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Cyclists' case spotlights rules of the road
When going on a bicycle ride, you might not always think about how making an incorrect move could affect your driving record.
But several cyclists who took part in a charity ride through Loudoun County to raise money for multiple sclerosis research June 6 and June 7 have learned that lesson the hard way.
Eight cyclists were stopped by police in Lovettsville and Purcellville during the ride and charged with failing to stop at a stop sign.
So far, five have had points added to their driving records, but two of the riders will not have any points added to their records. One more case has yet to be heard.
Attorney Douglas Landau represented Charles Rothrock, of Oakton, and Kathleen Moody, of Vienna, in Loudoun County General District Court July 7.
Four of the cyclists prepaid their tickets and received four points each on their driving records.
Before Rothrock and Moody's cases were heard July 7, Jeffrey Chaloupek, of Arlington, pleaded guilty on the failure to stop charge, and a judge agreed to suspend $75 of his $125 fine. Chaloupek still received the four points on his record and had to pay court costs.
In representing Rothrock and Moody, Landau argued that the riders slowed to one mile per hour at the intersection and engaged in what is called a track stand, where they balance their bikes on one wheel before proceeding.
The judge agreed to find Rothrock and Moody guilty only of having no rear reflectors on their bicycles. They each had to pay $50 fines, along with court costs, but received no points on their driving records.
“By having the charges dropped, two experienced riders were able to keep their spotless records spotless,” Landau said.
South Riding resident Michael Staples is another cyclist who was charged during the ride with failure to stop. He is set to appear in court Aug. 4 to fight the charge.
Landau said that it's important for cyclists to know they face the same penalties motorists face for traffic infractions.
Many cyclists think that they can only be fined for a traffic infraction, but points can be assessed, and with enough points, they could ultimately lose their driver's licenses, Landau said.
Its about time!!! Cyclists need to know that they HAVE to obey the rules of the road just as if they were a motorized vehicle. That means stopping at every stop sign, and stopping behind the car that they come up behind, not inching to the front on the side of the road. It means yielding etc. And, they need to ride single file when approached by a car, not two and three wide.
Posted by hrsgrl
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Maybe now bicyclists can learn to "share the road" especially on a road like 690. Thank you Deputies!
Posted by SurJones
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A track stop with a bicycle is a complete stop in which the rider is able to balance on the bike with no forward movement. Just because the foot is not on the ground should not be a reason for a ticket - car drivers are not required to stop and open the door and place their foot on the pavement to prove that they have stopped. And finally, if the rules of the road will apply equally to both cars and bikes then I guess that would mean that the car driver approaching a bike rider will also not "inch up to the front" on the left of the biker, and pass at a stop sign or light, or even on a narrow road.
Posted by jyoung
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Those who advocate cyclists "needing to know they HAVE to obey the rules of the road" should pause for a moment before throwing stones from their glass houses. Do they want the Deputies to ticket every driver who exceeds the speed limit by even 1 mph? It's fair to say virtually every driver does this every time they they get behind the wheel. And should drivers be ticketed for passing bikers across a double line, even when they can easily do so? The answer is, of course, no and it happens all the time. What is called for is common sense application of the traffic laws to bikers (and cars). Sure, a biker who runs a stop sign or, even worse, stop light at 15 mph should be ticketed just like a car. But ticketing bikers for rolling stops makes no more sense than ticketing cars for doing 21 in a 20 mph zone. And preventing cars from passing bikes, where safe and feasible but not technically legal, is not in the interest of the drivers or bikers. This is not about cyclists obeying the traffic laws, it's about drivers (and apparently Deputies) feeling inconvenienced by "sharing the road" with bikes. Loudon County businesses should think about the impact of this overzealous policy on their tourism dollars. (BTW, unless riding two abreast is specifically prohibited, as it is on the Skyline Drive, bikers do not "need" to ride single file, any more than a slower driver needs to speed up if a line of cars forms behind him, but in both cases it is the courteous thing to do)
Posted by webok
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Its about time! Riding stacked 2 or 3 is super dangerous and I have found that Western Loudoun County is the worst!! I know you want a challenge -- but I consider that trying to get run over! When you are approaching a hill or turn and there are cyclists 3 wide it creates a dangerous situation for the driver AND the cyclists!! PLEASE OBEY THE RULES OR GET ON THE BIKE TRAIL! That is what it is there for!
....My personal opinion...cyclists should have to be licensed and insured if they choose to ride the roads and not the trail!
Posted by lynznathan
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We all know that the police can find a violation anywhere if they look hard enough. The question is, of all places to look, why they chose to set up a sting at a stop sign at a charity bike ride? Yes bikers must follow the law -- like drivers -- but there are a lot of laws that are not enforced, like speeding 5 MPH over the limit, and often for good reason -- because the police in most places use *common sense* and spend their limited resources on the most dangerous violations. I am extremely safety conscious biker but I'm sorry, it is just silly to make me put my foot down at every stop sign. It causes a lot less danger for myself than speeding by 2-ton cars.
If this is how the police in Loudon use their discretion in enforcing the law, then it's clear they just want to send a message: cyclists, you're not welcome in Loudon!
Posted by genloz
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Quite clearly the police had nothing better to do that day. How was the public welfare served by that cop? All he did as harass the cyclists and create even more distrust. Our tax money was wasted so a cop could feel powerful.
Posted by mikebob
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I think it's great that cyclists are being made aware of the rules. For the cyclists that at least attempt to stop, I agree that this seems a bit much. However, there are many cyclists who don't even slow down and sometimes don't even look. I recently had a cyclists almost hit me when I was at a stop sign and getting ready to make a right turn. The cyclist came up on my right side when I started making my turn. He went in the ditch. The others that were with him (about 10) started yelling at me. I reminded them that they are required to stop. Among many profanities sent my way, one comment was..."there are ten of us and only one of you" as if to imply that if something had happened to the rider, it would have been my fault.
Posted by h20gem
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h20gem ~ that's exactly what I am talking about!!! "Most" cyclists appear as if they think they are above the law. Personally I believe that if they use the road ways, they should be tagged and taxed to do so. Otherwise get on the bike path that goes all the way to DC and back. Lots of exercise there!
Posted by hrsgrl
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