House Bill 161 Would Let Bikers Pass Legally through Red Lights

Date: Monday, February 28, 2011, 2/28/11
Location: State of Georgia | Bike Attorney in Georgia
Event: Proposed Motorcycle and Bicycle Laws
Title: House Bill 161 Would Let Bikers Pass Legally through Red Lights

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ann Purcell a Georgia legislator is trying to pass a bill to let bikers proceed through a red light as if it were a stop sign.  Ms. Purcell stated, “We just want to make it so you can go through a red light without, quote, “breaking the law.”

The proposed legislation would allow someone to proceed through the light after waiting sixty seconds to check traffic. According to the American Motorcyclist Association, there are eight states already that have similar legislation with respect to motorcyclists.

The House Rules Committee has postponed a vote on the bill because some members do not find it acceptable to allow bikers different rules of the road then vehicles.

The Georgia Department of Transportation stated there are 40,000 intersections in the state of Georgia with sensors installed that need to be updated or adjusted.

The Federal Highway Administration prefers states to consider different options such as the ones in California. The state of California has new sensors which work like metal detectors which allow traffic signals to change when sensing a motorcycle or bicycle.