My Evening Commute

[consularrider]

@worktheweb 100354 wrote:

I ride with a hat under my helmet and tilt my head so that it blocks the oncoming lights from the cars on those sections. It stops me from getting dazzled and losing as much of my night vision. As a bonus it wicks away sweat in the summer, keeps my head warm in the winter, and stops rain from hitting my glasses when it rains. I use a quick dry hat I got from performance a long time ago.

This approach has been recommended on several threads. The downside it that you if you dip your head too much you won’t see that upcoming ninja.

[Steve O]

@DismalScientist 100353 wrote:

There is no solution to the auto headlights. A brighter light will not help.

I just close my eyes. That entirely eliminates the headlight problem.

[KWL]

@Terpfan 100370 wrote:

Not quite as long, but a little more than 3 years along it and basically the same exact thought. There is basically nothing you can do. Sometimes I will move my hand up to shield my eyes just to do a quick sweep of the trail ahead of me to make sure there is no one there.

I’ve got 21 years of commuting through that spot and your statement is true – nothing to be done other than a hand shield. It’s even worse with the prism effect of rain covered glasses.

[Arlingtonrider]

I just slow down a little there (and do the hood or hat thing). Not a big deal.

[vern]

My dentist is awesome. Late afternoon I leave work and head to my dentist, who has an office on the 14th floor of a building in Skyline. I get to the building and take my bike with me up to her office. I enter the office, catch the eye of the receptionist, and ask if I can park my bike in the corner of the waiting room like I did the last time I was there. And she replies, with much good cheer, “Of course, Mr. Cox! You always ride your bike here!” And then, everyone in the office preceded to chat me up about bike commuting. Good stuff.

[Greenbelt]

Happy hour started early this evening
[ATTACH=CONFIG]7051[/ATTACH]

[KWL]

Are those Maryland tags?

[cyclingfool]

@KWL 100510 wrote:

Are those Maryland tags?

You mean to tell me that the appearance of Maryland plates is not permanently seared into your memory banks by a multitude of negative encounters with them, be in on the bike or in the car? You must not get out much.

[lordofthemark]

There was a cyclist hurt on the mvt just north of the 4mrt. Multiple emergency vehicles. Anyone know what happened?

[jrenaut]

Don’t know anything about an injury on the MVT, but I hope he or she is okay.

I got shoaled by a dude on a road bike wearing lycra on 11th St. I proceeded to ride his wheel on the Xtracycle until he escaped by blowing a stop sign. Was I a jerk? Probably. Will he use better judgement next time? Unlikely. Do I feel better? Absolutely.

[Arlingtonrider]

@lordofthemark 100658 wrote:

There was a cyclist hurt on the mvt just north of the 4mrt. Multiple emergency vehicles. Anyone know what happened?

Nothing was going on there when I rolled through around 6:30 – 6:40 or so. I hope the cyclist will be ok. Was it at the split off for Alexandria? I’ve seen some near collisions there before.

[cyclingfool]

@Arlingtonrider 100662 wrote:

Nothing was going on there when I rolled through around 6:30 – 6:40 or so. I hope the cyclist will be ok. Was it at the split off for Alexandria? I’ve seen some near collisions there before.

You mustn’t have been far behind me. I didn’t see anything either, though I can certainly attest to seeing lots of near misses at the intersection of those two trails. Too many southbound cyclists seem to expect that no one is going to be coming north and treat getting onto 4MR more like going straight w/o having to potentially yield to anyone than a left turn across an oncoming lane.

In any case, I hope that the cyclist wasn’t hurt too bad.

[lordofthemark]

To clarify – I came through at about that time, but it may have been a bit later.

I was coming Sbound on the MVT, on the flatter part leading to the 4MRT/Alexandria split, when I heard and saw fire engines in the parallel airport roadway. I saw multiple vehicles. When I got closer (IOW to the are just north of the split) I saw what appeared to be a male cyclist lying on his back on the ground (on the grass between the trail and the road), apparently conscious, somewhat bloodied, attended by several folks in uniforms, with a road bike nearby on the ground, and another cyclist standing nearby on his bike. The EMTs had a gurney on the road pavement.

I do find that a dangerous turn off – I try to be aware of the trail to Alexandria on my right as I go down to the 4MRT, but on some occasions I have been startled. I generally am riding slower than most other cyclists on the trail (not a knock on anyone, thats just how I currently ride)

[Harry Meatmotor]

@lordofthemark 100723 wrote:

To clarify – I came through at about that time, but it may have been a bit later.

I was coming Sbound on the MVT, on the flatter part leading to the 4MRT/Alexandria split, when I heard and saw fire engines in the parallel airport roadway. I saw multiple vehicles. When I got closer (IOW to the are just north of the split) I saw what appeared to be a male cyclist lying on his back on the ground (on the grass between the trail and the road), apparently conscious, somewhat bloodied, attended by several folks in uniforms, with a road bike nearby on the ground, and another cyclist standing nearby on his bike. The EMTs had a gurney on the road pavement.

I do find that a dangerous turn off – I try to be aware of the trail to Alexandria on my right as I go down to the 4MRT, but on some occasions I have been startled. I generally am riding slower than most other cyclists on the trail (not a knock on anyone, thats just how I currently ride)

the pavement is getting worse right where you’d need to panic-brake for oncoming traffic there, too.

[worktheweb]

Had a bit of a surprise on my commute last night.

In Old Town I was getting onto a path when I noticed a person who was walking her dog, but not holding onto the leash. The dog was presumably finishing its business on the grass. As I got onto the path the dog went nuts and started chasing me, so I just held a straight line and prepared to speed up a bit if necessary. Then came a first for me — the dog actually ran in front of my front wheel.

Thankfully I was able to remain in control of the bike and not go over the handlebars as I panic stopped into the dog and dismounted. The dog came around behind me after I stopped but thankfully didn’t bite. Shortly thereafter its owner grabbed its leash and thanked me. Not sure what the thank you was for, but just glad the situation didn’t escalate with the dog.

The dog seemed okay and aside from some free adrenaline I am okay as is the bike. In all the years commuting down there, this is the first time a dog has gotten loose and given chase. I am just glad the dog was more curious than violent. Hopefully that dog owner will realize the the leash law requires not just a leash on the dog, but a human holding the other end of it …

[Author]

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