Fwd: Help us make national autonomous vehicle legislation make sense for bicyclists
Sean Hearne
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Bicycle Colorado Policy Team" <takea...@bicyclecolorado.org>
Date: November 27, 2018 at 8:00:12 AM MST
To: "Sean Hearne" <she...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Help us make national autonomous vehicle legislation make sense for bicyclists
Reply-To: "Bicycle Colorado Policy Team" <takea...@bicyclecolorado.org>
Sean,
As you know, our priority is the safety of bicyclists in Colorado and making Colorado a better place to ride a bike. Today, we're contacting you about a national issue that puts the safety of all bicyclists at risk. This week, the United States Senate will vote on Senate Bill 1885: The AV START Act, and we need your help to stop it.
As it's written, the AV Start Act would exempt autonomous vehicles from current safety standards protecting bicyclists like you. The bill currently requires that automated vehicles have "a sense of" bicyclists and pedestrians, but has no definition of what "a sense of" actually means. This is not okay, and your senators need to hear from constituents like you that you want a NO vote on Senate Bill 1885.Contact information for Colorado's Senators:
Senator Cory Gardner
202-224-5941
Click here to fill out his contact form.
Senator Michael Bennet
202-224-5852
Click here to fill out his contact form.A phone call will be more effective than an email, but both are encouraged. We've provided some sample email messaging with the help of the League of American Bicyclists at the bottom of this action alert.
We and other bike advocates like the League believe automated driving systems should not just have a "sense of" bicyclists and pedestrians, but that "sense" should be specific and tested. They should have to pass a "vision test"--proving their ability to detect, recognize and respond to people bicycling, walking and using wheelchairs--before they are allowed on public roads in large numbers.If the bill doesn't pass this year, it will expire. That would give us an opportunity to influence a regulatory framework that includes safeguards for everyone-including bicyclists and pedestrians.
Please join us in asking Senators to vote NO on the AV START Act.
Sample email content
Thank you for standing up for safety in the debate over S 1885: The AV START Bill. Please vote NO unless the language regarding pedestrians and bicyclists is improved.
Right now, the bill ONLY requires self-driving cars to have "a sense of" bicyclist and pedestrians. That language is not enough. Current technology that supposedly can detect pedestrians can't promise to detect you if you are under 3 feet tall or over 6 foot 5; or if you are pushing a stroller, or if you are using a wheelchair.
US DOT's own AV guidance--released last month--says automated vehicles should have "the ability to accurately detect, recognize, anticipate and respond to the movements of all road users."
Please require the AV START Act to have this same language-or vote NO on S 1885.
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