@WillStewart 15403 wrote:
was passed by a trio of roadies moving right along. Later, approaching Rt 7, saw them detained by a bicycle policeman who was taking down pertinent information on what appeared to be a ticket pad, just after an intersection. A rider coming the opposite direction had earlier said a policeman was monitoring cyclists stopping at road crossings.
I followed these three guys from around Bluemont on the Custis until we all got stopped by the police on the W&OD. They were riding a pretty good pace, about 17-18 mph, so naturally, I hopped on the back. I didn’t see them make any dangerous passes, some maybe I wouldn’t have, but they weren’t riding dangerously in my opinion.
As we came up to Oak, the lead cyclists slowed down (he indicated peleton style with his hand) checked both ways, called clear, and waved us through. I slowed down enough to see that the road was clear, letting them break away from me a bit, and followed through. As I started to pedal a bit harder, I heard a siren(?) and yelling as the bike cop rode across the path towards the cyclist in the oncoming lane about 30 yards after the intersection. They had to brake hard, and one in the back bumped his friend’s wheel and almost toppled over. He was pretty pissed off about the abrupt appearance of the cop. I debated riding around them, but the cop saw my spandex and demanded I stop with the other cyclists. The cop asked for names and DOB and radioed them in. There was some lecturing about coming to a complete stop, and we were admonished that “This isn’t the Tour de France”, but no citing of any specific code that was violated. A squad car rolled up and another officer arrived. I thought indignant guy was going to at least get a ticket, if not have his bike confiscated (can they do that???) We were all let off with a verbal warning.
I’d imagine that they would cite the following code:
Sec. 26-109. – Riding and parking regulations.
Every person riding a bicycle upon a bikeway, sidewalk, street, highway or roadway has all the rights and is subject to all the duties applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application. Additionally, every such person shall comply with the following:
…
(2)Observation of traffic regulations. Every person riding a bicycle in the city shall observe all authorized traffic signs, signals and traffic control devices. Whenever signs are erected indicating that no right turn or left turn or U-turn is permitted, no person operating a bicycle shall disobey the direction of any such signs, except where such persons dismount from the bicycle to make any such movements or turns; in which event such a person shall then obey the regulation applicable to pedestrians.
(3)Stop signs. All persons operating a bicycle shall stop at all stop signs.
I might take issue with the fact that the W&OD is a Virginia park, and not a bikeway, sidewalk, street, highway or roadway. Also, that at any intersection, Virgina law assigns us the rights and responsibilities of a pedestrian. Stop signs aren’t applicable t pedestrians, so I’d argue that those provisions which by their very nature can have no application. Peds don’t stop, they cross when they won’t be putting themselves in harm. I have the rights, so I do the same.
I know we’ve been over this a lot, but did it change the way I rode in this morning? No, because bke cops don’t patrol in the morning. Only the evening commute. So will I slow down an extra bit even if it’s safe? probably. Would I feel better if the bike cops were sitting at more dangerous intersections like Great Falls? Hell Yes.
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