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Again this session, I will revisit the issue of bicycle safety and our efforts to improve both Maryland’s roads for bicyclists and Maryland’s reputation for bike friendliness. In spite of the significant efforts made to encourage drivers and bicyclists to share the road including my “three foot” legislation, I learn of more and more accidents where cyclists are seriously hurt. As the number of cyclists commuting or riding for recreation continues to expand at exciting rates, I will be seeking to clarify laws and policy initiatives aimed at safety and expansion of bicycling options for Marylanders.
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Workshops on MD 20-year transportation plan – none transit-accessible
"But the four “roundtable workshops” for the 2035 Maryland Transportation Plan [MTP] are not scheduled in locations convenient to any mass transit. None are located in Baltimore city in a location where they might conceivably be served by trains, buses, light rail or the subway and where many transit users, cyclists and pedestrians live."
B’ Spokes: MTA handles mass transit in the Baltimore area. Is MDOT saying there is no long range plans for mass transit or they are just not interested in public comment from people who use a state transportation system?
[Note: Baltimore handles all state roads in it’s jurisdiction so some "exclusion" is understandable but not 100% on all topics. Baltimore metro area needs more input into this plan!]
The No-Contact Crash
By Bob Mionske
A reader recently asked an interesting question. If a car causes a cyclist to crash, but doesn’t actually collide with the rider, is the driver still at fault?
In a recent incident, a husband-and-wife tandem team ran into an abutment after a driver violated their right-of-way. Police officers told them, incorrectly, that it was “not legally an accident because there was no collision between bike and car.” The officers refused to take contact information from a witness even though the driver admitted fault at the scene. They also informed the couple that it was their responsibility to control the bike. In another incident, a driver failed to yield before making a right turn and nearly struck a cyclist. The rider crashed, and wonders if his insurance company will pay.
Although neither vehicle touched the cyclists, the drivers operated in a way that caused a crash. In fact, the only reason there was no contact was because the cyclists took evasive action. Here’s how to avoid this kind of situation, and how to handle it if you do hit the pavement.
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https://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2013/01/02/the-no-contact-crash/