Late on the House Trans Sub 1 docket, which started at 7 a.m., Del. Plum from Reston presented HB 2155, which would prohibit a motor vehicle from passing a vehicle stopped at a marked crosswalk. Champe Burnley representing VBF, and I, representing RABA, spoke in favor of the bill, while most of the opposition to it came from SubComm Chair Dr. Scott Garrett of Lynchburg, who has rarely, if ever, supported one of our bike or pedestrian safety bills. Most of his opposition to this bill as unnecessary cited the example of 9th St. right outside the building, which above Bank St. is one way and has 3 lanes going up the hill with many vehicles in the left lane turning left at Grace, while the vehicles in the other two lanes continue straight on up the hill to Broad. With a crosswalk coming from the Capitol grounds across 9th at Grace, all of whose occupants have good sight distance to cars coming up the hill toward them, Del. Garrett saw no need why cars turning left would need to stop for pedestrians coming across the 9th St. crosswalk.
Since this example was in no way related to the problem we were trying to solve where people on the W & OD Trail were crossing 4 lane streets in crosswalks, it was frustrating to me to see Del. Garrett get hung up on it and lead the other R’s on the sub comm to kill the bill by a 6-4 vote along party lines.
With one more bill concluding the docket for the SubComm, we stayed in our seats for the Full House Trans Comm, which followed shortly at 8:30. Early on we heard HB2232, Del. Bagby’s Scooter bill, get stricken from the docket leaving Del. Pilion’s HB2752 as the sole remaining Scooter bill. It quickly became obvious that all interested parties had had several meetings yielding amendments and a substitute bill which we had not yet seen a copy of, but it seemed to be slow enough to take effect that the jurisdictions with pilot projects underway would be able to complete them before passing ordinances governing scooter usage. Whatever its provisions, all interested parties seemed pleased with the bill as it now stands (the Bird & Lime reps grudgingly so) and the Committee voted 22 -0 to send it on to the House floor, where it now should roll right along, and we should soon be able to see what it looks like on the LIS website.
Now tomorrow, we have Virginia Conservation Network’s Lobby Day at 7:30 followed by a Press Conference, and Sen. Stuart’s SB1341 in Senate Courts shortly after the Senate adjourns.
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HB2155: God forbid the safety of a pedestrian (or cyclist) get in the way of our God given right to not be inconvenienced at an intersection. (that was snark if it wasn’t obvious).
Thanks for trying.