Missed connection

[Drewdane]

@hozn 92629 wrote:

Brilliant. I love it when people do intervals on the MUPs. But the guy that was too out of breath to call his pass was likely getting the better workout.

Full Disclosure: I wouldn’t actually do an interval even if there was a vicious dog chasing me.

[baiskeli]

@Drewdane 92631 wrote:

Full Disclosure: I wouldn’t actually do an interval even if there was a vicious dog chasing me.

Sounds like any dog chasing you would have to pass you every once in a while and let you chase it.

[chris_s]

@Drewdane 92631 wrote:

Full Disclosure: I wouldn’t actually do an interval even if there was a vicious dog chasing me.

Full Disclosure: Intervals are a terrible escape strategy when being chased by a vicious dog.

[Emm]

WTF was up with the cyclists on the MVT by the airport this morning?!?!? I have never seen so many unsafe passes within a minute.

There were probably about 5 riders going up the bridge by the airport heading towards gravely point. This bridge includes a couple of curves with really bad sight lines for those who don’t ride it regularly. All of the bikes were about ~1 “cycle-length” behind the other. I came up to the end of this pack at the base of the hill. I think most of us wanted to pass the riders at the front since they were going slow, but recognized the bridge wasn’t a safe place to do this because of the limited sight lines. As I’m starting the hill, a guy passes me. At that moment, a cyclist comes the opposite way, so the passer has to fall back and cut into the line. Except there is no room for him to cut in, so he nearly hits me as he swerves right into my bike. I hit my brakes, curse, and watch as moments later he cuts back out, passes the guy in front of me, and the whole process is repeated since he still can’t see far enough ahead of him to safely pass and cyclists are coming the other direction at a steady rate. Moments later, a tandem bike comes by, and does the same thing. Which is even more terrifying because it’s much larger and going much faster. I hear some angry yelling as they cut back in between the riders at the front of the pack, almost knocking 2 cyclists into the side of the bridge.

On the way down the hill I see this repeated 2-3 more times, all with the people getting passed barely staying on the trail. At one point a cyclist kept passing, even though another cyclist was coming the opposite way and was ~10 feet away. I won’t repeat what the cyclist said as she narrowly avoided getting knocked into the highway by the cyclist who was in the dead center of her lane…all so he could pass another bike that wasn’t even going that slow.

All of this was added onto the fact I nearly got doored on commonwealth ave right as a truck was passing me, and was shoaled at every light on Jefferson Dr by significantly slower cyclists. Bleck. Today was just not a good morning for being on a bike. While on Jefferson Ave I seriously considered turning around, biking home, and going back to bed.

[cyclingfool]

Bummer, emm. I agree there’s been more than enough boneheaded passing going on on the MVT lately. I was subjected to three or four stupid passes between the GP parking lot and the first airport bridge heading south last night. I was tucked in a few bike lengths behind a slower rider last night, not passing her because of all the blind curves and dips there and the high speed of cyclists coming down off the overpasses (especially with the tailwind NB cyclists had last night). Both I and the rider in front of me had to shake our heads in disbelief more than a couple times. There are more than enough idiots to go around…

[KLizotte]

That’s why I avoid the MVT; instead, I bypass it by using Commonwealth, S Eads, various roads in Pentagon City, and the Pentagon Reservation. 😮

[dkel]

The downside: Baron Carbon von Shoaler really aggravated me at the light. The track stand he did after pulling up ahead of me was over the top.

The upside: after I got tired of being stuck behind him, I passed, and it must have aggravated him, because he got back ahead of me and put on some speed. I still caught him at the next hill, but didn’t dare leapfrog him, because I was busting it to keep up. Thanks for the workout! It was awesome. My average speed was way up.

The first moral: don’t assume I’m slow, and don’t dilly dally after you pass me.

The second moral: I must look like a total putz on my bike.

[DismalScientist]

If you insist in engaging in challenging the crabon poseurs, it’s much more effective when wearing civilian clothing. Khakis forever!

[dkel]

@DismalScientist 92648 wrote:

If you insist in engaging in challenging the crabon poseurs, it’s much more effective when wearing civilian clothing. Khakis forever!

It wasn’t a challenge, I just wanted to go faster! I’m naturally deferential, but after a mile or so, I just had to make a move. I guess it is a challenge, though, especially to poseurs. I did secretly admire the track stands, though. You know what else I admire: your khakis, Dismal! Especially how you roll up that right cuff hillbilly-style! 😎

[DSalovesh]

Apologies first, to the fully lycra-fied rider who was apparently drafting me when I had to slam on my brakes Thursday AM between Gravely Point and the bridges. I tried to catch up and be cool but … that wasn’t happening.

Here’s why I stopped so suddenly:

Coming north past the runways and parking I noticed I had picked up a tail. I was enjoying the beautiful morning on my most civilized bike, which was pretty well loaded because Thursday is “clothes exchange and farmer’s market” day, so I wasn’t blazing up the path, and the two riders behind kept a respectful distance through the turns. I could hear the conversation, all about how awesome your bike was and how you had already customized everything possible to the point where there was nothing left to upgrade. I couldn’t wait to be passed so I could take a look.

I was suitably impressed at the Pinarello / DuraAce setup, but didn’t really have time to appreciate it as you sprinted on. Thanks to bike and other path traffic your buddy had to hang back for a bit, but by the time we got to the river he managed to pass as well and you resumed riding two across and talking about your nice bike. I decided to push just a little to eavesdrop, so you never really got too far ahead. Just a little.

Good thing too, because somewhere in the middle of the straightaway I heard something fall. I eased off, and watched your cell phone bounce a bit and then skid along the trail. THAT’S when I slammed on my brakes and faded to the right – your phone seemed to be coming right at me! And THAT’S when I noticed the third following bike, because I heard him yell “SHIT!” (or was it “FUCK!”?) as he nearly clipped me from behind.

I skidded to a stop, with your phone half a foot in front of me and exactly in line with my pedals. Had I miscalculated, I probably still wouldn’t have hit it, but there I was, standing just next to it. Heard your buddy ask what that was as you turned back to retrieve it, then I rode on to try to catch the former wheelsucker. The last I heard you were complaining that your stupid bar mount was a piece of crap, and this was the second one that had failed on you.

So I guess there is one thing you could upgrade… (And if your phone broke, I have one on Sprint I need to sell!)

[baiskeli]

@KLizotte 92640 wrote:

That’s why I avoid the MVT; instead, I bypass it by using Commonwealth, S Eads, various roads in Pentagon City, and the Pentagon Reservation. 😮

Did I see you getting on the connector from Crystal City to the MVT this afternoon at the waterfall park?

[jrenaut]

You: Illegal u-turn on 14th heading NB not 100 feet before A CIRCLE. You know, it’s a traffic pattern where you go AROUND IN A CIRCLE and can easily and legally make a u-turn. Then you went slowly enough down 14th that I almost passed you (a sure sign that something dumb/illegal/both is coming up). Then you decide to turn right on K from the center lane in front of a bus. If that wasn’t bad enough, you decided to ignore and almost run down the DDOT traffic control officer who directed you to go straight.

I’ve never actually heard one of those traffic control officers yell before. Just underscores my feeling that anyone directing traffic should be a uniformed police officer who can ticket for dangerous driving like that.

[Subby]

Wheeeeeeee!

[DismalScientist]

My guess is that he completely misjudged your speed. He’s thinking, “Hmm… bicycle–15mph.” You are thinking, “Lee Highway, just east of Veitch–35 mph.”
(This does not excuse his behavior.) I take that section full speed, right down the middle of the right lane. After all, I’m probably only 5 mph lower than the speed limit.

[ShawnoftheDread]

My guess is he’s just a complete asshole. It’d be a shame if something, umm, *happened* to that nice car once a cyclist caught up to him in traffic.

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