In the beginning was the deed!

[dasgeh]

Great idea. Do it.

In Arlington:
– Washington bn Sycamore and McKinley (assuming VDOT is done with the repaving; bonus points for taking the lane eastbound you-know-where)
– Wilson bn Manchester and Emerson
– N Quincy bn Fairfax Dr and Glebe (assuming the repaving happens; bonus points if don’t ride on the section N of Fairfax to get there)
– S Eads bn Army Navy and Glebe (i.e. the whole thing)
– S Hayes bn 15th and where it becomes 18th
– S 18th bn where it was Hayes to Eads
– Crystal Dr bn 18th and Airport Access [correct me if I’m wrong on that one — the “saved” bike lanes]

[bentbike33]

So, I came up with the Arlington Loop pointless prizes.

I like your idea. I think you have 2 natural prizes: most total NIMBY segments ridden at least once (to get people to check out as many as possible); and most total rides on NIMBY segments (to encourage, e.g., commuters to adopt them).

Couple of technical things:

I don’t know how many Strava segments an account may establish, especially if you are using a freebie. Or maybe there is a limit on trying to establish too many at once. All I know is I had some hiccups getting all 16 segments established for the Arlington Loop prizes. You might want to enlist a co-conspirator, I mean co-sponsor.

You need segments going both ways, unless the infra is one-way only.

Strava will not be able to tell the difference between using the infra or riding in the car lane. One of the Arlington Loop segments is on the W&OD where it runs next to Four Mile Run Drive, and you pick it up whether on the trail or on the street (at least westbound).

The tech guys gave me a file with all FS participants and the count of times they rode each ArLoop segment. I supplied them with the segment ID numbers found in the URLs for the segments’ Strava pages. So, I had to do a bit of manipulation of the data to count the loop completions.

[lordofthemark]

Okay, time to update this. I am happy with my knowledge of Alexandria NIMBY segments, and trust dasgeh’s list for Arlington is exhaustive. I might not include all these Arlington and Alexandria segments, to keep things balanced and manageable.

But right now I have no segments outside Arlington and Alexandria. Surely there are some in DC, Fairfax, MoCo, that would qualify?

bentbike – I thought of the issue of parallel’s between seg infra and VC routes. That is why I would omit someplace like Maine Avenue, despite my strong interest in it. My suggestions for Alexandria are places few people ride outside the seg infra, and I suppose thats true of Dasgehs suggestions as well?

I won’t be looking for people to have ridden on all the segments, so that bit of manipulation I guess I won’t have to do.

[DCAKen]

And so we don’t just have Arlington segments, let’s add some for DC. The first one would be the proposed church destroying 6th Street bike lane.

[lordofthemark]

@DCAKen 167578 wrote:

And so we don’t just have Arlington segments, let’s add some for DC. The first one would be the proposed church destroying 6th Street bike lane.

Thanks for the suggestion, but there isn’t actually seg infra there for people to ride. I need places where seg infra was put in, but it was controversial, and more riders would help make the case retroactively.

Another thing. Its time now, I think, for me to start creating the segments. But I think a title like “In the beginning was the deed Segment 1” is too long and awkward. I am thinking “Goethe Segment 1” but fear that is way too obscure. “Advocacy Segment 1” seems too serious. Your suggestions will be entertained.

[LhasaCM]

@lordofthemark 168011 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion, but there isn’t actually seg infra there for people to ride. I need places where seg infra was put in, but it was controversial, and more riders would help make the case retroactively.

DC suggestions: the contraflow lanes on G and I Streets NE (I still hear folks complaining about the “complications” with parking). Still somewhat controversial with motorists (based on behavior) would be the L and M Street NW semi-protected bike lanes with the funky merges for turns.

@lordofthemark 168011 wrote:

Another thing. Its time now, I think, for me to start creating the segments. But I think a title like “In the beginning was the deed Segment 1” is too long and awkward. I am thinking “Goethe Segment 1” but fear that is way too obscure. “Advocacy Segment 1” seems too serious. Your suggestions will be entertained.

(Trip down) NIMBY Lane?

[secstate]

@lordofthemark 168011 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion, but there isn’t actually seg infra there for people to ride. I need places where seg infra was put in, but it was controversial, and more riders would help make the case retroactively.

Silver Spring has a bunch of new bicycle infrastructure, with more planned. I don’t know whether it’s been controversial or how well it’s being utilized. It certainly hasn’t convinced me to venture downtown on my bike (or ever, for that matter!).

[Judd]

@lordofthemark 168011 wrote:

Another thing. Its time now, I think, for me to start creating the segments. But I think a title like “In the beginning was the deed Segment 1” is too long and awkward. I am thinking “Goethe Segment 1” but fear that is way too obscure. “Advocacy Segment 1” seems too serious. Your suggestions will be entertained.

You’ll want to do a check first to see if some of the segments already exist. I don’t think you have to name them anything related to the challenge, although it might be fun.

I really like the idea of this challenge and hope you do it. It gives a good incentive to explore a new route or connection.

[Steve O]

@lordofthemark 168011 wrote:

I am thinking “Goethe Segment 1” but fear that is way too obscure.

Go for it. There are plenty of entertainingly titled, and sometimes inscrutable, segments out there already.

• JiggleBilly
• Clarendon Blvd. Cannonball
• Suck it 2!
• I like it
• Run for the Border
• Hey everyone! This side is steeper

[Judd]

@Steve O 168034 wrote:

Go for it. There are plenty of entertainingly titled, and sometimes inscrutable, segments out there already.

• JiggleBilly
• Clarendon Blvd. Cannonball
• Suck it 2!
• I like it
• Run for the Border
• Hey everyone! This side is steeper

I regularly ride a segment called “Junk in da Trunk”.

[musclys]

@Steve O 168034 wrote:

Go for it. There are plenty of entertainingly titled, and sometimes inscrutable, segments out there already. …

• Run for the Border

Run for the Border was repaved a few months ago, and come winter will be a fabulous spot to hit some black ice.

More to the question, how would you define cycling infrastructure? I would take a freshly paved suburban road — bonus points if it has a shoulder — over an urban bike lane any day.

[lordofthemark]

@musclys 168039 wrote:

Run for the Border was repaved a few months ago, and come winter will be a fabulous spot to hit some black ice.

More to the question, how would you define cycling infrastructure? I would take a freshly paved suburban road — bonus points if it has a shoulder — over an urban bike lane any day.

You don’t have to participate in this challenge if you don’t want to

As an advocate, I want more seg infra for those who won’t take the lane on any given road, and for it to remain legal for those who choose to take the lane even where there is seg infra(as is true in Va and DC, and from what I can gather remains effectively true in Md). If someone wants to come up with a contest that celebrates the VC approach more than this does, I encourage them do so.

And as side note, most of these were built in large part as traffic calming (and we have indications in Alexandria that that is working) which should benefit people who prefer to take the lane. I will note that I never see people taking the lane on either part of King Street.

[Judd]

@lordofthemark 168045 wrote:

If someone wants to come up with a contest that celebrates the VC approach more than this does, I encourage them do so.

I’m offering a prize for the person that stiff arms the most cars.

[Steve O]

@Judd 168049 wrote:

I’m offering a prize for the person who stiff arms the most cars.

(ftfy) I’m offering kudos for people who use the word “who” instead of “that” when referring to humans.

[Judd]

@Steve O 168064 wrote:

(ftfy) I’m offering kudos for people who use the word “who” instead of “that” when referring to humans.

Fixed it for myself.

@Judd 168049 wrote:

I’m offering a prize for the person that stiff arms the most cars or Steve O.

[Author]

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