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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Posted by:
Loudoun News
()
Date: July 07, 2011 12:50PM
Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Thursday, Jul. 7 by Matt http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/bicyclist_dies_after_struck_by_vehicle_on_route_50/
A Chantilly man died at approximately 11:37 p.m. on July 6 after a vehicle struck him on Route 50.
Loudoun County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Route 50 near Tall Cedars Parkway for what was originally reported as a suspicious person call.
Several people called in to notify that they observed an adult male bicycling on Route 50 westbound in the travel lanes.
A deputy arrived on the scene, and then learned a vehicle had stuck the bicycle.
Charles William Blackford, 29, of Chantilly, was riding his bicycle while several vehicles attempted to swerve to avoid him. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the 23-year-old driver of a 2005 Cadillac, behind one of the swerving vehicles, struck the victim.
Blackford was transported to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, where he passed away.
His bicycle was not equipped with the white lamp on front and red lamp on rear setup that is required to operate on a highway at nighttime.
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kraig Troxell said that it is unlikely any charges will stem from the incident.
“It was difficult to see the bicyclist on the road, and a number of cars had to swerve to avoid the vehicle,” Troxell said. “Also, alcohol may have been a factor on the part of the victim.”
Virginia state code for lights on bicycles:
§ 46.2-1015. Lights on bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, and mopeds.
A. Every bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, and moped when in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped with a headlight on the front emitting a white light visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a red reflector visible from a distance of at least 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlights on a motor vehicle. Such lights and reflector shall be of types approved by the Superintendent.
In addition to the foregoing provisions of this section, a bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors. These lights may be steady burning or blinking.
B. Every bicycle, or its rider, shall be equipped with a taillight on the rear emitting a red light plainly visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear when in use between sunset and sunrise and operating on any highway with a speed limit of 35 mph or greater. Any such taillight shall be of a type approved by the Superintendent.
Thursday, Jul. 7 by Matt http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/bicyclist_dies_after_struck_by_vehicle_on_route_50/
A Chantilly man died at approximately 11:37 p.m. on July 6 after a vehicle struck him on Route 50.
Loudoun County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Route 50 near Tall Cedars Parkway for what was originally reported as a suspicious person call.
Several people called in to notify that they observed an adult male bicycling on Route 50 westbound in the travel lanes.
A deputy arrived on the scene, and then learned a vehicle had stuck the bicycle.
Charles William Blackford, 29, of Chantilly, was riding his bicycle while several vehicles attempted to swerve to avoid him. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the 23-year-old driver of a 2005 Cadillac, behind one of the swerving vehicles, struck the victim.
Blackford was transported to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, where he passed away.
His bicycle was not equipped with the white lamp on front and red lamp on rear setup that is required to operate on a highway at nighttime.
Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kraig Troxell said that it is unlikely any charges will stem from the incident.
“It was difficult to see the bicyclist on the road, and a number of cars had to swerve to avoid the vehicle,” Troxell said. “Also, alcohol may have been a factor on the part of the victim.”
Virginia state code for lights on bicycles:
§ 46.2-1015. Lights on bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, and mopeds.
A. Every bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, and moped when in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped with a headlight on the front emitting a white light visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a red reflector visible from a distance of at least 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlights on a motor vehicle. Such lights and reflector shall be of types approved by the Superintendent.
In addition to the foregoing provisions of this section, a bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors. These lights may be steady burning or blinking.
B. Every bicycle, or its rider, shall be equipped with a taillight on the rear emitting a red light plainly visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear when in use between sunset and sunrise and operating on any highway with a speed limit of 35 mph or greater. Any such taillight shall be of a type approved by the Superintendent.
Re: Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Posted by:
ben_southriding
()
Date: August 10, 2011 10:22PM
That guy used to work at the fractured prune donut shop in south riding. it is crazy to think he is gone
Re: Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Posted by:
FEDUPDUDE
()
Date: September 15, 2011 12:09PM
I have been having a bike btch fest on a forum with friends for a while now. I am all for share the road but biker need to follow the law. Each time I have nearly collided with a bike it is the bikers fault. Running stop signs and biking on sidewalks the wrong way being the biggest issue.
I am sorry to read someone died but it is really foolish to get on a highway at night without the proper lights.
On the flip side I wish the county would install some bike lanes especially in Ashburn leading to the bike path.
I am sorry to read someone died but it is really foolish to get on a highway at night without the proper lights.
On the flip side I wish the county would install some bike lanes especially in Ashburn leading to the bike path.
Re: Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Posted by:
Fed Up with Bicycles!
()
Date: September 15, 2011 12:52PM
I am sorry to hear that a person had to die but maybe more bicyclists need to pay more attention to what is going on around them. Our tax dollars were spent to build a BIKE PATH for them to ride on so things like THIS does not happen. I do agree with sharing the road but I don’t like that I can’t take back roads to get somewhere on a nice day BECAUSE the bicyclists are riding three wide and don’t care that a car is right behind them. Western Loudoun is impossible to avoid bicyclists on the road on a nice day, just wish they would take more into consdieration at the lives they are putting at risk, it isn’t just their own but they can cause an accident by people trying to go around them.
Re: Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Posted by:
mjones
()
Date: September 15, 2011 12:54PM
Bad and rude cyclists make a bad name for those of us who ride politely with consideration for the traffic around us. The vast majority of cyclists are considerate and law-abiding, but you can see the effect of the minority by looking at all the rude and condescending comments on this article. I was nearly run off the road just yesterday by some idiot in a car that didn’t think I should be allowed to cycle on the road.
As for using the bike paths, you might be interesting in knowing there are very few “bike paths” suited to riding a road bike in the Fairfax area. Rt. 123 south of Ffx Co Pkwy is good, and the Ffx Co Pkwy trail is mostly good, but the rest are not.
Sorry to hear this guy lost his life. Hopefully it’s a lesson to both bikers to be more responsible and auto drivers to be less self-centered on the road.
As for using the bike paths, you might be interesting in knowing there are very few “bike paths” suited to riding a road bike in the Fairfax area. Rt. 123 south of Ffx Co Pkwy is good, and the Ffx Co Pkwy trail is mostly good, but the rest are not.
Sorry to hear this guy lost his life. Hopefully it’s a lesson to both bikers to be more responsible and auto drivers to be less self-centered on the road.
Re: Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Posted by:
Tamara
()
Date: September 15, 2011 12:57PM
People who post comments and don’t know the whole truth should keep their mouths shut. Being as this was my brother and was very cautious about how he rode since that was his only form of transportation, your ignorant and careless comments are not needed. Have some consideration as I’m sure you would appreciate the same had it been one of your family members.
Re: Bicyclist dies after struck by vehicle on Route 50
Posted by:
Bicycle Safety
()
Date: September 30, 2011 06:47AM
Hopefully it’s a lesson to both bikers to be more responsible and auto drivers to be less self-centered on the road.