VA bicycling bills under consideration now

[elbows]

Apologies if this was posted and I missed it.

Keep an eye on this site if you live in VA and consider reaching out to your legislators: https://www.vabike.org/

HB2262 –
Traffic regulation; bicycles. Permits operators of bicycles to treat a stop sign as a yield sign in certain situations. The bill requires the driver of a motor vehicle to change lanes when overtaking a bicycle or certain other vehicles when the lane of travel is not wide enough for the overtaking motor vehicle to pass at least three feet to the left of the overtaken vehicle. The bill also removes the limitations on riding bicycles and certain other vehicles two abreast.

SB2163
Traffic regulations; bicycles. Permits operators of bicycles to treat a stop sign as a yield sign in certain situations. The bill requires the driver of a motor vehicle to change lanes when overtaking a bicycle or certain other vehicles when the lane of travel is not wide enough for the overtaking motor vehicle to pass at least three feet to the left of the overtaken vehicle. The bill also removes the limitations on riding bicycles and certain other vehicles two abreast.

HB1903 – Carr/ Richmond – Authorize localities to lower speed limits in Residential/Business Districts (1/14/21 Reported unanimously 22-0 from full House Transportation Committee)

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[arlcxrider]

The bill assigns the “safety stop,” aka Idaho stop, working group to the State Police. Having watched the State Police (and its avid supporters in the GA) oppose reform in motorcycle laws over the years, they are historically very resistant to major changes in traffic laws. They opposed allowing motorcycles riding two abreast for years, but that bill finally made it through the legislature in 2012. Virginia became the 49th state to legalize the practice. Motorcyclists were being charged with reckless driving for pulling up alongside one another at traffic lights.

[Author]

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