Los Angeles: Bicyclist’s Anti-Harassment Ordinance. A new ordinance heading for a vote soon by the Los Angeles City Council would make it easier for cyclists to sue aggressive drivers.

Read the details (in a pdf) about the planned ordinance HERE.

Search Google: You’ll find more to read on the topic than time.

Blah.Blah.Freddie’s Position:  Make the environment on the road safer for bike riding by increasing access: more bike lanes, more sharrows, bike lanes that don’t suddenly disappear and coordinated efforts across municipal boundaries.   It’s the Safety Stupid!

We don’t believe special laws are the solution to the problem.  More sharrows, more bike lanes and a DMV education program (included in the standard driver’s manual)  will help motorists understand city streets are meant to be shared.  The initial approach of bicycle advocacy needs to apply itself primarily to safety and access.  These kind of laws are NOT directly aimed at solving the inherent problems cyclists face on the road everyday.

A brief summary of the ordinance:

The ordinance allows cyclists to bring civil suit against a driver who engages in any of the following:

1. Assaulting, or attempting to assault, a bicyclist;
2. Threatening to physically injure a bicyclist;
3. Injuring, or attempting to injure, a bicyclist (this can include verbal and non-verbal threats); and
4. Intentionally distracting a bicyclist with the intent of causing injury

Additionally, the ordinance awards a number of damages should an attorney will be willing to take your case.  The possible damages are:

1. Triple the dollar amount of any resulting damages or $1,000, whichever is larger;
2. The attorney’s fees of the bicyclist assaulted/harassed; and
3. Any additional punitive damages awarded by a judge or jury

Some believe the ordinance will be the first of its kind in the nation.