Topeka — Motorists will be able to drive faster on some Kansas highways and pay less for some seat belt violations under a bill that has been signed into law by Gov. Sam Brownback.
House Bill 2192 contained several major transportation provisions.
It also allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to proceed with caution through red lights that they are unable to trigger to change to green.
And the new law requires motorists to maintain a minimum 3-foot distance when passing a bicyclist.
Under the law, the speed limit of 70 mph could be increased to 75 mph on some stretches of separated, multilane highways.
The change could apply to more than 1,000 miles of roadway, but the Kansas Department of Transportation will make the final decision on where to increase the limit.
The seat-belt provision limits fines on a recent primary seat-belt law to $10. The primary law allows police to pull over drivers for not wearing a seat belt even if there is no other infraction.
Some cities had used their home-rule authority to levy higher fines, which angered some lawmakers.
The so-called “dead red” provision of the new law allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to run red lights if the light fails to turn green within a reasonable amount of time because of a signal malfunction or if the signal has failed to detect the motorcycle or bicycle.
Bicyclists had sought to establish the 3-foot minimum passing distance in Kansas law, saying that would raise awareness about the problems of unsafe passing.
Comments
zzgoeb 7 years, 1 month ago
Way to go Governor Sam!!! We need less safety!!! Folks ignore the law, and so let's let the law change right? Seatbelts save lives dude....If the GOP is so concerned about tax dollars, this will only cost us more....death and destruction on the road cost bucks to clean up...
Terry Jacobsen 7 years, 1 month ago
Didn't change the requirement to wear seatbelts
bunnyhawk 7 years, 1 month ago
Indeed. Let's have those semi-trailers driving 85 or 90 MPH on the interstate highways instead of the 80 MPH they drive now. 75 wouldn't be quite so bad IF speed limits were actually enforced. Think of all the lost revenue to the State of Kansas by failing to enforce existing laws.
I guess we're not even going to talk about energy conservation and how much more gasoline is used when driving at higher speeds............
Makes you wonder if Sam doesn't look at Kansas as just someplace to get through quickly......what could be going on in his little teabag mind?????
muttonchops 7 years, 1 month ago
Is it not some place to get through quickly? Kansas is the worst part of any of my cross-country drives to the West coast. When highlight attractions are the world's largest czech egg can you blame people for wanting to get the heck out of here?
tomatogrower 7 years, 1 month ago
Then fly. We don't want you in our state.
naturalist 7 years, 1 month ago
Run red lights? What am I missing here?
Khublai_Juan 7 years, 1 month ago
It's about the "dead light" issue, where you come to a red light and doesn't read certain vehicles, motorcycles or bicycles. You could sit at these lights forever and they would never turn green, you have to wait for another car to either come up behind you or come from the opposite direction before the lights will be prompted to change. They should have included cars in this too, because there have been many times when I have been stopped at Kasold and Peterson road at night waiting on the red light to change and it never does. You either have to wait for another motorist or run the light after a while. Its really annoying and I would be really mad if I get a ticket for running a red light that I have been sitting at for several minutes waiting to turn green with no other cars coming from any direction.
muttonchops 7 years, 1 month ago
I would say you are missing the rest of the sentence.
hujiko 7 years, 1 month ago
How much is it going to cost to replace all of the 70 mph signs?
We need jobs, Mr. Governor, not frivolous legislation.
jesse499 7 years, 1 month ago
1 just like the (Keep right except to pass ) signs they well only put them up every 40 miles
2 Just like the ( Keep right except to pass) signs NOBODY IS GOING TO PAY ANY ATTENTION ANYWAY!!!
Terry Jacobsen 7 years, 1 month ago
Guess what. The governor only agrees and signs or vetoes. The legislature creates the laws. They teach that in social studies in 7th grade here in Kansas. That was probably frivolous information though.
hujiko 7 years, 1 month ago
Where in that post did I say Brownback wrote the legislation? I just think that he could push the legislature to actually do something productive, say job creation, instead of writing bills that end up costing the state more money than it has.
They teach how to balance a checkbook/budget a household in 8th grade home economics, but maybe you didn't get that far. Kansas is out of money and soon to be out of jobs, this kind of legislation only costs money and doesn't create full-time employment.
Terry Jacobsen 7 years, 1 month ago
Yeah I got that far. Guess what you are never going to balance the checkbook in Kansas a s long as no one is willing to sacrifice some. Everything Governor B has tried to cut has been whined and screamed about by those who don't want their special interest cut
CLARKKENT 7 years, 1 month ago
JUST GOES TO SHOW THE QUALITY OF GOVERNOR WE ELECTED.
John Hamm 7 years, 1 month ago
Wanna 'splain to ol' dummy me? Seems the legislature had to pass the legislation before the guv can sign it but maybe you know of another method.
Terry Jacobsen 7 years, 1 month ago
Just goes to show the quality of education Clark kent got wherever he went to school.
muttonchops 7 years, 1 month ago
Krypton?
MyName 7 years, 1 month ago
As long as we keep it under 88 MPH. 'Cause then we're all going Back... to the Future!
gccs14r 7 years, 1 month ago
If they're going to have a 75 mph limit, it needs to be for only non-commercial vehicles during daylight hours. The nighttime and commercial limit needs to be no more than 65.
Khublai_Juan 7 years, 1 month ago
The speed increase was designed specifically for commercial vehicles. They are trying to get to their destinations as quickly as possible and I have heard of them skipping the state all together because there are other routes with higher speed limits where they can get where they are going quicker. It's about keeping the fuel and other motorist related revenue in the state instead of in other states.
windjammer 7 years, 1 month ago
Please explain where you heard this. You heard wrong.
repaste 7 years, 1 month ago
It was pushed by the trucking companies, but they are not going to take a 300 mile detour to save 1/2 hour - losing revenue was mentioned by one of our more disingenuous legislators.
Jan Rolls 7 years, 1 month ago
Dear scott did you not have space to tell us when this takes effect. Lousy reporting.
Gotoit 7 years, 1 month ago
The bill says: "This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book." So that should be July 1 of this year.
Richard Heckler 7 years, 1 month ago
The oil industry just received one more boost of corporate welfare...
Why do so many want to further support the oil industry CEO's, BOD's and shareholders? This group is laughing all the to the bank one more time.
4 wheel drive vehicles have been given the green light to drive way beyond their capacity to control.
"The bill also allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to proceed with caution through some red lights." This law supersedes city ordinances. Hmmmmmmm have the GOP gone nuts?
Terry Jacobsen 7 years, 1 month ago
If you read the story. They only get to proceed if a red light stays red and doesn't turn green because the sensor doesn't sense them. Calm down chicken little the sky is not falling.
muttonchops 7 years, 1 month ago
You've obviously never rode a bicycle or motorcycle and been stuck at a traffic light because it doesn't sense you. Many sensors are magnetic and are in place in the white stripes you see before the crosswalk area. Well, often enough, motorcycles and bicycles aren't large enough to be picked up by these sensors. It's mainly a problem late at night when there aren't a lot of vehicles on the road. I've sat through 2-3 cycles in the left turn lane without getting an arrow. Would it be more reasonable for said biker to sit there forever?
P.S. Learn how to quote someone. "The bill also allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to proceed with caution through some red lights." That's not what the reporter said, you dolt.
Khublai_Juan 7 years, 1 month ago
agreed
windjammer 7 years, 1 month ago
"agreed" that is not what you were saying in your previous post. Make up your mind.
tomatogrower 7 years, 1 month ago
I guess it's your right to make those oil guys even richer. Or are you one of those oil guys?
Shane Garrett 7 years, 1 month ago
Flying I-70 twice a day. Seems the motto by troopers is 9 you are fine, 10 you are mine. S0 78mph was never a problem.
TimW 7 years, 1 month ago
Curious (and I know I could probably look this up, but I'm too lazy), what's the fine schedule like in Kansas?
I lived in a state where the schedule was written something like "$XXX for the first 10mph over the limit and an additional $XX for each mph over 10". Effectively made the de facto speed limit 10mph over whatever was posted, as there was no fine for going 9 over.
booklover2 7 years, 1 month ago
Although I will admit that I have a heavy foot and it would seem I might be pleased with this news, I am not. I think it is a bad idea. There are proven studies that correlate speed with accidents. I think it is also ill-timed at a time when gas prices are hovering around $4.00/gallon. Interesting that about the only thing this administration has accomplished so far is raise the speed limits and put further restrictions on abortions. Way to go when we've got budget issues and high unemployment. How about we do something about these issues?
hujiko 7 years, 1 month ago
Brownback and Co is never going to look out for the welfare of the state, they are only interested in mandating their version of morality on the population. Raising the speed limit will not help the state in anyway, it will only help to please the special interests that got Brownback and Co into power. The legislation on abortion is plain ideology, and hypocritical at that since Brownback and Co are interested in a "small government" (doesn't that entail less government restrictions on personal liberties?)
Again, Mr. Governor, I implore that you create jobs, not a theocracy.
Terry Jacobsen 7 years, 1 month ago
Funny. Everything that Governor B has tried to cut, people have screamed not to cut their program. Give me a break. You can't be satisfied. Your a hypocrite who wants to blame the governor for everything that Sebelius created. Talk about ideology.
bluedawg79 7 years, 1 month ago
Way to go Brownback. This should make the Koch family very happy. Higher speed limits mean more gasoline used and more money in the oil companies pockets. Oh, and gas prices are going up too? How convenient!
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drivehabits.shtml
The only positive, maybe some jobs will be created putting up these new signs. I'd guess it takes a crew of 10 to 12 to put up one sign, right?
GUMnNUTS 7 years, 1 month ago
The study you have cited was done back in 1999. Automobile technology has advanced quite a bit in 10yrs.
bluedawg79 7 years, 1 month ago
Looking through a lot of info online, much of the most recent data comes from the 1990s. I did find this Consumer Reports article, dated 9/9/09:
http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/09/tested-speed-vs-fuel-economy.html
The data seems to still be valid that there is a sweetspot for fuel efficiency at higher speeds and it's between 55 & 65 mph.
Flap Doodle 7 years, 1 month ago
Koch sighting!
muttonchops 7 years, 1 month ago
It's called a speed LIMIT. Noone is forcing you to drive up to the speed limit. I'm sure you could reenact Driving Miss Daisy and get around at 25 below the limit to maximize your fuel efficiency. If you are so concerned about the oil industry making too much money maybe you should invest in a means of transportation that doesn't consume oil.
Paul R Getto 7 years, 1 month ago
Job creation for the undertakers and care repair shops. Finally some eco-devo out of the legislature.
Paul R Getto 7 years, 1 month ago
Sorry, CAR repair shops.
windjammer 7 years, 1 month ago
Your rants make as much sense as your coaching knowledge.
bluedawg79 7 years, 1 month ago
Great replies windjammer and JackRipper. I love when conservatives say they left is socialist and are continously taking away freedoms but in states around the country the Repubs are working to take women's rights to choose what to do with their bodies every day, work to create legislation to deny same-sex couples the right to acknowledge their committed relationships as straight couples do, and so on and so on. Can we say hypocrites? And is it really that big of freedom that you are allowed to drive faster? If you wanna drive so fast, become a NASCAR driver and get your kicks that way. Finally, I think its safe to say that liberals have much more diversity in hairstyles and haircuts than conservatives, so that statement had no merit whatsoever.
Terry Jacobsen 7 years, 1 month ago
i hope this new 3 foot rule helps keep bicycles safer. There are a lot if them on the roads these days.
mloburgio 7 years, 1 month ago
All four memebers of the United States House of Representatives from kansas Tim Huelskamp, Lynn Jenkins,Kevin Yoder and last but not least Mike [i love the koch brothers] Pompeo voted today to cut medicare and medicaid as we know it. replacing it with subsidies for private insurance and it would simultaneously spend trillions of dollars to reduce tax rates on the wealthiest americans. The plan contains $1.4 trillion in Medicaid cuts over ten years (which includes repeal of the health reform law’s Medicaid expansion); large cuts in food stamps, low-income housing, Pell Grants, and other programs for people with limited incomes; and repeal of the health reform law’s subsidies to help low- and moderate-income people purchase health insurance.... Cuts of this magnitude in programs for people of low or modest incomes will lead to substantial increases in poverty and hardship. In addition, the steep cuts in programs like Pell Grants to help low-income students get a college education would reduce the opportunity for many individuals to lift themselves out of poverty. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04......
verity 7 years, 1 month ago
Bicycles have to stop at red lights? Could have fooled me. Generally they just fly right through red lights and stop signs.
Kris_H 7 years, 1 month ago
I was thinking the same thing. Either they are on the sidewalk acting like they were riding on the road, or on the road acting like they were riding on the sidewalk.
BigPrune 7 years, 1 month ago
Brownback gives us freedoms and his detractors complain. Why kind of people are you?
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