In early January, I wrote a column on biking safety and mentioned proposed state legislation that would clarify rules of the road for cyclists and motorists. The bill, HB 1018 (and companion bill SB 5193 in the Senate), was being called a “mutual responsibility” or “mutual courtesy and safe passing” bill. It would have clarified the existing rules of the road for both cyclists and motorists and how they act around each

other. Prime sponsor was Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle), who is an avid cyclist and bike commuter.

 Notice that I am referring to the bill in the past tense. It had a pretty short life. 

On Jan. 26, the Bicycle Alliance of Washington (BAW), an advocacy organization that helped develop it, announced that the bill was being withdrawn from consideration. It had been referred to the transportation committees of both houses, but had not yet been heard.

 “While we conducted outreach with clubs across Washington, attorneys within the bicycling community, and solicited extensive input from within our own organization, we received extensive comments from cyclists both in favor and in opposition,” the BAW said in a statement. “In light of this, the Bicycle Alliance has chosen not to pursue the bill during this session and the sponsors have agreed to table it.”

Pedersen said he was pleased about the attention raised about the issue, and that “we have received a lot of valuable feedback about the proposed changes that we need to consider to improve the bills.”

 The bills will be tabled, which means the sponsors will not ask the committees to consider or vote on the proposal.

 There was considerable precedence for the new rules in the bill.

The bill included a clarification that a safe distance to pass between a motorized vehicle and a bike is 3 feet minimum if traveling less than 35 miles per hour, and 5 feet (if safe) when traveling faster. The BAW said the 3-foot rule is currently law in 14 states.

It also said that similar “mutual responsibility” bills have been passed in Colorado and Vermont in recent years.

 In a Q&A about the legislation on their blog, the BAW quotes Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Cyclists, saying the bill could “set a new gold standard for the way a state vehicle code treats cyclists -- possibly the first such major overhaul since the 70s. Significantly, while putting the cyclists’ perspective front and center, it is overtly multi-modal and reflective of the complete streets era.”

So, no gold standard on the issue will come from the Washington legislature at this time.

But there are other bike-related issues to discuss with state legislators, and next week the bicycling lobby will head to Olympia in force to do so. The annual “Transportation Advocacy Day” is Feb. 10, and more than 100 bike and transportation choices advocates will meet with legislators on bike-related issues.

Besides safe passing, issues include traffic safety education standards, “complete streets” program incentives, lower speed limits in neighborhoods with high bicycle traffic and limits of liability on communities that promote bicycle routes.

If you’re a citizen lobbyist, you can go with them to Olympia. Register with BAW and join the carpool. In the past, some have even biked to the event. 

Event note: Dust off your old gear or get some newly shined-up old gear at the 15th annual Seattle Bike Swap, coming Feb. 13 to its new location, the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. Bring cash, come early and pay $5 for the chance to get a deal on a used bike or shop the bargain racks of new clothes and accessories. It runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the last hour you get in free, but all the good stuff will be long gone.