Functional Yield - City takes no position

Despite the vote of the Bicycle Advisory Committee, the City’s only formal outreach to the bicycling community, recommending that the City support Phyllis Kahn’s “functional yield” bill, the Intergovernmental Relations committee voted to oppose the bill earlier this week.

I was disappointed in this outcome. This bill is a commonsense set of rules that match the way that safe, conscientious cyclists ride and I think will help us have a much needed discussion on how we can craft bike laws in a way that will promote safety and ridership. Fortunately, the Council overturned IGR's recommendation today on a 7-6 vote, opting instead to take no position on this bill. Joining me in voting against the recommendation to oppose were Council Members Lilligren, Schiff, Glidden, Remington, Benson and Goodman.

I remain disappointed that the Council was unable to support this as part of our legislative agenda but think is was helpful for us to begin the discussion and I am gald that at least we remained neutral on the question.