29 June 2021

New Law In Old Dominion

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I'm critical, sometimes even cynical, about bicycle-related laws--especially when they are presented as being in the interest of "safety."

So when I heard that a new law is to take effect 1 July in Virginia, I thought, "What now?" 

According to the new law in Old Dominion, drivers are required to change lanes when passing cyclists unless the lane is "very wide."  It also stipulates that two cyclists are allowed to ride abreast of each other if a single is approaching.  These rules apply only to regular streets and roads; when cyclists are in a designated bike lane, neither they nor drivers will need to do anything different from what they do now.

It will be interesting to see the effects of this new law.  I think requiring cars to move over makes sense, but I wonder about cyclists riding next to each other with trucks passing at 50 or more MPH.  If cycling in Virginia (which I haven't done) is anything like cycling in Florida (of which I've done a fair amount), the scenario I described wouldn't be uncommon, especially in rural and other remote areas, where the only road might be a county or state road.



Entirely predictable were some of the ignorant comments that followed a news story announcing the new law.  They were full of stereotypes about cyclists and complaints that cyclists were taking "their" roads that they "paid for."  One said that cyclists should be taxed--apparently not realizing that bicycle infrastructure is usually paid through transportation funds, which come from the same pot of tax money into which we all pay.  Still someone else said bicycles should be allowed only on designated bike paths, sidewalks and roads on which the speed limit is not greater than 25 MPH.  

What those commenters don't seem to realize is that today, a greater number of cyclists than ever are pedaling for transportation, and not solely for recreation.  The new law--at least part of it--seems to show some cognizance of that fact.

  

2 comments:

  1. I don't think this new law will have much effect on the passing clearance distance. Section 46 of the Code of Virginia (46.2-839) already stated that overtaking vehicles "shall pass at a reasonable speed at least three feet to the left of the overtaken bicycle...and shall not again proceed to the right side of the highway until safely clear of such overtaken bicycle". The allowance for cyclists to ride two abreast is definitely a change, and I suspect this will provoke the ire of motorists more than any other aspect of the new law.

    The bill from which this new law was generated at one time also would have legalized what we cyclists commonly refer to as the "Idaho stop". However, this stop-as-yield provision was dropped from the final bill prior to passage. I'm waiting for some zealous police officer to cite me for not making a full stop, since I already ride as if the "Idaho stop" applies here in Virginia.

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  2. Rob—I think adopting the “Idaho Stop” will do much more to make cycling safer than either provision of the new Virginia law,’or almost any other cycling-related policy that’s been enacted almost anywhere.

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