For all Virginia cyclists: support SB 252 and SB 101

02-24-2004, 08:26 AM

The following forwarded by WABA:

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SUPPORT SB 252 AND SB 101
IN VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES

SB 252 (Deeds) and SB 101 (Devolites), two bills that would improve
bicycling conditions in Virginia, will be heard by the Transportation
Committee in the Virginia House of Delegates this Tuesday and need
*your*
support TODAY. Both bills have already been passed by the Virginia
Senate
(with amendments) and are now before the House. Please email, phone,
or
fax your delegate and nearby members of the House Transportation
Committee
in support of these bills *today* (see contact info below).

A short and simple request to please support SB 252 and SB 101 should
be
sufficient. Delegates must hear that these bills are widely supported,
so
please act promptly and forward this alert widely. During business
hours,
you can leave a brief phone message for your delegate with the
Constituent
Viewpoint Hotline, 1-800-889-0229 (or 804-698-1990), only knowing your
address. To identify and contact your delegate, use the "Who's My
Legislator" tool at
<http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy/constinput.asp>.
If you already know your delegate's last name or House District
number,
send email using <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].us> or phone their
office at
804-698-10XX, where XX is their House District number. The main fax
number for delegates is 804-786-6310.

Please act promptly. If these bills are approved (reported out) by the
House Transportation Committee on Tuesday afternoon, the full House of
Delegates will vote on these bills this week. Bill summaries follow.
For
more and updated information, go to <http://leg1.state.va.us/>.

******

SB 252, Operation of Bicycles and Similar Vehicles (Deeds), would
amend
six sections of the Code of Virginia regarding the
operation of bicycles and similar vehicles to 1) clarify a two-foot
minimum safe passing distance for (motor) vehicles (Sec. 46.2-838); 2)
allow bicyclists to signal right turns and stopping with either the
right
or left arm (Sec. 46.2-849); 3) allow bicyclists to ride two abreast
when
not impeding "the normal and reasonable movement of traffic" (Sec.
46.2-905); 4) remove the authority for local mandatory sidepath
ordinances
(Sec. 46.2-905); 5) cite the current (CPSC) helmet safety standard in
the
section (46.2-906.1) that allows local bicycle helmet ordinances; 6)
direct that all transportation on wheels move with (not against) other
traffic (Sec. 46.2-932); and 7) allow (steady or blinking) lights and
reflectors, in addition to a white headlight and a red rear reflector,
for
bicycling between sunset and sunrise (Sec. 46.2-1015). The Virginia
Senate passed this bill (40-0) on 2/6/04 with minor amendments.

*****

SB 101, Pedestrians (Devolites), would amend Sections 46.2-923 and
46.2-924 of the Code of Virginia, relating to pedestrians crossing
highways, to require drivers to stop for--not merely yield
to--pedestrians
in crosswalks, when necessary. SB 101 would also benefit bicyclists
crossing highways on sidewalks or shared-use paths. The similar SB 451
(Whipple), which also passed the Senate, has been merged with SB 101
as
one bill. A similar bill, HB 539 (May), died in the House last week
because some delegates opposed requiring drivers to stop for
pedestrians
in crosswalks when necessary.