[Vision2020] Correction: "2010" Not "2009": Re: Additional Information: Accident Report Case # 10-M00362: Idaho/Moscow Bicycle Law Re: Lights etc.

Sun Jan 24 13:02:47 PST 2010

Of course "2010" should replace "2009," in the following sentences from the
Vision2020 post forwarded below.  I have made this mistake repeatedly
recently.  Perhaps a Freudian slip expressing a wish live in the past?
------------
Regarding what I was told by a Moscow police officer Fri. Jan 22, 2009,
in person at the Moscow Police Station, that bicycles require lights 24
hours a day according to Moscow city code:
------------
Moscow Police Officer LMcintosh-

This e-mail contains some of the same information as the previous e-mail I
sent Thurs. Jan. 21, 2009, with additional question(s) that are relevant,
and some editing.
------------
Why was I not given information, after the accident occurred and the
emergency personnel released me on Thurs. Jan 14, 2009, regarding the
insurance coverage on the driver/vehicle who failed to yield when I was
crossing the drive-in in question, while I was bicycling on the sidewalk as
described below?
------------
I recall the moments before the accident very well, as I was riding east on
the sidewalk Thurs, Jan. 14 2009 at about 4:50 PM, in front of Pat's Lawn
and Saw, on the south side of White Ave., with a streetlight illuminating
the drive-in to the mini-mall just east of Pat's Lawn and Saw, that the car
that struck me pulled into, as they were heading west on White Ave. and made
a left turn into the mini-mall drive-in that crosses the sidewalk.

------------------------------------------
Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett

On 1/24/10, Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com> wrote:

http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/2010-January/068267.html

> Dan Weaver et. al.
>
> *Dan Weaver* dweaver at ci.moscow.id.us
> <vision2020%40moscow.com?Subject=%5BVision2020%5D%20Moscow%20City%20Code%20Requires%20Bicycles%20In%20Operation%0A%09ToHave%20Lights%2024%20Hours%20A%20Day%3F&In-Reply-To=d03f69e1001221343q589701b3ob9fcb0329e1dfca4%40mail.gmail.com>
> *Fri Jan 22 15:38:52 PST 2010*
> wrote:
>
> http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/2010-January/068237.html
>
> Please let me know if you have further questions and or suggestions
> regarding this situation.
> ----------------------------------
> Thank you for your openness to further questions.
>
> I am forwarding below the communication I sent to Moscow police officer
> LMcintosh regarding questions and relevant issues concerning a
> vehicle/bicycle accident.  I have not received a response to this e-mail,
> though the questions regarding light requirements for bicycles on sidewalks,
> and what time of day bicycle light is required, were separately answered in
> a Vision2020 post by Moscow Chief of Police Weaver.  I thank Dan Weaver for
> clarifying the Idaho code regarding bicycle light requirements on sidewalks,
> given the code defines sidewalks as part of "highways."
>
> Regarding what I was told by a Moscow police officer Fri. Jan 22, 2009,
> in person at the Moscow Police Station, that bicycles require lights 24
> hours a day according to Moscow city code:  Given that I was very surprised
> to hear that such a code rule existed, I told the officer that I had not
> read such a rule in the online Moscow city code.  The officer was clear in
> insisting that such a code rule existed, mandating a light on bicycles 24
> hours a day.  I asked for a copy of this code rule, but the officer
> declined.  The officer may recall the conversation differently.  And that
> people can recall in person spoken conversations differently, in fact recall
> them incorrectly, is one reason I prefer an e-mail response to the forwarded
> communication below:
>
>
> from
>  Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com>
>    to lmcintosh at ci.moscow.id.us
>
>   date Jan 22, 2010 1:57 PM
>
>   subject Additional Information: Accident Report Case # 10-M00362:
> Idaho/Moscow Bicycle Law Re: Lights etc.
>
> Moscow Police Officer LMcintosh-
>
> This e-mail contains some of the same information as the previous e-mail I
> sent Thurs. Jan. 21, 2009, with additional question(s) that are relevant,
> and some editing.  I separately e-mailed today regarding Idaho and/or Moscow
> city code regarding what I was told today by a Moscow police officer, that
> was a complete surprise, that Moscow city code requires bicycles in
> operation to have a light 24 hours a day:
>
> I just attempted to file the Freedom of Information Act request for the
> accident report at the Moscow Police Station, but the report was still not
> available.
>
> When will the accident report for the vehicle/bicycle accident case #
> 10-M00362 be available?
>
> Why was I not given information, after the accident occurred and the
> emergency personnel released me on Thurs. Jan 14, 2009, regarding the
> insurance coverage on the driver/vehicle who failed to yield when I was
> crossing the drive-in in question, while I was bicycling on the sidewalk as
> described below?  I sustained very painful injuries and now have medical
> costs incurred as a result of this accident
>
> Why I was not asked for information from the Moscow Police regarding how
> the accident happened, after the emergency personnel had released me from
> their examination, after I signed the release form, and had recovered
> somewhat from the intense pain and injuries I sustained?
>
> I recall the moments before the accident very well, as I was riding east on
> the sidewalk Thurs, Jan. 14 2009 at about 4:50 PM, in front of Pat's Lawn
> and Saw, on the south side of White Ave., with a streetlight illuminating
> the drive-in to the mini-mall just east of Pat's Lawn and Saw, that the car
> that struck me pulled into, as they were heading west on White Ave. and made
> a left turn into the mini-mall drive-in that crosses the sidewalk.  I saw
> the car and assumed they could see me, given that I was illuminated.  I did
> not have a light in the front at this time, though I have a front reflector,
> and had my back blinking light on.  I had my front light in my backpack,
> ready for use when full darkness came, and I would be riding either on the
> road or the Latah Trail path.  At the time of the accident, there was still
> some daylight, though it was past sunset. The streetlights turn on before
> total darkness.
>
> I checked the Idaho code on bicycles (
> http://www.lostrivercycling.org/idcode.html ), and a front light is
> required from sunset to sunrise when on highways.  I did not know that even
> when there is still considerable light after sunset or before sunrise, a
> front light is required, for bicycles and motorized vehicles, but the code
> indicates this is when "upon a highway," without mentioning sidewalks; and
> riding on the sidewalk for bicycles is legal, given certain rules.  But
> given the wording of the Idaho code on bicycles, it seems to not explicitly
> address if a bicycle riding on a sidewalk must have a front light between
> sunset and sunrise.  For maximum safety, it seems that *pedestrians,
> especially fast runners,* and bicycles *on sidewalks,* should be required
> to have a light at night.  I was not bicycling very fast when I was struck,
> luckily, and no doubt a person can run faster than I was cycling at that
> time.  Thus a fast runner who is not carrying a light while running on a
> sidewalk might be taking a greater risk of an accident, when motorized
> vehicles must cross a sidewalk, than a cyclist riding slowly without a light
> in the same situation.
>
> Also, I read on the Moscow Police Dept. website that bicycle licenses are
> required, but if I understand correctly, this does not apply to those
> residing outside the city limits?  I do not reside in Moscow city limits:
>
> http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/citycode/TITLE11/toc.asp
>
> Ted Moffett
> 1097 Canyon Rd.
> Moscow, Idaho 83843
> ph. 208-882-8643
>
>
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