BRATTLEBORO — Thank you, bicyclists, for your commitment to keeping your fossil-fuel intake to a minimum. I've enjoyed seeing more and more of my friends pedaling around town doing errands and commuting to work. This is a great example of people working together for our collective future.
You are all awesome. We appreciate you, and many of us envy you!
However, I'm a school bus driver in town, and I think that some of you need a refresher on rules of the road.
As a bicyclist, you are held to the same laws and standards as any other vehicle on the road. Your bike is a vehicle; so is my school bus.
Per Vermont state law, all vehicles must stop for school buses with flashing red lights, which indicate loading or unloading of school students.
Yes - you, too, my two-wheeled-vehicle-pedaling friends. You have to stop and wait for us to shut off our lights. It's for the safety of our students and yourself.
So, please - if our red lights are flashing and the stop sign is out, keep our students and yourself safe and do not pass. It's the law.
Please review the Vermont bicycling laws summary at thegmbc.com/VTBikeLaws.pdf if you have any questions.