[Mark Blacknell]

SB736 (anti-dooring bill) failed on a tie vote (ties fail) in the House Transportation Committee. Dels. Comstock and Anderson were curiously absent, as was – I believe – Minchew (who had voted for it in subcommittee). Report by Virginia Bike Federation’s Bud Vye is here. I don’t have anything helpful to add except for surprise at the willful ignorance of Del. Garrett and spite of Del. Cox (who, by the way, makes his living off the public roads as owner of a trucking company). So this bill is dead for the year. And probably next year, too, unless we can find a Republican to patron it (that’s just how Virginia rolls).

SB959 (Favola’s redundant enforcement at path/road intersections) flew right through, with the committee not even giving her a chance to speak in support. I had a very direct conversation with Sen. Favola in hallways after. This bill will almost certainly be bundled up with others as part of a unanimous block vote in the next few days. It’s as good as passed.

As I type this, the fate of SB1060 (three foot to pass, following too closely) is being decided in House Transportation Sub #2 (domain of the aforementioned Del. Cox). I’ll update when I’ve got word.

I appreciate everyone’s action and support over the past few weeks.

[Mark Blacknell]

From our excellent Ride Richmond friends on the ground:

“SB736 was debated but successfully passed out of House Transportation Sub-committee #2. The legislation could be heard by the full House Transportation Committee as early as tomorrow, though we are hopeful it will not be until next week.”

[Mark Blacknell]

Just wanted to drop a brief note of appreciation for everyone who has responded to the WABA alert or otherwise let their legislators know how important this is to them.

Yes, the distribution changed somewhat this evening, and that likely resulted in some unexpected exclusions. I’ll update folks in the AM, post-vote.

Thanks again.

[Mark Blacknell]

Well, this was certainly an unexpected thread. Probably best left alone, but . . . cracker, in the US, is always a racial epithet if used by non-crackers (and still almost always, when not).* I’d go into the syntax and effectiveness of various forms, but that’s probably better left for a happy hour.

*Tho’ when I read Dickie’s quote, I lol’d.

[Mark Blacknell]

BTW, today is Ride Richmond’s Bicycle Action Day. Can’t beat doing this stuff in person, but a close second is supporting them with your calls & emails today and tomorrow.

[Mark Blacknell]

Well, nothing’s done until it’s done, but I think that it’s worth putting some effort into supporting both SB1060 (following too closely + 3 foot passing) and SB736 (dooring) when they get to the House.

(Also, if you’re a constituent of Sen. Favola’s, I’d put a reminder on my calendar to let her know how disappointed I was in her patroning a bill that will do nothing more than introduce confusion and enable harassment.)

[Mark Blacknell]

@sjclaeys 42369 wrote:

Just so I understand. The bill against following too closely is now dead, but the bill requiring “full stops” is on its way to passing?

One of the bills re: following too closely is dead – the House bill. The other following too closely bill, which includes a requirement to give at least three feet when passing, passed through the Senate. *That* bill will be headed to the House (where, if past is prologue, it will run into significant opposition because many legislators there think giving three feet is unreasonable and also shut up that’s why).

SB959, which would permit localities to require pedestrians and cyclists to come to some undefined “complete stop” has passed through the Senate. It’s partner bill in the House has already been met with a warm 6-0 reception in subcommittee.

[Mark Blacknell]

@Terpfan 41436 wrote:

Glad to see HB1950 passed out of committee. Isn’t that the one that died in committee last year? I reached out to some local legislators and made a non-traditional appeal on the matter that I hoped may catch their attention.

Just reported (without confirmation, but I trust the source) that HB1950 died in an unrecorded floor vote in the House.

Also, the House analog to Favola’s SB959 (stop signs on trails, opening the door to harassment) is HB2217, and it passed out of Transportation Subcommittee #2 with an amendment. I’ve asked Del. Greason for a copy of the amendment, as I have no reports from the hearing.

Just to let folks know, the passage of SB959/HB2217 is looking likely, as there are few points ahead at which friends of cycling will be able to improve the bill. I don’t know when it’ll be put on the agenda, but the next step for the House bill is consideration before the Transportation Committee. Members and email here.

Remember, it’s an unnecessary bill (cyclists and pedestrians already have a duty to not enter the road in disregard of approaching traffic) and creates an opportunity for revenue-raising harassment of cyclists who fail to put a foot down at every stop sign (something Loudoun County already engages in). And by all reports, Loudoun County was lobbying heavily for it, so you can be sure they’re going to try to recover their costs on the W&OD this summer.

[Mark Blacknell]

I’m pleased to report that SB1060 (following too closely/three feet to pass) sailed out of committee (14-0) and is now before the full Senate for a vote. The moped bill died (a sad and slow speed death).

[Mark Blacknell]

Thanks, Liz. One of the tougher things about managing advocacy campaigns is supporter burnout. Unfortunately, Virginia’s compressed legislative calendar just compounds that (this isn’t nearly as a big an issue when it comes to DC or Maryland).

And yes, you’re correct on everything above. There’s no corresponding House Bill for SB736 yet, so best to just hold until there is (that’ll happen after crossover – February 5th, I believe).

[Mark Blacknell]

There are, of course, other bills that indirectly impact cyclists (say, improved enforcement of texting laws or even the big transportation package), but I’ll stay focused on the bills above. If someone identifies another bill and wants to make a case for action by fellow forum members on it, that’s certainly welcome on this thread.

[Mark Blacknell]

Del. Alfonso Lopez’s HB1950 passed out of committee and is now awaiting a vote in the full House. This bill provides that: “The driver of a vehicle shall not follow another vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard to the speed of both vehicles and the traffic on, and conditions of, the highway at the time.”

As I noted above, some of the Delegates are of the curious opinion that this language would prohibit drafting/pacelines (the idea being that one cyclist following another cyclist closely is not “reasonable and prudent”). I don’t think that’s the case at all, but I’m up for finding out. So what we need on this is:

1) If you live in Virginia, let your Delegate know that you need his/her vote on this, now (we don’t know when it’s up for a vote, but it could be most any time).

2) If you live in Del. Lopez’s district (Arlington/Alexandria), let him know you appreciate his making this happen. Feedback matters.

[Mark Blacknell]

Sen. Chap Petersen’s SB736 (here, and the subject of this thread) passed the Senate with a vote of 23-17. The split vote should make us concerned about passage in the House. In fact, one of the Senators voting against it was the same Senator that is sponsoring the following too closely/3 foot bill!

There’s nothing more to be done about it in the Senate, but it will be a tough one in the House. We’ll especially need the help and support of the following three Delegates (who sit on the Transportation Subcommittee #2):

• Del. Richard Anderson (R-Woodbridge)
• Del. Barbara Comstock (R- Fairfax/Loudon/McLean)
• Del. Randall Minchew (R- Leesburg)

We’re going to need you to flip through your Virginia address book and ask friends who are constituents of these particular Delegates to speak up on behalf of cyclists everywhere.

[Mark Blacknell]

Unfortunately, Senator Favola’s SB959 passed the full Senate yesterday, with a unanimous vote in support of it. Unless it fails in the House of Delegates, it will become law. Keep in mind that it, as poorly considered as the bill is, it still requires passage of a local ordinance to bring into effect. So there are a number of points at which this can be addressed in the future.

Remember, it’s an unnecessary bill (cyclists and pedestrians already have a duty to not enter the road in disregard of approaching traffic) and creates an opportunity for revenue-raising harassment of cyclists who fail to put a foot down at every stop sign (something Loudoun County already engages in). And by all reports, Loudoun County was lobbying heavily for it, so you can be sure they’re going to try to recover their costs on the W&OD this summer.

The identical bill in the House is Del. Greason’s HB2217. We’ll let you know as soon as we see/need action on that.

[Mark Blacknell]

@eminva 41382 wrote:

Mark, just for clarification, is SB 1060 the Senate version of HB 1950, to which we alerted about a week or two ago?

No. HB1950 simply addressed following too closely (with slightly different language*). SB 1060 addresses following too closely AND giving at least three feet clearance when passing. Ideally, we’d get SB1060 passed in both houses. Unfortunately, the 3 foot language seems to stir up great opposition in the House of Delegates.

*SB1060 would prohibit a motor vehicle from following another vehicle too closely. HB1950 would prohibit a vehicle from following another vehicle too closely. The problem? Is that the language of HB1950 could very well be construed (and was, by some of the delegates that voted for it) as prohibiting drafting/pacelines. Srsly.

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