On September 28, the California Court of Appeal upheld the $1.85 million judgement awarded to Dr. Catherine Williams in her lawsuit against the County of Sonoma.
As California burns, the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and get people out of cars is visible in the smoky air. The vast increase in bike sales since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates great interest and willingness among our residents to shift their mode of transportation. Increasing safety on our streets and roads is imperative to continuing this momentum. The County’s argument that their liability depends upon the purpose, length, and/or speed of a specific cycling trip was ludicrous. The ruling in this case affirms the rights of ALL users to safe transportation and puts cities and counties on notice that cyclists cannot be treated as second-class citizens.
You can read the decision here.