Billyman
06-07-2003, 01:03 AM
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/0603/06redlight.html
KNOXVILLE -- Beginning July 1, Tennessee motorcyclists can legally run red lights -- if they stop first and "exercise due care" -- under a bill signed into law by Gov. Phil Bredesen.
Motorcyclists had complained they were forced to wait excessive periods of time at stop lights because sensors that control the lights did not recognize motorcycles, which are now made mostly of aluminum and fiberglass, not metal.
For Nashville area resident and motorcyclist Steve Lundwall, the law can't begin too soon.
"Sometimes, I put down the kickstand and just wait (at a stoplight)," said Lundwall, a business analyst in Nashville and state director of Concerned Motorcyclists of Tennessee.
His group helped push the bill through the Legislature.
The new law isn't as popular with the state's law enforcement and transportation community, who say it will be difficult to enforce.
"It almost takes it out of our hands to write a ticket for motorcycles running a red light," said Lt. Bob Lyons of Nashville's Traffic Division. "How do we know if he's been sitting there or not?"
Sgt. Jeff Keeter, a motorcycle officer in Nashville for six years, said he's felt the frustration of being stuck at red lights but thinks the law may cause accidents.
"We'll have motorcycles trying to cross six lanes. ... Working traffic collisions, I don't have much confidence in drivers or riders.
"I can't believe this was even considered."
The governor signed the bill because "ultimately, the research did not show an increased safety risk," Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker said.
At least one other state, Minnesota, has passed a similar law, the model for Tennessee's statute, said Wayne Shaub of Brentwood, legislative chairman for Concerned Motorcyclists of Tennessee.
Bill Moore, chief engineer with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, earlier told a Senate committee there could be safety concerns. The Senate passed the bill 28-1 last month.
"We don't want to see anyone injured or killed. We don't have the greatest safety record in Tennessee, and we don't think this would improve it," Moore said. "They're trading convenience for some safety issues."
In 2000, there were 1,751 accidents involving motorcycles, with 65 fatalities. Fatalities could include pedestrians or motorists involved in the crash, Moore said.
Tennessee Department of Transportation did not take an official position on the bill and has not done in-depth research on it, TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely said.
Some senators, concerned the measure would give motorcyclists license to run red lights, added an amendment to tighten the law. It says bikers cannot use the law as a defense to run any red light they want by saying they believed the light was controlled by sensors that did not recognize their motorcycles.
KNOXVILLE -- Beginning July 1, Tennessee motorcyclists can legally run red lights -- if they stop first and "exercise due care" -- under a bill signed into law by Gov. Phil Bredesen.
Motorcyclists had complained they were forced to wait excessive periods of time at stop lights because sensors that control the lights did not recognize motorcycles, which are now made mostly of aluminum and fiberglass, not metal.
For Nashville area resident and motorcyclist Steve Lundwall, the law can't begin too soon.
"Sometimes, I put down the kickstand and just wait (at a stoplight)," said Lundwall, a business analyst in Nashville and state director of Concerned Motorcyclists of Tennessee.
His group helped push the bill through the Legislature.
The new law isn't as popular with the state's law enforcement and transportation community, who say it will be difficult to enforce.
"It almost takes it out of our hands to write a ticket for motorcycles running a red light," said Lt. Bob Lyons of Nashville's Traffic Division. "How do we know if he's been sitting there or not?"
Sgt. Jeff Keeter, a motorcycle officer in Nashville for six years, said he's felt the frustration of being stuck at red lights but thinks the law may cause accidents.
"We'll have motorcycles trying to cross six lanes. ... Working traffic collisions, I don't have much confidence in drivers or riders.
"I can't believe this was even considered."
The governor signed the bill because "ultimately, the research did not show an increased safety risk," Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker said.
At least one other state, Minnesota, has passed a similar law, the model for Tennessee's statute, said Wayne Shaub of Brentwood, legislative chairman for Concerned Motorcyclists of Tennessee.
Bill Moore, chief engineer with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, earlier told a Senate committee there could be safety concerns. The Senate passed the bill 28-1 last month.
"We don't want to see anyone injured or killed. We don't have the greatest safety record in Tennessee, and we don't think this would improve it," Moore said. "They're trading convenience for some safety issues."
In 2000, there were 1,751 accidents involving motorcycles, with 65 fatalities. Fatalities could include pedestrians or motorists involved in the crash, Moore said.
Tennessee Department of Transportation did not take an official position on the bill and has not done in-depth research on it, TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely said.
Some senators, concerned the measure would give motorcyclists license to run red lights, added an amendment to tighten the law. It says bikers cannot use the law as a defense to run any red light they want by saying they believed the light was controlled by sensors that did not recognize their motorcycles.