Laws & Advocacy

Laws

TDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
Here you’ll find the actual Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA)—to you and me, laws—related to bicycles in Tennessee as well as other items of interest to bicylists in the state.
6 Rules for Cycling Safety
A few easily remembered and essential rules for mixing it up with vehicles that are bigger and bader than us. Make sure to check out the PDF Tennessee Traffic Laws Relating to Bicycles, a Handbook for Motorists & Bicyclists.
Cyclist Rights and Obligations
Harpeth Bike Club’s website has a fantastic document similar but updated to the one found at Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation. Lot’s of good information in TN Traffic Laws for Bicyclists.
The Definitive Guide to Safer Cycling
This guide offers information on important cycling safety statistics as well as helpful tips and advice on how to stay safe whilst cycling at night, during winter, and in other less-than-ideal situations.

Advocacy

League of American Bicyclists

The League’s stated mission is “to promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America.” That’s something all cyclists can aspire to. This organization boasts a membership of over 300,000 affiliated cyclists. A few of their key programs are:

  • Bicycle Friendly America Program
  • Bicycle Safety and Education
  • National, State and Local Bicycle Advocacy
  • National Bike Month™

From their website you can get much more information on the League’s activities, see for yourself the benefits of membership and of course join the League.

Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation

The Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation is an organization named after a father of three girls killed by a pickup truck driver in Maryville, TN in 2006. Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation LogoThrough the grass roots efforts of concerned cyclists a bill was drafted, unanimously passed and signed into Tennessee law in 2007 as the Jeff Roth and Brian Brown Protection Act. (3 Feet dot org is another organization with close ties to this act.) The foundation’s purpose is to increase awareness of the act and promote cycling as a safe and healthy form of transportation.

From their site you can learn more about the act, read about recent cycling related legal news and even help spread the word about the 3-ft law. Their goal is to reach 1000 pre-registrations before July 2012. Support this initiative and Tennessee cyclists by clicking the plate and registering today!

3 Feet dot org

Since a certain American’s, Lance Armstrong, success in the Tour De France, cycling has really blossomed across the U.S. and TN is no exception. With that in mind we all need to take steps to ensure each other’s safety while cycling on the road. TN 3 Feet dot orgThere are various measures that the Highland Rim Bicycle Club can support collectively and as individuals. One such measure is the 3 Feet dot org organization. From their website “…Tennessee 3 Feet dot org is a partnership of individuals and organizations dedicated to public education of the Jeff Roth and Brian Brown Bicycle Protection Act.” This bill makes it a law for passing motorists to give cyclists a three foot safe passing zone on roadways and classifies a violation as a Class C misdemeanor. You can read the actual bill, get some history on how the bill came into being and grab a bunch of other useful information on the 3 Feet dot org site.

Jeff’s Bike Blog

This blog “bikesafer.blogspot.com” is an interesting little excursion in the blogging landscape. It’s written by a cyclist and his close encounters while riding. He wears a video camera capturing all “the moments.”

BicycleLaw.com

The home page of Bob Mionske’s website, BicycleLaw.com states  his law practice  “is exclusively focused on representing cyclists who have been injured by motorists, unsafe road conditions, or defective cycling products.” Bob welcomes calls for a free consultation and offers advice “for cyclists who have been injured by motorists, unsafe road conditions, or defective cycling products, and what cyclists can do to best protect their rights.”

Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program

You can find a wealth of information regarding cycling safety and other cycling related activities on the Bicycle Program section of the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). Of course much of the information is specific to the Knoxville area but several items are useful to all cyclists. For example check out their publication “Tennessee Traffic Laws Relating to Bicycles: A Handbook for Motorists and Bicyclists” or this short tutorial in brochure form on riding smart in traffic. For even more basic bicycle educational material they publish a complete Bicycle 101 Brochure Series.

Bike Walk TN

Bike Walk Tennessee is a network of individuals and groups who create power through a unified statewide voice for bicycling and walking. They are deeply interested in creating safer streets across Tennessee, and come together in a community of sharing, service, and support to leverage combined resources that achieve results.