Tag Archives: law

Link to my letter to Senator Scott Brown

My letter to a staffer of Senator Scott Brown about the mandatory sidepath provision in the Federal Tranportation Bill is online. Feel free to re-use it, or parts of it.

Posted in Bicycle facilities, Bicycling, Laws, Sidepaths | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Mandatory sidepath laws, state by state

I don’t like mandatory sidepath laws for bicyclists, but I like the one in the Transportation Bill, applying to roads on Federal lands, even less. (d) BICYCLE SAFETY.—The Secretary of the appropriate Federal land management agency shall prohibit the use … Continue reading

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Guest posting: Alan Forkosh on community bike systems

This guest posting is by permission of the author, Alan Forkosh, who writes: Here are some observations on how the Vélib community bike system in Paris works. My thoughts on the issue crystallized after a trip to Paris in the … Continue reading

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Examples of Sidepaths in National Parks

A commenter on the Washcycle blog where I first read of the mandatory sidepath provision in the Transportation Bill had the following to say: In most parts of the country NPS, BLM and other stewards of Federal land are the … Continue reading

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Transportation Bill Includes Draconian Mandatory Sidepath Provision

Concerning the transportation bill currently making its way through the U. S. Senate committee process, please see this analysis on the Washcycle blog. The bill has adverse effects on funding, and also it contains the most draconian mandatory sidepath provision … Continue reading

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Railroad crossout

Here are some photos of Massachusetts Route 117 at the diagonal crossing of the Fitchburg Line railroad tracks, in Lincoln, Massachusetts, USA. The location, in Google Maps: View Larger Map Google Street View photo, looking west, from approximately 2008. Note … Continue reading

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Electric bicycle legal hodgepdge

A task force under the auspices of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) is currently reviewing parts of the Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC), the national model traffic law in the USA. The NCUTCD has taken on this … Continue reading

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Confusion at crosswalks on multi-use paths

The crosswalk on a multi-use path has a mixed identity, unless the crossing is signalized. Motorists must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, but on the other hand, a stop sign facing the path normally means that cyclists yield to … Continue reading

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Street Traffic Regulations: classic book online

My friend Bob Shanteau writes: Another reason scofflaws give [to justify their behavior] is that traffic laws are intended only for motorists, reflecting a total ignorance of the origins of those laws. Google has made the 1909 book “Street Traffic … Continue reading

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Child passenger prohibitions — Massachusetts law, Oregon bill

Eli Damon, who lives in Massachusetts, as I do, has drawn attention to a bill introduced into the Oregon legislature to ban child passengers under 6 years old on bicycles. Eli cited an online article: “No Biking With Kids Under … Continue reading

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