My Evening Commute

[Powerful Pete]

Lovely weather, lovely commute, ice cold beer and good company at the Happy Hour. Thanks to those who organized and to all those who turned up!

[GovernorSilver]

Pleasant commute for the most part. So glad my colleague showed me Potomac Ave. Trail – easier to get to this Target than the other one by bike.

Metrobus came up fast behind me as I was riding on Huntington and started honking at me repeatedly. Made me wish I had one of those Fly6 rear facing cameras. I submitted a complaint at wmata.com – the online form. I doubt anything will come of it – so many Metrobus drivers are thug-like and get away with it for years – but it made me feel a little better. My usual post-ride stretches finished the job as far as calming myself down.

[dasgeh]

@GovernorSilver 120650 wrote:

I submitted a complaint at wmata.com – the online form. I doubt anything will come of it – so many Metrobus drivers are thug-like and get away with it for years – but it made me feel a little better. My usual post-ride stretches finished the job as far as calming myself down.

I’ve seen changes from reporting MetroBus drivers via that form. I always make sure to get the number of the physical bus (vs. the route number), which is printed on the upper right hand side of the sides of the bus (I think)

[GovernorSilver]

@dasgeh 120653 wrote:

I’ve seen changes from reporting MetroBus drivers via that form. I always make sure to get the number of the physical bus (vs. the route number), which is printed on the upper right hand side of the sides of the bus (I think)

I got the automated reply from WMATA. We’ll see if I hear anything else. Good tip about getting the number of the physical bus – thanks!

I’m guessing he wanted me to ride more to the right of Huntington Ave. so he could pass me? It would have been well within the 3 ft. zone. Before he came up behind me, I was waiting behind 3 cars at a red light. I could have done the pseudo lane-splitting thing and ridden up to the light between the cars and the curb, then took the right turn up towards my house. Maybe I’ll do that next time.

[Crickey7]

Radar maps showing this kerfuffle out of the area by 5 pm, earlier to the West and North.

[KWL]

@Crickey7 120834 wrote:

Radar maps showing this kerfuffle out of the area by 5 pm, earlier to the West and North.

I heard reports of rain and saw radar of stuff blowing through. By the time I walked out the door, the sky was blue but there was standing water everywhere. Dodged another one.

[GovernorSilver]

@GovernorSilver 120729 wrote:

I got the automated reply from WMATA. We’ll see if I hear anything else. Good tip about getting the number of the physical bus – thanks!

I’m guessing he wanted me to ride more to the right of Huntington Ave. so he could pass me? It would have been well within the 3 ft. zone. Before he came up behind me, I was waiting behind 3 cars at a red light. I could have done the pseudo lane-splitting thing and ridden up to the light between the cars and the curb, then took the right turn up towards my house. Maybe I’ll do that next time.

Today I got an emailed apology from a WMATA customer representative – 5 days after the incident, which by WMATA standards is faster than expected. He did recommend getting the Metrobus number or block number if a similar incident occurs again. I guess I should try to get in the habit of setting the Camera app on my iPhone to be the first app that comes up when I wake it up with the fingerprint sensor, until I get a Fly6 or other bike camera.

[DCLiz]

I got passed by a bike cop going south on the 15th Street Cycletrack, on the block before Pennsylvania. He called his pass: “This is where you’re supposed to have fun! Whee!” [He may or may not have actually said “Whee!”. -ed.]

[83b]

Yesterday evening around 7PM two cars that had a fender bender pulled into the 15th St cycletrack near the White House ellipse entrance. It was creating a significant issue for Northbound bikes trying to get past without having to ride against traffic on 15th.

But a Secret Service policeman was already on the scene to suggest that they move. And when MPD showed up very quickly thereafter (perhaps called to take an accident report?) he was on a bike and incensed that they’d pulled into the lane. I was a ways off waiting for the Penn Ave light by this point, but I believe I overheard him say, “Well now you’re getting two tickets!”

[Powerful Pete]

Best post I have read today.

[kwarkentien]

@Powerful Pete 120983 wrote:

Best post I have read today.

+1!

[dkel]

Had a chance to ride home by way of Gallows through the midst of power lines down, cones, stopped traffic, utility workers, and police. Lots of confusion and frustration everywhere, and I slipped right through. My only detour was a short stint on the sidewalk to stay out of the way of the workers. Really an advantage being on a bike through all that! Also ran into VVill at Bikenetic on my way through there. Had a nice time talking about belt drives with him, as we both have belt drive bikes in our future! A memorable commute.

[DanB]

Took a little detour on the way home tonight.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]9221[/ATTACH]

[GovernorSilver]

Nice! The climb to get there is no joke – at least not to me. I had to take at least 2 breaks before I got there.

Conversely, the descent is no joke either – at least not to me – with all those tight turns with no railing and what looks like a fair distance of falling if one should fall off the track.

[dplasters]

@dkel 121054 wrote:

Had a nice time talking about belt drives with him, as we both have belt drive bikes in our future! A memorable commute.

Belt drives for allllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

[Author]

Posts