New Nevada Law re Red Lights

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by csmith12

The double yellow of course.

The omg part comes from the 3 foot buffer law. Since when do you need a law to tell you pass someone safely? But let's not go there....

Carry on.

Apparently Nevadans do...

NRS 484B.270  Vehicles, bicycles and electric bicycles: Driver’s duty of due care; additional penalty if driver is proximate cause of collision with person riding bicycle.
1.  The driver of a motor vehicle shall not intentionally interfere with the movement of a person lawfully riding a bicycle or an electric bicycle.
2.  When overtaking or passing a bicycle or electric bicycle proceeding in the same direction, the driver of a motor vehicle shall exercise due care and:
(a) If there is more than one lane for traffic proceeding in the same direction, move the vehicle to the lane to the immediate left, if the lane is available and moving into the lane is reasonably safe; or
(b) If there is only one lane for traffic proceeding in the same direction, pass to the left of the bicycle or electric bicycle at a safe distance, which must be not less than 3 feet between any portion of the vehicle and the bicycle or electric bicycle, and shall not move again to the right side of the highway until the vehicle is safely clear of the overtaken bicycle or electric bicycle.


Sorry for the thread jack (can I do that to my own?) back to the issue of red lights.

[NevadaWolf]

I actually like the idea of a transmitter or something on the bike that would act like pushing the pedestrian button. Not a signal to change the light immediately (like what emergency vehicles can do) but one that would serve as a "Hey light, I'm here!" and let it cycle through as normal.

There'd be no incentive to try to cheat the system by using the transmitter to change the light ahead of time because it'd behave as if it picked up the signal from the road sensors when a car was detected.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

Which law do you break?

You don't have to break any law to do it correctly? Law says that for a cyclist, you treat them as slower moving traffic. If you pass without exceeding the speed limit, you're allowed to pass where safe. A double yellow doesn't mean you can't pass, it means you can't CROSS the line completely. A 'No passing' sign means you can't pass. Even then, the law says a cyclist is supposed to stay as far right as is safe and allow people to pass.

That off-duty officer just had a grudge with the new law and was trying to prove a (worthless) point.


D, how was that the wrong link, the quotation was copy/pasted directly from the link? Look at the bottom. Also, all your scenarios can be answered with a right turn when safe.

[vman1313]

Originally Posted by Panda

With some lights it's impossible to know if you waited two cycles because the light never turns green for you in the first place.

My thoughts exactly. I eat a red light 2 or 3 times a week during my commute because it never recognizes me there so it never turns.....BUT it doesnt "cycle." It just stays red for me and green for the other road. How do you count two cycles there??

[choneofakind]

@csmith12, the 3-foot passing law should not need to be made, it should be a common-sense kind of thing. Just give the cyclist enough space not to hit them and go on with your day.

The reason they did that is because of yutz's who try and clip elbows or push cyclists into curbs (believe it or not, not everyone is as intelligent as you or I and I've had these both happen in nice little towns). The law-makers wanted to define a distance so that they can enforce something when they see a pass that looks unsafe. I don't agree with making a law about it, but I'll not complain when someone gives me space in a pass. 3-feet is just about right, it's just enough space that I could reach out and touch your mirrors if I had to, but not enough that I fear for my life. In a standard 12-foot lane, you are easily able to fit a full size SUV (with it's inside wheels on the DY) and a cyclist (relatively close to the line) in the same lane without issue. The problem is most people don't bike, and don't understand where their vehicle is. I know you don't have an issue with the vehicle part, but many people do.

I've been biking long enough on the roads that I've become more comfortable with being passed than many people are with passing. And of course, they blame me for it. Just grow a pair, pass me, and move on with your day. I promise I know you're behind me and I'll do everything in my power to not get hit.

[csmith12]

Welcome to 'murica! Home of the free, land of the brave and the most laws on planet earth, most of them unnecessary.

I understand chone and yep I have seen it. If I were a cop and the pass was waaayyyy to close imho, they have an app for that... err wait, I mean they have a law for that already. It's called Wanton Endangerment. Why not just enforce that one? It's a simple misdemeanor call on the po po and judge.

KRS § 508.070 Wanton endangerment in the second degree.

(1) A person is guilty of wanton endangerment in the second degree when he wantonly engages in conduct which creates a substantial danger of physical injury to another person.

(2) Wanton endangerment in the second degree is a Class A misdemeanor.

[choneofakind]

^^ werd. I don't think it's necessary if everyone kept their heads out of their butts when they drive, but hey.

But back to the point of red light running/making red lights more 2-wheel-friendly, I think the right-turn/crosswalk button/running it intelligently combo works.

[Sentinel]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

Nevada has that law already and within a day of it becoming effective a cop discovered a problem, especially for older roads.

Cyclist was safely on the side of a two lane, double yellow road. Cop, in his personal vehicle, came up behind the cyclist. Due to the 3 foot buffer, there was no safe space within the narrow lane to pass. Due to the double yellow, there was no legal way to pass. Cop was stuck behind the cyclist doing 10mph in the 25 (35?) mph zone.

Which law do you break?

?

[n4mwd]

Saying to just use good common sense would be a wonderful idea, but only if everyone had good common sense.

When I used to ride a bicycle, and when I was on roads that didn't have a bike lane, there were people trying to see just how close they could get to me. Most people gave me a nice passing buffer, but there were more than a few that passed less than a foot from me. The air pressure alone was enough to cause me a lot of grief.

So the bottom line in the bicycle law is that if you have good common sense, then you don't need to do anything different, but if you don't, then I'm sure that there will be more than a few bicyclists out there with GoPros ready to catch your tag in HD.

[gitoy]

sheesh...when i saw nevada and red light i was thinking of something else...

[NevadaWolf]

Not to restir a pot that's already settled, but today while driving home, I realized I made an error and want to correct it and apologize on my earlier example from the cop stuck behind the cyclist.

Given the facts as I wrote them, yes you all are right, just go around the cyclist and continue on your merry way just as with any other obstacle/car/person/bike on the side of the road.

What I forgot was that there was a very steady steam of traffic coming in the opposite direction, so there was no safe way to cross the double yellow to give the cyclist the room required for a pass.

I am sorry for relating the story incorrectly. I need to look up my facts before just popping off an example.

[choneofakind]

Again, just stick a pair of wheels on the double yellow and make a close pass. Get on the line early and flash your brights so oncoming traffic can see you well in advance and hug their white line to give you a little more space. I saw this happen today as I was driving back to campus. The problem is people a) don't know the size of their vehicle b) don't pay attention.

The cyclist should get his/her head out of his/her butt and pay attention to the traffic and hug the white line or pull off at a driveway or side road to let the car around. I've done my share of pull off or just allowing close passes.

They're on the road, they've gotta be okay with being passed, that's all there is to it. If traffic won't allow space, a well done close pass is acceptable. The issue is the morons who refuse to even move over in their lane when there's no traffic.

[choneofakind]

Bicycles are a give an take issue that all road users have to be aware of. We share the roads, let's all be polite and just not hit each other. Both sides have to make some effort in order to make road use a happy activity.

[Shofet]

Otherwise known as the no cop don't stop rule here in Nevada...ha

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by Lychee

Several cops on the local forum in california have stated they let the "3 light cycle, run it" slide. Make sense to have it in stone.

Which means they are reasonable and have nothing to prove, but unfortunately not all are as mature as they are.

[tfkrocks]

Too many lights right around me run off sensors only at night and don't cycle. Had to run one right after getting off the freeway last night because it was past 1am and lord knows when a car will come by. Not long after I ran the light, a cop car came in the other direction lol.

[parox91]

Originally Posted by alex.s

does it matter if its law? just don't do it into a cop

Fixed.