Missed connection

[NicDiesel]

@Terpfan 62643 wrote:

I was showing a coworker the route in this morning from OT into our office and passed a jogger and a few feet later encountered one coming the opposite direction who said to us, “you need to yell your passes.” Of course, said jogger had his earphones in and didn’t hear my three loud rings for the jogger I had just passed or my coworker saying left as he passed the person. Kudos to my coworker for not missing a beat saying, “and you need to take your headphones out so you can actually hear us.”

Glad I’m not the only one that has this happening.

By the way, has anyone encountered the Drill Instructor whistle guy yet? I was coming back from Hains Point last night heading towards Memorial Bridge when I heard this dude go “don’t stop keep going dogg” and saw this really tall dude in a green shirt blow past me with a DI whistle that he started blowing once he got on the bridge. I’ve seen him before with the whistle but this the first time I actually encountered him using it.

[OneEighth]

@dasgeh 62642 wrote:

I would be happy to go with you. Seriously.

I would think that Bike Arlington would have a dog in this fight, too.

[ebubar]

Anyone know a good council person to contact about this? Or would the ACPD non-emergency line be best? I’m not exactly familiar with the area and transportation is an issue since I bike. Plus, time is at an all-time low with the start of the new semester.

[Tim Kelley]

@ebubar 62665 wrote:

Anyone know a good council person to contact about this? Or would the ACPD non-emergency line be best? I’m not exactly familiar with the area and transportation is an issue since I bike. Plus, time is at an all-time low with the start of the new semester.

Walter Tejada has had various fitness/transportation initiatives over the years (FitArlington and PAL).

Jay Fisette is a big bike to work fan and has even joined up with the FreshBikes Tuesday night rides on occasion.

Bios & contact info here: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/CountyBoard/meetings/members/CountyBoardMeetingsMembersMain.aspx

[ebubar]

Definitely going to try this route tonight. Sounds like a winner! I never feel safe with the Glebe drivers, who seem to love excessive speeding. I can cruise at 30 on my way home and they still fly by me. Those speedy Prius’s and BMW’s are a real pain!

[ebubar]

@Tim Kelley 62666 wrote:

Walter Tejada has had various fitness/transportation initiatives over the years (FitArlington and PAL).

Jay Fisette is a big bike to work fan and has even joined up with the FreshBikes Tuesday night rides on occasion.

Bios & contact info here: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/CountyBoard/meetings/members/CountyBoardMeetingsMembersMain.aspx

Thanks for this. My tentative “complaint” is attached. Having NEVER contacted these types of folks before, I hope its appropriate. I can’t think of any missing details…:

I am not a constituent of yours and don’t live in Arlington County, but some residents have suggested contacting you about my experience this morning.

I am a bike commuter who rides to work each day from Takoma Park, MD. I have around 2000 miles from bike commuting this year, so I would say I am not an inexperienced rider.

This morning (~9:00 AM), I was riding up Glebe Road between Chain Bridge and Marymount University. My understanding of VA’s bike laws are that I should ride as far to the right as is safe. In my experience, if I do not “take the lane” cars regularly pass me closer than the 2 feet limit imposed by VA law. Consequently, I “take the lane” during this area of my commute. I was riding at my typical pace of 16 mph (according to my GPS) and a small Fiat 500 passed me extremely closely. An officer on a motorcycle drove by and proceeded to block me and pull me over for not riding far enough into the right of the lane. He lectured me about VA bike laws requiring me to ride on the right of the lane in a very condescending manner. His behavior was extremely unprofessional, particularly with an off-handed remark that “you guys (cyclists) make these roads more dangerous.” I am concerned that this points to negative attitudes of law enforcement in Arlington towards bike commuters.

I attempted to explain my reasons for doing so, and that I was obeying VA law by “taking the lane” which discourages drivers from making unsafe passes. He refused to listen and interrupted me to make his “dangerous cyclists” remark. He let me go with a verbal warning, so I don’t have any documentation of his name or badge number. I was, frankly, shocked that he pulled me over and was so confrontational in berating me for just trying to get to work.

Several members of the WABA community have assured me I am legally in the right and suggested that I contact you about this incident and perhaps having something done about it. If I was legally wrong, I am happy to adjust my habits and find alternative routes to ride. However, I think this points to at least one instance of a police officer being overly disrespectful to a citizen and being misinformed on the laws for cyclists. With the increases in bike commuting in the DC area, I think it is important to eliminate prejudice against cyclists and to assure that law enforcement is properly trained on how to protect us, who are much more vulnerable than the several ton machines that we encounter daily.

Many thanks for your attention to this matter and I look forward to a response at your convenience.

[cyclingfool]

Interesting (and scary) sight this morning around 9:15 as I rode onto the 14th St Bridge this AM from the VA side. I’m in the separated bike lane, naturally, but there was a guy on a bicycle heading south in traffic!!! I only caught a quick glimpse of him because:

1) I wasn’t really expecting to see a cyclist there; and
2) It was right at the beginning of the bridge for me and I was just rounding the turn onto the bridge.

He appeared to be hugging the jersey wall/fence really tight and looked like he was to be getting onto the exit ramp towards GW Parkway. I can only assume that he got confused/lost trying to find the bike and ped infrastructure on the bridge, but still a bit shocking, scary, and odd all at once. Guy was in jeans, t-shirt or polo, and baseball cap. It looked like he had a Surly head tube badge on his bike. It was just a surreal sight for many reasons. Hope he made it off the road OK and that next time he finds the separated active transportation lane/path.

[ebubar]

@cyclingfool 62675 wrote:

Interesting (and scary) sight this morning around 9:15 as I rode onto the 14th St Bridge this AM from the VA side. I’m in the separated bike lane, naturally, but there was a guy on a bicycle heading south in traffic!!! I only caught a quick glimpse of him because:

1) I wasn’t really expecting to see a cyclist there; and
2) It was right at the beginning of the bridge for me and I was just rounding the turn onto the bridge.

He appeared to be hugging the jersey wall/fence really tight and looked like he was to be getting onto the exit ramp towards GW Parkway. I can only assume that he got confused/lost trying to find the bike and ped infrastructure on the bridge, but still a bit shocking, scary, and odd all at once. Guy was in jeans, t-shirt or polo, and baseball cap. It looked like he had a Surly head tube badge on his bike. It was just a surreal sight for many reasons. Hope he made it off the road OK and that next time he finds the separated active transportation lane/path.

Yikes! I know when I try a new route/area I end up spending a lot of time walking my bike around trying to find the right paths/connections. Hope this fellow learns to do that too!

[vvill]

@ebubar 62618 wrote:

I really don’t think I was in the wrong here. Its consistent with the REI cycling skills course I took (I think). Happily he just gave me a warning, but the comment “these roads are dangerous enough without you people on them” was uncalled for.

Unfortunately this reminds me of the one time I had to call Fairfax County Police, and the officer basically told me I shouldn’t be riding a bike and it was dangerous.

I take that road on Glebe semi-often and generally have had no issues, sorry you had that experience.

[dasgeh]

@ebubar 62674 wrote:

Thanks for this. My tentative “complaint” is attached. Having NEVER contacted these types of folks before, I hope its appropriate. I can’t think of any missing details…:

I am not a constituent of yours and don’t live in Arlington County, but some residents have suggested contacting you about my experience this morning.
[…]

Great letter. I would consider changing the opening to something like “I work in Arlington as an astrophsyics professor at Marymount.” You may not live in Arlington, but they care about Arlington employees too.

And thank you.

[baiskeli]

@Terpfan 62643 wrote:

I was showing a coworker the route in this morning from OT into our office and passed a jogger and a few feet later encountered one coming the opposite direction who said to us, “you need to yell your passes.” Of course, said jogger had his earphones in and didn’t hear my three loud rings for the jogger I had just passed or my coworker saying left as he passed the person. Kudos to my coworker for not missing a beat saying, “and you need to take your headphones out so you can actually hear us.”

Nicely done.

Some other possible responses:

“What? What?” (continue until he gets the point)

“I DID call my pass. Didn’t you hear? I wonder why not.”

[Subby]

That settles it. I am commuting in to DC up Glebe from now on. OH I WILL TAKE THE LANE, THANKS.

Please pull me over. I beg you.

[TwoWheelsDC]

What’s crazy is that ACPD escorts the Freshbikes ride down that section of Glebe every week and, from what I’ve seen, works very well with the shop and all the riders.

[ebubar]

@TwoWheelsDC 62701 wrote:

What’s crazy is that ACPD escorts the Freshbikes ride down that section of Glebe every week and, from what I’ve seen, works very well with the shop and all the riders.

I wonder if they take the lane? :p

[Tim Kelley]

I believe that Freshbikes pays quite handsomely for that kind of police coverage.

[Author]

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