Missed connection

[Geoff]

Me: riding north on the 15th street cycle track, just south of F St.
You: Pedestrian walking in the same direction, also on the cycle track, on the left side (so, the wrong lane, assuming there is a correct lane for a pedestrian in a cycle track).

I called my pass and then, since there was another cyclist bearing down on you from the opposite direction, politely suggested you should not be in the cycle track. You responded with “Thank you very much, @$$#0!3” and continued with other abuse about F’in bicyclists etc.

I was very glad not to be waiting at a red light with you. I was also pleased that you had the attention of about 4 cops riding bicycles.

[dasgeh]

You: commuter-looking type on a nice black Brompton FLYING down Rosslyn Hill behind me.
Me: commuter-looking type on a yellow Raleigh stopping as the light at Scott, as the light for Lee/the trail turned red and TWO cars were lined up to go.

I don’t want to see you smashed. I don’t want to see your bike smashed. You came very, very closed to being smashed by the cars that had just gotten green. If the first one hadn’t hesitated (probably because she saw me and thought a cyclist would blow through the “orange” light), you almost certainly would have been smashed. When you see the cyclist ahead of you slow down, slow down so you can assess the situation. If you see a RED LIGHT, slow down so you can stop if, you know, there are cars coming.

[jrenaut]

Me: Cyclist in the 15th St cycletrack in front of the Washington Post
You: Jaywalker leaping into the cycletrack from between two parked cars

Thanks for apologizing. Sorry my noisy brakes probably scared the crap out of you, but perhaps now you’ll remember that you did a really dumb thing and we’re both lucky I saw you in time.

[CaseyKane50]

@bobco85 90414 wrote:

To the 3 trash cans sitting in the new King Street bike lane (uphill segment) today: You know you’re not supposed to be there, but something tells me your owners didn’t seem to care about safety. Don’t worry, I moved you all to a safer spot over at the edge of the sidewalk so you won’t be blocking vehicular, cyclist, or pedestrian traffic.

In addition to keeping some of the parking on King Street, residents were also allowed to place their trash cans in the bike lane on trash days.

Thanks for moving them

[Terpfan]

@bobco85 90414 wrote:

To the 3 trash cans sitting in the new King Street bike lane (uphill segment) today: You know you’re not supposed to be there, but something tells me your owners didn’t seem to care about safety. Don’t worry, I moved you all to a safer spot over at the edge of the sidewalk so you won’t be blocking vehicular, cyclist, or pedestrian traffic.

Out of curiosity, was it those three houses in a row that also had the signs up during the whole debate?

[consularrider]

You: The intersection of George Mason Dr and Wilson Blvd
Me: Just a cyclist trying to cross Wilson and George Mason heading north from the Bluemont Trail.

Everyone was out to kill me! It started with the two pedestrians and their dog who couldn’t decide on how to get up the curb from the Wilson crosswalk who ended up with the dog’s leash across the entire curbcut. Then the driver of the car turning right on red from Wilson decided she did not need to look right after the pedestrians finally cleared the crosswalk in front of her. Then it was the driver of the landscape van who was turning left onto Wilson who couldn’t wait for me to finish crossing after resolving the issues with driver #1. Then it was the driver turning right on red from George Mason to Wilson after having come out of the McDonald’s parking lot. He couldn’t be bothered to look, or slow down, or stop eating his Egg McMuffin. :mad::confused::mad:

[jrenaut]

You: DCPD officer
Me: Cyclist in the PA Ave cycletrack

Look, Officer, you’re allowed to break traffic laws when necessary. But that means TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON before you u-turn through the cycletrack then make a right on red from the left turn lane.

[bobco85]

@Terpfan 90692 wrote:

Out of curiosity, was it those three houses in a row that also had the signs up during the whole debate?

I don’t think so. It was in front of one of the tall wooden privacy fences just southeast of Carlisle Dr.

[cyclingfool]

Missed connection #1 (negative)

You: The cyclist heading south on Crystal Avenue in the northbound bike lane headed right at me.
Me: Seriously?! There’s a southbound bike lane across the street. At least you pulled over the curb, stopped, and I think muttered “sorry” as I passed. I would have given you what for, but you wouldn’t have heard it through the earbuds you were wearing.

Missed connection #2 (positive)

You: A family of three (two adults and a young teenage child) all riding Surly LHTs completely loaded up for touring – we’re talking full-on Ortliebs (2 rear, 2 front, and a handlebar bag) – south on the MVT this AM past the airport.
Me: I like your style. I thought it was cool when I saw the mom, and then I saw the kid and the dad bringing up the rear, and I had a “holy $#!T that’s super awesome” moment. That’s what my life 10-12 years from now is like in my wildest dreams, and you all were actually doing it.

[Arlingtonrider]

I saw that family group too and called out a kudos to them and asked where they were from. The young son said Illinois!

[creadinger]

@cyclingfool 90711 wrote:

Missed connection #1 (negative)

You: The cyclist heading south on Crystal Avenue in the northbound bike lane headed right at me.
Me: Seriously?! There’s a southbound bike lane across the street. At least you pulled over the curb, stopped, and I think muttered “sorry” as I passed. I would have given you what for, but you wouldn’t have heard it through the earbuds you were wearing.

Does anyone even use those bike lanes? I always take the lane going through there. The lanes are too narrow northbound and you often have to deal with buses (city and commuter), and southbound they’re littered with parked cars, open doors, and pedestrians trying to jaywalk.

@cyclingfool 90711 wrote:

Missed connection #2 (positive)

You: A family of three (two adults and a young teenage child) all riding Surly LHTs completely loaded up for touring – we’re talking full-on Ortliebs (2 rear, 2 front, and a handlebar bag) – south on the MVT this AM past the airport.
Me: I like your style. I thought it was cool when I saw the mom, and then I saw the kid and the dad bringing up the rear, and I had a “holy $#!T that’s super awesome” moment. That’s what my life 10-12 years from now is like in my wildest dreams, and you all were actually doing it.

That’s awesome. I see heavy tourers sometimes and I want to get up the nerve to talk to them a little bit, but never do. I know if I was touring I wouldn’t mind some friendly conversation from locals, especially if they were going on my direction.

[cyclingfool]

@creadinger 90723 wrote:

Does anyone even use those bike lanes? I always take the lane going through there. The lanes are too narrow northbound and you often have to deal with buses (city and commuter), and southbound they’re littered with parked cars, open doors, and pedestrians trying to jaywalk.

I do when they’re clear of said obstacles, and today they were, and given the good gap ahead of me in traffic I could tell they were for a couple blocks, so I took them. I guess I just wasn’t expecting to see someone salmoning in my bike lane, which was made more difficult by the fact that a pack of cars was closing quickly from behind (mid-block and had hit the lights green so were moving full speed)

You are generally right about those bike lanes, though, and I gladly and regularly take the lane to avoid buses and delivery vehicles both north and southbound.

That’s awesome. I see heavy tourers sometimes and I want to get up the nerve to talk to them a little bit, but never do. I know if I was touring I wouldn’t mind some friendly conversation from locals, especially if they were going on my direction.

Yeah. I sometimes muster a thumbs-up, but I must be too much of an introvert to really engage them in conversation. That, and they always seem to be going the other way and stopping them to talk would be silly, me thinks. It’s one thing when you’re out in the middle of nowhere touring and see another cyclist. Then sure, stop and talk. But if you’re on the MVT at rush hour, you probably just want to get back to the middle of nowhere once you’ve passed the vistas of downtown DC.

[PeteD]

Me: The dumb guy riding around quiet shaded neighborhoods
You: Jay Miller

Who the hell are you? What did you do in life that made someone name such a nasty road after you?

[Geoff]

@PeteD 90765 wrote:

Me: The dumb guy riding around quiet shaded neighborhoods
You: Jay Miller

Who the hell are you? What did you do in life that made someone name such a nasty road after you?

I’m afraid you misunderstand, PeteD. I don’t know Jay Miller (the person) either, but if you see hills as the gift of a loving God who wants to help us observe Rule 5, Jay Miller is one of the best roads in the area!

[Harry Meatmotor]

@Geoff 90766 wrote:

I’m afraid you misunderstand, PeteD. I don’t know Jay Miller (the person) either, but if you see hills as the gift of a loving God who wants to help us observe Rule 5, Jay Miller is one of the best roads in the area!

I dunno – Whispering Ln is pretty fierce, too.

[Author]

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