Missed connection

[brendan]

@slowtriguy 80807 wrote:

Me: Riding WB in my lane, thinking “Don’t pass now, don’t make that pass, no no no.”

Especially in that section, with the wall so close to, and sometimes impinging on, the trail.

[dbb]

About 1715 this evening while waiting for the light to change at 15th and Maine, traffic parted for a DC Fire and EMS ambulance heading west on Maine. The ambulance had red lights and siren going, the driver was maneuvering around cars, and the driver was holding a cell phone to his ear. WTF?

[dbb]

Me: Cyclist trying to use the bike lane in Crystal City south of 23d Street

You: FedEx driver (truck 227504, DC tag C 74402) who couldn’t be inconvenienced by parking in the curb lane.

Next time, please be inconvenienced! I’d expect cyclists and motorists would appreciate your efforts.

[Terpfan]

I should relay a good MPD story. Last week my wife told me about how she was in cab near Eastern Market. Evidently he cut off a cyclist. She couldn’t really see, but halfway down the block she found out as an MPD officer also on a bike pulled the cab over and reamed him a new one. The two downsides to the story are the cabbie got a warning and that the MPD bike cop rode off on the sidewalk of PA Ave.

[rpiretti]

To the fellow I directed to “get off my wheel” last evening. Sorry guy, but you were a little too reckless. I’d advise not playing leapfrog on the trail too.

[Steve O]

Me – Crossing Lynn St. after being #2144 on the Bike-o-meter
You – Black luxury car turning right off the I-66 ramp from the 3rd lane over (yes, the straight only lane)
Me – Stopping in front of you, blocking your path and “politely” pointing out that you are turning illegally (politely = 85 decibels and a word that rhymes with glass bowl)

Me afterward – Wishing I had actually forced you to go straight up Lee Highway as punishment. Not sure if I could have pulled this off.

[jrenaut]

The dumb drivers were out in force this morning. One black BMW turned left in front of me, only to find she couldn’t complete her turn due to pedestrians, and I locked up the back wheel. One woman decided she didn’t have to check the bike lane before she tried to turn through it. Luckily someone (me) was paying attention. A cab honked at me because I guess he really didn’t want to yield when driving through the bike lane?

It was a glorious morning to be on a bike, though.

And yesterday:
You: Montano’s Transportation bus driver in the left-only lane NB 7th NW at PA Ave
Me: The cyclist in front of you stopping for the red light
I’m sorry you were in the wrong lane, but honking at me for obeying traffic laws then buzzing me to go straight from the turn-only lane was not that cool.

[Drewdane]

Okay WOD Speed Demons: I know I’m not the fastest rider in the world, and I don’t blame you for wanting to rid yourself of the sight of my rear end ASAP, but do try to remember it’s (attempting to become) spring now, and the paths are crowded. Please take a few seconds to wait for an opening to safely pass me!

[Geoff]

Situation #1
Me: heading west on Custis, just starting up the first of the Sister Hills.
You: Blasted right past me.

I was impressed! Not many people can climb at that speed. But you might have called the pass.

Situation #2, seconds after #1
Me: Digging in, really starting to work.
You: Tried to pass, pulled alongside, couldn’t quite do it. Muttered something at me about “You shouldn’t speed up when someone is passing.”

I had to think about this. I was doing what I always do at that point, attack the hill for all I’m worth. If he thought he could pass and couldn’t pull it off, I figured that was his concern. But I can see that (a) he probably thought I was being a prideful jerk who simply didn’t want to let him by, and (b) the situation was potentially unsafe. Side by side on a hill? What if someone flying down towards us had come a little too close to our lane? Results would have been ugly. Should I have backed down? Should he have backed down (sooner)? Don’t know.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Geoff 81306 wrote:

Situation #1
Me: heading west on Custis, just starting up the first of the Sister Hills.
You: Blasted right past me.

I was impressed! Not many people can climb at that speed. But you might have called the pass.

Situation #2, seconds after #1
Me: Digging in, really starting to work.
You: Tried to pass, pulled alongside, couldn’t quite do it. Muttered something at me about “You shouldn’t speed up when someone is passing.”

I had to think about this. I was doing what I always do at that point, attack the hill for all I’m worth. If he thought he could pass and couldn’t pull it off, I figured that was his concern. But I can see that (a) he probably thought I was being a prideful jerk who simply didn’t want to let him by, and (b) the situation was potentially unsafe. Side by side on a hill? What if someone flying down towards us had come a little too close to our lane? Results would have been ugly. Should I have backed down? Should he have backed down (sooner)? Don’t know.

Are you sure he didn’t call it? It’s pretty loud right there.

The onus is on the passer to make the pass or back off. The passee’s obligation is just to hold his line. Passer must have thought he was in a triathlon.

[Geoff]

@ShawnoftheDread 81309 wrote:

Are you sure he didn’t call it?

No, I can’t be sure he didn’t call it. To be honest, I’m not always sure I call out my own passes loud enough to be heard.

[DismalScientist]

@Geoff 81306 wrote:

Situation #1
Me: heading west on Custis, just starting up the first of the Sister Hills.
You: Blasted right past me.

I was impressed! Not many people can climb at that speed. But you might have called the pass.

Situation #2, seconds after #1
Me: Digging in, really starting to work.
You: Tried to pass, pulled alongside, couldn’t quite do it. Muttered something at me about “You shouldn’t speed up when someone is passing.”

I had to think about this. I was doing what I always do at that point, attack the hill for all I’m worth. If he thought he could pass and couldn’t pull it off, I figured that was his concern. But I can see that (a) he probably thought I was being a prideful jerk who simply didn’t want to let him by, and (b) the situation was potentially unsafe. Side by side on a hill? What if someone flying down towards us had come a little too close to our lane? Results would have been ugly. Should I have backed down? Should he have backed down (sooner)? Don’t know.

Attacking hills is not uncommon behavior and the passer should be prepared for such situations. The passer should wait so that he has a sufficient field of view that he can complete his pass safely. You are under no obligation to slow to make his pass easier (although I might do so if there were oncoming traffic).

[baiskeli]

News Release
For Immediate Release

Hey, news crew shooting that perfect shot of the Capitol from the bike lane on Pennsylvania Avenue: I’m headed toward you.

-30-

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5073[/ATTACH]

[dkel]

@DismalScientist 81323 wrote:

The passer should wait so that he has a sufficient field of view that he can complete his pass safely. You are under no obligation to slow to make his pass easier (although I might do so if there were oncoming traffic).

I remember this one from drivers ed. You can’t afford to second-guess the person passing you in two-way traffic. Hold your line; hold your speed: if the person passing can’t make the pass as oncoming traffic closes, that person needs to be able to bail out and fall in behind you without you slowing down at the same time and preventing them from being able to get out of the oncoming traffic lane.

[DismalScientist]

I said I might slow down, and that would be if the passer is a little ahead of me when the opposing traffic appears. If he’s slightly behind me, he better slow. Fortunately, its easier for bikes to go three abreast on a trail than cars on a two-lane road (without shoulders).

[Author]

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