The Wingnut Anarchist Collective has just finished a zine with information on Bike Laws in the state of Virginia, as well as general tips, and information about Critical Mass Bike Rides. We see knowing bike laws as going hand in hand with the Know Your Rights type of work that we do with Richmond Copwatch.
The text of the zine is below, and you can also download a copy at: http://zinelibrary.info/richmond-bike-laws-zine
We will be distributing the zine at the July 4th Critical Mass, which is starting at 12pm at the Rite Aid at Broad and Belvidere.
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Biking in Richmond, Virginia
This zine is a creation of the Wingnut Anarchist Collective in Richmond, Virginia. It is meant to be a reference and guide for all people who ride bikes in the city of Richmond. Most of the content of this zine is based on the laws about riding bikes in Virginia found on the VDOT website. Our re-publication of these laws does NOT mean that we support all of these laws or are making any sort of ethical judgement about them one way or the other. We think it is important for all bike riding people to know these laws so that they can assert their rights. Having this guide on hand may be useful when cyclists are stopped by cops, or are being harassed by people in cars. Be aware of the laws. Know when you are or are not in compliance with the laws.
Helping cyclists learn their rights, so they can assert their rights, fits in with a lot of the work currently being done by the Wingnut Anarchist Collective. We participate in Richmond Copwatch, which does general Know Your Rights trainings to help people understand what their rights are when dealing with the police in general situations. Specific Know Your Rights information is a logical extension of the Copwatch project. If you ride a bike on a regular basis, knowing the laws, and therefore knowing your rights can help make your experiences more pleasant and less harassed. Nothing irks a cop more than a person who knows the laws more than they do, and isn’t afraid to assert their rights under the law! (more…)
