OHIO THREE FOOT LAW UPDATE - How YOU can help NOW! #letsride

From Steve Magas


OK, folks - we have a window of opportunity here to get our Three Foot Law passed quickly.

Pending right now in the House is HB 35 - a big transportation bill.  RIGHT NOW.  Dems and R's are getting their amendments together RIGHT NOW.  

On Saturday I had a meeting with one of our local state reps [a D] about submitting our 3 proposals [- 3' Law - Broaden "bicycle" definition - Modify "malfunctioning signal" law].  She is going to present our package to Dem leadership on the transportation bill.

If YOU want to get involved, take the attached document to YOUR state Rep and state Senator and tell them YOU WANT A THREE FOOT LAW.  Tell them these are easy-squeezy, non-controversial changes which would benefit cyclists and give us a real educational opportunity.  

This opportunity needs to be taken advantage of very quickly if we want to get these amendments into the pending bill.  We suspect the bill will be voted on soon at the House and then go to the Senate - it could come up for a final vote in mid-March.   This is a wonderful opportunity to attach these changes to a huge bill -  a very effective strategy for getting short, changes passed into law quickly.

Sell this as EASY - NON-CONTROVERSIAL - HELPFUL to ALL CYCLISTS- 

Sell the Three Foot Law:

--> 21 States have passed one

--> 3 major Ohio cities have recently passed on - Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo - Columbus is also considering a three foot law right now.

--> This does not change the law except when passing a bicycle. It defines a safe distance as "not less than three feet."

Climb on board and jump start your advocacy career at the state level!