Police & the Pike. Want to protect cyclists? Why not get on a bike?

[jabberwocky]

I think the best thing for cyclist safety is going to be when helmet cams become cheaper and more widespread. They are certainly getting there. My ideal would be a lightweight, durable dual cam (one lens facing front, one back) that records the last few minutes while running. Have an issue with an unsafe driver, push a button and it saves the past few minutes.

Cops just can’t be everywhere, and honestly, most cops traffic experience seems to be limited to sitting on the side of the road with a radar gun. I’ve been impressed with Fairfax County PDs response when I’ve reported drivers before, but there isn’t much they can do without some sort of evidence.

[dasgeh]

I am all for better traffic enforcement. In a perfect world, I would love for ACPD to start ticketing drivers for reckless driving around bicycles (it doesn’t have to be driving too close — a lot of what you described was simply reckless), but I would be really happy with basic enforcement of things like speeding, red light running, standing in the bike lane, crosswalks.

I think getting ACPD on bikes is an important step for many reasons: it would give the officers a sense of our point of view; it would send a visible reminder to everyone that ACPD does know bikes exist and maybe even that they’re a priority; it would put the officers closer to the people, allowing for better general police work.

I was disappointed when the ACPD rep at the June (?) ABAC meeting was not more open to getting ACPD out on bikes. It seemed like an issue that we’ll have to press with the Board to get things done.

Are there plans for ACPD to come back to an ABAC meeting? Could we come up with a prioritized list of what “we” would like to see them do to make biking safer?

[Tim Kelley]

@elbows 32989 wrote:

Reading about the person who got a $160 ticket in Crystal City for running a red light on his bicycle, and getting aggravated by some of the drivers on Columbia Pike this morning, inspires me to pose the question – Would it be too much to ask for police to ticket drivers who commit driving infractions around cyclists and, you know, actually endanger their lives and, if not, what is the best vehicle to promote this?

When I asked the police at a civic association meeting if they ever ticketed someone for passing a cyclist too closely, I was told that that is not illegal and then offered the anecdote about how cyclists speed on the W&OD Trail all the time (where there is no speed limit). One policeman told me that he would not ticket someone for passing a cyclist too closely because he could not ensure the distance. What about if he got on a bicycle and experienced it for himself? The police in my neighborhood have, for example, spent numerous hours casing massage parlors that are accused of offering more than massages.

This morning as I was headed west on the Pike, one driver got angry with me because I decided to take the right lane for a section because there is a particularly bumpy area if you hug the right. My commuter bike is in the shop and, having some tendonitis right now, I didn’t want to deal with the jostling. So, the driver got on my tail, honked several times while quite close to me, and then passed me aggressively. At the Washington Blvd interchange, I dutifully get in the left lane as required during rush hour and then quickly return to the right lane in an effort to be polite. However, when I try to get back into the left lane so that I may turn left after the Sheraton, a driver ignores my hand signal (not illegal) and then passes me closely and way past the speed limit preventing me (with some help from other drivers) from making any of the left turns I want to make. I could relay worse examples from other days and frankly most drivers are pretty considerate, but that’s a summary of this morning.

I know I’m whining and that none of these examples are particularly horrible, but I’m just fed up enough that I thought I would give this a shot. CABI is hopefully coming to the Pike soon and things aren’t going to get easier. There are more cyclists on the Pike now than there used to be. I know that the police do a lot for cyclists and the community and I have been impressed by Arlington police in several circumstance, including during an accident I had on Columbia Pike which put me in an ambulance, but I don’t own a car, I do own a house, and I sure pay a lot of taxes and it would be nice if more of those tax dollars could go toward police services being spent on protecting cyclists, especially on Columbia Pike.

FYI–Virginia does have a two foot passing law. In recent years, it’s been attempted to get changed to three feet, but it hasn’t passed in legislation.

If a motorist drives aggressively around you, please take down their license plate and report it to the police: 703-558-2222. Even if it doesn’t solve anything right then and there, if it’s on record and they do something stupid towards a cyclists that actually results in police action, it’s good to have it on recorded.

Also think about writing to your elected county officials to let them know how you feel and that you’d like to see increased enforcement!

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 32997 wrote:

Are there plans for ACPD to come back to an ABAC meeting? Could we come up with a prioritized list of what “we” would like to see them do to make biking safer?

Probably a better question for the Arlington BAC sub-category, or for the BAC president himself.

[Megabeth]

@Tim Kelley 33002 wrote:

Probably a better question for the Arlington BAC sub-category, or for the BAC president himself.

Done. Brought it to his attention right before your post appeared, kind sir.

The next BAC meeting will include an open discussion on priorities and projects of the BAC. I have asked Jakob to add this to the list.

~

Also, I do highly encourage trying to get license plates and calling the non-emergency number Tim gave. We have found that Arlington police do take these calls seriously. Your call may help someone in the future…

[jabberwocky]

@Megabeth 33004 wrote:

Also, I do highly encourage trying to get license plates and calling the non-emergency number Tim gave. We have found that Arlington police do take these calls seriously. Your call may help someone in the future…

Fairfax has also taken my calls seriously when I’ve reported particularly egregious drivers. I had an issue with a very aggressive driver on my old commute a few times, and they responded by sending an officer by his house to talk with him, which pretty much put a stop to his behavior. The officer who handles Great Falls is actually a cyclist himself.

[bobco85]

I think we should try and get a database together of footage of various traffic incidents/close-calls that cyclists have had while biking in the DC area. I know there’s a lot of helmet cam footage out there. If we can get a database together, we can put together a presentation for the police. I think describing the various situations with video evidence will get the best results.

@elbows 32989 wrote:

At the Washington Blvd interchange, I dutifully get in the left lane as required during rush hour and then quickly return to the right lane in an effort to be polite. However, when I try to get back into the left lane so that I may turn left after the Sheraton, a driver ignores my hand signal (not illegal) and then passes me closely and way past the speed limit preventing me (with some help from other drivers) from making any of the left turns I want to make.

I get nervous when getting in position for a left turn because of this. I’ve almost had my left hand taken off (okay, bit of hyperbole there) because some impatient driver saw me slowing down, moving to the left, and signaling (I now signal for at least 3 seconds), yet still decided to pass me on multiple occasions. I look behind me before I make any left turns out of habit, but I have a bad feeling that I will get hit from behind one of these times.

[Terpfan]

I wish more police would ride, even if just as a part of their training. The difference between the DC police I dealt with who were cyclists (one recreationally and one did it on the job sometimes) was night and day to the other two who didn’t ride at all. And those two officers were helpful to me in trying to explain to the reporting officer what had occured. I really think it’s a perspective training item they should need to learn.

[Dirt]

I think they just need lots and lots of these signs:

But seriously… I know it is frustrating dealing with the drivers and some of the roads that we have in the area. I’ve been battling it in the area since 1989. If it is any consolation, it is 100 times more frustrating to be driving than riding. Maybe that’s why people behave like baboons in heat.

Rock on.

Dirt

[KLizotte]

I would also highly advise the original poster to slightly modify his post and send it to the elected county officials since it succintly points out two things: the dangers of riding on the Pike and that there are folks in the county who pay a lot in taxes who support better bike infrastructure (and don’t own cars).

A list of the board members can be found here: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/CountyBoard/meetings/members/CountyBoardMeetingsMembersMain.aspx

A few more people of interest:

Police Department

•Dustin Sternbeck, 703-228-4331, dsternbeck@arlingtonva.us

Economic Development

•Kelly Rindfusz, 703-228-0890, krindfusz@arlingtonva.us

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