Missed connection

[nikki_d]

To the a$$clown driving the BMW at 11th & K NW- of course you didn’t see me coming through the intersection. You had crawled much too far up the tail of the truck in front of you that had decided to cut me off and menace the pedestrians in the crosswalk. I am not sure why you think that means you get to curse me out and demand I yield to your turn. That is not how this works, jerky. When you can’t see the traffic approach the intersection you are turning through, you are doing it wrong. You have a nice day too f@$%er.

[dasgeh]

@bobco85 63140 wrote:

but you ended up moving forward into the intersection (thus blocking the box which you previously tried to avoid) instead of going in reverse (you had space).

In my experience, the cars in this area are not equipped with a reverse gear, or it becomes disabled in the face of a cyclist or pedestrian. I get that sometimes, you’ve got to pull into a crosswalk/sidewalk to see whether it’s safe. What I don’t get is why you don’t just back up when someone comes who’s trying to use that crosswalk/sidewalk. Ugh.

[rcannon100]

Will someone please add an entry to our lexicon for “a$$clown” And yes, I think Nikki wins the prize for the correct spelling.

[consularrider]

@dasgeh 63191 wrote:

In my experience, the cars in this area are not equipped with a reverse gear, or it becomes disabled in the face of a cyclist or pedestrian. I get that sometimes, you’ve got to pull into a crosswalk/sidewalk to see whether it’s safe. What I don’t get is why you don’t just back up when someone comes who’s trying to use that crosswalk/sidewalk. Ugh.

But this morning there was a gentleman caught across the southeastern crosswalk a the Lynn/Lee intersection of doom trying to get to Key Bridge. The car in front of him moved forward after the light turned red and I got my walk light. The driver looked sheepish and was able to back up enough to clear at least half of the crosswalk, as you noted, something you rarely see.

That compares with the young lady trying to turn right on red (into heavy traffic) from S 8th St to George Mason. I had made the mistake of riding the sidewalk from the George Schultz NFATC driveway downhill. I couldn’t get across George Mason with the heavy traffic and figured I could use the light at S 8th. This driver never looked left once, taking no notice of my oral complaints or gestures, then she finally got a break in the George Mason traffic when my walk light had about 2 seconds left on it.

[jrenaut]

When a driver is ignoring your right of way, I find a firm open-handed smack to the hood or fender is very effective.

[jabberwocky]

@jrenaut 63206 wrote:

When a driver is ignoring your right of way, I find a firm open-handed smack to the hood or fender is very effective.

I prefer to kick; I can generate more force and its easier to keep the bike under control at speed with a foot unclipped than it is with only one hand on the bars.

[jrenaut]

@jabberwocky 63210 wrote:

I prefer to kick; I can generate more force and its easier to keep the bike under control at speed with a foot unclipped than it is with only one hand on the bars.

Perhaps more effective, but more likely to a)enrage the driver and b)damage the car.

[consularrider]

@jrenaut 63211 wrote:

Perhaps more effective, but more likely to a)enrage the driver and b)damage the car.

Plus I didn’t really want to go straight through the crosswalk, just wanted the driver to look and see that she could have killed someone. :rolleyes:

[jabberwocky]

@jrenaut 63211 wrote:

Perhaps more effective, but more likely to a)enrage the driver and b)damage the car.

a), I don’t care, and b), I still don’t care. Pretty much the only time I do this is on the place on my commute where I’m going 30+mph downhill, keeping up with traffic and cars have this tendency to try and “pass” (which in this case means pull even with me and then cut over, shoving me into the woods at high speed).

[jrenaut]

@jabberwocky 63216 wrote:

a), I don’t care, and b), I still don’t care. Pretty much the only time I do this is on the place on my commute where I’m going 30+mph downhill, keeping up with traffic and cars have this tendency to try and “pass” (which in this case means pull even with me and then cut over, shoving me into the woods at high speed).

A lot of otherwise ill-advised actions can be forgiven if your life is in danger.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Saw a driver blow through the TR parking lot today and almost drive up the bridge to TR island. Seemed as though she saw the curb at the last second and stopped just short of hitting it.

[baiskeli]

@jrenaut 63029 wrote:

Oh, one of the intersections without the bricks in the cycletrack.

I agree that PA needs pedestrian refuge. What it does not need is bricks that clearly are meant to be that refuge but are now directly in the cycletrack.

Yeah, that’s part of the problem – the track took over part of the refuge. Many pedestrians stand on it and don’t realize they’re in the cycletrack. It needs to be fixed.

[baiskeli]

@bikeeveryday 63042 wrote:

You: Jogger on the CCT between Conn. Ave. and E-W Highway this morning running toward Bethesda. In the right lane, wearing a highly visible white t-shirt, and NOT wearing headphones.

Me: Cyclist passing you in the left lane without providing audible warning.

You: “Please provide an audible warning when you pass.”

Me: “Sorry, …… but I had plenty of clearance…”

You: “That doesn’t matter!”

Me: After thinking about it… He’s right.

I don’t think he’s necessarily right. He may see plenty of clearance, but what if you’re about to swerve into his path for some reason, like avoiding a pothole? Best to just call a pass just in case – that’s why it’s done.

[mstone]

@baiskeli 63332 wrote:

I don’t think he’s necessarily right. He may see plenty of clearance, but what if you’re about to swerve into his path for some reason, like avoiding a pothole? Best to just call a pass just in case – that’s why it’s done.

I think you mis read it.

[cyclingfool]

Near Gravelly Point around 9:15 this morning on my morning commute…passed a 50 or 60 something year old man riding a hybrid wearing blue jeans and a bright orange hi-vis vest. He had big mirrors mounted to each end if his riser bars and a sticker on the back of his helmet – something about cycling safely (an advocacy sort of sticker). Funny thing was he had earbuds in which appeared to be connected to a something in a discman-style case attached to his belt. I’m assuming it was a discman. Anyway, he didn’t do anything a$$clownish, but:

1. If you’re going to be all hi-vis and safety advocate type, don’t ride with earbuds in. Doesn’t fit.

2. Discman? Wow… I haven’t seen one of those other than in a thrift store for years!

[Author]

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