There is no doubt in my mind that the “Don’t be dead right” safety messages over the last several decades have given motorists implied rights that don’t exist in law
and have taken away rights of vulnerable road users that still exist in law. Of course I want to encourage cyclists to take steps to improve their safety but I am extremely passionate about NOT giving motor vehicles any extra rights.
In looking for material on the net I found a wonderful quote: “Yielding while looking but not signaling may be safe. Yielding while signaling but not looking is never safe. ” So the point that the driver was signaling under the requirement to yield has how much validity?
In Street Smarts by John S. Allen has these pictures. I have to seriously ask how could a cyclists slam into the right side of the vehicle in the right position? Only in the wrong position is such a event possible and even extremely probable. (On the cyclists side this position is NOT a requirement of law, while the motor vehicle’s position is.)
Lastly our laws more closely resembles California laws with some redundancy that requires drivers to at least behave like the requirement in Oregon when a bike lane is present. (Click play in the graphic below.)
Click here if you cannot see the graphic.
Please see our action alert Alert: Contact the DA for proper bicycle law enforcement to help get the word out on how motorists are to safely make right turns around cyclists.