Your View: Cyclists need extra enforcement scrutiny

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Your View: Cyclists need extra enforcement scrutiny
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By Charles S. Hulfish, Alexandria (File photo)

To the editor:
I enthusiastically support the Alexandria Police Department’s stepped up enforcement of our local traffic laws as they apply to bicyclists. For too long, bicycle riders have been ignoring stop signs, car traffic and pedestrians.

It is especially tough in Old Town, where you have many shoppers, tourists and residents who have to dodge the bicycles weaving through pedestrian crosswalks and running stop signs. In fact, accidents have occurred where pedestrians have been struck.

It is good that the police are out writing tickets and giving warnings. I hope the word gets out to those riders who flout the traffic rules so they will slow down and stop at the intersections. Especially the cyclist recently on the news after receiving a ticket, who said, “Obviously every bicyclist slows down.” No, they don’t. If he had, he wouldn’t have received the ticket.

Certainly, not all bike riders disobey the posted traffic signs, but those who do make it very dangerous for the rest of us. I hope the police continue the enforcement a while longer. We all will be safer for it.

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