Bicyclists would be allowed to yield at intersections or stop signs, rather than coming to complete stops, under a bill introduced in the Assembly that also has the strong support of Nevada City’s Vice-Mayor. Duane Strawser, who owns a bike shop and is an avid bicyclist, says a number of states already have such laws in place and it’s resulted in a significant drop in collisions with other vehicles. He says some bicyclists have tipped over when coming to a complete stop…

click to listen to Duane Strawser

Meanwhile, Strawser says Nevada City has been working with the county on finding safer and less-congested bike routes, including for those coming into town on Highway 49 on the newly-paved shoulder…

click to listen to Duane Strawser

The sponsor of the bill is Assemblyman Jay Obernolte (Obernoltee). He says studies show that stopping and starting unnecessarily causes safety hazards for bicyclists, since lost momentum results in more times spent in an intersection and a greater potential for collisions.