Traffic Ticket

[ShawnoftheDread]

The safety improvement is you're more predictable to other traffic. Motorists and pedestrians don't expect people to run a red light in the roadway, but crossing in the crosswalk with the signal is expected.

This. Also, if you're crossing at a four-way ped crossing but outside of the crosswalk, you're potentially impeding the movement of pedestrians crossing perpendicular to (in front of) you.

[Tim Kelley]

Tim, why do you see this as "guy runs red light in front of cop"?

Why?

Because while I have sympathy for you as an individual (I understand that this is an odd intersection, and that going to court was probably a big hassle. Thanks for following up and reporting on how it turned out!!) I see one way to elevate the position of cycling in Arlington is through the enforcement of laws as they apply to all modes of transportation. I can't expect better enforcement of red light running as it applies to motorists if I'm not willing to accept enforcement of red light running as it applies to cyclists.

No offense intended towards you, if that's what you're feeling. I'm sure you are a very nice gentleman, and I encourage to you to take part in more discussion on this forum!

[Mark Blacknell]

Side note: It's my understanding that, in Virginia, points are not to be assessed against your driver's license for infractions committed on a bike. I got this from a source who always knows what he's talking about, but we're having a hard time documenting the basis for it. It's been added to my "to do" list. In the meantime, if you get nailed for something that could involved points in Virginia, make sure you tell the Court Clerk to note that it was committed while on a bike (apparently there's a field in the system for exactly that).

[unclejed]

Side note: It's my understanding that, in Virginia, points are not to be assessed against your driver's license for infractions committed on a bike. I got this from a source who always knows what he's talking about, but we're having a hard time documenting the basis for it. It's been added to my "to do" list. In the meantime, if you get nailed for something that could involved points in Virginia, make sure you tell the Court Clerk to note that it was committed while on a bike (apparently there's a field in the system for exactly that).

I did mention this to the clerk and she said that DMV assigns the points so I have to take it up with them. The prosecutor also was not aware of this point even though I pointed this out to him.

[jwetzel]

Something I've always wondered about for if I ever get stopped by law enforcement whilst riding my bicycle is "Do I have to show a drivers license?" I sometimes don't have it when I am out riding, or I usually have a different government issued ID with me I could show instead. Would that limit their ability to assign points to a bicyclist?

[PotomacCyclist]

A note about two-way traffic in that area:

Crystal Drive is in the process of being converted to two-way traffic for most of its length. The north section near Long Bridge Park could be converted by the spring. The middle section is already two-way.

The section between 23rd St. and 26th St. was repaved last year. That section was supposed to have been converted to two-way in 2012. But there was a delay with the signaling equipment for the new two-way traffic. That stretch of Crystal Drive might be converted to two-way sometime this spring, but as with any construction project, there could be further delays.

The section between 26th and 27th St./Potomac Ave. will also be converted to two-way traffic. 27th St. between Crystal Drive and Rte. 1 will also be converted to two-way traffic. But there is no time frame for this part of the project.

A mid-block HAWK signal will also be added on Crystal Drive between 23rd St. and 26th St.

http://www.crystalcity.org/area/tran...-crystal-drive

This will solve the problem of salmoning on Crystal Drive south of 23rd St. (By the way, I see A LOT of cars going the wrong way south of 23rd St.! So it's not just cyclists who are salmoning there.)

I'm not aware of any plans to convert Clark St. to two-way traffic in the near future, other than the north section between 12th St. and 14th Rd. (There are long-term plans to demolish the elevated section of Clark St. and convert the road to two-way between 12th St. and 20th St. But this project will likely not be started in the near future, if ever. Maybe in a decade? http://sites.arlingtonva.us/ccpc/str...-street-south/ )

***
After the renovations, the only section of Crystal Drive that will remain one-way is the southern end, from Potomac Ave. to the Rte. 1/33rd St. "intersection". The southbound bike lane on Crystal Drive will extend past 23rd St.

There is also a separate plan to create a Transitway in Crystal City and Potomac Yard, in preparation for a streetcar later on. The map on the Arlington website seems to indicate that Crystal Drive would be converted to two-way for its entire length, but I don't think that's correct. I don't see how they can make the section at Rte. 1 two-way. Or they might create a new two-way track on the east side of Crystal Drive, using the space where the bike path is currently located. http://goo.gl/maps/pRqhb

http://sites.arlingtonva.us/ccpc/tra...rd-transitway/

Maybe more than you wanted to know. But all of these changes will affect bike and car traffic around 23rd St. in the near future.