Missed connection

[lordofthemark]

Oh dear, I guess this is one for the bucket list. Good news, no collision (not even a fall) and no physical violence. Still about the most troubling interaction with a motorist I have had.

I was proceeding eastbound in the Eye Street Bike lane in SW DC, my usual commute route, and had stopped at the intersection of Eye and South Cap. There were vehicles to my left, in the general travel lane, who could either proceed straight or turn left. There was a vehicle to my right, in the RIGHT TURN ONLY lane. He was positioned a bit left, but I assumed he would properly turn right. Or, if he was going to do what happens about one time in twenty and violate the law by proceeding through, would wait till I was clear. Well when the light turns and i proceed straight he stays close to my right, signalling a left, it seemed like maybe he expected me to yield to him or something. Of course I continued straight on through, and made some kind of shrugging motion (I did not give anyone the finger, of course) which I tend to do at obviously scofflaw drivers (and sometimes cyclists).

He proceeded through the intersection (illegally) and then caught up to me on Eye SE (past where I had had to take the general travel due to construction) slowed down, rolled his window down and said something I could not make out. I told him (perhaps loudly) that that was a right turn only lane and that he had broken the law. I then proceeded, stopping at NJ, for the stop sign and all the construction activity . He stopped got out of his car and said more things I could not quite make out. He was a good bit larger than me and appeared to be trying to be physically intimidating, though there were numerous pedestrians around. I tried to be restrained and merely repeated that he had broken the law, and inquired if he wanted to talk to a police officer. He went back to his car, I got back onto NJ (from the sidewalk, and he followed me a bit close before turning off onto K Street SE. I managed to get his license (yes, Maryland).

Is there a website I can go to report this?

[DrP]

Me: Cyclist foot-down stopped at stop line on Fairfax at Harrison.

You: Giant SUV heading northbound on Harrison deciding to turn left onto Fairfax, clearly believing that Fairfax was one way and you wanted to be in the right lane. Coming straight at me.

Me: “WHAT THE F(*@($^$ ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!?!”

You: Deigning to slow down and move ever so slightly to the right, after hearing me through your solid vehicle with closed windows.

Me: Trying to shuffle sideways with the bike and manage to make a couple of inches clearance for you and your giant metal box.

You: Look at me like I were a speck of dirt.

Me: Continuing to yell questions and profanity as you drove quickly down Fairfax.

I curse you. I hope that your blindness becomes complete so that they remove your driver’s license from you permanently. And someone knives your tires every day until then. And you realize that you are not the only person on the planet.

[notmarian]

Me: lady rider out for a relaxing ride on Four Mile Run and MVT through Old Town before the rain on a Sunday morning.

You: overweight Caucasian middle aged male squeezed into a bib on a fancy road bike who buzzed me first just past the Shirlington Rd. crossing without calling the pass, then encountered me again northbound on the on-road section of MVT coming up from Old Town, where you proceeded to unleash a slew of profanity on me. I was taking the lane instead of risking the door lane, and slowing for 4 way stops behind a white Suburban, and apparently this was my crime against you that entitled you to calling me a “f’ing a-hole” and what sounded a lot like “f’ing c-word” (But may also have been punk, I was mainly trying not to listen to you). My response: “I’m sorry, I’m not the one screaming at strangers on the trail.” I hope your fragile masculinity keeps you warm at night.

This is the sort of harassment that makes it hard for me to tell my girlfriends that bike commuting is a better way to go than dealing with creeps on the metro. This was unusual, but I get followed pretty frequently (have had one come all the way up to my house, and I was close to calling the cops but my neighbors also helped shoo the guy onwards), and a decent amount of run-of-mill catcalling or “friendliness.” It’s just tiring sometimes, and while I’ve met a LOT of great fellow commuters and gotten help on a couple occasions, it’s also pretty intimidating to encounter stuff like this.

[msalemme]

@lordofthemark 135132 wrote:

Is there a website I can go to report this?

I’m sorry to hear about this. You can use http://closecalldatabase.com to report incidents like this.

[trailrunner]

I had a close call Friday afternoon on the way home from work. I was waiting patiently for the green light to cross John J Kingman road, standing on the shoulder out of the travel lines. I usually get stopped at this light, and while I’m there, it’s pretty common for cars from the Fairfax County Parkway behind me to my left to turn right onto Kingman, passing in front of me, and most cars do this politely and without issue.

But on Friday, I looked over my left shoulder and saw a car rolling slowly, directly towards me while I’m standing on the shoulder. I tried to point out (with my fingers) that the travel lanes were over there — in front of me, but me kept coming right at me. As he got closer, he rolled down his passenger-side window. At this point I thought maybe he’s lost and needs to ask directions. But then he asks me “how am I supposed to make a right turn?” I told him again that the road was over there, not where I was, and he then proceeded to tell me that I was acting like a b*tthole and some other gibberish as he drove away.

[DCAKen]

@notmarian 135301 wrote:

Me: lady rider out for a relaxing ride on Four Mile Run and MVT through Old Town before the rain on a Sunday morning.

You: overweight Caucasian middle aged male squeezed into a bib on a fancy road bike who buzzed me first just past the Shirlington Rd. crossing without calling the pass, then encountered me again northbound on the on-road section of MVT coming up from Old Town, where you proceeded to unleash a slew of profanity on me. I was taking the lane instead of risking the door lane, and slowing for 4 way stops behind a white Suburban, and apparently this was my crime against you that entitled you to calling me a “f’ing a-hole” and what sounded a lot like “f’ing c-word” (But may also have been punk, I was mainly trying not to listen to you). My response: “I’m sorry, I’m not the one screaming at strangers on the trail.” I hope your fragile masculinity keeps you warm at night.

This is the sort of harassment that makes it hard for me to tell my girlfriends that bike commuting is a better way to go than dealing with creeps on the metro. This was unusual, but I get followed pretty frequently (have had one come all the way up to my house, and I was close to calling the cops but my neighbors also helped shoo the guy onwards), and a decent amount of run-of-mill catcalling or “friendliness.” It’s just tiring sometimes, and while I’ve met a LOT of great fellow commuters and gotten help on a couple occasions, it’s also pretty intimidating to encounter stuff like this.

By chance was this rider wearing tights with yellow accents at the bottom? If so, he was unhappy with me as I stopped for the signs on Union Street. He rang his bell as he rode up behind me at the first stop sign and as he sped on by, seemed to be muttering something over his shoulder at me. I just smiled and complemented him on his stopping abilities.

[consularrider]

@DCAKen 135331 wrote:

By chance was this rider wearing tights with yellow accents at the bottom? If so, he was unhappy with me as I stopped for the signs on Union Street. He rang his bell as he rode up behind me at the first stop sign and as he sped on by, seemed to be muttering something over his shoulder at me. I just smiled and complemented him on his stopping abilities.

From notmarian’s description I would doubt her tormenter would stoop to add a bell to his bike.

[notmarian]

@DCAKen 135331 wrote:

By chance was this rider wearing tights with yellow accents at the bottom? If so, he was unhappy with me as I stopped for the signs on Union Street. He rang his bell as he rode up behind me at the first stop sign and as he sped on by, seemed to be muttering something over his shoulder at me. I just smiled and complemented him on his stopping abilities.

He was! I had no idea he had a bell–he sure didn’t employ it either time he passed me, nor did he seem to use it to warn anyone for the time I was behind him on Four Mile.

Hey, at least it wasn’t just me.

[DrP]

@notmarian 135360 wrote:

He was! I had no idea he had a bell–he sure didn’t employ it either time he passed me, nor did he seem to use it to warn anyone for the time I was behind him on Four Mile.

Hey, at least it wasn’t just me.

There was someone dressed like this that passed me and my friend twice between north of old town (where the two MVT trails merge) and the beginning of 4MR (he was fixing something on his bike when we passed him in between the two times, but he very quickly got on his bike as we passed so that he could pass us again). This was sometime between 10:30 and 11am yesterday. He didn’t announce his pass and seemed annoyed at everything, but that was a sense from him. I do not recall words from him, but something emanated from him (growls, grunts, psychic vibes) that was not happy – as well as the need to not be passed. Perhaps he was having an absolutely awful day and was taking it out on anyone and everyone?

[Tania]

First missed connection:

6:20am-ish heading east on the Custis at Oak Street, almost t-boned a cab who didn’t bother to stop at the crosswalk or look to the right when making a right turn onto Lee from Oak against the light and without coming to a full stop (I had the green and the little bike signal). I don’t think he even saw me although his passenger sure did. If I’d been a second faster, it wouldn’t have been a “missed” connection.

Second incident:
Around 6:30am in Georgetown:

Me: I’m in the middle lane of M Street as some cars are still parked in the far right lane.

You: dark SUV crossover type vehicle VA plates VGV 4235/4325 who decided to honk repeatedly and pass within a foot of me (your passenger mirror almost clipped me). Seriously dude? There’s NO other traffic, the lane to your left was open and you could have easily switched lanes (or, you know, moved over even just a few feet) to go around me. I was just thinking too “I should probably – pothole! – move over and make sure I’m – gah! pothole! – smack dab in the middle of the lane.” I almost switched back to the TR bridge this am since it’s now light enough that the glare of oncoming cars along GW Parkway won’t bother my old lady eyes.

[huskerdont]

@Tania 136237 wrote:

First missed connection:

6:20am-ish heading east on the Custis at Oak Street, almost t-boned a cab who didn’t bother to stop at the crosswalk or look to the right when making a right turn onto Lee from Oak against the light and without coming to a full stop (I had the green and the little bike signal). I don’t think he even saw me although his passenger sure did. If I’d been a second faster, it wouldn’t have been a “missed” connection.

Second incident:
Around 6:30am in Georgetown:

Me: I’m in the middle lane of M Street as some cars are still parked in the far right lane.

You: dark SUV crossover type vehicle VA plates VGV 4235/4325 who decided to honk repeatedly and pass within a foot of me (your passenger mirror almost clipped me). Seriously dude? There’s NO other traffic, the lane to your left was open and you could have easily switched lanes (or, you know, moved over even just a few feet) to go around me. I was just thinking too “I should probably – pothole! – move over and make sure I’m – gah! pothole! – smack dab in the middle of the lane.” I almost switched back to the TR bridge this am since it’s now light enough that the glare of oncoming cars along GW Parkway won’t bother my old lady eyes.

Glad you were okay. I think I’ve been buzzed more on M Street than any other street anywhere.

[Steve O]

@Tania 136237 wrote:

6:20am-ish heading east on the Custis at Oak Street, almost t-boned a cab who didn’t bother to stop at the crosswalk or look to the right when making a right turn onto Lee from Oak against the light and without coming to a full stop (I had the green and the little bike signal). I don’t think he even saw me although his passenger sure did. If I’d been a second faster, it wouldn’t have been a “missed” connection.

Evidently this sign is not prominent enough:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11167[/ATTACH]
And this one:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]11168[/ATTACH]

[huskerdont]

@Steve O 136252 wrote:

Evidently this sign is not prominent enough:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11167[/ATTACH]
And this one:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]11168[/ATTACH]

It’s such a dangerous intersection. I’ve had people turn *left* on red there in front of me before, and you know they know they’re not supposed to do that.

Once about 8 years ago I was heading back up the hill when an ambulance was leaving and a mountain bike was sitting damaged in the road. The cop said to me “cyclists see a car and they keep coming anyway.” Still burns my biscuits. You really can’t see there very well coming down that hill, and people ignore the no turn on red all the time. Since I go through every day, I’ve taken to slowing down there a bit, but then you risk a cyclist climbing up your rear.

Ft. Meyer isn’t much better, in terms of illegal light running, but the sight lines are improved.

[consularrider]

@huskerdont 136255 wrote:

It’s such a dangerous intersection. I’ve had people turn *left* on red there in front of me before, and you know they know they’re not supposed to do that. [At Oak St it’s ok to turn left with green light into the reverse lane that takes you to Nash St.]

Once about 8 years ago I was heading back up the hill when an ambulance was leaving and a mountain bike was sitting damaged in the road. The cop said to me “cyclists see a car and they keep coming anyway.” Still burns my biscuits. You really can’t see there very well coming down that hill, and people ignore the no turn on red all the time. Since I go through every day, I’ve taken to slowing down there a bit, but then you risk a cyclist climbing up your rear. [Add to that that on both sides of the intersection there is large utility cover with a metal rim and gap in the concrete that is just wide enough to eat a 23 or 25 mm tire which is also very slick when wet.]

Ft. Meyer isn’t much better, in terms of illegal light running, but the sight lines are improved.

Comments in red above

[bobco85]

@huskerdont 136255 wrote:

It’s such a dangerous intersection. I’ve had people turn *left* on red there in front of me before, and you know they know they’re not supposed to do that.

Once about 8 years ago I was heading back up the hill when an ambulance was leaving and a mountain bike was sitting damaged in the road. The cop said to me “cyclists see a car and they keep coming anyway.” Still burns my biscuits. You really can’t see there very well coming down that hill, and people ignore the no turn on red all the time. Since I go through every day, I’ve taken to slowing down there a bit, but then you risk a cyclist climbing up your rear.

Ft. Meyer isn’t much better, in terms of illegal light running, but the sight lines are improved.

I remember that crash (if it’s the one you’re talking about): https://www.arlnow.com/2011/08/16/bike-accident-involving-police-car-along-custis-trail/

At the time, that intersection had no stop signs on the trail, had the text “STOP” stenciled on the ground, and had bicycle stoplights. The police officer was responding to a call and claimed his lights and sirens were running as the cyclist came into the intersection.

Like I commented on that article, the concrete wall of that stairwell makes the sightlines very poor. I always slow down when approaching this intersection because there is no guarantee that a driver will not attempt a turn against the light.

[Author]

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