (R) – District 30, Rapid City – 605-773-3821 – sen.howie@state.sd.us
• Senator Frank Kloucek, (D) – District 19, Scotland – 605-773-3821 – 605-583-4468 – sen.kloucek@state.sd.us
• Senator Ryan Maher, (D) – District 28, Isabel – 605-850-3598 – sen.maher@state.sd.us

We are pleased fill our open board position with Jeremy Smith from Spearfish. Jeremy is a founder of the Spearfish Bicycle Cooperative which opened its doors last September. The cooperative is a volunteer run organization on a mission “dedicated to the proposition that all bicycles are created equal and all people should have access to a bicycle.”

- require motorists to overtake bicyclists safely, with at least a 3-foot margin. State law already requires vehicles to pass other vehicles safely. A 3-foot law will better communicate a safe passing distance for road sharing motorists and bicyclists.

- support the legal concept of bicycles as vehicles. As vehicles, bicycles belong on the road and are to abide by traffic laws, just as motor vehicles. Thus, bicyclists – as vehicle operators – should also be treated with respect by motorists.

- uphold the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and motorists by encouraging operator education. In states which have enacted the law, it is used as an educational tool to promote safe practices by motorists.

- move South Dakota higher in national rankings as a bicycle-friendly state. The state’s reputation for scenic bicycle routes is building the bicycle tourism market, now hosting over 1000 cyclists in multi-day tours each year. This number could explode as the state supports a message to safely share the road, as reinforced through a 3-foot law.

A bill to improve the sharing of roads between motorists and bicyclists was introduced in the South Dakota legislature on Wednesday, Jan. 20.

The bill – SB70 – was read in the Senate and now sits on the docket of the Senate Transportation committee. It would “provide certain restrictions regarding the passing of a bicycle.”

By amending the Rules of the Road chapter (SDCL 32-36), the proposal would require a motorists, when passing a bicycle, to pass with a minimum of three feet of clearance.

As introduced, the bill reads reads as follows: “The driver of any motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass the bicycle as required by § 32-26-26 and shall leave a safe distance, but in no case less than three feet clearance, when passing the bicycle. The driver of the motor vehicle shall maintain the clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle. A violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.”

The bill was introduced by Senators:
Sandy Jerstad (D) – Minnehaha, Lincoln
Tom Hansen (R) – Beadle, Hand, Jerauld
Gary Hanson (D) – Day, Marshall, Roberts
Pam Merchant (D) – Brookings
Kathy Miles (D) – Minnehaha
Ben Nesselhuf (D) – Clay, Turner
Jim Peterson (D) – Brookings, Deuel, Grant, Moody
Craig Tieszen (R) – Pennington
Nancy Turbak Berry (D) – Codington

Representatives:
Shantel Krebs (R) – Minnehaha, Lincoln
Elaine Elliott (D) – Brown, Spink
Richard Engels (D) – Minnehaha
Mitch Fargen (D) – Lake, Miner, Moody, Sanborn
Peggy Gibson (D) – Beadle, Hand, Jerauld
Noel Hamiel (R) – Aurora, Davison
Kristi Noem (R) – Beadle, Clark, Codington, Hamlin, Kingsbury
Eldon Nygaard (D) – Clay, Turner
Timothy Rave (R) – Hanson, McCook, Minnehaha
Manny Steele (R) – Lincoln, Minnehaha

Wednesday, Dec. 16, the SDBC Board met via conference call to continue building a vision for the group’s future. As the next few months roll by, a grander vision will become more clear. But, right now, we are crystal clear on one thing – a need for bicycling awareness and safety in South Dakota.

Our first public effort in 2010 for cyclist safety will be to work for passage of anticipated legislation requiring motorists to give cyclists a 3-foot passing berth – better known as the 3-foot law.

South Dakota’s legislative session begins Tuesday, Jan. 12 and runs through March. Our members are now researching information, strategizing to speak with legislators about the potential bill, and planning to be in position when it is discussed in Pierre.

The South Dakota Bicycle Coalition offers you, through your membership, an opportunity to be involved in the effort. For South Dakota bicyclists, we can be the most credible body to speak and the most organized body to act in support of this valuable piece of legislation.

We’d really like for you to come along for the ride.

Please join us. Then, tell your friends.