Photo by Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie.One of the biggest complaints from cyclists in the District is that, even when they follow the rules of the road, they’re unable to get help from authorities when they’re wronged. The District’s Police Complaints Board agrees with them.
According to the Post, the Board — a joint police-civilian body consisting of residents of the District who are nominated to the position by the mayor — recommended yesterday that police officers need to bone up on bike laws. The decision was reached after the board heard testimony from cycling advocates, and the
The complaints board recommended that officers be allowed to delay submission of their accident reports until they have interviewed the cyclist, who sometimes ends up in a hospital after colliding with a car; that accident report forms be revised to provide more accurate options; that officers receive additional training and testing on bike laws; and that the police department strengthen its partnership with the District’s Bicycle Advisory Council.
The police department “should change its method of investigating bicycle-motor vehicle crashes in order to provide appropriate safeguards for bicyclists who are injured,” the board said in its report.
The board also recommended that officers ticket drivers who stop or park in bike lanes.
The board’s ruling comes in the midst of a big push by bike advocates to change District laws regarding legal protection for cyclists, and we’re betting you’ll hear the complaint board’s findings repeatedly as that proposal makes its way through the Council.
