S1349 by TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 49725. BICYCLE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED. Every bicycle, when operated upon a roadway of this state, shall be equipped with at least one brake adequate to control the movement of such bicycle and to stop and hold such bicycle.
Thats it. Its simple and seems harmless, but the gentleman who introduced it (a cyclist himself) has specifically targeted brakeless fixed gear bicycles. Its kind of silly because there already is a law in Idaho code that states that bikes must be equipped with a device that can lock up the rear wheel and allow a bike to stop within 20 feet, or something like that. A fixed gear can do that. This proposed bill is redundant and unnecessary, a waste of time for legislators, taxpayers, and law enforcement agents who would have to enforce the bill should it become law.
If you wish to stand up for your right to ride whatever kind of bike you wish on Idaho roads, heads up! I have a close acquaintance who is a lobbyist here in Boise and is willing to help out with whatever needs doing. She is keeping me abreast of when the bills will go to committee for a hearing, so Ill let anyone know who is interested. Anyone who wants to oppose the bill should be at the capitol building for that hearing! If there is any amount of resistance, it is highly likely that this bill will be killed or tabled without much fuss because the transportation committee has more important things on their hands. And ALL cyclists should be there to support the three foot law!
I personally am strung out between work and internship and have very little time to devote to this, so individuals and organizations who feel strongly should definitely take a lead! Go blog about it.
mod edit: fixed your links cause I was irritated by the no-clicky
I'm not going to say I support this but I do feel they have a valid point. I ride fixed and do have a brake and can honestly say it has saved me on several occasions from ending up either on the side of a car or on the asphalt. I guess honestly I don't see what is so cool about riding brakeless? Seriously though, the fact that they want to pass legislation on how you set up your bike is still really screwed up. One thing I do find a bit off is in the original post here it was stated that a bike needs to be equipped with a device that can lock up the rear wheel and stop within 20 feet, and said that a fixed gear can do this however the only "device" on a brakeless fixie to do so is the rider, so technically speaking that is not truly a device. Don't mean to sound like an ass here but I'll tell you what, you go riding your bike through downtown and I will blow through a stoplight in my car and stop right in front of you after I realize I ran a red, and then you might actually wish you had a brake. Just saying. we can stage this up if you would like sometime and if you can prove me wrong than I would 100% understand where you're coming from on your opposition to this.
bryan your last rant just proved to me why this is not justified at all. if anything, there needs to be a law that holds drivers more responsible when cyclist get hit. period. perfect solution to your scenario... pay more fucking attention, and get off your fucking cell phone, and you wont run that red light. take for instance the 3 cyclist that where killed last year, not a single one was on a bike with no brakes. it was neither their bikes or their inexperience that caused their deaths, it was assholes that where not paying attention. this will not become a law because it is ridiculous. and if it does it will be passed by people who are not cyclist in the first place.
I fully agree. I myself do not support the bill, I guess I was just voicing my opinion on why I ride with brakes, Ive been hit and hit cars too many times and that shit hurts, and to me it is just one more precautionary measure. As far as if it does get passed, chances are those who pass it will not be cyclists, but if they are they will be the ones that are typically riding riding in full riding gear with a huge potbelly on an $8000 full carbon trying to act awesome after their short ride to Java in hyde park. believe me I see it all the time, every weekend hahhaha. you almost want to call them out on it. ummm, hey fat dude....ride much?
Seriously, any way I can help in opposition to this let me know
Now I am not arguing the brakes vs brakeless debate, for it is endless and pointless to argue it. I just wanted to alert those of you Idahoans who would be interested in opposing the proposed legislation. I personally dont care one way or the other, and I ride bikes with a brake and without.
I am personally opposeed to the law because 1: it limits the freedom of choice of transportation (i know its a stretch but...) and 2: it is a pointless because the current brake law in Idaho code is more than sufficient for the safety, regulation, and protection of cyclists.
The bill is part of a batch of bills that are a response to the many tragic cyclist deaths last summer throughout Idaho. 3 of the 4 bills are great measures that give rights to cyclists on the road and protection from motorists, but the brake bill doesnt address a relevant safety issue.
It boils down to this: 3 cyclists were killed by negligant motorists in Boise last year, so how is requiring a brake on an already compliant bike going to help the problem?
So yeah, Ill keep you all updated. Regardless of how you feel about brakes, its would be a good thing to show up and support the good bills.
Thomas does have a strong argument. This bill, I don't like. Anyone knows when we need to be there to stop this?
And Bryan the answer to "what is so cool about riding brakeless?" It's gives you an inner place where all you can feel is the road, nothing else. Well that's me, but does anyone agrees with this?
I thought Boise was more bike friendly than Vegas, I guess I'm a bit wrong on that.
an inner place where all you can feel is the road that is eliminated by having a brake bolted to your fork? That is a bit of a stretch.
I'm not for any of the nanny state bullshit that we have to deal with all day, and this definitely falls under that category. I would hope that our lawmakers could find something a little bit more important to work on while in session.
i have nothing against fixed gear track bikes with brakes, i personally ride with out. i also put on spandex and ride my road bike that is fully geared and has both brakes. to me bikes are bikes, period. if i have to put a brake on my bike i will, no harm done. if anything a brake will give me some crazy unearned confidence that i will use to bomb hills i once thought where not worth riding down when brakeless. much safer i guess .
Please note that this bill is in a packet of bills that have been introduced as a response to the need for increased safety and rights for cyclists. The brakeless bill is well intentioned, but misguided.
So, is this an importaint enough issuse for our lawmakers to work in this session?
If these bills are passed, cyclists in Idaho will gain a lot. We just need to tell the Transportion Committee that the brakeless bill is not supported, and that the others are super rad!
Its bad legilstion. It's no needed, won't make drivers safer, wont' make bikers safer. If I feel I can safely drive my bike, I should be able to at least get on and ride whatever bike I want. If I am riding poorly, I can be ticketed. The bike community is likely to be divided over this beucase the masses don't really ride every day and don't really ride fixed or know people who do. So, education is in order. I thought this was Idaho, the land of the libertarians, outposts in the woods, small gvt and --- one of the places you don't even have to wear a motorcycle helmet (can you also through kids in the back of a pick up and drive down the highway? I dont' know the answe to that). How can one true Idahoan really argue we need big brother laws mandating brakes on fixies? (I am not a true Idahoan so I don't know the answer to that).
If you want to re-direct your banter, you can call the sponsors of the bill: Senator Elliot Werk(D) - District 19 – Boise - Phone - (208) 332-1352; Representative James Ruchti District 29, Pocatello - House Seat B – Pocatello - (208) 332-1130; Representative Richard Wills – District 22 – Glens Ferry (208) 332-1181
The bill is SENATE BILL 1349;
If the bill moves forward, the next step should be a hearing in the Transportation Committee of the Senate. These are the people on that committee. It supposedly meets T, TH, 1:30 pm, Room WW53 The Secretary is Lizzie Kukla 332-1332. The Chair is John McGee (R) (208) 332-1332 (Caldwell). The Chair will decide if the bill even gets a hearing. So it is good to call the Chair and tell them if you don't thnk the bill merits the state's time and money.
Republican members of the committee are Shawn Keough, Tim Corder, Leland G. Heinrich, Joyce M. Broadsword, Chuck Winder. Democrat members are Elliot Werk (SPONSOR) and Diane Bilyeu. You can find their numbers at http://legislature.idaho.gov/index.htm
If the bill actually gets a hearing in the committee, then we shoudl be there for the heairng and testify! It can die there. It would be nice to avoid a hearing all together though.
The only way I know of the find out when the bill is going to be heard, is to call the secretary every day in the morning and see if the bill is listed on the agenda or not.
" BICYCLE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED. Every bicycle, when operated upon a roadway of this state, shall be equipped with at least one brake adequate to control the movement of such bicycle and to stop and hold such bicycle."
Keep in mind that there could be existing wording that allows a fixed gear to be considered a brake.. probably not though. What are the brakeless bmx riders going to do! ha.
The legal wording of that bill didn't say whether or not the bike had to have a mechanical brake on it. I think legally you could get away with saying your legs are the brakes considering you use them to adequately control, stop, and hold the bicycle. Next... how to figure out who can't use their legs to control their bike correctly. Track stand and skid stopping tryouts at the city hall for your new fixed gear bicycle licenses anyone?
Mark my words a bunch of fixed gear riders with hand brakes will be launching themselves over the handle bars so much that we'll see an increase in the number of cycling related injuries! For the love of god stop this bill before someone gets really hurt!!
But if they do pass this law, I'm going to put a sticker on my left shoe that says, "Bike Brake Device". And demonstrate how my brain actuates the "device" to apply pressure to the pedals or even place the device directly on the rear tire for emergencies and bmx bikes.
Maybe I could run a cable from my brake "device" to a little bell on the handle bars, and when I ring the bell my shoe will magically slow the bicycle down.
BOISE -- Senators voted 20-14 to require bikes be outfitted with at least one brake.
The bill was in a bicycle safety and responsibility package from Boise Democratic Sen. Elliot Werk.
Werk said Tuesday he wants to make sure that so-called "fixies" -- those hip, single-speed bicycles styled after big-city messenger bikes -- have stopping devices. Many don't now.
Werk says, "There's no coaster brake. There's no brake on the bike whatsoever."
Foes seemed piqued by the notion of government stepping further into the freewheeling realm of two-wheeled transit.
Sen. Jeff Siddoway, a Terreton Republican, argued government shouldn't be trying to tell people everything.
The bill now goes to the House.
A second Werk bill, to adds a $75 civil penalty to all infractions involving bicycles, failed 7-27.
There are two more bike-related bills pending in the Senate.