Loudoun Tickets Cyclists on Charity Ride

Classy. The link is acting odd (Update: here a better one courtesy of Eric), but here's the gist. Eight cyclists involved in the annual Bike MS: Beyond the Beltway ride were given tickets for rolling through stop signs in the Lovettsville and Purcellville area.

Jennings said he and another cyclist slowed to about 1 mph before proceeding through a stop sign in Lovettsville, only to find a sheriff's deputy nearby.

Loudoun Sheriff Stephen Simpson said this was because of two cyclists killed in the Loudoun area in the summer of 2005 and that rolling through a stop sign can have the same consequences as doing so in a car. Which is like saying having a dog sit on your lap can have the same consequence as having an elephant sit on your lap. 

While it is true that those two deaths apparently involved cyclists running stop signs, they were both on the W&OD trail and neither was a rolling stop. And, hey, nice job on the rapid response.

To authorities, who said they have received numerous complaints from motorists about cyclists crowding the roads and running stop signs, the citations were necessary to ensure safety on the roads.

I suspect this was more about the crowding and less about the safety. Next year I suggest the MS riders ride single file in the center of the lane and take turns stopping (foot down, looking both directions...one Mississippi, two Mississippi) at every single stop sign.

Update: Ironically, I've been told a cyclist was hit during the ride (the rider is fine) by a driver who failed to give enough room while passing.

Comments

[Eric_W.]

ARRGGHH!

[Scott F]

Absurd. If it's really about safety/respect for the law/whatever, let's see motorists ticketed for going 1 mph over the speed limit.

However, whether or not this story inspires respect for Loudoun County, its name does have two Us.

[Washcycle]

I think my spelling is preferred and easier. I shall petition them to change it, but in the interim I will use their unintuitive spelling.

[Contrarian]

Let's see if the motorist who hit the cyclist gets ticketed.

[kenf]

I've said this before. I live on a corner, and there are 2 stop signs. About 5% of the drivers actually stop. Most, about 75% treat them as a yield right of way signs, and 20% ignore the signs completely.

[Eric_W.]

"Let's see if the motorist who hit the cyclist gets ticketed."

Of course not. he did not see the bicyclist so that is all that the police needs to know.

[m20120]

Actually, the cyclist that was run off the road (hit) by the car was charged along with another rider for assault and destruction of property. Apparently there was an altercation that involved the driver and the two cyclists after the car ran then off the road.

[m20120]

Just to fallow up my own comment. The incident occurred in Purcellville just before noon. I was there just after it occurred as a participant in the MS150. I have been looking for some more info on the incident. Here is some info from crimereports.com:

ASSAULT
07 Jun 2009
200 BLOCK A Street, E
Distance: 4.16 miles
Identifier: 2009108557
Time(24h): 11:42
ASSAULT OTHER NOT AGGREVATED
Second Offense: DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

This incident was also referenced by Capt. Thom Shaw, a member of the Field Operations Division of the Loudoun County Sheriff's office in a Washington Post online chat today:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/06/12/DI2009061201539.html?hpid=discussions

"The ride in question involved over 700 cyclists. In total, 8 traffic tickets were issued to cyclists for failing to stop for a stop sign. Two other cyclists were charged in Purcellville for assault during a traffic altercation."

[Randy Matchett]

Loudoun has been hostile to cyclists for some time now, with a huge pushback from the good old boys. The Sherrif has vowed to begin a massive campaign to ticket riders. Is he also willing to start a massive campaign to protect riders who are due the same courtesy by cars as other cars? I believe Loudoun county is overdue for a Critical Mass.