Alex Code: Biking on Sidewalk Illegal?!?

[Randy Cole]

Matt,

I'm really surprised to hear that the city back in 1992 made it illegal to ride bikes on sidewalks.  Given the city council's desire to make us an eco/green city, I think that they would want city code to promote & encourage all non-car transportation options.  But having the city code state that "no bicycle shall be operated on any sidewalk in city, except such sidewalks or portions thereof which city council shall by resolution designate as bicycle routes." makes no sense.  Here’s the current code citation: http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=10349&sid=46

In my view bicycles should be free to use either the street or sidewalk - provided they are not a risk to themselves or others.  I would also suggest the city bicycle code use the opposite logic - where there is a designated bike path, code can be written to make it illegal or discourage use of the sidewalk (though I can’t see how the city could force a 6YO child into a bike path on the street).  Where there is no marked bike path, bicycles should be free to use the sidewalks provided they are not reckless.  

The code needs to change because as written every single child in my neighborhood is breaking the law and therefore potentially liable. 

Respectfully

Randy Cole



--- On Wed, 10/15/08, stephenmurphyclu at aol.com <stephenmurphyclu at aol.com> wrote:

> From: stephenmurphyclu at aol.com <stephenmurphyclu at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: Biking on Sidewalks....AMEN!!!
> To: Eliza_Savage at fws.gov, matt at seatryst.com
> Cc: info at seichoukarate.com, BSC at bicycle.alexandria.va.us, lauriebikes at cox.net, kmullen at keymind.com, harpstuff at sover.net, bsc-bounces+eliza_savage=fws.gov at bicycle.alexandria.va.us
> Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 1:12 PM
> OK...
> 
> So, I tried to just "let this one go..."  But
> Eliza, ya got me 
> thinkin...(always a scarey thing!)
> 
> "Only 'n 'Merica" would we oh, let me
> see, make it ILLEGAL(??) so to 
> view the biped on wheels a hazard to the biped on feet?!
> (got stick, 
> for spokes??)
> 
> Rather,  lets just put the biped on wheels out with the
> INTERNAL 
> CONBUSTION (gotta hemi?) FERNGULLY DESTROYER, which only
> outweighs the 
> biped by some 40-120 TIMES!!! (i'll leave it to you
> engineer types to 
> figure the horsepower delta, etc...)
> 
> And why...? Cause the wheel less biped might get
> hurt...(got stiches??)
> 
> Far better solution is to have biped on wheels vs. GAS
> GUZZELER!! (got 
> hearse?)
> 
> Hey, maybe we should get a little "Ghandi" and
> reclaim the 
> sidewalks....First...!
> 
> Stephen R. Murphy
> 6308 Tenth Street, Alexandria VA 22307
> stephenmurphyclu at aol.com
> Phone:  303.478.2462 or 800.498.2462      
> Fax: 201.661.2896
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eliza_Savage at fws.gov
> To: matt at seatryst.com
> Cc:
> bsc-bounces+eliza_savage=fws.gov at bicycle.alexandria.va.us; 
> BSC at bicycle.alexandria.va.us
> Sent: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:00 pm
> Subject: Re: Biking on Sidewalks
> 
> Hi Matt,
> 
> 
> 
> I think you should continue to encourage
> your son to bike to school on the only safe route he has -
> i.e., on the
> sidewalk.  I think the ordinance was intended to keep
> pedestrians
> safe from fast-moving, inconsiderate bicyclists with no
> thought of 
> children
> on 
> their bikes and their need to be safe.  In short, I
> encourage you
> to break to law in this case!  
> 
> 
> 
> Also I suggest you write to our city
> council members, particularly Rob Krupicka who has shown
> lots of 
> interest
> in alternative transportation options in Alexandria.
> 
> 
> 
> Eliza
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> matt at seatryst.com
> 
> Sent by:
> bsc-bounces+eliza_savage=fws.gov at bicycle.alexandria.va.us
> 
> 10/15/2008 09:40 AM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To
> &lt;BSC at bicycle.alexandria.va.us&gt;
> 
> 
> cc
> 
> 
> 
> Subject
> Biking on Sidewalks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
> 
> 
> This is my first post so sorry if I didn't do this
> right.
> 
> 
> 
> I recently got my 8 year old son started riding his bike to
> school and
> he is loving it.  Recently I was informed, somewhat
> rudely, that it
> is illegal to ride bikes on the sidewalks in Alexandria.
>  I thought
> this can't be right...  not in bike-friendly
> Alexandria.  However
> checking the Alexandria Municipal Code I find that it is in
> fact 
> illegal.
>  
> 
> 
> 
> I cannot see my son riding his bike in the street on West
> Glebe or along
> Mt. Vernon in rush hour traffic.
> 
> 
> 
> I checked out an alternate safe route which avoids these
> streets.  It
> takes about 15 minutes longer and is up and down several
> large hills. 
>  I'm
> afraid it would turn my son off to riding his bike to
> school.
> 
> 
> 
> Does a
> nyone have any suggestions or has anyone discussed this
> with 
> Alexandria
> City Officials?
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Matt
> 
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