A new Virginia traffic law meant to encourage bicycling on the state’s roadways has residents outraged as critics accuse a Democrat-dominated state government of endangering motorists and massively clogging roadways by putting eco-friendly virtue signaling efforts ahead of public safety.
Under the Bicycle Safety Act, which will go into effect July 1, bicyclists are permitted to ride side by side on public roadways, fully blocking off entire lanes of traffic. When passing the cyclists, motorists will be forced to fully cross into the oncoming lane of traffic – even over a double solid yellow line – or face legal penalties. The law even allows for bicyclists to blow through stop signs, treating them as yields.
Transportation by bicycle has been a centerpiece of left-wing climate initiatives in recent years, with many on the left pointing to Communist China – where bicycles notoriously clog city streets – as a shining example of a bike-friendly nation.
As biking to work and other locations has taken off nationwide, some Biden Administration officials have sought photo ops on their bikes, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was caught faking his bicycle commute to a cabinet meeting, pulling it from a gas guzzling SUV before hopping on and riding past an adoring press pool.
Caught in the act.https://t.co/Dzb89u0P5O
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) April 2, 2021
In a social media post, Northern Virginia’s Fairfax County Police Department took some time away from their public celebration of “Pride Month” to explain the new traffic laws, much to the dismay of residents who say the region’s traffic is bad enough already.
Others accused the left-wing state and local governments of pushing the use of bicycles on public roads as part of the green new deal-style anti-carbon initiatives meant to ultimately end the use of automobiles as we know it. As one commenter pointed out, the tailoring of roadways for bicycles comes directly after a large gas tax increase in Virginia.
“The state also increased the gas tax last year and another increase this July so bicycles should be registered, taxed and insured as well. Traffic is already bad and dangerous…this is a law where common sense was not used.”
