Survivors of last year’s deadly bike crash near Kalamazoo testified today before a state Senate committee in support of safety legislation.
Paul Gobble was one of four people injured when a pickup truck plowed into a group of bike riders. Five people were killed. The driver was charged with second-degree murder.
Gobble told a state Senate committee a “culture change” is needed between drivers and bicyclists sharing the roads.
“There’s a lot of animosity toward cyclists. The drivers, there’s a great deal of them that are just angry out there.”
The bills would make driving safely around bicyclists a required part of driver’s training. They would also require drivers to put at least five feet between their vehicle and bicycles when passing.
The committee approved the bills, which now must be voted on by the state Senate.