Monday Morning Ride - 2012

Good morning. I hope everyone avoided Y2K+12 related computer bugs.

• Vincent Orange is busted for parking in the 15th Street cycletrack. He issued a twitpology, but without explaning how it happened.  
• Dr. Gridlock has one expected bike facility for 2012 that I left off "construction of a pedestrian bridge between the Minnesota Avenue Metro station and Kenilworth Avenue to the Parkside community." It's not too significant though, because they're just replacing or rebuilding an existing pedestrian bridge.
• Alexandria's Transportation Commission meets on Wednesday. It looks like some budget reductions are coming down the pipeline and as a result, funding for the Backlick Run multi-use paths is delayed. 
• If I'm reading this article about "bizarre" new laws proposed in VA this year correctly, Del James Edmunds (R-South Boston) has submitted a bill that would basically bring the Idaho Stop to Virginia. The reporter doesn't seem to understand the issue very well. "The gen­esis of a bike measure from Del. James E. Edmunds II (R-South Boston) is less certain. He did not return e-mail and phone messages seeking comment. The bill would free bicyclists who approach red traffic lights from the need to — who knew? — wait two minutes before pedaling on." (Update: See the bill here. It is not an improvement)
• More on the plan of Frederick, MD police to stop teenage cyclists from cycling recklessly. "Children older than 10 are prohibited from riding bikes on sidewalks in the historic district, but can ride bikes on Carroll Creek Linear Park as long as they are not negligent, according to city law."
• While there is one report that trail clearing has begun for the South Shore Trail between Odenton and Annapolis, a witness says it looks like brush clearing for the power lines over the old ROW.

Comments

[JeffB]

If I'm reading this article about "bizarre" new laws proposed in VA this year correctly, Del James Edmunds (R-South Boston) has submitted a bill that would basically bring the Idaho Stop to Virginia.

I think you've read a little too much in. Your VA readers can weigh in but I thought VA already had an exception that allowed cyclists to go through a red light after waiting for some amount of proscribed time.

This is for lights that only cycle when their sensors detect a vehicle waiting and may not trip for just a cyclist.

If you are on your regular commuting route and you know you are at such a light there should be no reason for you to wait 2 minutes. Just go when the coast is clear.

[JeffB]

Oh - a commenter on the article posted a link to the actual bill - http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?121+ful+HB7.

If you read the proposed change it seems to me to be LESS agreeable for cyclists though I don't think that is the intent of the change.

Currently a cyclist has to wait the lesser of 2 cycles or 2 minutes. The change removes the 2 minutes meaning the cyclist has to wait 2 cycles. But if the light is not cycling for you what are you supposed to do?

[Jon]

Considering how contentious the cycletracks have been, Orange can't possibly have managed to be unaware of them. So the question becomes, did he do it on purpose to make a point, or is he just that clueless?

[Shannon]

Seriously, it takes both effort and chutzpah (in the bad sense of the word) to park in the cycletrack. As my husband pointed out when looking at the photo, "Oh, those are the ones with the barricades!" Shame on Vincent Orange, although I suppose it's decent that he apologized at all.

[Kathy]

I wish Vincent's car had been towed (and fined accordingly). What a first class jerk.

[washcycle]

JeffB, thanks for the link. I guess the light could still cycle. The light I get hit with this on, is at a left turn. So the light will cycle, but I won't get the left-hand turn light.

But still, this change to the law is bad.