California legislators passed new bike legislation as a result of a rising trend of bicycle-related traffic incidents in the state and nationwide.
A growing number of bicycle-related traffic collisions in California and across the nation prompted lawmakers to propose numerous new bike rules, which took effect on January 1.
Toi Victoriano, a biker from Hillcrest, said: “I think vehicles should be more conscious of people on bikes and they should give them more room.”
According to one recent regulation, AB 1909, motorists must now switch lanes before passing cyclists if doing so is safe. They must slow down and only pass when it is safe if another lane is not available.
In addition, AB 1909 lifts the prior statewide restriction on Class 3 E-bikes, the fastest kind that can reach speeds of 28 miles per hour, allowing them to use bike lanes and hiking trails.
Another recent law, AB 1946, mandates the California Highway Patrol to collaborate with other agencies to put into place training programs for E-bike riders that will cover safety, emergency maneuver abilities, and instruction on the rules of the road for E-bikes.
As a result, Mosbrooker thought it was a brilliant idea to teach people more about safety. “It’s absolutely different to navigate and ride this thing like it is to ride your conventional mountain bike or road bike,” he said.
On the CHP website, the training course is anticipated to debut in September 2023.
