My Morning Commute

[Supermau]

I installed my new fenders just in time, and…they work!

Four Mile Run was flooded between Commonwealth and the MVT. Only about two inches deep but I didn’t expect that. Nice ride this morning with empty trails.

[Crickey7]

Thought of the morning numero uno: Neoprene socks do, in fact, allow one to extend the clipless sandal season.

Thought of the morning (: God, how I hate neoprene socks.

[jrenaut]

Turns out all you need for quiet children on the back of a cargo bike is temperatures below 50.

[Phatboing]

I’ve been testing the theory that too much riding on the Future Space Sex Machine will stop making it feel special, and today I’ve verified that while I can’t imagine it not feeling special, favoring your heavier steeds for a couple of weeks makes your light steed feel like it’ll break the sound barrier.

[Sunyata]

Did anyone else get a chance to witness the lunar eclipse this morning on their ride to work? It was pretty cool and definitely got my day off to a good start!

[baiskeli]

@Sunyata 96435 wrote:

Did anyone else get a chance to witness the lunar eclipse this morning on their ride to work? It was pretty cool and definitely got my day off to a good start!

I wasn’t on the road yet, but I took the kids out back to see it. Very cool.

[lordofthemark]

A bad moment turned good .

Happened on the Eye Street SW bike lane by the Capitol Skyline Hotel

A tourist bus was stopped across the bike lane and 3/4 of the general travel lane.

Several cars were stopped behind. I actually considered that if I could get over and pass them on the left I could have gotten around the bus and scooted back to the bike lane, but decided that it was not feasible to do so safely. The bus pulled over just enough that cars could slowly pass on the left – one black SUV was not moving and left over a car length between himself and car ahead which was passing – I thought he was leaving me the gap, so I pulled in front of him. He honked twice, and I started to say something about right of way, when he said “I have the right of way too, we SHARE the road”

At those words, I determined he was NOT a jerk, and did not quibble over the technicalities of right of way. I said “you know, I realize I didn’t signal my pass, I should have signaled like this (I demonstrated a full arm out signal – there is plenty of time at the South Capital Street light for long discussions btw.) but I thought you were leaving me room to get in the lane” He said “cool” and I said something to the effect of “we’ve both learned something” I also blamed the bus driver, which he seemed to agree with.

I did learn to be more careful about signaling, but more importantly I hope that interaction reinforced the possibility of us all “just getting along”. I also hope that the Eye Street cycle track is prioritized and in particular that the issue of that hotel is addressed.

[cyclingfool]

@Sunyata 96435 wrote:

Did anyone else get a chance to witness the lunar eclipse this morning on their ride to work? It was pretty cool and definitely got my day off to a good start!

I set my alarm early to try to run outside for a peak, but alas, my hand was wedded to the snooze button this morning. I had really wanted to see it, too…

To cheer myself up after missing the eclipse, I took a very scenic route to the office this morning, strecthcing my 7-7.5 mile commute to nearly ten and enjoying the beautiful weather this morning.

[gtmandsager]

This morning’s commute was to Barcroft for tumbling! Kids have started sitting down in the box, sometimes they’re on their stomachs peering over the top.

[hozn]

@Sunyata 96435 wrote:

Did anyone else get a chance to witness the lunar eclipse this morning on their ride to work? It was pretty cool and definitely got my day off to a good start!

Yeah, what a beautiful moon. I was happy that my commute is both early (~6:20) and westbound.

[Terpfan]

It was a little chilly at first, but that’s my fault for going shorts and t-shirt. Once I got into the sunlight and lower elevation, it was fine.

Was the cyclist hurt at GWMP crossing by Memorial Bridge? I saw police, a tow truck moving what looked like a silver suv, and a cyclist or two including a bicycle just off the road. I couldn’t tell if the cyclist standing there talking the cop was the impacted rider who got off relatively unscathed or if I missed an ambulance earlier. Once again NPS, we need a real crossing there. Bridge, tunnel, or an actual light, otherwise they will continue and one day it will be a Congressman or Senator who gets hit and then who over at NPS will take the fall for saying we didn’t know?

[cyclingfool]

Uneventful (though in great weather) commute until the last mile and a half. Interesting sighting on the 14th St Bridge – fully loaded (panniers, sleeping gear) tandem stopped on 14th St Bridge ATL w/ cyclist taking pictures from the bridge. Thought from a distance it was just a solo tourer, but got closer and saw the bike was a tandem. No sign of the stoker anywhere on the bridge or its approaches. So, guy was either riding a tandem by himself, or his stoker was somewhere else at that moment. Anyway, always fun to see the fully loaded crowd out and about.

Less pleasant experience just a couple blocks from work, crossing Constitution at 17th St. Long story short, big motor coach tour bus turning right from NB 17th St onto EB Constitution Ave felt it didn’t need to yield ROW to crosswalk users and almost ran over a coworker of mine, me, and a couple others who would have been caught by the back of the bus had my coworker not started beating the side of the bus to get the driver’s attention. I was also yelling at the very top of my lungs, “HEY!!!!”, but I doubt that the driver heard that, or my subsequent several-second evil eye stare down/profanity-included tirade with/at the driver about the fact that there is a crosswalk, people in that crosswalk, and the fact that he, a supposedly a “professional” driver, just nearly ran over several people. He just stared back at me blankly, so I’m sure nothing clicked in his pea brain. He was probably thinking, “People don’t walk across cross the street in Georgia.” Anyway, 4-5 people nearly run over by a turning bus. Fun…

I did at least note the company name, and while I didn’t get a chance to see a bus number, I have sent a very nicely written email to the owner and safety manager of said coach operator detailing the incident. We’ll see what kind of response I get.

[dasgeh]

@cyclingfool 96650 wrote:

Constitution at 17th St.

I take the PA Ave cycletrack to avoid this intersection. Every once in a while, I think “it’s not that bad” and ride that way again. And the next time I’m right back on PA.

Can we nominate this DC”s Intersection of Doom?

[TwoWheelsDC]

Apparently salmoning around Hains Point is a full-blown trend right now. I mean, I occasionally see the random (seemingly) inexperienced rider going the wrong way slowly, but today I saw several freds doing reverse laps, and I know they weren’t just going doing it for a short section, because I saw them over the course of several laps. I can’t figure out the thought process that would lead someone to do this. “I’m going the wrong way on a one way street and I see up there a cyclist approaching me in the right lane, getting passed by a car that is heading straight for me in the left lane…but you know what, this just feels good, so I’m gonna keep going!”

[cyclingfool]

@dasgeh 96655 wrote:

I take the PA Ave cycletrack to avoid this intersection. Every once in a while, I think “it’s not that bad” and ride that way again. And the next time I’m right back on PA.

Can we nominate this DC”s Intersection of Doom?

This was the first problem I’ve had there in a while fortunately, though it is a problematic intersection. The problem I normally encounter in the morning is eastbound traffic on Constitution blowing their red light, so I generally am very attentive to whether traffic is slowing/stopping for the red. Other AM issue is illegal lefts by drivers on 17th Street. In the evening the biggest problem in southbound 17th Street traffic blocking the crosswalk across 17th Street on the Mall side.

My office is just two blocks from the intersection, so my alternatives are somewhat limited given where I’m coming from. Most likely alternative would be crossing Constitution at 15th, and frankly, I’ve had issues there more often (as a percentage of crossings) than I have at 17th. I think 15th and Constitution is probably just as likely a candidate for IoD in DC as 17th and Constitution.

[Author]

Posts