Important update: HB 1083 prohibits mopeds from roads with speed limits greater than 45 MPH — a dangerous precedent. When you call your legislator to vote for HB 1048 and HB 566, please also ask them to vote against HB 1083. Also see our talking points for HB 1048 and the Senate version, SB 566. House Transportation Committee 2 meets first thing Wednesday morning — 7 am. Please contact your legislators before then.
HB1048 Following too Close & 3 Foot Passing is on the Docket for House Transportation Sub-Committee 2 Wed. @ 7 a.m.
Have not yet talked to the patron to see if she intends to merge it into
SB 566, but in the event it is heard on Wed., please make some calls or
Emails supporting it. All phone #’s are 804 area code at their General Assembly offices.
Richmond area: John Cox (Hanover) 698-1055, deljcox@house.virginia.gov; Betsy Carr (Richmond & Eastern Chesterfield), 698-1069, delbcarr@house.virginia.gov
Tidewater area: Glenn Oder (Newport News) 698-1094,
delgoder@house.virginia.gov; Jeion Ward (Hampton) 698-1092,
deljward@house.virginia.gov
Northern VA: Thomas Rust (Herndon) 698-1086, deltrust@house.state.virginia.gov
Lynchburg: Scott Garrett 698-1023, delsgarrett@house.virginia.gov
and Chairman Bill Carrico from way out in Galax, 698-1005, delccarrico@house.virginia.gov
With only 7 on the sub committee, I think it is permissible for you to call the one geographically closest to you, urging them to support the change of passing distance from 2 feet to 3 feet.
It is more of a guideline and educational rule of thumb for vehicle
drivers rather than an enforcement tool to punish law breakers since
there are no measuring instruments that can tell if the vehicle is
passing the cyclist by 3 feet, 2 feet, or one foot, but 16 states now have 3 feet in their code, and it seems to be easier for drivers to comprehend so that they may give the cyclist a little wider berth when passing, leaving a little more room for error in the event either the driver or the cyclist wobbles.
Even if this bill is not heard on Wed. a.m., your message will not be wasted since these seven will also hear SB566 when it comes over to them from the Senate and into the House Transportation Committee.
Please forward this to your bike club and other mailing lists, and share it in social media.
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HB 1048 will be heard on February 3 and is NOT being merged with (the now truncated) SB 566 at this time. Thus, the much-needed change to Code of Virginia Section 46.2-816, to apply “following too closely” (by *motor* vehicles only) to bicycles and all other legal vehicles, not just motor vehicles and trailers, is still alive.
In expressing support for HB 1048 at this time, it would help to mention its proposed change to “following too closely” as well as its proposed change to “passing too closely” (i.e., changing the minimum passing distance for two to three feet).
House Transportation Subcommittee #2 will meet at it’s usual 7 AM Wednesday time, not at 5:00 PM. Thus, emails and calls to the seven subcommittee members will be most effective before then.