Falls Church Enforcement on the W&OD

[jnva]

Was he hiding? I usually come to a stop, but don’t put my foot down. I also avoid the falls church section of the wod during nice weather. This is yet another reason to avoid it. Jeez we have no freedoms anymore eh?

[Dirt]

He wasn’t hiding. Just standing out in the open. I didn’t see him writing actual warnings… but he did verbally warn people and scold cyclists for using headphones, though not runners.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

More details…

http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/2012/10/falls-church-police-ticketing-w-cyclists.html

[Dirt]

@FFX_Hinterlands 33368 wrote:

More details…

http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/2012/10/falls-church-police-ticketing-w-cyclists.html

Can I be a P.A.L. and still think there are some of nitwits in law enforcement?

I love and respect everyone. I really do.

I’m gonna be extra fluffy on the way home.

Hugs and kisses,

Dirt

[jnva]

It’s more likely that the nitwits are the ones complaining about cyclists running stop signs. Sure would be ironic if it is cyclists doing the complaining, lol. Even more ironic if its because of complaints from this forum!

[Dirt]

I have added a copy of the code related to crosswalks to the stuff that I carry with me on my commutes. Thanks for the link, FFX_Hinterlands

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-924

[FFX_Hinterlands]

Saw a gray-haired old man yell “YOU DIDN’T STOP M*THR*F*R!!!” out of his car window to a bicyclist this week at a W&OD crossing. I will note that the car crept through the stop sign (he had a stop sign), made eye contact with the bicyclist, then stepped on it through the x-walk. Cyclist swerved out of the way, gave a dirty look. He wanted to teach the cyclist a lesson, apparently.

Good times. Stupid ambiguous stop signs.

[jnva]

You just can’t win at these crossings – I had the exact opposite happen to me last week. Some dude in a pickup truck yelled at me because I stopped and he wanted me to “hurry up mother f’er”. I took my time crossing that time…

[Dirt]

I love them all.

I will say that I have a lot of problems not being snarky and sarcastic with the police officer that prompted me to start this thread. he totally rubs me the wrong way. Definitely something I need to work on being better about.

[americancyclo]

Every time I hear “This isn’t the Tour de France” There are so many good retorts going through my mind…

Well, this isn’t CHiPs!

Holy cow, really? I’m wayyyy off course!

[ShawnoftheDread]

@americancyclo 33803 wrote:

Every time I hear “This isn’t the Tour de France” There are so many good retorts going through my mind…

Well, this isn’t CHiPs!

Holy cow, really? I’m wayyyy off course!

I like the CHiPs retort. Add a “Ponch” to the end of it. LEOs should love that.

[DaveK]

@americancyclo 33803 wrote:

Every time I hear “This isn’t the Tour de France” There are so many good retorts going through my mind…

Well, this isn’t CHiPs!

Holy cow, really? I’m wayyyy off course!

Wait, so I doped for nothing?

[Dirt]

@americancyclo 33803 wrote:

Every time I hear “This isn’t the Tour de France” There are so many good retorts going through my mind…

Well, this isn’t CHiPs!

Holy cow, really? I’m wayyyy off course!

I have to be VERY careful with my comments when in situations like this with certain people in the town where I reside. I have in the past snarked a bit too much and it has been a negative for my advocacy efforts. Some folks have gone out of their way to *NOT* earn my respect, but it is important for me to rise above that and say nothing when I have a chorus of voices in my head suggesting terribly funny, snarky and sarcastic comments that would reflect horribly on cyclists. I have not always been successful in taking the high road in that internal battle.

Hugs and kisses,

Dirt

[Steve]

Sometimes I wish I was riding fast enough that someone accused me of thinking that I was in the Tour. I need to work out more….

[krazygl00]

I have a confession to make. Even though I’ve been commuting on the W&OD for about 3 years, I’ve never been 100% clear on the correct and legal way these intersections are supposed to be handled. Reading this thread the consensus seems to be the cop is wrong in some way. And I know Dirt posted the laws regarding bike/car intersections, but I’m not sure having read them whether they contradict the officer.

For the cyclist the trail has “Stop required by law” signs at just about every intersection (I think). For the motorists there is a “zebra” striped crossing and usually a “Stop for traffic in crosswalk” flexible-bollard-style signs. Most of the time motorists try to wave the cyclists through the intersection so we play the Helpy Helperton game and sort of muddle through with gritted teeth on both sides. I usually try to just do what is safest for myself and others, with saving time at a very low priority (make up lost time by hauling ass on the flats).

So what are we supposed to do if we’re going by the book? Are the “Stop required by law” invalid? Should the cars stop anytime there is a cyclist within sight? Can you blow through the intersection if there is no traffic?

[Author]

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