A bill that would make it illegal to drive within three feet of a cyclist is winding its way through the South Dakota state senate. The distance, roughly an arm’s length, would mean that drivers that sideswipe a cyclist or are observed driving too close to them would be slapped with a misdemeanor. Opponents of the bill point out that enforcement is practically impossible, but the point is that if a biker gets hit by a car, at least they have one thing they can charge a driver with. Senate Bill 70 is slated for discussion in the transportation committee tomorrow morning. This is the same state that legalized drunken bike riding. I never thought South Dakota would be a national leader in commonsense cycling laws.

Tags: bike safety, biker bill, drunken biking