A bigger ban on bicycling?

Q: I would like to see the ban on bicycles on sidewalks expanded from the central business district to Capitol Hill and the Mall. There are so many more people riding bicycles in these areas because of all the new bike rentals.

Is there any chance of the ban area being expanded?

Thomson: I agree with you that this is a problem. I'd rather try to solve it through the program to expand bike lanes in D.C.

I say that partly because I walk the downtown streets where bicycles are banned right now. Who could tell there's a ban? There are plenty of cyclists speeding up from behind pedestrians and narrowly missing them. They should slow down and be more careful. But I can understand why cyclists don't feel like mixing in with traffic on some of the downtown streets.

Q: Any plans for reopening lanes for the holiday shopping season in Tysons Corner?

Last year, they reopened the center lanes on Route 123 after Thanksgiving. Do you know if there are plans to do something similar this year? There are a lot of unhappy commuters already.

Thomson: I've talked to VDOT, the HOT lanes project and the Dulles Metrorail project about the holiday season in Tysons Corner. I'm just about certain that the way you see the Tysons road network today is the way you'll find it through New Year's.

For example, the HOT lanes construction schedule allowed the project managers to open up those left lanes on Route 123 for the 2009 holiday season. That's not the case this year. They'll remain closed. And the new left-turn at the light from Route 123 onto the inner loop of the Beltway will stay as it is.

Route 7, where the Dulles Metrorail line is under construction, also will stay pretty much the same. It'll be a tough season for Tysons shoppers.

Q: I know that drivers can be pulled over for having a taillight out and it is their responsibility to ensure that all lights on their vehicle are properly working. But how often does law enforcement look for burnt-out taillights? And if there were to be a rear-end collision accident, how much responsibility, if any, would be on the driver with the burnt-out taillight?

Thomson: Drivers do have the responsibility for maintaining their vehicles' safety devices. But there isn't much chance you'll get off the hook on a rear-end collision if the other driver's bulb was burned out.