A Northern Nevada lawmaker is trying to make intersections safer for bicyclists.
Assemblymember Heather Goulding’s bill would allow bike riders to yield at stop signs and proceed through intersections during a red light if there are no vehicles.
More than a quarter of bike accidents happen at intersections in Reno, according to People Powered Movement, which listed US-395 and Virginia Street, Kietzke Lane, and Fourth Street as some of the most dangerous locations.
Goulding, a cyclist herself, wants others to be able to mitigate risk around motorized traffic.
“You have to be hyper alert because they can kill you,” Goulding said. “Another part of that is being frustrated when you stop at a red light and you can’t trigger the light to turn green, the bicycle doesn’t have enough mass to trigger the signal, knowing that if you could just pass through that intersection while it’s red, but nobody’s around, it would be much safer.”
The bill would only apply to traditional bicycles and not to electric bikes and e-scooters, Goulding said, addressing concerns by law enforcement due to speed and ability to accelerate from a stop.
Eleven other states have passed similar legislation.
Goulding said that overall, if more people feel safe on their bikes, more people will ride.
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