The intersection of law and clarity

It’s been roughly a year and I have yet to see much daylight.

At the beginning of 2025, the State of California enacted AB 413. Colloquially known as the “Daylight Law” , the legislation has left me in the shadows, scratching my head while I puzzle over distance.

Introduced by San Jose Assemblyman Alex Lee, the law is supposed to provide an added safety measure for bikers and pedestrians.

There was a brief introductory period for motorists in cities throughout the state to get acquainted with the law which, according to the city National City website, read:

“A person shall not stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle whether attended or unattended, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a peace officer or official traffic control device, in any of the following places: Within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any marked or unmarked crosswalk or within 15 feet of any crosswalk where a curb extension is present.”

There was more language defining crosswalks and intersections and “approach side” but the words were obscured by the numbers.

I am not a good judge of distance. Anything past what looks to be the length of my foot could be 20 feet or one mile.

I could not tell you that my car, if parked, would be within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an unmarked intersection. Too often I would stand outside my vehicle pondering if it was too close or just far enough away, only to abandon an otherwise perfectly adequate parking spot for fear of being charged up to $100 in fines and service fees.

As for the pedestrians and cyclists whose lives I was hypothetically saving? I’m skeptical that a year in the law has made much difference though admittedly I’m still looking for studies.

Fortunately 2026 does not appear to be ushering in any new laws that require my use of rulers, yardsticks and geometry equations. In the meantime I’ll keep circling the block looking for ample space, probably between two vehicles so that if I do come within 15 or 20 feet of an abstract marker, I won’t be alone in being ticketed. Misery loves company.