Commuting - Your Hosed if a Cop Does It...

I was on the way home tonight, zipping along in the bike lane, on a slight downhill, at 20 mph. In my left side vision I catch the red, white and blue of a Fairfax County, VA PD marked unit. I see he has his right turn signal on as I scan ahead to the right turn, just a few car lengths ahead. As I scan back, another, unmarked Crown Vic appears along side me bumper locked on the marked unit. To much to hope for that the unmarked unit would let me by then turn behind me. NOT!! He comes right over on me and I have to hit the brakes to keep from running into his right rear quarter panel.
Just another bike commuting day in Northern Virginia.

I had a case where a county sheriff deputy hauled up behind me and laid on the horn and then practically drove me into the ditch. They were on the way to their water patrol duty, I followed them there, took pictures of the car with my phone and the deputies preparing the boat for their shift on the water. I wrote a letter to my county commissioner, the watch sarge called me and wanted me to fill out a complaint. I told him I didn't want to hurt anyone's career, but that I thought it was important that they review the rules for cyclists on the road etc...

Long story made short, we agreed that it would be a great idea for these two to have to prepare a presentation summarizing bicycles, road use and appropriate behavior and present it to their peers at their weekly training session. The sarge had them add the "why" they were giving this presentation too. I suspect that everyone learned something and these guys took a ration of crap from their coworkers.

I thought it was a creative and appropriate solution.

J.

And so much better than a complaint in their files.

Oh, believe me that kind of "punishment" works. As a new FBI agent a few months out of the academy, I went on my first big raid. After it was all over, I was standing at the back of my car trying to remember how to properly unload my Remington 870 12ga shotgun. Hoping the BOSS wouldn't see I just pushed the action release and pumped all the live rounds into the open trunk.
Not the proper way.
The next morning our Principle Firearms Instructor came to my desk and invited me to the gun vault. The boss did see and wanted me to have a lesson on the proper way to unload that shotgun. Plus the next two outdoor shoots, while I stood out in front and reviewed the technique, "we", the whole office practiced.

I had a case where a county sheriff deputy hauled up behind me and laid on the horn and then practically drove me into the ditch. They were on the way to their water patrol duty, I followed them there, took pictures of the car with my phone and the deputies preparing the boat for their shift on the water. I wrote a letter to my county commissioner, the watch sarge called me and wanted me to fill out a complaint. I told him I didn't want to hurt anyone's career, but that I thought it was important that they review the rules for cyclists on the road etc...

Long story made short, we agreed that it would be a great idea for these two to have to prepare a presentation summarizing bicycles, road use and appropriate behavior and present it to their peers at their weekly training session. The sarge had them add the "why" they were giving this presentation too. I suspect that everyone learned something and these guys took a ration of crap from their coworkers.

I thought it was a creative and appropriate solution.

J.

Like it... great solution at least for a first offence.

Most of the time it's just ignorance. Cops have a LOT of laws to remember and it's easy to forget. If they are reminded, like all of us, it works.

Here's one I learned (that is applicable here) from a retired cop friend who is now an expert witness in car-bike vehicular accidents.

When you (car driver) are making a right turn on a road with a bike lane, as you approach your turn, you must move into the bike lane in the same manner as if it were a lane change to make a right turn. In other words, you most pull into the bike lane and block the bike lane as you turn right. It's analogous to not making a right turn over an empty lane (say, from the center or left lane).

That often surprises cyclists who think their bike lane is inviolate (it's not). They have to respect other vehicles as well. It also makes sense, it means that cyclists don't get right hooked but they have to slow down and/or stop for vehicles ahead.

J.

....That often surprises cyclists who think their bike lane is inviolate (it's not). They have to respect other vehicles as well. It also makes sense, it means that cyclists don't get right hooked but they have to slow down and/or stop for vehicles ahead.

J.

This makes sense but I don't see where it gives vehicles the right, during rush hour to block the bike lane 6 - 10 cars back from the the corner.

Yeah, the only right hook I've ever had was a cop Crown Vic. Fortunately I heard the hisssssssshhhhhh*squeak* of the brakes and leaned hard right and avoided contact.

This makes sense but I don't see where it gives vehicles the right, during rush hour to block the bike lane 6 - 10 cars back from the the corner.

If they are all turning right, it's exactly where they should be and you should be stopped and in line behind them. It's exactly analogous to a car making a right hand turn from the right lane (no cycle lane). Another vehicle, which includes bikes, are supposed to wait until the turn is complete. So if that vehicle at the front of the line is blocked because of, say, a pedestrian in the cross walk or a no turn on red intersection, all vehicles behind have to stop as well, or pass on the left.

Not doing so would set up a right hook big time. It would be similar to saying the cars need to make right turns from the left lane.

J.

If they are all turning right, it's exactly where they should be and you should be stopped and in line behind them. It's exactly analogous to a car making a right hand turn from the right lane (no cycle lane). Another vehicle, which includes bikes, are supposed to wait until the turn is complete. So if that vehicle at the front of the line is blocked because of, say, a pedestrian in the cross walk or a no turn on red intersection, all vehicles behind have to stop as well, or pass on the left.

Not doing so would set up a right hook big time. It would be similar to saying the cars need to make right turns from the left lane.

J.

Certainly setting up a turn 6 or more car lengths from the turn is not such a bad thing, as long as that setup also includes proper signaling, and not hurriedly driving past a cyclist to turn in front of them.

In the few months that I have been commuting on my bike, I have had a couple close calls with the police. Once when a deputy was rolling into traffic (me) slowly and not looking, and just a week ago a deputy went past me on the road, at speed, about 12" from my left hand...not the 3' that is law in Florida. In each case, I have not had the presence of mind to get a car number, or the like, so I can lodge a complaint with the Sheriffs office. I guess I need to begin taking notes when I have a cop do something silly and send them forward to the watch commander.

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL

Do you feel like you've been protected and served?

I try to never go into an intersection alongside a car. I either speed up or slow down so I'm in front of or behind them.

Certainly setting up a turn 6 or more car lengths from the turn is not such a bad thing, as long as that setup also includes proper signaling, and not hurriedly driving past a cyclist to turn in front of them.

Exactly right. It's improper to cut off another vehicle be it car or cycle or whatever.

J.

Do you feel like you've been protected and served?

Well, served at least.

When you (car driver) are making a right turn on a road with a bike lane, as you approach your turn, you must move into the bike lane in the same manner as if it were a lane change to make a right turn. In other words, you most pull into the bike lane and block the bike lane as you turn right. It's analogous to not making a right turn over an empty lane (say, from the center or left lane).

That often surprises cyclists who think their bike lane is inviolate (it's not). They have to respect other vehicles as well. It also makes sense, it means that cyclists don't get right hooked but they have to slow down and/or stop for vehicles ahead.

I agree with this since it reduces the chance of right hooks and is in accord with the law here (California Vehicle Code). But it's not in accord with the law in all states or countries, so you should check your local laws. Some areas prohibit cars from merging into the bike lane before making a right turn.