Roundhouse Rally is Upbeat as Safety Bills Move Through Committees

There was good news today as bicyclists and motorcyclists rallied at the Roundhouse. Both HB 109, the careless driving enhanced penalty bill and HB 192, the five foot passing bill, made it through the House Judiciary Committee with flying colors. We need to keep pushing those bills forward.

Thanks again to all who attended, and especially to the New Mexico Motorcycle Rights Organization for their annual sponsorship of this rally and their warm welcome to bicycling interests. Also, thanks to all the bicycling interests that pitched in, including Duke City Wheelmen, Bike Santa Fe, BikeABQ, LA Bikes Blog, Bicycle Coalition of New Mexico, New Mexico Touring Society. A special thanks to Tony Farrar and NM Bike-N-Sport for again hosting the pre-rally staging and lunch.

Get Ready For This Year's Roundhouse Rally

Hear ye, hear ye! I'll post any changes here as I hear of them.

BICYCLISTS ARE INVITED TO

New Mexico Motorcyclist

Rights Organization

16th Annual

BIKE DAY AT THE CAPITOL

Saturday February 16, 1pm – 2pm
Bicyclists will rally from NM Bike N Sport (Thanks, Tony!)

We will have lunch, then ride or walk to the NM Round House Rotunda, State Capitol Building, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501. This annual event draws attention to bicycle and motorcycle safety on NM streets and highways. The New Mexico Motorcyclist Right Organization is the main event sponsor.

Duke City Wheelmen, Bike Santa Fe, BikeABQ, LA Bikes Blog, Bicycle Coalition of New Mexico, New Mexico Touring Society & New Mexico Bike Summit are joining with NM Bike-N-Sport to provide transportation support, hosting, and LUNCH for cyclists.

Albuquerque Bicyclists: You can meet at 8:10 am at Downtown Railrunner Station: Ride Rail Runner to Santa Fe. Email: RSVP@BikeABQ.org to have the fare paid!! If you will be getting on the Rail Runner at another station, please let us know ahead of time. Departs 8:30am

10:10 am - Bicyclists can do a 20 mile ride with Chris Marsh starting from the Santa Fe Depot Station and joining the lunch at Bike N Sport at Noon.

11:00 am - NM Bike N Sport (504 W Cordova Rd): Meet for LUNCH and then walk or bicycle to the New Mexico State Capitol Building (bring a bike lock - No bicycles in the Capitol)

1:00 pm - Rally starts. New Mexico State Capitol Building (490 Old Santa Fe Trail): The rally will pay tribute to 2018 victims of crashes who were motorcycling or bicycling in New Mexico. Ongoing advocacy efforts to improve road safety will be highlighted, including current legislation under consideration.

Albuquerque cyclists. Return to Albuquerque: Rail Runner will depart from Santa Fe Depot Station at 3:15, 8:10 & 10:14pm & South Capitol Station at 3:20, 8:15, & 10:19pm.

LEGISLATION UNDER CONSIDERATION:

House Memorial 10 is a recognition of the importance of bikepacking to cultural resources, physical activities, conservation, and tourism. It points out the importance of road and trail connectivity to bikepacking and forwards the memorial, should it pass, to the secretaries of economic development and tourism. It has no other action item involved in it.

House Bill 109 is a bill that increases the penalties for careless drivers who injure or kill. It moves the sentencing of careless driving that kills or injures from the traffic code (66-8-7) to what looks like the criminal code (31-19-1).

House Bill 192 is the safe passing bill. It requires a bicyclist to be given five feet of clearance when passing and also allows a motorist to cross the double line to pass a bicyclist when it is safe to do so. I think the combination of those two points is important.