Bicyclist Safety Awareness Program – AKA Stop or get ticketed, and be on TV!

[Judd]

I’m glad that they were kind enough to do enforcement on Columbia Pike after my daily morning jaywalking Oakland and S. Courthouse to get to the bus stop.

[dasgeh]

I know it’s frustrating, because ACPD isn’t perfect. But they have come a long way in the last few years, and at last month’s BAC meeting, it sounded like they had heard the message that it makes more sense to ticket people in cars, and verbally warn/talk to people walking and biking, based on the danger posed by each mode. Progress, people, progress.

Clearly, we’ll see after this year’s campaign, but I have hope.

It would also help if some of you (I won’t name names) would stop doing the obviously illegal/dangerous stuff like running reds. Even on the Custis Trail. Monday evening a stream of people on bikes passed me to cross Oak on the red. The last guy almost got creamed by a car going left who had the green light, and that last guy would have been 100% in the wrong if he had. Luckily, the driver was paying attention and slammed on his brakes so as to not hit Mr. Red-Light-Runner. (and then at Scott, I saw a unnamed forum friend run a red coming the opposite direction).

[huskerdont]

@Judd 177371 wrote:

I’m glad that they were kind enough to do enforcement on Columbia Pike after my daily morning jaywalking Oakland and S. Courthouse to get to the bus stop.

What is this “bus stop” of which you speak?

[SarahBee]

@f148vr 177370 wrote:

Just like to pass this announcement along:

ARLINGTON, Va. – On Tuesday, May 1, 2018 the Arlington County Police Department’s Special Operations Section will be promoting the 2018 Spring Pedestrian & Bicyclist Safety Awareness Program in the Virginia Square area. Additionally, on Tuesday, May 2, 2018, they will be in the Columbia Pike corridor.

Officers will enforce traffic laws at the following locations as part of this program:

May 1st from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Fairfax Drive and North Kenmore Street
May 3rd from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – Columbia Pike and South Oakland Street

The program is part of the 2018 Street Smart Pedestrian, Driver, and Bicyclist Safety Campaign which will run from April 16th through May 13th. The program aims to change pedestrian, driver and bicyclist behavior while reducing the number of traffic related crashes and injuries. To accomplish this, officers will ticket motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians who violate traffic laws.

Each year, pedestrians and bicyclists account for a quarter of the traffic fatalities in the region, nearly 90 deaths per year. The Arlington County Police Department participates in numerous enforcement campaigns throughout the year in support of its commitment to improving transportation safety in the County. These campaigns combine public education and high-visibility enforcement to ensure that all travelers share the road safely.

Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to pay attention to one another and always proceed with caution and care for each other’s safety. For additional safety information, please visit the Street Smart website and remember to be a PAL—predictable, alert and lawful—while using the roadways.

Members of the media are invited to attend either event.

Hmmm… not sure if this posting was for my benefit after my ticket for not stopping at a stop sign on my bike last year. A word to the wise- if you do get caught, ticketed, and unsuccessfully contest in court, Arlington will assess 3 points against your drivers license (even if you live in MD and even though it is a bike infraction) which is equivalent to a DUI. Depending on your car insurance company, they may increase your car insurance premiums and make you take a drivers ed course. I would highly advocate not getting caught.

Sadly, I never made it onto TV or the evening news since I only appeared on police body cam and never filed my Freedom of Information Act to get said footage.

[peterw_diy]

@SarahBee 177418 wrote:

if you do get caught, ticketed, and unsuccessfully contest in court, Arlington will assess 3 points against your drivers license (even if you live in MD and even though it is a bike infraction) which is equivalent to a DUI.

That really really sucks. Why 3 points? Whose decision is that? Considering the relative lethality of the infractions (I.e. that drunk driving kills 10,000 people in the US annually), if a DUI is three points, failing to stop on a bike should be about 0.0003 points. Maybe less. Are Arlington’s hands tied in this matter or could they choose to be more fair and rational??

[SarahBee]

@peterw_diy 177419 wrote:

That really really sucks. Why 3 points? Whose decision is that? Considering the relative lethality of the infractions (I.e. that drunk driving kills 10,000 people in the US annually), if a DUI is three points, failing to stop on a bike should be about 0.0003 points. Maybe less. Are Arlington’s hands tied in this matter or could they choose to be more fair and rational??

Agreed – granted statistics indicate the MD drivers are worse than their DMV counterparts, but frankly I chalk most of this up to poor education to the Arlington County police on bike laws and a very antiquated road law system that preferences cars and makes for illogical interpretations for situations when cyclists are riding on the roads “acting” as vehicles. The laws should be updated to better protect pedestrians and cyclists in Arlington. I have a hard time faulting the cop, the judge, and even my insurance company when the laws are so poorly written and enforced.

[SarahBee]

There has also been increased enforcement on the MBT for those that use that trail.

[Author]

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