[dc-critmass-list] dc-critmass-list Digest, Vol 63, Issue 5

Fri Apr 4 12:16:29 PST 2008

Speaking of knowing the laws, if anyone would like a copy of WABA's Pocket
Guide to DC Bike Laws, just go to http://waba.org/wabastore/ and order one
online.  They cost a dollar to help cover the mailing costs, but you can
stop by the office anytime and pick one up for free  It a pretty good guide
that includes a section on common police enforcement errors.  We've been
working with the DDOT to get these into the hands of MPD officers, many of
whom don't understand the laws they are charged with enforcing.  Some of the
laws are changing for the better, such as the mandatory bike registration
law which was repealed earlier this year.  New bike parking laws will soon
go into effect that will mandate bike parking in new residential buildings
and make it easier for tenant to request bike parking at existing buildings.
The law that essentially made it illegal to ride a fixed gear without a
formal brake was repeal a couple of years ago.  Read over the law guide and
send me your thoughts on other legal changes that would make it
easier/safer/more fun to ride.

Regarding bike lanes, we should see a lot more this year.  In the past we've
only be able to get about 5 miles striped per year, but thanks to some good
lobbying efforts last year and earlier in 2008, the citywide goal for 2008
is 15 more miles.  The lanes are more or less being striped based on the
recommendations of the DC Bicycle Master
<http://ddot.dc.gov/ddot/cwp/view,a,1245,q,634448.asp>  Plan, but we often
are putting them in where we can.

There is really a lot of great stuff going on for biking in DC such as the
DC Smart Bike <http://smartbikedc.com/>  program, a bike station at Union
Station, new valet bike parking at Nationals Park, new trails along the
Anacostia, more parking racks throughout the city, etc.  I encourage you all
to attend the DC Bicycle
<http://ddot.dc.gov/ddot/cwp/view,a,1245,q,559835.asp#7>  Advisory Council
meetings with occur every other month.  It's a great forum for airing your
concerns and finding ways that you can help promote better bicycling in DC.

Eric

WABA

Eric Gilliland

Executive Director

Washington Area Bicyclist Association

1803 Connecticut Ave NW, 3rd Floor

Washington, DC 20009

p) 202-518-0524

f) 202-518-0936

e) gill at waba.org

w) www.waba.org

From: dc-critmass-list-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org
[mailto:dc-critmass-list-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org] On Behalf Of Madeline
Tilton
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 3:39 PM
To: Michael Thompson
Cc: dc-critmass-list at lists.mutualaid.org
Subject: Re: [dc-critmass-list] dc-critmass-list Digest, Vol 63, Issue 5

amen michael. I'm all for civil disobedience but when the other side can
cite numerous violations from our side of the line then our voices and
position become less persuasive and easier to dismiss.  Also, i think its a
bigger FU to a cop that tries to ticket a cyclist to show him how he is
wrong calmly and collectively than to satisfy your frustration with law
enforcement by riding off.  the first will probably make the cop feel stupid
while the latter will most likely reenforce his stereotyped image of all
cyclists (as michael pointed out). so while we try to change laws in the
long run, lets try to change people's minds in the short run. lead by
example.

-Madeline

ps. does anyone know of current motions to incorporate more bike lanes on
any streets? i know one was put in on Q not too long ago, but it'd be nice
to know what else is in the process so we can organize support for it. 

On Fri, Apr 4, 2008 at 11:27 AM, Michael Thompson <sehric at gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all, 

I am certainly all for organizing to make DC a more bike friendly place, and
see the streets filled with other bikers like us.  
But in responding to pedestrians, cops, motorists, in some of the ways I
have read here, we are not bringing about change in anyway, we are only
re-enforcing the status quo by playing out roles that have been assigned to
us by mainstream society.  

I got pulled over again two days ago by the same cop who had stopped me once
before.  In this instance, he was completely in the wrong and didn't realize
it, and he was angry and obviously did not like bikers.  If I had responded
by talking shit to him, or calling him a pig or telling him to fuck off and
leave me alone, I would have walked away with a $25 ticket and I would have
felt good for standing up to this one guy.  He would have left with a
re-enforced impression that all of us are little pricks who don't care about
other people or the laws, and probably relayed the story to other cops.
Instead, I talked to him calmly, and explained that he was totally wrong and
that he should be willing to talk about it, and not be so angry.  I walked
away without a ticket, and possibly having open the guys mind up.  Do I care
personally if this guy gets enlightened and becomes a better person? not so
much.  But do I want him to act more reasonably with the rest of us?  fuck
yes.

If we are serious about making positive changes in the city, we need to
bring people on board with us, get more people to understand why biking is
ten times better than sitting in traffic in a car.  If we start out against
them, forcing them to be against us, we will get no where.  If there are
more accidents with motorists and us because we are not stopping at big
intersections when there is traffic, the cops are only going to come down
harder.  And its childish to think challenging their enforcement of the law
is revolutionary in anyway, because it changes nothing.  We could change
things forcing better laws, or by pushing the city to put in more bike
lanes, or even making some streets bike-only streets, or talking to city
council members or cops.  These are the power centers for now, as just or
unjust as that might be.  We are not the power center right now, not yet.  

The stats I've seen from the Street Smarts enforcement wave in 2007 showed
that the overwhelming majority of tickets are being issued to drivers,
followed by pedestrians and cyclists.  The police are putting their efforts
where they will do the most good, but no one is exempt from the law.
Enforcement of traffic laws in DC and throughout the region is woefully
inadequate, but if we all want better enforcement we should not expect to be
immune just because we ride bikes.

By the way, last year a bicyclist ran over a pedestrian and killed him.

Eric Gilliland

Executive Director

Washington Area Bicyclist Association

1803 Connecticut Ave NW, 3rd Floor

Washington, DC 20009

p) 202-518-0524

f) 202-518-0936

e) gill at waba.org

w) www.waba.org

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