Missed connection

[dbb]

Me: Cyclist heading north on Eads in the left turn lane to go west on Army-Navy in Pentagon City waiting for a green arrow (on the way to FCCII)
You: BMW to my right in the go straight lane with his left turn signal on.

Me: Thinking we must give this Bavarian a wide berth

Green arrow comes and this ultimate motorists is attempting to pass me on the right as I blend over towards the curb lane. Seems he couldn’t be delayed because he had to get into the parking lot on the right about 250 feet ahead. I was successful at suggesting he drop back behind me as we jointly (me lawfully, him a bit scofflawish) the turn.

All turned out ok. I would have been quite miffed if he had somehow prevented me from making it to FCCII.

[GB]

This morning pulled over while riding to work.

My normal commute takes me on Wilson (where I use the bike lane) to Fairfax (where I use the bike lane). I then turn left on Glebe, take the left lane, stay in the left lane for 0.5 miles, and turn left into the Ballston mall parking lot.

As I was riding in the left lane an unmarked car pulled up next to me and the driver told me I was taking up the whole lane and that I should be in the bike lane. I replied that I was turning left, had a right to the lane and that there was no bike lane (which there isn’t, no bike lane, no sharrows).

He slowed as I slowed (I was approaching a red left turn signal). I stopped and he stopped. I got off my bike (put it in the median) and he turned on his lights.

He then asked for my license, which I gave him. He returned to his car and I waited on the median. He came back and told me I was charged with impeding the flow of traffic. (Strava showed my speed prior to being pulled over at 20-23mph. The speed limit in that section is 30 mph.) I asked for his card, which he gave me. He’s a detective in the homicide unit. He did not actually give me a ticket on the spot, but lead me to believe that I would get one in the mail.

Over all it was a very bad experience. I’ve been pulled over while driving and haven’t left furious. At the end of ticketing I offered to shake hands saying that we’d settle our differences in court, but he wouldn’t shake mine.

I called 2 Arlington numbers: the police and the ticket people. Both said that if I wasn’t given a ticket it was a warning, but that the warning should have been written.

Tim pointed me to this post which sound pretty similar.

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?688-Missed-connection&p=62618#post62618

Based on these two incidents I’d say Glebe is not a bike friendly street.

I’m wondering how much I need to change my commute. I could take a different road, that shortens my commute by 0.5 miles I could ride in the right lane of Glebe. I could keep doing what I’m doing. I could….drive – no that’s just silly.

[mstone]

Hopefully you got a badge number?

[GB]

@mstone 78207 wrote:

Hopefully you got a badge number?

I did. I have a question out to ebubar to see if it’s a match with his cop.

[TwoWheelsDC]

You definitely weren’t breaking the law:

Bicyclists operating a bicycle on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place under conditions then existing shall ride as close as safely practicable to the right curb or edge of roadway. Exceptions to this are when bicyclists are overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, preparing for a left turn,

§ 46.2-877. Minimum speed limits.

No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

The “impeding” statute seems to apply only to motor vehicles, and the bike statute allows the left turn.

[DismalScientist]

The cop is clearly a doofus. That said, have you tried going south on Quincy and go into the back parking entrance of the mall?

[GB]

@DismalScientist 78212 wrote:

The cop is clearly a doofus. That said, have you tried going south on Quincy and go into the back parking entrance of the mall?

Yes, that’s my alternate route. The problem is that it is 0.5 miles shorter and brings my commute dangerously close to sleaze status.

[jrenaut]

I think it’s clear that you were harrassed by an officer who didn’t know the law and chose to abuse his power because he doesn’t like cyclists. It also sounds like you were not given a ticket – I’ve never heard of a “you’ll get a ticket later by mail”, though that doesn’t mean such a thing doesn’t exist. If WABA can’t direct you to a lawyer who specializes in this sort of case, I think nearly everyone I know these days is a lawyer and surely one of them could help you – let me know if you can’t find representation.

[vvill]

Yeah, why the heck would a homicide detective be pulling over cyclists for non-infractions? What an a$$.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@vvill 78217 wrote:

Yeah, why the heck would a homicide detective be pulling over cyclists for non-infractions? What an a$$.

Arlington has had 5 homicides since 2010, so I’d wager he’s a little bored.

[DismalScientist]

You: Elderly lady in a car with Maryland plates turning left onto the 4MRT at the dead end of Eads Street
Me: The cyclist following you.

You could have let me help you extricate yourself from this situation. If you let me help direct you, you probably wouldn’t have backed into that large rock trying to do a Y turn back onto Eads. The expression “the mean streets of Arlington” is really hyperbole.

PS. Nice meeting you, Rob_O.:cool:

[dkel]

Dang it, I’m probably not going to be able to get to sleep thinking about this.

[bobco85]

@GB 78205 wrote:

This morning pulled over while riding to work.

My normal commute takes me on Wilson (where I use the bike lane) to Fairfax (where I use the bike lane). I then turn left on Glebe, take the left lane, stay in the left lane for 0.5 miles, and turn left into the Ballston mall parking lot.

As I was riding in the left lane an unmarked car pulled up next to me and the driver told me I was taking up the whole lane and that I should be in the bike lane. I replied that I was turning left, had a right to the lane and that there was no bike lane (which there isn’t, no bike lane, no sharrows).

He slowed as I slowed (I was approaching a red left turn signal). I stopped and he stopped. I got off my bike (put it in the median) and he turned on his lights.

…

Based on these two incidents I’d say Glebe is not a bike friendly street.

I’m wondering how much I need to change my commute. I could take a different road, that shortens my commute by 0.5 miles I could ride in the right lane of Glebe. I could keep doing what I’m doing. I could….drive – no that’s just silly.

Hmm, multiple things here:

1. I also park my bike at the Ballston mall bike rack, so hi, neighbor! Mine’s a silver Zum City bike with dual rear baskets. (I come in from Carlin Springs Rd with left-turning traffic to access that bike rack).

2. As stated by others, you did not do anything illegal, …but I can imagine the cop looking at you riding in the left lane and (wrongly) thinking you’re holding up traffic.
Question: do you ride in the left lane the entire time you’re on Glebe? Or do you only do that after crossing Wilson Blvd on Glebe? Do you signal for the left turn? (These do not place any blame on you, but they can affect how a cop sees your situation)

3. Glebe Road is not very bike-friendly, but the traffic lights do help to slow traffic. Whenever I’m on that road, I take the right lane and always signal longer and earlier for turns.

4. If you’re looking for alternative routes, you could do the following: starting on Fairfax Drive, at Stuart Street do a jug-handle turn (turn right then do a U-turn and go straight), take the right crosswalk across Wilson Blvd, get on the sidewalk, take the alleyway between Macy’s/Chipotle, and follow the sidewalk around to the garage entrance. Here’s the route: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/363546999 I use this route when I return to work from a lunch grocery trip at Trader Joe’s because I find it an easy way to cut through the Ballston traffic mess.

[Steve O]

@GB 78205 wrote:

I’m wondering how much I need to change my commute. I could take a different road, that shortens my commute by 0.5 miles I could ride in the right lane of Glebe. I could keep doing what I’m doing. I could….drive – no that’s just silly.

Personally, I would not change a thing. If that is the way you want to get to work, then keep doing it. If it feels dangerous, then, sure, change. But that’s what you’ve been doing and you’ve been comfortable. The fact that the cop wrongly pulled you over should not cow you into changing what you were doing that is completely and totally lawful. And if he pulls you over again and gives you a ticket, then you’ve got this whole forum and the bike community already behind you, as well as parts of ACPD that actually understand cycling, as well as much of the the Arlington County government, including board members.

I don’t think I would ride in the right lane of Glebe for that short distance. I believe that would be more dangerous than taking the left lane like you have been, due to the challenge of changing lanes in traffic.

Be bold.

[MattAune]

@jrenaut 78214 wrote:

I think it’s clear that you were harrassed by an officer who didn’t know the law and chose to abuse his power because he doesn’t like cyclists.

I think he clearly knew the law, and that he was wrong, hence the lack of a written summons. Why he hates cyclists and is clearly abusing his power is beyond me.

[Author]

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