Keep your distance: New law benefits bicyclists

In late March the Ohio Legislature passed a new bill to help out cyclists on busy roads. Previously drivers weren’t given any specific guidelines concerning bicycles on the road other than to give them a little bit of space when passing and perhaps an audio signal to warn the cyclist.

The new bill, HB 154, received broad support in both the Ohio House and Senate with Gov. John Kasich signing it into law last December. HB 154 took effect on March 21, and it seeks to change the way drivers behave toward cyclists on the road.

Under old bicycle laws drivers were required to give an unspecified amount of room to cyclists they pass. “You were also supposed to give an audio signal,” Capt. Dale Renker of the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office said.

HB 154 doesn’t require drivers to blow their horns, but it does require them to give cyclists at least three feet of space when passing.

According to proponents of this new law, it is meant to build awareness among drivers as communities increasingly see more bicycles hitting the roads. But the community in Holmes County stands to gain from this law as well, particularly because cycling is a popular mode of transport among the Amish and in the towns and villages dotting the countryside.

What does punishment look like? “It’s only a minor misdemeanor,” Renker said. “These are the kinds of violations that will be witnessed by officers on patrol, similar to speeding and other moving violations.”

Renker said a violation of HB 154 comes with a maximum fine of $150.

Are there other things that drivers can do to help safeguard cyclists, pedestrians and slow-moving vehicles?

Renker said, “Slow down. That’s the biggest problem that we tend to have in this county. People tend to drive too fast for the terrain and conditions that Holmes County has. You pop up over a hill, and there’s something out there — animals, farm equipment — and you don’t know that it’s there until you come up over that hill.”

Renker also recommended some other tactics to help drivers safely pass cyclists and other types of slow-moving traffic. “The new law doesn’t say it now, but it’s always a good idea to give an audio signal,” he said.

Hand signals also are sometimes recommended, but tapping on a horn is often the better option because bikes, tractors and other vehicles may not be equipped with mirrors that allow their operators to see other signals.

Renker said, “You should be doing the same type of signaling that you do when you pass any other type of vehicle. Theoretically, if you go and pass, especially if you’re riding on a normal route, you’re going to have to go into the other lane, which means that you’re going to have to make sure that there is no other traffic, no oncoming that you’re going to interfere with.”

Above all else maintain awareness. Keep a sharp eye out, not only for cyclists, but also for tractors, farm equipment, buggies and all the other vehicles one may end up sharing the road with.

Sheriff's’s Office records indicate there were three accidents involving bicycles in 2017. While that number isn’t huge, it is always better to err on the side of caution and hopefully drive that number down to zero.