Comments on: New Mexico moving closer to a 5 Foot Safe Passing Law http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2011/03/new-mexico-moving-closer-to-a-5-foot-safe-passing-law/ Blog for bikeleague Sun, 26 May 2013 00:56:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Khal Spencer http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2011/03/new-mexico-moving-closer-to-a-5-foot-safe-passing-law/comment-page-1/#comment-34153 Khal Spencer Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:39:06 +0000 http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/?p=4739#comment-34153 Here are pics of that Las Cruces area crash site. Scroll down to rows 3-6 to see the shoulder profiles.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2115663&id=1410833360&l=08b61f6e1d

Rest in Peace, Dr. Fronczek. We won’t rest until we see change.

]]> By: Khal Spencer http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2011/03/new-mexico-moving-closer-to-a-5-foot-safe-passing-law/comment-page-1/#comment-34152 Khal Spencer Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:19:49 +0000 http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/?p=4739#comment-34152 What is tragic is that such bills won’t make a damn bit of difference in New Mexico until the underlying culture of indifference changes. If this bill is a sign of a cultural change, all the better. I remain a skeptic.

A fatal overtaking crash two weeks ago (see below) didn’t even result in an unsafe passing citation to a motorist, even though that is already possible under existing state law under 66-7-310. Nor was a careless driving arrest made (66-8-114). What makes anyone so sure the cop would cite under a five foot law?

In other bad news in the Land of Enchantment, House Bill 68, which would have increased penalties for deaths and injuries due to careless driving, and which was supported by both the cycling and motorcycling fraternities, seems to have stalled in the Senate and will not make it to the governor’s desk, at least in this legislative session.

http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/_session.aspx?Chamber=H&LegType=B&LegNo=68&year=11

More from the comments above. A cyclist was killed about two weeks ago when a motorist (a law enforcement official–go figure) inexplicably hit him squarely from behind on a 65 mph road. The road in question is a popular State Bike Route near Las Cruces which has, inexplicably for a high speed State Bike Route, lip-paved shoulders. After a brief investigation, no charges were made against the motorist.

I don’t think a five foot law would bring that cyclist back to life since for whatever reasons, the motorist didn’t even give him zero feet. What may have kept him alive would have been better shoulder paving practices and better enforcement with enhanced penalties for such colossal blunders. Some concern from NMDOT to not create dangerous shoulders on high speed Bike Routes would help. As would the State Police not reacting with a cynical attitude towards the cyclist’s death, i.e., a State Police spokesperson was quoted, after the death, as saying cyclists should visit their local bike shops to find information on other places to ride, since according to our State Police, we can’t use our State Bike Routes.

The only bit of good news? Diane Albert is now on the LAB National Board. Maybe she can rattle some cages back here with national clout.

]]> By: Lisa Miles http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2011/03/new-mexico-moving-closer-to-a-5-foot-safe-passing-law/comment-page-1/#comment-34145 Lisa Miles Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:39:31 +0000 http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/?p=4739#comment-34145 visit bikesantafe.org for more info.

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