My Morning Commute

[Certifried]

sucked I drove today, despite knowing the weather would be nice. I ate at the “Original Pancake House” in Bethesda yesterday, and by afternoon was feeling pretty nauseous. I’m not sure it was the food, nor do I really have any idea what the issue was really. Still feeling a little “blech” today, and woke up way too late to ride.

Just another manic Monday.

Topic

[dasgeh]

@TwoWheelsDC 127269 wrote:

Weird. This morning it seemed as if my commute (through north Arlington into McLean) was totally devoid of cars. I suspect FFX schools are on some kind of break, so the usual school drop-off traffic was gone. But walking into the office I heard people complaining about heavier-than-usual traffic this morning, so I don’t know what the deal is.

Election Day = no school

[DismalScientist]

@Terpfan 127268 wrote:

Could we convince them to at least leave a squad car on the grass? I think even the image of their presence is a strong deterrent to the bad driving.

Well, that half-police car, half-cab parked in Clarendon has done wonders in cutting down drunken behavior.:rolleyes:

[TwoWheelsDC]

@dasgeh 127271 wrote:

Election Day = no school

Ah yes. I never got election days off as a kid, even though my school was a polling place, so I never associate those two things.

[chris_s]

@dasgeh 127271 wrote:

Election Day = no school

Just goes to show how much of an impact on traffic we could have if we did a better job encouraging students to bike & walk to school.

[mstone]

@chris_s 127275 wrote:

Just goes to show how much of an impact on traffic we could have if we did a better job encouraging students to bike & walk to school.

And have all those parents working from home.

[GovernorSilver]

@TwoWheelsDC 127269 wrote:

Weird. This morning it seemed as if my commute (through north Arlington into McLean) was totally devoid of cars. I suspect FFX schools are on some kind of break, so the usual school drop-off traffic was gone. But walking into the office I heard people complaining about heavier-than-usual traffic this morning, so I don’t know what the deal is.

In my corner of FFX, car traffic was as heavy as ever. The parking lot at my precinct isn’t large, but it was full nonetheless, with cars driving in and out.

Would have been a perfect day to ride, but I opted to Metro so I could make the Salsa demo this evening in Wakefield.

[chris_s]

@mstone 127278 wrote:

And have all those parents working from home.

Not a single person from my office is working from home today, so while I doubt the percentage of parents working from home is zero it sure isn’t 100 either.

[dasgeh]

@chris_s 127293 wrote:

Not a single person from my office is working from home today, so while I doubt the percentage of parents working from home is zero it sure isn’t 100 either.

Same here.

[mstone]

@chris_s 127293 wrote:

Not a single person from my office is working from home today, so while I doubt the percentage of parents working from home is zero it sure isn’t 100 either.

it doesn’t take a very large percentage to have a massive impact

[Terpfan]

I didn’t ride today, but was someone hit at the Whitehurst entrance off Key? I saw a van off to side and police cars there. I think it would have happened 7:00-8:00am. But I didn’t see a mangled bike although I was driving in middle lane. I also observed a near collision between cyclist and driver; totally the driver’s fault who just decided the light was green therefore she could go right without waiting for folks at crosswalk (IOD, surprise).

[Crickey7]

So, I start up from a red on K Street, and then try to clip in. And slip, followed by bad tumble to the ground. The panhandler who is there every day takes me to his spot in the median and makes me wait till I’ve checked everything out. Faith in humanity restored.

Now, for a trip to the pharmacy for bandages.

[GovernorSilver]

With the sky overcast, I used my helmet light in blinky mode for the first time. Starting temperature was a hair under 60 F, so the breeze going downhill from the house was a bit uncomfortable, since I was wearing my summer commuting attire (shorts, t-shirt, etc.). As usual, riding with rush hour traffic on Washington St. warmed me up pretty quickly.

I actually liked the weather this morning. Very comfortable for riding.

[worktheweb]

It was a nice morning to be out on the bike.

I had a little excitement on Washington Street as I went one lane left to pass a stopped bus (I signal and do so safely) a guy starting laying on his horn for about 30 seconds (really). Of course, as I get to the passing point, the bus gets going, so I pull behind him and continue. I’m going faster than the traffic in the middle lane, so I get a few cars between me and the hot-headed car, and the bus goes to stop again, so I pass, and this guy from several cars back now does another 30 second horn blast. Once I pass the bus, I’m going faster than surrounding traffic again (being slowed down by other cars, in fact), and I never see that car again. By the time I get to the MVT, I notice two busses at Slaters, they don’t pass me until around the airport … I don’t get it, I’m clearly not holding this idiot up, I’m going faster than he is, but he feels a need to be an ass. I guess he missed the “Share the Road” signs on Washington Street …

One thing I feel good about — I didn’t give the guy a response. No glance, no single fingered gesture of disapproval, not even a flinch from his horn, just kept on going as though he didn’t exist. I made it a point to savor the Fall color lightly shrouded in a veil of mist and not let him ruin my ride.

[Steve O]

@worktheweb 127391 wrote:

… I don’t get it, I’m clearly not holding this idiot up, I’m going faster than he is, but he feels a need to be an ass. .

He’s just envious. Nice work with the ignoring.

[Crickey7]

Indeed, you have now graduated to Zen Master.

[Author]

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