My Morning Commute

[Powerful Pete]

After what seems like an eternity I am back to commuting for two weeks before my next biz trip. I just calculated: two weeks off for Europe trip, lots of work and the Pope visiting DC (ergo, no commuting) meant a few short rides, and then another week of travel. Oh, and too much food!

Glorious commute this AM despite the rusty legs. It’s good to be riding again!

[wheelswings]

@Powerful Pete 125769 wrote:

After what seems like an eternity I am back to commuting for two weeks before my next biz trip. I just calculated: two weeks off for Europe trip…

Wait, you STOP riding when you go to Europe? I thought Europe was where it’s at when it comes to riding bicycles! I dream of riding through Holland…or France… or Sweden or….!?

[GovernorSilver]

Like the others, enjoyed my morning ride in the beautiful morning weather. I almost reached the Rt1-Washington St bridge before I realized I left my access badge at home. No badge means no access to the secured bike parking room at the workplace. But even that didn’t stop me from enjoying my ride.

I had little trouble riding on the wood chips by the airport – just had to shift to a lower than usual gear – but came up on a cyclist walking his bike, so with no safe room to pass, I dismounted and walked my bike as well. There was another cyclist ahead of me who veered towards the dirt path that cyclists have started grinding into the grass, running parallel to the detour path,. I was expecting her to pass me later because her pace was faster than mine before we reached the mandatory detour, but I never saw her again.

Apologies to the nice cyclist who pulled up to my right, where I was waiting for the 7th St. light on Madison Ave and greeted me with a “Good morning!”. My front wheel slipped to the right, where she happened to be as we started rolling, freaking her out a bit. I need to work on a cleaner starting technique.

[Boomer Cycles]

It was a treat to see our esteemed NBC2015 WAAS leader, Rod the All Star, twice today, on my morning commute, and have him escort me on the final few city blocks of my ride. I then spotted him a third time after my lunch Cabi ride, while he was crossing 20th, headed east on K Street. I take it as a good omen for riding today:-)

[Powerful Pete]

@wheels&wings 125775 wrote:

Wait, you STOP riding when you go to Europe? I thought Europe was where it’s at when it comes to riding bicycles! I dream of riding through Holland…or France… or Sweden or….!?

That pesky work thing gets in the way of my riding. All super-compressed and urban meetings and eatings…

[DrP]

Between the cool weather and the holiday the trails were nearly devoid of people on bikes or foot. Which made the ride triply wonderful – cool temps, empty trails, and beautiful weather. The river was clearly warmer than the air and the fog/mists rising from it were beautiful. Even the lone swan was out today swimming majestically just south of trollheim.

[consularrider]

@wheels&wings 125775 wrote:

Wait, you STOP riding when you go to Europe? I thought Europe was where it’s at when it comes to riding bicycles! I dream of riding through Holland…or France… or Sweden or….!?

Well I’ve certainly seen my mileage (kilometrage?) really fall off while in Europe.

[lordofthemark]

So much going on this AM.

1. The 31st Street Descent – there is an upgrade just east of Abingdon, before the descent begins – not a huge upgrade, but enough that I am going well below the speed of motor vehicles there. Lately, without fail, a driver passes me. Because of the speed bumps, I can almost always catch up on the descent and usually am delayed by the motorists, and generally come even with them or pass them when the bike lane starts. Do these people never see cyclists riding down hill? Do they not know that passing a cyclist at that location is pointless?

2. Took Eads to 18th to bypass the MVT mess. 18th was much better EB than WB. But I take the striped bike lane there is not actually in effect now?

3. Maine and 9th, EB, is the one intersection in the world where I have ever Idahoed a red light – because of the combination of T intersection geometry, and my fears of traffic behind me. But I do that rarely, and only when the tailing traffic is particularly intimidating. Today as I approached the red, and looked behind, I saw only 3 people on bikes. Two idahoed promptly. I must have looked like I was shaking my head, because the young lady on the third bike said “I hate that too” I said that this was a particularly tempting location, and she said “People judge us!” I let it go, as my opinions on optics are complex, and I take it she thought highly of how I rode (I did not tell her that I had just salmoned by the Jefferson for the first time in months)

4. She went ahead and we were both in the left lane on Maine (she was obviously also headed to the left on 7th) I tend to ride a bit to the left there to prepare to enter the turn lane. A black sedan with Va plates passed me in lane, very close. The same sedan then pulled up right next to the young lady who was waiting at the light (also came very close – actually I am not quite sure if the cyclist had stopped or was still moving) The person on the bike rapped on the window and gave the driver a piece of her mind.

The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful. Till I got in and was told we were having an urgent, but quick meeting, with the deputy director which did not allow me time to change and shower – I hope he is a fan of Crystal City BID. Really though, I think the bike jersey (I happened to have worn long pants this AM) was simply amusing. There are, I admit, some times when it is good to be in the Department of TRANSPORTATION.

[Powerful Pete]

Good to be commuting!

And to the cyclist who I was not aware was behind me, sorry for not being more attentive at the Virginia Ave/23rd street intersection. I should have signalled earlier I was turning left. 😮

[dbb]

Generally pleasant ride in.

Approaching Crystal Drive on 18th in Crystal City I was congratulating myself on hitting the EB 18th at Crystal Drive when the light was green for me. My pleasure was short lived when a shuttle bus for the Crystal City Doubletree (VA tag DT 83) heading north on Crystal Drive didn’t appear to have even seen the light and just rolled on through the intersection and red light. Lucky I was still about 50 feet from the intersection so I remained safe.

[Anonymous]

@lordofthemark 126010 wrote:

Do these people never see cyclists riding down hill? Do they not know that passing a cyclist at that location is pointless?

You are on a bike. They are in cars. Cars go faster than bikes. Therefore, they must pass you. It is not their fault. It is an irrefutable law of nature. :p

I experience this coming into my office, where people will pass me as we approach the line to the security gate, where they have to immediately come to a full stop to wait in line to get through the gate. Basically, they are just cutting in line in front of me. But, you know, cars go faster than bikes, so… 😮

[Terpfan]

Yesterday I blatantly ran a red light. I got to the bottom of Beacon Hill Rd at Ft. Hunt Rd and the light was red. Cars came to my left to turn left. They got a green arrow, but then the light never changed. I waited another cycle. Same thing. And then another cycle. No cars came to middle lane on either side of the road. So at the conclusion of the third light cycle, I said screw it and went through the red light with no cars in sight because it was never going to change (and maybe I was too lazy to unclip to walk over to the crosswalk signal). But, it is solid proof that this intersection is demand-driven and does not recognize bicycles.

[dasgeh]

@Terpfan 126032 wrote:

Yesterday I blatantly ran a red light. I got to the bottom of Beacon Hill Rd at Ft. Hunt Rd and the light was red. Cars came to my left to turn left. They got a green arrow, but then the light never changed. I waited another cycle. Same thing. And then another cycle. No cars came to middle lane on either side of the road. So at the conclusion of the third light cycle, I said screw it and went through the red light with no cars in sight because it was never going to change (and maybe I was too lazy to unclip to walk over to the crosswalk signal). But, it is solid proof that this intersection is demand-driven and does not recognize bicycles.

What you did is also completely legal in Virginia. In fact, you only need to wait through 2 light cycles (or 2 minutes).

[Crickey7]

Sandals are still in play. That is all.

[Steve O]

@lordofthemark 126010 wrote:

Maine and 9th, EB, is the one intersection in the world where I have ever Idahoed a red light – because of the combination of T intersection geometry

I often Idaho on T intersections, and always if there is a bike lane. The light is as pointless for the people on bikes as the people on the sidewalk–just be sure to yield to any pedestrians crossing.

I have been hoping to convince Arlington County (previous post on this) to make this accepted practice on Wilson Blvd. at Pierce and at Courthouse when they do the upcoming repaving project. Either with signage (“bikes may proceed on red after yielding to pedestrians”) or a separate bike signal (that flashes yellow instead of turning red while the cars have the red. This would work better at Pierce, since it can also go red for when the fire station requires it.)
It’s a complete no-brainer at Military and Marcey.

[Author]

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