3FootPassingBillFailed2011

 

Introduction/Definition/etc Links Body Losses Relations To MH Tourism Conclusion Discussion Page History Page Statistics Page Views:  since creating on 20110217

 

Introduction/Definition/etc

 

 

Update on BikeCulture2011 comments about 3 Foot Passing Bicyclists

FAILED

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/02/wider-bicycle-passing-distance-fails-close-va-house-vote

 

I guess we aren't human, nor worth living...

Well Done VA.  Sit in your SUVs and kill more people

by being too lazy to turn the wheel a little more

and avoid us.

 

And you wonder why we pull up at stop lights,

getting in front of the exhaust,

we're trying to breath without your exhaust pipes in our faces...

And then get out of the intersection,

as moving slowly we swerve more

and widen the gap between vehicles...

Easier passing for both.  Wonder who we lose this season?

 

20110216 13.10 pm Jerry

 

2011021810.04 am Jerry

  added rants and body of the article/ verbage, plus links to relevant bill numbers reports and analysis

  and corrected month on previous dated log

 

 

Links

 

OK, how about some links to the reports,

and actual Bill numbers?

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/02/wider-bicycle-passing-distance-fails-close-va-house-vote

 

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?111+vot+H1902V0035+SB0928

 

http://www.vabike.org/legislative-update-21711-2/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+VirginiaBicyclingFederation+%28Virginia+Bicycling+Federation%29

 

 

Body

 

 

Introduction pretty much covers it, but I'll likely rant more later...

 

I think the Northern Virginia legislators mostly supported

the bills, but in other areas of the state, not so much...

 

The difference may be the types of roads,

and drivers/ cyclists.   Not that Northerners behave

better, but that the rural one lane roads,

and packs of cyclists (teams and racers)

and the drivers.

 

What's most infuriating is the hating

drivers, looking to harm bikers,

or maybe it's just the flaming, trolls,

and idiots online, where we only have a

username, and not a license plate to report...

 

Losses

 

For those in the other parts of the state,

many have been killed, a green candidate in Maryland

was killed in the early morning training for

a marathon or triathelete.

 

And a taxi ran over my feet,

tried to pretend it didn't happen,

then lied about it, etc...

 

And I've been hit by a car...

 

The road rage goes both ways,

cyclists get pissed at cars, and my favorite,

though un PC, would be to use the antennae,

and mirrors of offending cars, as those

'70's car curb feelers...

 

3 Feet is not a lot, especially at 45 MPH,

like Route 1 South of Alexandria City,

where it's 3-5 lanes EACH WAY,

and many are distracted drivers,

looking for stores and shops, 

gawking at people at bus stops,

and frustrated at the traffic,

I've had so many people yell at me

on a bike, but luckily still alive to complain

about it. 

 

There is a "Doppler Effect" where someone

yelling out of car (usually pickup or SUV)

isn't even recognizable, and likely hateful

speech...   AND PROBABLY BEEN DRINKING

Maybe police can enforce hate and rage laws

perpetrated against cyclists?

And do a sobriety test on the person yelling

at the cyclist, and the driver too...

 

Try putting your arm out, that is less than 3 feet,

and sometimes when riding

it's required to signal a left turn,

so you never know when a cyclist needs to

avoid a pothole, road debris, or a drain/grate

so many will "Take The Lane" instead of

being what some call a "curb bunny"

basically being afraid and timid staying

way over, like they have not right to that

lane, and signals fear to the cars...

 

Rights are just that, we have the right,

and the rights need to be protected

and expanded, as we all want to get along,

bikes are the ones hurt most in an encounter,

car bumpers, etc don't hurt, where bodily

harm and/or death result in any accident,

or deliberate stupid thing by motorists...

 

 

I've riden with the girl killed in Dupont,

a few days later, and Ghost Bikes are used

to signal a death.  I'm also curious to learn

what the little people symbols are on the

pavement/ crossing areas in DC...

 

Relations To MH

 

Most things don't get reported,

and while it may be like Pharma marketing,

"you don't take meds???" flooding the public

opinion that anyone who doesn't take psych meds

is likely a danger to self or others,

most meds don't help people and the side effects

are killers, diabetes, obesity, tardive  dyskinesia

white blood counts, etc...   And not all are

schizophrenia, but depression meds

and bipolar meds, exercise is one of the best,

creates endorphins, gets one out in the community,

instead of a shut in, and is transportation,

not just recreation.  Consider a cyclist a commuter,

and stop wondering why on earth they would ride,

but consider that most MH people probably  can't

afford a car....

 

 

Tourism

 

"Virginia is for Lovers"

and tourism is a revenue generator for Virginia.

Two transcontinental bike routes go through

Virginia.  Yorktowne, VA is the start/ end point

of the East West/ West East Adventure Cycling Association

TransAm route.

 

North South, Bike Route 1 (a scenic byway)

similar to the Pacific Coast Highway in Left Coast,

goes north south, and what I took while riding

Washington to Richmond.  It's windy road,

not nearly as coastal as the Pacific Coast in Cali,

but also goes through the state.

 

And our rural charm, is better without hate.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Summary of experience or similar

 

Discussion

 

A place for feedback on the page presented

 

Page History

 

20110217 Jerry

• Jerry created this page to ...

 

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