We all seem to be walking more, riding bicycles more, and driving less. That’s a good thing. Sharing roads is good.
Did you know that the law legislates common sense?
I saw this sign in a rural part of Western Albemarle the other day, when riding my bike.
§ 46.2-928 – Pedestrians not to use roadway except when necessary; keeping to left
Pedestrians shall not use the roadways for travel, except when necessary to do so because of the absence of sidewalks which are reasonably suitable and passable for their use. If they walk on the hard surface, or the main travelled portion of the roadway, they shall keep to the extreme left side or edge thereof, or where the shoulders of the highway are of sufficient width to permit, they may walk on either shoulder thereof.
Watch out for each other, folks. And for goodness sakes, don’t wear dark clothing when you’re walking on the roads.
In this small world, the sign owner messaged me:
My Crozet hospital-born parents were told the rules of the road in grade school, but now that common knowledge and fundamental personal safety practice has been lost to the suburban world of moms waiting 30 minutes in minivans to get kids from school.
After a surge in New Crozet wrong-side walkers and runners last year I asked VDOT to install signs but they said “no thanks, it’s an education matter,” I wryly smirked & moved on. Spent my own $ & time to install a single sign which has changed the habits of few but clearly provides conversation for suburbanite realtors living in the rural/suburb friction zone. Anyway. Good luck out there on the roads
Then there are also the wrong-side-of-the-road bicyclists — like Salmon swimming upstream!
Always walk on the left (facing oncoming traffic) and bike on the right (with the flow of traffic). If you are learning to ride a bike or are not comfortable biking near cars, then please do not bike on the roads at all.