qol_vulnerableroadusers_102212

7/31/2019 QOL_VulnerableRoadUsers_102212

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VulnerableRoadUsers

PublicSafetyCommittee

October

22,

2012

www.dallaspolice.net

DavidO.Brown

ChiefOfPolice1


3/22

Purpose

Thepurposeofthisbriefing

Review

proposed

City

Ordinance

regarding

humanpoweredwheeledvehicles

Provideanoverviewofcurrentlaws

Discussthe

differences

between

the

proposed

ordinanceandexistingstatelaw

Brieflyaddressbicyclelanemarkings(fullbriefing

scheduled

in

January

2013)

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4/22

Goals

Protectthesafetyofbicyclistsandmotorists

by

Strengtheningappropriateordinancesregulating

behaviorsinthisarea

Improvingpublic

awareness

of

bicyclists

and

motoriststobemoreawareofbike

lanes/markings

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5/22

Bicycle/VehicleCrashReview

Lessthan1%oftrafficaccidentsinthecity

involvebicyclists

Causationfactorsvaryconsiderably

Mostcommon

factor

(27%)

involves

bicyclist

enteringtheroadwayfromasidewalk

Approximately58%ofvehicle/bicycle

accidentsfind

the

vehicle

at

fault

(52

of

89

accidents)

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6/22

VulnerableRoadUserLaw

Highlightsofordinance

Limited

tohuman

powered

wheeled

vehicles

Definesclearlywhatisa"safepass

Addresses

safe

right

turns

in

front

of

bicyclistsProvisiontopreventvehiclesfromthrowingor

projectingitemsatbicyclists

Providesadefense

to

drivers,

if

bicyclist

is

operatinginviolationofexistinglaws

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7/22

RecentStateLawActivity

AStatewideVulnerableRoadUserlawwas

passedby

both

houses

in

2009

VetoedbytheGovernor reasonscited

Createsnew

class

of

road

user

Placesresponsibilityonmotorist

Redundancywithexistinglaw

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8/22

OtherCities/States

Asimilarlywordedordinancehasbeenpassed

inseveral

cities

in

Texas

NewBraunfels,Beaumont,Helotes,ElPaso,

Austin,SanAntonio,Edinburg,Denton,Plano

20stateshavestatutesaddressingpassing

bicyclesataspecifieddistance

Anadditional

19

states

have

similar

statutes

for

safepassingwithnospecificdistancerequirement

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9/22

Enforcement

Officerswillmonitorareasofheavybicycle

traffic Policewillrespondtocomplaintsof

bicycle/vehicle

encounters Citizensretaintherighttofilecomplaints

(mirrorsotherCityOrdinances)

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10/22

CurrentStateLaw

Generallyplacesequalresponsibilityonthe

motoristand

bicyclist

Protectsbicyclistsby

definingwhere

in

the

roadway

they

may

ride

light/reflectorrequirements

Requiresvehiclesto

passsafelytotheleft

yieldrightofwaywhenmakingarighthandturn

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11/22

Comparison

ProposedOrdinancevs.ExistingStateLawProposedOrdinance ExistingLaw

DefinitionofVulnerableRoadUser

defines

specifically

to

include

only

human

powered

wheeledvehicles

VariousdefinitionsexistunderTexas

Transportation

Code

PassingaVulnerableRoadUser designates

vacatinglanewhenpossible

Bicyclistsmustrideonrightcurboredge

SafeDistance

placesrequirementondriverto

reenterlaneatasafedistance

Passingtotheleftatasafedistance,maintain

cleardistancebetweenvehicles

Rightturnsinfrontofbicyclists

defineswhat

isasaferightturn

Operatorsshallyieldrightofwaywhenturning

right

Throwingorprojectingitemsatbicyclists

specificallyaddressed

Nospecificdefinitionsinstatelaw

Defensetoprosecutionifbicyclistisoperating

inviolationofcityordinance,stateorfederal

law

Notspecificallyaddressedbutgenerallytreats

bicyclistswiththesamerulesasvehicles

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12/22

SafeDistance

Othercitiesandstateshaveadoptedspecific

distancerequirements

(20

states)

Planohas threefootrequirement

19

states

do

not

have

specific

requirementNoreliablemeanstomeasuredistance

Determinationbyofficerofwhatisasafe

distance topass

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13/22

ResponsibilityofCyclist

Chapter9oftheDallasCityCodegovernsthe

operations

of

cyclists

on

streets

and

sidewalks

withintheCity

Itstatesthatbicyclistaresubjecttoalllaws

applicableto

any

other

vehicle

Bicyclistridingonpublicsidewalksshallyieldthe

rightofwaytopedestrians

Bicyclistareprohibitedfromusingdefined

freewaysandexpressways

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14/22

BicycleLaneMarkings

SharedLaneAtravellanethatisopenforallvehicularusewithmarkingsindicatingthe

appropriate

positioning

for

the

cyclist

BikeLanesAbikelaneisaportionoftheroadwaydesignatedbystriping,signing,andpavementmarkingsfortheexclusiveandpreferentialuseofbicyclists

BufferedBikeLanesBufferedbikelanesoperateinthesamemanner asanormalbikelane,butfeatureadditionalspacebetweenthebikelaneandtheadjacenttravellane

CycleTracksAcycletrackisaonewayortwowayfacilityfortheexclusiveuseofbicyclists,physicallyseparatedfrommotorvehicletraffic,andyetdistinctfromthesidewalk

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15/22

SharedLaneMarkingsSharedLaneMarkings

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16/22

BikeLanesBikeLanes

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BufferedBikeLane/CycleTracksBufferedBikeLane/CycleTracks

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FutureSteps

CouncilBriefingofBikeandTrailPlan

ImplementationStatusupdateonBikePlanearlyimplementation

projects

OutlineofTrail/BikePlanintegration

FutureProjectPrioritization

BicycleEducation

Program

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19/22

Summary

Theproposedordinancewillacttoaddressgapsin

state

law Givesofficersadditionalenforcementtoolsclearly

definessafepassing

Greaterawareness

and

education

for

the

public

Possiblecourtissueswithdefiningsafedistance

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ProposedOrdinance

AnordinanceaddingDivision5toArticleVIofCHAPTER28,MOTORVEHICLESANDTRAFFIC,

ofthe

DallasCityCode;definingterms;providingrequirementsforthe

safetyofvulnerableroadusers;providing

apenaltynottoexceed$500;providingasavingclause;providingaseverabilityclause;andprovidingan

effectivedate.

BEITORDAINEDBYTHECITYCOUNCILOFTHECITYOFDALLAS:

SECTION1.ThatArticleVI,OperationofVehicles,

ofCHAPTER28,MOTORVEHICLESANDTRAFFIC,

of

theDallasCityCodeisamendedbyaddinganewDivision5,OperationofVehiclesnearVulnerableRoadUsers,

toreadasfollows:

Division5.OperationofVehiclesnearVulnerableRoadUsers.

SEC.28

58.1.

DEFINITION.

Inthisdivision,VULNERABLEROADUSERmeansapersonoperatingabicycle,handcycle,unicycle,orotherhumanpoweredwheeledvehicleonastreetorhighway.

SEC.2858.2.PROTECTIONOFVULNERABLEROADUSERS.

(a)Theoperatorofamotorvehiclecommitsanoffenseif,while

passingavulnerableroaduseronastreet

orhighway,he:

(1)

fails

to

entirely

vacate

the

lane

occupied

by

the

vulnerable

road

user;

or

(2)reentersthelaneoccupiedbythevulnerableroaduserbeforehavingpassedthevulnerableroaduseratasafedistance.

(b)Theoperatororpassengerofamotorvehiclecommitsanoffenseifheknowinglythrowsorprojectsanyobjectorsubstanceatoragainstavulnerableroaduser.

(c)Theoperatorofamotorvehiclecommitsanoffenseifheovertakesavulnerableroadusertravelinginthesamedirectionandsubsequentlymakesarighthandturninfrontofthevulnerableroaduserunlessthe

operator

is

safely

clear

of

the

vulnerable

road

user,

taking

into

account

the

speed

at

which

the

vulnerableroaduseristravelingandthebrakingrequirementsofthevehiclemakingtherighthandturn.

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22/22

ProposedOrdinance(cont.)

(d)ItisadefensetoprosecutionunderSubsections(a)and(c)

that,atthetimeoftheoffense,the

vulnerableroaduserwasactinginviolationofacityordinance

orstateorfederallawregulatingthe

operationofbicycles.

(e)ItisadefensetoprosecutionunderSubsection(a)(1)iftheoperatorofthemotorvehicle:

(1)was

unable

to

move

into

an

adjacent

lane

of

the

street

or

highway

due

to

aphysical

barrier

or

obstructionorbecausethechangeoflaneswouldhaveviolateda cityordinanceorstateorfederallaw;and

(2)passedthevulnerableroaduseratasafespeedanddistance.

SECTION2.Thatapersonviolatingaprovisionofthisordinance,uponconviction,ispunishablebyafinenottoexceed$500.

SECTION3.

That

Chapter

28

of

the

Dallas

City

Code,

as

amended,

will

remain

in

full

force

and

effect,

save

andexceptasamendedbythisordinance.

SECTION4.ThatthetermsandprovisionsofthisordinanceareseverableandaregovernedbySection14ofChapter1oftheDallasCityCode,asamended.

SECTION5.Thatthisordinancewilltakeeffectimmediatelyfrom

andafteritspassageandpublicationin

accordancewiththeprovisionsoftheCharteroftheCityofDallas,anditisaccordinglysoordained.

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