When motor vehicle operators overtake people cycling and walking without giving sufficient space for comfort and safety, that's called a 'close pass'.

Relatively few roads in B.C. have bike lanes or shoulders, and many don’t even have sidewalks, meaning people who bike or walk for transportation must share the road with high speed motor vehicle traffic. Close passes account for almost one third of the threatening encounters experienced by people on bikes, about half of all incidents in rural areas. At worst, close passes injure or kill cyclists and pedestrians ...at best, they can discourage people from cycling after just one close call.

Many jurisdictions across North America have enacted minimum passing distance legislation, including New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. These laws protect vulnerable road users by requiring motor vehicle operators to make space when passing vulnerable road users.

As more British Columbians embrace active transportation and cycling for commuting, health, recreation and utility, clear and reasonable passing distances must be established by law, particularly in areas that do not have dedicated or separated cycling infrastructure.

We're asking the BC Government to amend the Motor Vehicle Act to require drivers to pass people cycling and walking by between 1 and 1.5 metres, based on facility type and posted speed limits.