--- [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312) # Ped & Biker Alert! California Trying to Make it Legal to Roll through Red Lights STREETS BLOG REPORT-No, this is not about a bill to allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, sorry. This is about a bill that supposedly set out to lower fines for cars that turn right on red without stopping. It is sailing unopposed through the state legislature. The bill,[ S.B. 986](https://mail.citywatchla.com/%20http:/leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB986) from Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), was already looking pretty bad to traffic safety advocates. But Brenda Miller at MyFeetFirst.org \[\[ hotlink\]\] noticed something even more insidious in the bill’s wording. Its current draft removes the requirement that drivers “remain stopped” at a red light until it is safe to proceed. “That seemingly small change,” she writes, “effectively legalizes the ‘California stop’ at red lights.” The bill still requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and approaching vehicles, but without the requirement to remain stopped it will be much harder to enforce that provision. It also puts pedestrians at much greater risk, as Miller points out: SB 986 fails to consider our typical wide, arterial roads where cars in adjacent lanes obstruct a motorist’s view. With two to five lanes in each direction, edging forward is always dicey. Add a slight curve and/or a few parkway plants and/or a truck . . . even the safest drivers have a hard time seeing what’s coming, especially kids. “Remain stopped” in existing law is important. Streetsblog has already complained several times about this bill, which supposedly was written to assuage complaints that automatic red light cameras were ticketing too many people for violating red light rules. Too many tickets means too many people are violating the law, not that the law needs to change or the fines need to be lowered. The fine reduction seems like a distraction when you realize that if it is passed the way it’s currently worded, S.B. 986 could change the way drivers navigate intersections. “It prioritizes the right to make a careless turn,” said Miller, a safety advocate who has worked in the city of San Clemente for many years. “As it stands now, the law says you must stop on a red light, no excuses. That is removed. \[The bill authors\] added a paragraph that says you must yield the right of way” but it no longer requires you to be cautious on approaching a right turn. “It also means that the limit line before the crosswalk—which was put there because of the problem of vehicular encroachment—will lose its meaning. Drivers would no longer have to stop \[and stay\] at a limit line or crosswalk. Those delineations create a bright line perspective as to where the intersection begins and ends, and this effectively removes that delineation.” “Traffic cops are going to have a difficult time determining where to draw the line,” she said. On her blog MyFeetFirst, Miller includes a few data points to drive home the safety implications, writing that “more than one third of Orange County’s injury collisions were caused by drivers failing to yield to people in crosswalks.” Miller also points out what the bill could cost in terms of economic losses from collisions, and what the possible economic consequences might be for cities who want to prioritize pedestrian safety. Miller concludes: “It’s a horrific piece of legislation.” S.B. 986 is scheduled for a vote in the Assembly Appropriations Committee tomorrow. There is likely to be little discussion, as it’s the end of the session and the committee has a long list of bills to consider. It could be worth contacting your state Assembly member to ask them to vote “no” when the bill comes up for a vote on the Assembly floor, sometime in the next few weeks. Otherwise we’ll have to hope that Governor Brown will veto it. *(Melanie Curry writes for [Streets Blog California](http://cal.streetsblog.org) … where this perspective originated.)* Written by Melanie Curry. ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2016/063g.png) August 04 2016 [](https://www.addtoany.com/share) [Comments](#disqus_thread) STREETS BLOG REPORT-No, this is not about a bill to allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, sorry. This is about a bill that supposedly set out to lower fines for cars that turn right on red without stopping. It is sailing unopposed through the state legislature. The bill,[ S.B. 986](https://mail.citywatchla.com/%20http:/leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB986) from Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), was already looking pretty bad to traffic safety advocates. But Brenda Miller at MyFeetFirst.org \[\[ hotlink\]\] noticed something even more insidious in the bill’s wording. Its current draft removes the requirement that drivers “remain stopped” at a red light until it is safe to proceed. “That seemingly small change,” she writes, “effectively legalizes the ‘California stop’ at red lights.” The bill still requires drivers to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and approaching vehicles, but without the requirement to remain stopped it will be much harder to enforce that provision. It also puts pedestrians at much greater risk, as Miller points out: SB 986 fails to consider our typical wide, arterial roads where cars in adjacent lanes obstruct a motorist’s view. With two to five lanes in each direction, edging forward is always dicey. Add a slight curve and/or a few parkway plants and/or a truck . . . even the safest drivers have a hard time seeing what’s coming, especially kids. “Remain stopped” in existing law is important. Streetsblog has already complained several times about this bill, which supposedly was written to assuage complaints that automatic red light cameras were ticketing too many people for violating red light rules. Too many tickets means too many people are violating the law, not that the law needs to change or the fines need to be lowered. The fine reduction seems like a distraction when you realize that if it is passed the way it’s currently worded, S.B. 986 could change the way drivers navigate intersections. “It prioritizes the right to make a careless turn,” said Miller, a safety advocate who has worked in the city of San Clemente for many years. “As it stands now, the law says you must stop on a red light, no excuses. That is removed. \[The bill authors\] added a paragraph that says you must yield the right of way” but it no longer requires you to be cautious on approaching a right turn. “It also means that the limit line before the crosswalk—which was put there because of the problem of vehicular encroachment—will lose its meaning. Drivers would no longer have to stop \[and stay\] at a limit line or crosswalk. Those delineations create a bright line perspective as to where the intersection begins and ends, and this effectively removes that delineation.” “Traffic cops are going to have a difficult time determining where to draw the line,” she said. On her blog MyFeetFirst, Miller includes a few data points to drive home the safety implications, writing that “more than one third of Orange County’s injury collisions were caused by drivers failing to yield to people in crosswalks.” Miller also points out what the bill could cost in terms of economic losses from collisions, and what the possible economic consequences might be for cities who want to prioritize pedestrian safety. Miller concludes: “It’s a horrific piece of legislation.” S.B. 986 is scheduled for a vote in the Assembly Appropriations Committee tomorrow. There is likely to be little discussion, as it’s the end of the session and the committee has a long list of bills to consider. It could be worth contacting your state Assembly member to ask them to vote “no” when the bill comes up for a vote on the Assembly floor, sometime in the next few weeks. Otherwise we’ll have to hope that Governor Brown will veto it. *(Melanie Curry writes for [Streets Blog California](http://cal.streetsblog.org) … where this perspective originated.)* [![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Message [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fd/064h-fdb0b507.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) ### [Remembering Ken Draper: CityWatch and Transparency Are his Legacy](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) LA WATCHDOG - Ken Draper, the editor and publisher of CityWatch for more than 20 years, passed away on August 8, 2022… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/54/064j-54f0ecbd.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) ### [Be Prepared to Protect Our Democracy in November From a Trumpian Plot](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) BE AWARE - Back in the days when conservatives were so hungry for media platforms that they’d come on progressive shows… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/ab/063e-ab3b1ba1.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) ### [Nithya Raman Loses the Homelessness Gavel — Her Record Explains Why](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) THE BOTTOM LINE - Raman wants Los Angeles voters to promote her to mayor. Before handing her the keys to City Hall, v… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/75/064a-75d5dbb3.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) ### [Your Boss Owns Your Workday—Not Your Brain](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) THE NEURAL WORKPLACE - California must protect workers before workplace surveillance crosses the final frontier: the hu… --- ## [ LOS ANGELES ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/064n.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33207:how-los-angeles-homeowners-can-use-home-equity-to-finance-major-home-improvements&catid=312)### [How Los Angeles Homeowners Can Use Home Equity to Finance Major Home Improvements](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33207:how-los-angeles-homeowners-can-use-home-equity-to-finance-major-home-improvements&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/063j.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33170:will-the-mayor-city-council-and-school-board-find-boldness-to-convert-empty-schools&catid=312)### [Will the Mayor, City Council and School Board Find Boldness to Convert Empty Schools?](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33170:will-the-mayor-city-council-and-school-board-find-boldness-to-convert-empty-schools&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/062g.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33166:la-county-executive-job-candidates-new-and-old-sincere-and-opportunistic-are-lining-up&catid=312)### [LA County Executive Job: Candidates New and Old, Sincere and Opportunistic, are Lining Up](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33166:la-county-executive-job-candidates-new-and-old-sincere-and-opportunistic-are-lining-up&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/062n.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33169:shame-on-da-nathan-hochman-the-prosecution-of-lapd-officer-daniel-flores&catid=312)### [Shame on DA Nathan Hochman: The Prosecution of LAPD Officer Daniel Flores](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33169:shame-on-da-nathan-hochman-the-prosecution-of-lapd-officer-daniel-flores&catid=312) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/061k.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33147:boyle-heights-warehouse-fire-lessons-learned&catid=312)### [Boyle Heights Warehouse Fire: Lessons Learned](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33147:boyle-heights-warehouse-fire-lessons-learned&catid=312)