My Morning Commute

[americancyclo]

you need an Airzound

[nosweat]

I join the Mt. Vernon Trail from Del Ray most mornings, taking Commonwealth Ave, crossing over 4-mile run on the Rt.1 bridge, joining the 4-mile run trail and taking it to the Mt. Vernon Trail.

This morning I passed a man on a red/grey (or black) Specialized road bike with disc brakes, grey tires, a rack and a panier. You (the rider) had no helmet but you had earbuds in your ears. I passed you on the Rt.1 bridge just before joining the 4-mile run trail. You shouted several homophobic slurs at me. Startled, I slowed down and you passed back in front of me. When I was ready to pass in the left lane later on, you intentionally swerved to block the left lane and nearly caused an accident. Eventually I passed you.

Reflecting on the absurdity of the incident and thinking maybe I should hear you out (ha, what was I thinking?), I pulled over to the grass after the footbridge right before the Crystal City turnoff and waited for you to catch up so that we could have an adult conversation. After all, I regularly take this route and often see the same bikers (I didn’t recognize you before, but now I am sure I will, unfortunately), and I don’t want there to be conflict when we cross paths in the future. As you came over the bridge, I signaled for you to stop and talk. You passed and directed another slur at me instead.

So, this is my last attempt at avoiding future conflict and awkwardness with you. Everyone loses their cool and makes mistakes sometimes. It’s a small community of riders that use this particular route and come from this same Alexandria neighborhood. Send me a private message through the bike forum and let’s have an adult conversation to resolve this (and leave the junior-high insults behind ).

Thanks.

[jrenaut]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry it was such an unpleasant incident that prompted your first post.

[nosweat]

Yah, it was a lousy way to start the morning.

On the flip side, the experience makes me realize that I ought to join WABA (actually pay dues) and be a more active member of the bike community. I had a conversation with a co-worker that uses the same route the other day and we reflected on the frequency of aggressive biking behavior on the Mt. Vernon trail lately.

I guess everyone (myself included) is in a rush and gets unnecessarily impatient and that can lead to conflict.

[jrenaut]

@nosweat 94908 wrote:

Yah, it was a lousy way to start the morning.

But think about it this way – you could have been yelled at by an [expletive deleted] while you were driving and that would also be lousy but you’d also be in a car.

Good idea on WABA. They’re good people.

[dasgeh]

@nosweat 94908 wrote:

On the flip side, the experience makes me realize that I ought to join WABA (actually pay dues) and be a more active member of the bike community. I had a conversation with a co-worker that uses the same route the other day and we reflected on the frequency of aggressive biking behavior on the Mt. Vernon trail lately.

I guess everyone (myself included) is in a rush and gets unnecessarily impatient and that can lead to conflict.

Welcome to the forum. In addition to joining WABA, you may want to make your voice heard in the current NPS efforts to improve TR Island and Memorial Circle: http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/parkmgmt/planning.htm

[Brendan von Buckingham]

The guy sounds like an ass. No point giving him a chance to be an even bigger ass. Never get out of your pedals unless you’re at your destination. Getting out under any other circumstances means something has/will go wrong.

[rcannon100]

@nosweat 94906 wrote:

Send me a private message

Yah like Buckingham sed, I wouldnt waste your karma on it. There are X% of car drivers, joggers, pedestrians, air plane pilots, train engineers, bus drivers and even cyclists that are dinks. And they are just going to be dinks. And their aint nothing never your gonna do to change that.

I always think to be a successful cyclists you half ta be like Derek Jeter at Fenway ~ U just cant get the bozos get to you. Should be like water off a ducks back.

However and on the other hand ~ you can waste lots of time here on the forum. Its good for a laugh and avoiding work. And typing on messages onto the forum board makes it sound like you are working.

[Crickey7]

There was a sign up on the CCT this morning flashing riders’ speeds. It indicated I was exceeding the trail’s speed limit, but in my defense, I stopped at all 5 stops signs on Water Street in penance.

[mstone]

@Crickey7 94921 wrote:

There was a sign up on the CCT this morning flashing riders’ speeds. It indicated I was exceeding the trail’s speed limit, but in my defense, I stopped at all 5 stops signs on Water Street in penance.

Well, that’s money well spent. Presumably if they’re trying to treat bikes like cars, the minimum speed limit has to be 25MPH, and they can’t ticket until 36MPH. I shouldn’t have a problem on my commute.

[KWL]

nosweat: That’s my route into work. I promise to be much kinder than that dufus if our paths cross. I feel I’m a little too new here to be offering this, but welcome to this great community.

[Supermau]

It was just cool enough at 5am on Saturday to don my new long cycling tights. I’ve never owned a pair before but I’m glad I do now. They were super comfortable and kept me warm without overheating.

During the summer it was light outside by the time I reached the MVT, now it’s dark all the way to DC. As I rounded that little bend heading into Gravelly Point there were two “pathletes” stopped just on the other side, one of whom was halfway in my lane. We uttered a collective, “Woah” as I narrowly avoided collision. Close call. I hope that guy pulls off to the right next time.

Moments later as I pass the Portapotty’s pondering what just happened I see a youngish, maybe twenty-something girl walking towards me in the opposite lane. As I wiz by she’s trying to wave me down, and she says, “Hey!”. She’s got a phone in her ear too.

In broad daylight I likely would have stopped but something felt suspicious. She didn’t appear injured or in any great distress, and she was on the phone. I guess I’ll never know what the deal was. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but I kept on rolling.

It’s pretty empty on the MVT early Saturday mornings but I keep passing the same group of female joggers who always thank me for my warning bell. I like that.

I used to really enjoy the MVT when I first started this commute last spring but I’m glad I found the Commonwealth route. It’s so much more relaxed and I’m on my own most of the time. I’ve cut out miles of unnecessary trail use.

Going home is quite the show in dangerous maneuvers on that trail. It’s starting to suck. I guess all I can do is keep myself safe and enjoy the show.

[cyclingfool]

Great ride this morning. Beautiful weather, a little exploring, and revisiting some stretches of trail I generally ride on too rarely.

I took the day off work to catch up on some grad school-related stuff at the library. Mind you the public library is maybe a mile from my house, but I nevertheless managed to make it be 20 miles away!

[Crickey7]

The speed sign is still up on the CCT. I’m beginning to wonder if this isn’t a precursor to a Park Police crackdown and a slew of $50 tickets. The sign is on a slight downhill stretch near Mass. Ave. where all but the pokiest riders exceed the 15 mph limit. I’m posting in the morning commute thread because this would be mostly a morning commuting issue.

Anyway, if anyone gets such a ticket one morning, please try to post a warning to the later commuters.

[dplasters]

Now that’s a Brisk commute.

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