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

[Crickey7]

Well, I usually treat a flat as in part an indication that it’s a good time to change tubes anyways. But with 4 flats in 1 week, I revisited that approach and did some patching, just not early enough.

[bentbike33]

@Crickey7 128813 wrote:

…4 flats in 1 week…

Maybe time for new tires? I find when the tread starts to get thin, the little glass shards I regularly collect can cause a large enough hole in the casing for the tube to herniate through. It never happens upon changing/patching the tube, only later.

[gibby]

about 4 blocks from home and the rain slowed to a sprinkle…turn around, get bike, risk getting soaked? I wimped out. Got to metro as rain stopped…looked forlornly out window from inside stinky metal can…
bikeshare here I come tonite!

[Crickey7]

Picked out two big glass shards from flats 3 and 4. 1 and 2 were pinch flats. Tires still look pretty intact otherwise. The patches held up for a commute that was actually pretty pleasant. The waterproof sock/sandals combo worked well.

[Powerful Pete]

Not that bad this AM – everything nice and wet but only a light drizzle.

Should be raining harder this evening… I am getting used to this.

[83b]

It was a weird morning.

First, some dude rolled around me at a red light on East Capitol who was then going slowly when I got the light some seconds later. I was just cruising along a bit more than a bike length behind him when he starts to come to a complete stop. I slow and stop too, thinking he either saw something I didn’t or had a mechanical and might need a hand. Nope. He thought I was tailgating him and proceeded to deliver a lecture on proper following distance and safety generally–while, on top of ignoring traffic lights, not wearing a helmet or having lights. I shrugged and bid him a polite “good day.”

Later at Pennsylvania and 9th, two parents shoaled me at a light so that they could hop off their bikes, set down their kickstands to form a little blockade in the crosswalk, and then take their kid down from his child seat. Why? So that they could pull down his pants and huggies and have him pee on a bollard. There were a lot of people oscillating between disbelieving stares and awkwardly averting our eyes.

[Steve O]

@83(b) 129013 wrote:

…. pee on a bollard.

+1

[Crickey7]

@83(b) 129013 wrote:

pee on a bollard.

Is it too early to suggest Pointless Prize competitions?

[consularrider]

Not so good coming home from lunch, altered my route slightly because of traffic congestion and did not properly navigate the tram tracks near home.

[consularrider]

@83(b) 129013 wrote:

… Later at Pennsylvania and 9th, two parents shoaled me at a light so that they could hop off their bikes, set down their kickstands to form a little blockade in the crosswalk, and then take their kid down from his child seat. Why? So that they could pull down his pants and huggies and have him pee on a bollard. There were a lot of people oscillating between disbelieving stares and awkwardly averting our eyes.

Do you think this was some kind of protest against bollards (don’t let SteveO try it)? Otherwise if the kid had “huggies” why would this have been necessary?

DC Code, Title 22, Chapter 13 § 22–1321. Disorderly conduct.

…
(e) It is unlawful for a person to urinate or defecate in public, other than in a urinal or toilet.

…
(h) A person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22‑3571.01, imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both.

Kid is a juvenile, probably not going to be arrested, but the parents guilty of contributing to delinquency of a minor or incitement/conspiracy to disorderly conduct? :p

[83b]

I was actually sitting there, trying to look in any other direction, thinking, “Man, isn’t it usually Chinese tourists that we’re giving a hard time for their kids peeing in public?!?”

[dkel]

Apparently, you all don’t have kids, or don’t remember having kids. When you gotta go, you gotta go, especially at that age, and the alternatives are even more unpleasant.

[Mikey]

@dkel 129033 wrote:

Apparently, you all don’t have kids, or don’t remember having kids. When you gotta go, you gotta go, especially at that age, and the alternatives are even more unpleasant.

The only difference is wet or dry pants.

[83b]

Guilty! There but for the grace of birth control go I…so far.

And really, I’d have thought it less notable if the kid hadn’t been wearing a diaper/disposable training whatevers.

[bentbike33]

The return of seasonable temperatures this morning got me thinking about the meaning of the 2 warning signs posted at the approach to the MVT underpass of Memorial Bridge. The first, of course, says “trail narrows walk bike” which is nonsense that I continue not to heed despite previous admonishment. It’s the second sign I find curious. It says “bridge freezes before trail”. Why should I be worried about that when I’m going under the bridge? Should I be watching out for cars, pedestrians, and fellow cyclists raining down on the MVT after careening off of the icy bridge above? If so, it is yet another reason not to dismount and walk the bike under Memorial Bridge lest you get hit from above while dismounting or remounting.

[Author]

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