3 Foot Bike Law Not Enough?

The 3 foot Bicycle law and 3 reasons why it doesn’t work.

Most drivers in Florida are aware of the “3 Foot Law” that our state has regarding bicyclists but as seen on most local roads here in Clearwater, the law is rarely enforced. According to Florida records, only 500 tickets were issued last year to people that passed too closely with a bicycle. Only eight of the drivers that were ticketed though were actually found guilty.

There are 3 simple reasons why the 3 foot law doesn’t work.

1. No Standards
   • There is no standard set forth in the State of Florida which determines where the 36 inches of separation is measured from. Is it measured from the door of the car to the edge of the handle bars? What about between the center post of the bicycle and the side view mirror? Your guess is as good as ours!
2. Law enforcement has no means to measure the distance between the bicycle and the vehicle while moving.
   • There are no magical measuring tapes that allow police to measure the distance of a bicycle and the vehicle next to it.
3. Even when there is an accident involving a bicycle and a vehicle, very rarely do police opt to give a 3-foot law citation.
   • Breaking the 3-foot rule law is a noncriminal traffic infraction. Other citations that an officer can issue carry much heavier repercussions.

So the 3-foot law just doesn’t seem to work any way you look at it. Are there better options? Maybe… Currently, there is a South Florida politician that is trying to create a new bill that will create a “Move Over Law”. The “Move Over Law” would be just like the current law in place for emergency vehicles, where if you don’t move over or drop your speed to 10 mph under the posted speed limit you receive a ticket. This law would be much simpler to enforce, but it’s hard to say how the public in Florida would react to it.

What do you think, is the 3-Foot Law enough or should the Move Over Law be put in place?

If you or a loved one has ever been injured in a bicycle accident and you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact us at 727-669-2828 for a completely free consultation.