Arlington Traffic Enforcement

[JAM]

I was given a traffic citation yesterday by an Arlington motorcycle policeman. I was coming up Veitch St. in the Courthouse area. The light on Clarendon was red and I stopped. It is an intersection where the bike lane is on the far right. Crossing with the light, to get to the bike lane on Wilson heading west, one has to make sure any car beside you turning right sees you, head out across the intersection, make sure the cars coming behind you that may be continuing straight onto Veitch St. or turning left onto Wilson see you, and make sure that cars coming from the other direction on Veitch St. either turning right onto Wilson or going straight across the intersection see you. It’s a terrible intersection to navigate. I travel the route twice a day. To avoid getting caught in that mess, I will wait for the east bound traffic on Clarendon to clear, move out into the intersection between Clarendon and Wilson and stop, check to make sure that the west bound traffic on Wilson is clear, signal a turn, make eye contact with motorists on the other side of Wilson see me, and, if it safe and I have their attention, go on through and move into the bike lane on Wilson heading west. It has worked well for over two years now.

The policeman never asked me why I did what I did – he just wrote up the ticket. In all fairness, he was polite and professional, but when I tried to explain the situation at the intersection and that what I did was well thought out and careful, he simply said “tell it to the judge.” His explanation was that it was not fair to cite vehicles and not treat bicyclists the same.

My question – is there any percentage in trying to explain to the judge that what I was doing in crossing against the red after stopping and checking for traffic and getting out ahead where I was visible was safer in this situation than crossing on the green with the traffic – or should I save myself the court costs and lost time from work and go on and pay the fine? Any one have any experience with the Arlington judges? Observation for the many riders in Arlington who regularly apply the “Idaho Rule” at lights and stop signs and who think the police will use judgment as to what is a safe versus reckless cycling practice, they may not. As my citing officer correctly observed, “We are not in Idaho.”

[Tim Kelley]

I feel like @The Enabler would advise you to keep doing what makes you feel safe, but if you want to avoid tickets, don’t run red lights in front of police officers within eyesight of police HQ?

[KLizotte]

If you can, I would say you should go to court with a quickly digestible explanation for why this is such a dangerous intersection for cyclists and why you did what you did. If you convince the judge that riding through there as a cyclist is far more dangerous than it is for a driver then he or she may take your side. Also, I think the cop has to actually show up else the case gets thrown out of court. If you win, you can use it as evidence to the County/VDOT that the infrastructure needs to be improved.

Also, if you travel thru there twice a day, are you going to continue with your old practice of navigating the intersection or follow the red lights from now on?

[MRH5028]

I think I passed you while you were receiving the ticket from the cop. Was wondering what happened. That intersection does suck for cyclists, as well as cars. Hopefully the judge is understanding and/or a frequent user of the intersection.

[Steve O]

I would go to court exactly like KLizotte suggests.

A couple of ways to navigate this that may be better:

– Take the lane instead of staying to the right. Just get out in the lane and put your arm out. Then you won’t have to worry about right hooks or the straight running cars.

– If the light is red at Clarendon, cross like a pedestrian to the SW corner of Veitch/Clarendon. On the walk signal, cross like a pedestrian to the SW corner of Veitch/Wilson. Go left on Wilson when you get a clear opening. This takes you out of conflict with vehicles entirely but may put you in conflict with some pedestrians. Treat them respectfully, of course.

– You could also do a traditional pedestrian left: straight through to Wilson on the green; Turn your bike left in the Wilson bike lane and proceed westbound when the Wilson light turns green.

[jrenaut]

@Steve O 143578 wrote:

Take the lane instead of staying to the right. Just get out in the lane and put your arm out. Then you won’t have to worry about right hooks or the straight running cars.

I would worry about being hit from behind here. My old commute used to take me up 7th NW to the left on PA Ave. There are three lanes, though one is usually parking. The middle lane is straight and the left lane is left turn only, with a left-turn-only arrow. I would take the lane and wait to make my turn in the left lane, and would frequently have angry drivers come up behind me who wanted to illegally go straight, or illegally turn left on red. I was often buzzed by drivers who realized very late that I was waiting to turn.

If you can afford the time, I would go to court. Best case is the cop doesn’t show and the ticket is dismissed. Likely case is you admit to breaking the law, explain why you do it, and the judge forgives the ticket. Worst likely case is you pay the ticket. Although remember the judge CAN increase the fine if he/she feels like it, so be very respectful and honest.

[annoyedindc]

@Steve O 143578 wrote:

I would go to court exactly like KLizotte suggests.

A couple of ways to navigate this that may be better:

– Take the lane instead of staying to the right. Just get out in the lane and put your arm out. Then you won’t have to worry about right hooks or the straight running cars.

– If the light is red at Clarendon, cross like a pedestrian to the SW corner of Veitch/Clarendon. On the walk signal, cross like a pedestrian to the SW corner of Veitch/Wilson. Go left on Wilson when you get a clear opening. This takes you out of conflict with vehicles entirely but may put you in conflict with some pedestrians. Treat them respectfully, of course.

– You could also do a traditional pedestrian left: straight through to Wilson on the green; Turn your bike left in the Wilson bike lane and proceed westbound when the Wilson light turns green.

I’m a fan of options 1 & 2 here. I usually do #1 and take the lane.

It’s an odd intersection for cars too. Oncoming left turn and straight traffic from Veitch to Clarendon Blvd sometimes encroaches on your travel. When I do take the lane, you also have the issue of trying to turn all the way into the bike lane, or one of the car travel lanes.

I’ve only done #2 once (not that constipated). It went okay, but I have seen other riders not go on the sidewalk, but salmon the bike lane.

Conclusion – this intersection sucks for bikes.

[MFC]

@jrenaut 143581 wrote:

If you can afford the time, I would go to court. Best case is the cop doesn’t show and the ticket is dismissed. Likely case is you admit to breaking the law, explain why you do it, and the judge forgives the ticket. Worst likely case is you pay the ticket. Although remember the judge CAN increase the fine if he/she feels like it, so be very respectful and honest.

At least in Fairfax County, you can be assessed court costs if you fight a ticket and lose. Fighting it might make more sense if you have a car and are worried what the ticket might do to your insurance rates. Your defense is basically “guilty with an explanation” – does anyone know any Arlington County attorneys who have an idea on how well this likely to fly?

[elbows]

Sorry this happened to you, Jam, although better than an accident.

Is this Option 2? (That’s what I do at that intersection but I’m not sure I follow.) The going left on Wilson does not require a light, correct? Or does it? I’m never sure about that.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12200[/ATTACH]

[jrenaut]

@MFC 143583 wrote:

At least in Fairfax County, you can be assessed court costs if you fight a ticket and lose.

Yes, but that’s probably $25 or so, right? All my knowledge of traffic court is Maryland in the 1990’s, so YMMV.

[annoyedindc]

@elbows 143585 wrote:

Sorry this happened to you, Jam, although better than an accident.

Is this Option 2? (That’s what I do at that intersection but I’m not sure I follow.) The going left on Wilson does not require a light, correct? Or does it? I’m never sure about that.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12200[/ATTACH]

Yep, that is Option 2.

On the light question, I would say wait for a light to be safe from tickets and I’d vote for safer from cars.

Though you’re going to have dangers with or without the light. With the light you have people turning left and right from Veitch and the yield to pedestrian is questionable. The cars are busy trying not to hit other cars.

Without the light there are folks coming around a long curve with some odd sight lines and generally speeding.

[KLizotte]

I really try to avoid having to use or sit in left turn lanes when there are lots of cars around; they never feel safe to me. I would probably use the three crosswalks to get to the Wilson bike lane at this intersection. Sucks cause its slow but better than the alternatives.

[bobco85]

It’s been a while since I last went through there in that direction, but I have found the following to work:

• stay to the right crossing Clarendon Blvd
• midway through crossing Wilson Blvd, cut into the crosswalk (watching for pedestrians) and stop in the crosswalk in front of the westbound bike lane
• rotate your bike so you’re facing west and back up into the bike lane (watching for cyclists)
• now firmly established in the bike lane, continue on Wilson Blvd across Veitch to cycling bliss*

It’s basically a box left turn without going all the way to the corner. I use this maneuver at other intersections when I want to establish myself in the bike lane of a cross street that has a right turn lane.

* Cycling bliss is not guaranteed, but I hope you are able to find it.

[MFC]

@jrenaut 143586 wrote:

Yes, but that’s probably $25 or so, right? All my knowledge of traffic court is Maryland in the 1990’s, so YMMV.

I think it was more, but its been a while. Fortunately, the one time I fought a ticket, I won. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVkTLSZcGvM

[VA2DC]

Coming westbound up 15th St N toward Veitch, I’ve found it much easier to hang a right onto N Courthouse Rd, then take the middle lane to turn left onto Wilson in front of Ireland’s Four Courts. There’s no oncoming traffic that way, and it’s easy to swing wide into the Wilson westbound bike lane. You might catch extra red lights at Uhle and/or Veitch, but I find it to be a more comfortable crossing than the Veitch/Clarendon/Wilson clusterf***. Lately, though, I’ve been skipping 15th St. altogether and instead stay on Rhodes northbound all the way to Wilson, after crossing the bridge over Rt. 50.

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