Chesapeake bicycle corridor becomes a path to frustration

Being an sailor in this area and see how rude driver are and not knowing that Bicyclist have the same rights as motorist. The pure igonarance of drivers. Wait till gas prices jump to over $5 an gallon! then see how terible the commuting problems that resident face here! Oh yea so we are getting an light rail. that is great!But didn't it take over 15 years to go through with it? by then if they started it back then the system would be an lot bigger and more verstile so they say it cost too much back then. well looks like it has costed more since the ground breaking! This area needs mass transit really bad there are way too many car-car car-bicycle car-motorcyle accidents around here not to mention the congestion of traffic jams!so to all of the non bicycling motorist out there! suck it up the way thing are going we all will be riding bicycles or driving electric cars or such!!

I mentioned earlier that I rode a bicycle in Virginia while I was stationed in VA with the US Navy. I had a Base Parking sticker on the windshield of my pickup truck, and a Virginia Registration sticker. I was actually surprised that VA does not require an Inspection sticker on vehicles registered there.
Myself, as an Engineering student with an Experimental Vehicle, I have had my bicycle insured with Allstate Insurance Company since 1986. I modified some bicycles to work as Electric Mopeds. Allstate insured them. New regulations passed in 2001 require all Electric Bicycles to be insured. I encourage every cyclist to ask their insurance agent if their bicycle can be insured under an existing Automobile or Homeowners policy.
So, my bicycles are insured, although I can't speak for other cyclists.
As for my pickup truck, the Interstate Highway system was built for the Military, and I used I

Well, with respect, I like my plan better. Have bicyclists pay for bicycle licenses, registration fees, personal property taxes, and insurance. That is what is required of motorists to use the public roads. It's fair, simple, and equitable and everybody who rides bicycles on the roads pays their fair share for their mantainence. Right Ira?

I have devised a scheme by which the $16,000,000 (sixteen million dollars) can be raised.
There already is a sales tax, which includes bicycles, so it's not necessary for the legislature to do anything.

200,000 (two hundred thousand) people have to go to bicycle shops and buy a bicycle and gear including helmet,gloves, baskets, racks and anatomical seat, at an average price of $1,000.00 (one thousand dollars) per head. With a sales tax of 8% (eight percent) the sales tax alone will pay for the Bicycle Paths. Eight percent of one thousand is eighty dollars, times two hundred thousand people buying bicycles equals sixteen million dollars!

It's simple math that any middle schooler can do.

And the only people "cheating" the system will be those who don't buy a new bicycle.

According to Wikipedia, the population of Chesapeake, VA is 220,560 , so it seems feasible to me.

I didn't forget about the trailers. They use the public road to carry your boats to the docks. However, some of those boat taxes pay for dredging, police, and Coast Guard. On the contrary Ira, I don't think my argument is weak at all. You want me (indirectly) to pay 16 million dollars for bike lanes and trails to satisfy a few bicyclists. It reminds me of the bridge to no-where in Alaska. Riding on public roads is a privilege, not a right. Motorists pay for those road privileges whereas bicyclists don't. If you want the bike lanes and paths Ira, pony up the additional taxes and fees like the rest of us and pay for them instead of trying to get something for nothing.

You do realize you would have no roads w/o our combined taxes? As for the taxes on my boats it doesn't it doesn't matter. No infrastructure is needed. It is natural. I assume you forgot I have to license and pay taxes on my trailers?

Your arguments are weak and nothing more than attempt to muddy the water.

The cyclists have the exact same rights as cars on the roads.

So Ira, I guess there is no longer a need for state and federal gasoline taxes then huh? As for your three cars and two boats, you pay gas tax, license fees, and property taxes for the privilege of operating those vehicles. You also pay license, taxes and fees to the Coast Guard for your boats for the same reason to operate in state and federal waters. You bicyclists want something for nothing. Next.....

The majority of state and federal taxes that support the roads come from our homes and income taxes. Add this to the the cars we own as well. I personally own 3 cars and 2 boats.

Next...

You guys completely miss the point. Motorists pay personal property taxes, state license, city license, operators license, and insurance on their motor vehicles. That is the price for the privilege of driving on ANY public highway. Bicyclists are NOT required to pay for their privilege (not right) to ride a bicycle on a public street. Therefore, it is only fair that you bicyclists who want my share of the taxes and fees that I and the rest of us pay for your 16 million dollar bike lanes and trails is to contribute to it's costs and maintanence or "user fees" if you will. The rest of us pay these fees to use the roads, so why shouldn't you?

I haven't ridden my bicycle on Virginia's roads since I was in the Navy. I rode from my Naval Air Station to the VA Beach Boardwalk, where there is a marked bike path, parallel to the boardwalk. Just North of VA Beach is a State Park which also has a bicycle path. Are Military Service Members supposed to pay a toll, for working out? Of course not!
On the other side of town, I was never able to find a safe route through Norfolk to the West. I think it's long overdue that VA is putting some effort into providing a safe network of bicycle routes that actually connect with all points North, East, West and South.

. . shows me (and the world at large) why most Americans are fat slobs. So many are just arm-chair athletes, who don't participate in any sport. I'm an avid cyclist, and it shows as at 42, I'm in superior shape to most 20yo people. You fools talking about fees and license plates and gas fees are you on dope? Suvs and cars destroy the roads, dump oil all over, and pollute, bikes do not. When VDOT has to spend $1M a year salting the roads and fixing pot holes, this is done for the benefit of the automobile and not the bike, so please use your head before making silly comments. If anything all these fees and high gas prices may do a good thing and force more idiots to not drive.

The interstate system was started for the use of only motorized transport. In fact, our local road Military Highway was one of the pre-cursors. It's original goal was milatary readinesss. So the roads were constructed w/ a use in mind. Secondary roads are usually the only path thtat can be taken without crossing private property which is generally prohibited by the property owner. As we all start of equal as tax payers if one of us must surrender our right to use the roads it should be the larger more dangerous method of transportation which is you.

Thanks for clearing that up for us. Libertarians are against the use of bicycles on public roads unless they dictate the useage. They are however strong advocates of public land use when it matches their platform for things such as oil exploration by private companies. Strange party indeed.

What about my freedom to drive a combine on the Interstate, blocking both lanes at 5mph? Or driving 120mph down VA Beach BV? How about if I want to drive on the left on even numbered days? The fact is that no one can use the roads if there are no rules to provide for safe and coordinated use.

Bicycles, especially traveling in large groups, create an impediment to everyone else's use of the road when the speed limit is high and there is no place to pass safely.

Where the speed limit is close to the bicycles capability, or there are more than two lanes in each direction, or there is a bike lane present, then bikes and cars can coexist in safety, but winding two lane roads with no shoulder and high speeds are allowed are just not places for bikes.

You want to ride your bike on public roads fine. Pay the $25 a year "Not a sticker fee", the $36 a year plate fee, the $15 a year inspection fee, and a ridiculous fuel tax fee (Yes I know bikes don't use fuel, it's the point). These are all fees we pay for the privilege of public roads. I know you pay it on your cars, so do I, both of them. Once the state starts charging you to use the roads like everyone else then come back here and whine.

So Don, Libertarians are against free movement by people when they do not use automobiles? After all, WE pay for the roads whether we use them or not. Isn't the real reason you had a problem is that you or the oncoming car made a poor choice on how to pass the cyclists? As a result you want to banish bikes to where you want them to ride. Shouldn't you be more concerned w/ the fact the cyclist were put at risk while exercising their rights to use the roads by a lawbreaker?

Interesting take from the Libertarian candidate. Very interesting.

Those who want the bike lanes should pay for them then. The rest of the public should not have to be forking out their tax dollars for lanes that only a select amount of the population are going to use. I've seen miles of bike lanes around this country with few riders using them. Why should the rest of the population that doesn't ride bikes get stuck for the bill?

it should be paid for with an excise tax on Spandex.

What we really need is a total ban on bicycles on two lane roads with speed limits over 30mph unless there is a marked bike path. 20mph (at most) bicycles on narrow, highway speed, roads are at best an obstruction to the flow of traffic and at worst an invitation to disaster.

I recently met a column of no less than 40 bicycles riding single file on a curving country road. The problem was that as I met them, a truck was passing the column, and I had to run off the right side of the road to avoid a head on collision. Had there been no shoulder, as is often the case here, people would have been killed.

Whatever the health and recreation benefits of cycling may be, they don't mix well with with high speed auto and truck traffic.

The two previous posts that point out best the need for an expensive bicycle corridor are those by "Jack_mclovin" and "gknutson". With motorists like that on the roads, it's easy to understand why 16 million dollars worth of concrete barriers are needed between the bikes and the cars.

. . the other $357 million?? No one questions that?
It would be cheaper to hire a guy in a truck to drive the cyclists over the bridge whenever they needed to cross. They could even hire 5 people to do the job. $16 million = 5 people @ $64,000 a year for 50 years.

Those idiot bike riders that ride on the road are doing so because they have every legal right to do so. I have idiots blow horns at me also, buzz by me, yell at me to get on the bike path even when there are none.

Know the law!

also own cars & houses. So they pay taxes of all types. All streets, highways, bridges & tunnels, should be built with bike & walking paths. Developers should be required to build play grounds, sidewalks, jogging & bike paths in their subdivisions. We have the most obese society in the world. Many kids not playing on some school or league team, can't jog a mile. Recess should be required in all elementary schools & gym classes should be required in all public schools from 1st grade through college,( of course, accomodations are needed for children with various handicaps). One of the causes of high health ins. rates, is the physical unfitness of our people.

I too am a local bike rider and try to commute to downtown Norfolk once a week or so. From this part of Chesapeake my options are the Gilmerton Bridge or the Steel Bridge. The Gilmerton Bridge is a 60mph death trap for a cyclist, as is Military Hwy on both sides. Thus the Steel Bridge on Dominion is my only option. If some sort of bike lane or trail is not included in this project nobody will even have an option to commute to work from SW Chesapeake. A simple bike lane would suffice as long as the shoulder is wide enough. Keep in mind this $16M price tag includes two barrier-separated bike lanes (both directions), safety features, and approach/departure trails throughout the Cedar Road and Bainbridge intersections. It would be ideal not only for cyclists but for all walkers, joggers, etc. Also, if it is not included in the original construction is would be prohibitively expensive to add later. Lastly, yes I pay all the taxes everyone else pays (still own a vehicle); I just try to get a bit more exercise than you!

Ok first off, I am an avid bike rider and member of the Eastern Virginia Mountain Bike Association. While 90% of my riding is done in the woods on mountain bike trails I have to agree with having a bike path on public roads. I live by Dominion Blvd and have on occasion enjoyed a nice ride around the neighborhood with my wife. The issue I have is with those people who are in my opinion very ignorant and rude while driving. The ones who all they care about is getting to where they're going no matter how they do it or who they tick off while driving. I don't think that we has citizens should sacrafice safety for money. I think that bike riders have all the rights as anyone when it comes to local streets. Its not that hard to slow down for a whole 20-50 feet and give the riders a little space. It won't make you morons any later than you already are while driving, maybe 20 or 30 seconds more but hell you'll cut someone off while on the cellphone a mile down the road anyway.

City Council should not fear a small vocal minority who attack the bike lane. It is needed. All roads should incorporate them. It is beyond wrong for one group to attempt to exclude another based on how heavy their mode of transportation may be. The cyclists numbers will grow when cooridors become friendlier. Leave it alone.

david and McLuvin: You do realize you all just admitted to crimes? Davis, you in writing admitted to two felonies that require no witness as you wrote it. Next time McLuvin honks his horn just wave him over and do it hand to hand. This is only a misdeamenor.

Any idiot that harasses me with a horn gets my hard throwing marbles. Cracked two windshields last year from idiots using horns for NOT the intended purpose.

You don't see anyone on bikes around here because there's no where to ride without the threat of being run over! It's a shame to see that the only reason this bike path was considered in the first place was because they thought it was a federally mandated addition. I don't honestly know how it could cost $16 million, but surely compromise can be found without completely scrapping it. It's becoming clear that our "cars only" infrastructure is a problem and pedestrians and cyclists need to stop being treated as an afterthought.

Why is it we always seem to throw money away on stuff that doesn't work? Very few are going to ride bikes to work. Make them scooter lanes as well as bike lanes and you might get a return on this investment.

The majority of cyclist pay personal property taxes, real estate taxes, vehicle taxes, sales taxes, everything everyone else has to pay out that the government uses to maintain roads. In return, cyclists are disregarded in city road designs, maintenance, and consideration. The state and federal governments, after their renowned studies and evaluations, have clearly identified that the benefits of providing bike paths are far better than simply providing for cars and trucks. If the benefits have to be explained, the point won't be understood regardless.

Because where we do have them these idiot bike riders still insist on riding on the roads. Just drive down London Bridge or Dam Neck and you'll see it every day. I like to get right up behind them and lay on the horn.

I think the bike lane was planned for people riding two-wheeled bicycles, not tricycles or those with training wheels.