Items from the 10/17/07 Post

More on yesterday's fatal accident.

Later, police in Laurel were called to the scene of a fatal accident after a bicyclist was struck near Route 197 and Fort Meade Road. Loretta Houston, 66, was driving her Toyota Corolla westbound on Fort Meade Road when she struck Jose Marquez, 31, as he was riding his bicycle in the intersection against the signal, said Jim Collins, a Laurel police spokesman.

Houston, of Gambrills, dialed 911 immediately after the 6:45 a.m. accident, Collins said. Marquez, of the 8800 block of Hawthorne Lane, was pronounced dead at the scene.

No charges have been filed against Houston, Collins said.

Robin Williams at Georgetown's Bicycle Pro Shop

Hey isn't that...Robin Williams (here for last week's KenCen Billy Crystal tribute) buying some PowerBars and signing the wall at Georgetown's Bicycle Pro Shop like this: "Keep riding. Ride long. Ride hard. Team Viagra."

And a letter about where cyclists can ride (in D.C)

I did look into the law. According to the D.C. Department of Transportation's guide "Common Enforcement Errors Involving Bicyclists," which is available on the agency's Web site:

"A bicyclist does not have to ride to the far right if the lane is narrow or if he/she is trying to avoid car doors, pavement hazards, or similar hazardous conditions. A narrow lane is defined as one [that is] 11 feet or less. Most lanes in the District are 11 feet or less."

At the time, I was passing a truck parked in the right lane and another bicyclist. Further, the law "requires an overtaking vehicle to pass to the left at a safe distance." This clearly was not the case during this incident.

Finally, according to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association Web site, "Full lane use [is] allowed when traveling at the normal speed of traffic," as I was.

Comments

[ridethewomble]

Wow. That DC DOT guide is fantastic. I could see a laminated copy of that bringing the temperature down during a motorist/cyclist confrontation. I could also see it swing things in your favor if a policeman was unaware of actual bike statutes, and was treating you unfairly. Er, but that would never happen, right? :)

I would LOVE to have a laminated VA version of that publication.