Here are a few stories from cycling out on the road that have been circulating the last couple days.

Safe passing ordinance goes into effect

Two weeks ago, the Austin City Council approved the Safe Passing ordinance as well as a ban on texting while driving. The ordinance went into effect on Monday. The law requires drivers to give at least 3 feet of room (6 feet for trucks and buses) while passing “vulnerable road users” including cyclists. Hopefully this will lead to more respect and sharing of the road although the Statesman is already reporting 2 separate accidents this morning, one involving cyclists and the other a pedestrian.

City of Manor bans bikes on Blake Manor Road

Local blogger Daniel Norton reported Monday that the Manor City Council recently banned bicycles from a portion of Blake Manor Road. While this stretch of road is so busy with cars and lacking bike lanes or shoulders that the Austin Cycling Association recently removed it from their Manor ride, some have questioned the legality of the ban on a public, non-limited access roads and cannot be seen as a positive for the cycling community. Instead of making the road safer for all users, Manor has decided to favor one type of road user at the cost of another.

Tom Wald from the League of Bicycling Voters is working to rectify this:

A few of us, including myself in my LOBV role and Robin Stallings of BikeTexas, are getting some more information on this.  We’re going to work out a plan, and my intent is for bicyclists to regain access.  However, in the meantime, we’re gathering the relevant facts and background on the situation so that we can better negotiate.  I’m hoping that we can have some progress to report back with by this time next week, if not earlier.

LA Doctor who used car as weapon against cyclists found guilty

In a sign of more justice for cyclists, Dr. Christopher Thomas Thompson was found guilty of six felonies and one misdemeanor connected to an attack on some cyclists using his car last year. The good doctor had yelled profanities at a pair of cyclists then passed the group and made a sudden stop causing one of the cyclists to run into his car. Thompson also failed to render aid to the injured cyclist. His attorney had argued that bikes are inherently unstable and said he had stopped to take a picture of the cyclists. Thankfully, the jury did not buy this load and found him guilty. He could face up to 6 years in jail.

Related posts:

1. Austin City Council Passes Safe Passing Ordinance ...
2. The tipping point in justice for cyclists? ...
3. Safe Passing ordinance on City Council agenda for this week ...
4. Friday Film Fun: Dutch PSA, Drive with Your Heart ...
5. Austin Safe Passing Ordinance Update: Ordinance resolution passes unanimously ...