Missed connection

[ERandall]

Missed connection to everyone riding W&OD/Mt Vernon – sorry for my squealing/squeaky front brake

Will get around to mending eventually

[chris_s]

@Guus 66050 wrote:

Makes me pretty nervous about using that intersection again, especially since the bike lane is interrupted in a strange way when driving next to Washington-Lee. I suppose it is to make room for the car turn-lane but it makes for a dangerous bike ride since you’re forced into accelerating traffic all of a sudden.

I DESPISE that sharrow. Quincy is so nice otherwise.

[dasgeh]

@guga31bb 66063 wrote:

For what it’s worth I stayed around to talk to the police once they showed up — the officer thanked me for sticking around and asked me to email him my video (which I did).

But I agree that that intersection is not very fun.

Oh, right, there was a collision, so the police know about it. Thanks for sticking around to let them know.

@Guus 66066 wrote:

I just called, and they said that they need a license plate to record incidents like this. Maybe I should get a camera…

UGH! We’ve been told you can just report a dangerous intersection. Time to email ACPD…..

[Terpfan]

Ok NPS, I’m here to give you a friendly warning about the Dyke Marsh magical trolls. These trolls consider themselves kinfolk to cyclists. They don’t appreciate you blockading access to the the whopping four parking spaces across from Tulane Drive on the GWP, but tolerate it if their biking pals can fit through. Why? Because it makes their cycling kinfolk have to cross the GWMP extra slow since you didn’t even leave enough room for a bicycle to squeeze through. Not too surprisingly, these trolls made room in your tied-together barriers to allow bikes to pass. Let’s save the trolls the effort and leave more than four inches of space.

[MattAune]

@Terpfan 66158 wrote:

Ok NPS, I’m here to give you a friendly warning about the Dyke Marsh magical trolls. These trolls consider themselves kinfolk to cyclists. They don’t appreciate you blockading access to the the whopping four parking spaces across from Tulane Drive on the GWP, but tolerate it if their biking pals can fit through. Why? Because it makes their cycling kinfolk have to cross the GWMP extra slow since you didn’t even leave enough room for a bicycle to squeeze through. Not too surprisingly, these trolls made room in your tied-together barriers to allow bikes to pass. Let’s save the trolls the effort and leave more than four inches of space.

I am extremely disappointing at the overly vindictive actions of the NPS. In my months of commuting by bicycle, and training in and around DC/Hains Point I can count on one hand the number of NPS police vehicles I have seen. Yet, once the government “shuts down” I suddenly see NPS vehicles everywhere. They have spent more man hours in one week trying to close every parking lot and trail than they have spent in the last 5 years of leaving them open.

I understand suspending tours, and closing the museums, things that have actual operational costs. Fencing off the Lincoln memorial, barricading Ohio Dr. to vehicular traffic, and closing parking lots is just complete and utter bullshit.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@MattAune 66163 wrote:

I am extremely disappointing at the overly vindictive actions of the NPS. In my months of commuting by bicycle, and training in and around DC/Hains Point I can count on one hand the number of NPS police vehicles I have seen. Yet, once the government “shuts down” I suddenly see NPS vehicles everywhere. They have spent more man hours in one week trying to close every parking lot and trail than they have spent in the last 5 years of leaving them open.

I understand suspending tours, and closing the museums, things that have actual operational costs. Fencing off the Lincoln memorial, barricading Ohio Dr. to vehicular traffic, and closing parking lots is just complete and utter bullshit.

What I find frustrating is that T/W/Th of last week, it WAS very open around the Mall…in fact, I passed a group of about 4(!) NPP motorcycle cops just hanging out at the north end of Ohio Drive and asked if I could ride through and they didn’t care…and the barriers on Ohio were placed in such a way to allow cyclists easy access. But Friday, I started seeing more tape, and cones popping up in the space between barriers, and yesterday was just ridiculous. The worst was the tape between the bollards on the south side of the Lincoln where most bikes get through. Like you said, it seemed vindictive.

[jrenaut]

You: Three guys in CaBi gear obviously out servicing bikes
Me: Watching you run lights and ride like clueless tourists

Don’t do that. When you wear CaBi gear, you are, like it or not, a brand ambassador. Ride accordingly.

[dasgeh]

@TwoWheelsDC 66167 wrote:

What I find frustrating is that T/W/Th of last week, it WAS very open around the Mall…in fact, I passed a group of about 4(!) NPP motorcycle cops just hanging out at the north end of Ohio Drive and asked if I could ride through and they didn’t care…and the barriers on Ohio were placed in such a way to allow cyclists easy access. But Friday, I started seeing more tape, and cones popping up in the space between barriers, and yesterday was just ridiculous. The worst was the tape between the bollards on the south side of the Lincoln where most bikes get through. Like you said, it seemed vindictive.

I seriously wouldn’t mind if they also closed the GWMP. Still not sure what the justification is for leaving it open…

[mstone]

@dasgeh 66177 wrote:

I seriously wouldn’t mind if they also closed the GWMP. Still not sure what the justification is for leaving it open…

It’s the washington monument syndrome. See, NPS doesn’t care about anything except inconveniencing as many people as possible. Wait, never mind.

[aflapr]

@hozn 65729 wrote:

Is that the guy that wears 80s-style radio headphones? I see him most (every?) morning closer to 495 overpass. It has been interesting to see the shirt (de)volve.

I’m pretty sure that’s the same guy. He’s usually out there both in the morning and in the afternoon on that stretch between the Beltway overpass and Gallows.

[baiskeli]

@MattAune 66163 wrote:

I am extremely disappointing at the overly vindictive actions of the NPS. In my months of commuting by bicycle, and training in and around DC/Hains Point I can count on one hand the number of NPS police vehicles I have seen. Yet, once the government “shuts down” I suddenly see NPS vehicles everywhere. They have spent more man hours in one week trying to close every parking lot and trail than they have spent in the last 5 years of leaving them open.

I understand suspending tours, and closing the museums, things that have actual operational costs. Fencing off the Lincoln memorial, barricading Ohio Dr. to vehicular traffic, and closing parking lots is just complete and utter bullshit.

They still have operational costs. NPS must provide services – security, trash removal, etc. – when they let people use these facilities. If anything, they should probably shut even more of their jurisdiction down, like the trails or the GW Parkway. That would really reflect the impact.

[Terpfan]

@baiskeli 66204 wrote:

They still have operational costs. NPS must provide services – security, trash removal, etc. – when they let people use these facilities. If anything, they should probably shut even more of their jurisdiction down, like the trails or the GW Parkway. That would really reflect the impact.

The easier solution appears to be posting that people use the trail at their own risk and noting that due to the shutdown, operation costs such as trash removal, trail repairs, and security are extremely limited or non-existent. But that wouldn’t further the political agenda portion of it all. I get saying they’re closed. I get even physician closing those it’s easy to close, but I really think they’ve gone above and beyond their closure duties.

[baiskeli]

@Terpfan 66205 wrote:

The easier solution appears to be posting that people use the trail at their own risk and noting that due to the shutdown, operation costs such as trash removal, trail repairs, and security are extremely limited or non-existent.

So we let trash pile up? And then the rats? And we let people get lost or injured just because of a few signs?

But that wouldn’t further the political agenda portion of it all.

If it were a political agenda driving this, they’d shut down the whole trail and the GW Parkway too. (I wish they would.)

[MattAune]

@baiskeli 66206 wrote:

If it were a political agenda driving this, they’d shut down the whole trail and the GW Parkway too. (I wish they would.)

It sure seems like a political agenda to me.
http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/02/monuments-and-memorials-remained-open-during-previous-shutdown/

The NPS is clearly pissed at having to furlough their empoyees, and rightfully so, but taking out on the american taxpayer and tourists is going to far IMO.

[jhr]

@MattAune 66207 wrote:

It sure seems like a political agenda to me.
http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/02/monuments-and-memorials-remained-open-during-previous-shutdown/

The NPS is clearly pissed at having to furlough their empoyees, and rightfully so, but taking out on the american taxpayer and tourists is going to far IMO.

Is that page really correct, though? Searching for news articles from 1995 I found:

Quote:

U.S. PARKS, OFFICES ARE PADLOCKED NO END IN SIGHT TO THE BUDGET STANDOFF
They locked up the Lincoln Memorial again and shut down Biscayne National Park as the budget deadlock between President Clinton and the Republican Congress went on Monday, with no sign that it will end soon.

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4D2FDB76835BA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

So, even though the Daily Caller links to an article talking about people being able to go into the Lincoln Memorial, I’m guessing it was actually like the current situation with the parks technically closed and blocked off, but with it being possible to walk around the barriers at some points.

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