April 2015 Collision Tweets from DC Fire and EMS

By Cory Bilton DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services (“DC FEMS”) has been using Twitter to announce the occurrence of collisions and fires in the District of Columbia (and other, more pleasant things, too). Take a look at their Twitter feed (@DCFIREEMS) and you will see numerous reports of collisions involving vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists almost every day. Although the …

Should I get Bicycle Insurance?

By Cory Bilton I recently learned that insurance companies are starting to offer bicycle insurance as a separate, stand-alone policy. Many types of insurance—such as health, auto, and home owner’s—already provide some coverage while you are riding your bike. So the idea of a stand-alone bicycle insurance policy intrigues me. What types of coverage does it provide? Who is the …

DC City Council Considers Switching From Contributory Negligence

By Cory Bilton. Last week, the DC City Council held a public hearing a new bill, Bill 20-0884, that would apply comparative negligence to bicycle collisions, instead of contributory negligence. The hearing Monday provided time for concerned citizens to share their views on whether comparative negligence should be adopted and whether bicyclists would benefit from the switch. I’ve shared my …

Lights for Pedestrians and Bicyclists After Dark

By Cory Bilton One way to tell that fall is approaching is that it is starting to get dark earlier in the evenings. In fact, my commute home on my bicycle is mostly in the dark already (sunset was at 7:10 pm this evening). Many bicycle commuters in the area are pretty good about affixing lights to their bicycle or …

Lawmakers Scramble to Classify E-bikes as Bicycles

By Cory Bilton. It could have been a television commercial. On my way home from work one night this week, I was riding on the Custis Trail heading west up the hill from Rosslyn. For those unfamiliar with this particular hill, it’s a long slog; Google Maps reports that it is about 1 mile of distance and 161 feet of …

In Collisions, Bicyclists Lose

By Cory Bilton When people use different modes of transportation on the same path, like when bicyclists and motorists are using the same street, there is going to be some friction between them. The local debate between motorists and bicyclists (and the less vocal pedestrians, too) has heated up in recent weeks. The flames started when a local reporter poured …

Starting July 1st, Virginia Drivers Must Give Bicyclists Three Feet

By Cory Bilton. When a vehicle driver wants to pass another vehicle, it goes without saying that the passing vehicle has to move his car into another lane to pass. It’s a simple fact: lanes aren’t wide enough to accommodate two cars side by side in one lane. However, it is less clear when a motorist intends to pass a …

Street or Sidewalk: Where Can I Ride My Bike in the Washington, DC Area?

By Cory Bilton Spring is slowly arriving to the Washington, DC area.  If you haven’t already, it’s time to dust off your bicycle, pump up the tires, and start riding again.  An issue that continually comes up is whether bicyclists can ride in the street, or on a sidewalk, or both.  The simple answer is yes to all three (though …