It’s almost time for the Virginia legislature to start a new session.  And once again, they’ll have an opportunity to help make Virginia’s roads safer by bringing its laws into line with the rest of the country.  For reasons I can’t fathom, this has somehow turned into a partisan question.  Fairfax’s Delegate Barbara Comstock has repeatedly stood in the way of laws that would lead to safer roads.  As WABA’s Greg Billing explains it:

Tonight, McLean Citizens Association will host a Town Hall meeting with several local legislators, including Delegate Barbara Comstock. Delegate Comstock cast the deciding votes last year to kill two bills that would help protect bicyclists: 1) A bill that would prevent motorists from following a bicyclist more closely than is reasonable. Virginia appears to be the only state where bicyclists are excluded from “following too close” provisions; 2) A bill that “Requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian or the operator of a human-powered vehicle.” Virginia is one of only four states without this provision.

Both bills will be introduced again this year by Delegate Alfonso Lopez. Support from Delegate Comstock is key to their passage. Why not attend this meeting and ask Delegate Comstock to support these bills? The meeting is 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at the McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean.

For more information on these bills, see the talking points developed by Allen Muchnick of Virginia Bicycling Federation:

Meeting Details
McLean Community Center
1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean VA
Google Map Directions
Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Can’t make tonight’s meeting? Please consider sending your comments to Delegate Comstock at bcomstock@delegatecomstock.com

I hope you’ll let her know what you think of this.