Great Day to Commute by Bike

[5555624]

I’m not sure I’d agree. In sheer numbers, I saw more nimrods on bikes yesterday, than on any other day in the last ten years. I lost track of the cyclists who

– ran red lights
– ran stop signs
– cut through cars stuck in traffic (not splitting lanes, crossing lanes)
– traveling too fast for conditions
– ignored the right of way

The last two were especially apparent on the George Mason Memorial Bridge (14th Street). Several tried to race across. “buzzing” pedestrians, and then causing cyclists coming the other way to stop, because they were passing when they didn’t have room. With people — on bikes and on foot — traveling both ways, people need to slow down.

Not that pedestrians were blameless, as I was getting on the bridge, one woman bimbo would not move so I could pass. I was ringing my bell and the cyclist behind me was yelling “On your left” and she would not move. Finally her boyfriend/husband grabbed her arm and pulled her aside. As I passed her, she was laughing. She thought blocking the way was funny. Argh!

Monday, the weather was about the same, but the people were not — a great day to commute by bike.

[JimF22003]

I nearly got creamed head-on by some dude on a mtn bike coming through an underpass on the W&OD trail (don’t remember the road — it’s the one where the 4MileRun trail is directly across the creek.) He came around the sharp bend and wasn’t just a LITTLE into my lane. He was heading directly for me.

It was a battle zone out there yesterday.

[cephas]

I was especially glad to be on bicycle, as opposed to sitting in a seat in a car going nowhere or on a crawling train! I stuck around till 5:30, so I didn’t see quite as many nimrods, but glad to hear there were others getting out of the underground and walking/biking around, even if they don’t quite know what they’re doing.

[LilBit]

“- ignored the right of way”

I had that this morning. Where the MVT meets up with the 4-mile trail, there’s a yield sign (for the other traffic). I rang my bell, which actually startled the other rider, but he still ignored the yield sign and proceeded to just ride right in front of me, cutting me off. Glad I was paying attention, or it would have been ugly.

[pfunkallstar]

On the one hand, I like the mild weather. On the other hand, I can pretty much have the trail to myself starting mid-November. I think yesterday was particularly bad due to the early-release-let’s-avoid-Metro earthquake traffic. It seemed like there were a lot of people on the trail and Memorial bridge who might have been suffering personal aftershocks causing them stagger from left to right in a chaotic fashion.

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