[Rec_bike] Bicycling rules of road in VA

[Arne Freyberger]

Steve,
     As "the owner" of the 8am meeting,  I want to thank you for today's 
safety minute.  It was a bit off ordinary, provided  good information 
(except the cycling part) and entertainment.

On the cycling side, I have major issues with what was stated at the 
meeting but didn't not want to get into it.  "The walk bike through 
intersection" was just the tip of the ice berg.   To me, these two 
gentlemen presented a driver's side view of why cyclists should not be 
on the road.   Instead of an objective look at mixing autos, bicycles 
and pedestrians.

I just read an interesting book on the subject by the former Talking 
Head front man David Byrne 
(http://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Diaries-David-Byrne/dp/0670021148/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257878392&sr=8-1)  
which  I recommend.   In the book he wrote an observation on 
urban/suburban planning that stated (paraphrased), if  the roads/paths 
are not safe for children then you have an unsustainable situation 
regarding parity for all types of transportation.   In other words make 
the roads/paths safe for children and everyone will use them typically 
with multiple types of vehicles.  Unfortunately the planning in the US 
has been so focused on automobiles, that our children now spend their 
entire developing years trapped in their homes since the roads are 
unsafe for them.

It's not the police's fault, but having a "bicyclists" really don't 
belong on the road attitude doesn't help the situation.....

Arne



On 11/10/2009 01:18 PM, Steve Neilson wrote:
> Fellow cyclists -
>
> I'm compelled to clarify some information shared by representatives from the
> Newport News Police Dept. at today's Accelerator plan of the day meeting,
> specifically related to "walking bicycles through intersections".  The
> appended hyperlink covers bicycling rules and regulations in the state of
> Virginia, and I can find nothing to support the assertion that bicyclists
> must walk their bikes through intersections...sorry I presumed these guys
> would have brushed-up on the law before hand.  This contradiction
> notwithstanding, the balance of their presentation on traffic and personal
> safety was quite useful.
>
> http://www.vdot.virginia.gov/programs/bk-laws.asp#Rights%20and%20Duties
>
> Steve
>
>
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-- 
Arne Freyberger
Director Operations Department
Jefferson Lab           Phone: (757) 269-6268
12000 Jefferson Avenue  Pager: (757) 584-6268
Newport News, VA 23606  Email:  freyberg at jlab.org