My Morning Commute

[jrenaut]

@dasgeh 140890 wrote:

That is not why people hate cyclists any more than your interaction with the school bus is why people hate school buses.

We’ve had this discussion before, and I think we have to agree to disagree.

[dplasters]

Hell has frozen over. I saw three other riders this morning out here in the Vienna/Merrifield/WestwestwestFC world at only 6:15am.

I’m very excited. I hope to see more of my new friends.

[Dewey]

Rode my own (ancient heavy) bike to work for the first time today from VA Square (usually I’m an occasional Capital Bikeshare rider). Love the new trail along Arlington Blvd and was pleasantly surprised not to be hassled by drivers as I continued on the road up to N Meade St. Near miss riding through Iwo Jima when a smartly dressed Marine holding a sword burst out of one of the porta-John’s and ran across the path in front of me – I don’t mean for you to miss parade but did you hear my bell? Pleased to see a motorcycle cop standing near the crossing on the north side of Memorial Circle as it meant traffic was well behaved.

[baiskeli]

Standing at the Rosslyn bike counter, I heard a crash. Car turning right vs. cyclist crossing west-to-east. The bike hooked the license plate and went over the hood – the plate was crumpled from the left. The rider lay on the ground for a while. He went off in an ambulance but I heard he wasn’t too bad. Hope he’s okay.

Everybody please slow down at that intersection. Drivers are desperate to turn there and may not see you or may not care. My policy there is to never cross except on a green walk signal. I just wait if it’s counting down. Give the cars some time to get through and the next batch won’t be in such a hurry. I think a bike-only signal would be appropriate there since bikes and pedestrians are so different in terms of speed and their use of signals that were designed for pedestrians, not bikes.

[dasgeh]

@baiskeli 140898 wrote:

Standing at the Rosslyn bike counter, I heard a crash. Car turning right vs. cyclist crossing west-to-east. The bike hooked the license plate and went over the hood – the plate was crumpled from the left. The rider lay on the ground for a while. He went off in an ambulance but I heard he wasn’t too bad. Hope he’s okay.

Everybody please slow down at that intersection. Drivers are desperate to turn there and may not see you or may not care. My policy there is to never cross except on a green walk signal. I just wait if it’s counting down. Give the cars some time to get through and the next batch won’t be in such a hurry. I think a bike-only signal would be appropriate there since bikes and pedestrians are so different in terms of speed and their use of signals that were designed for pedestrians, not bikes.

From Facebook, it sounds like the cyclist is going to be ok.

Was the cyclist crossing with the countdown or walking person or unknown? Thanks

[Drewdane]

@dasgeh 140891 wrote:

The counter was over 900 around 9:15am! Overall, they seemed much more well behaved, and much faster than I expected.

I had the same observation. I was expecting to have to ride on eggshells to avoid scaring/running into noobs, but instead people seemed to know what they were doing.

Plus it was an absolutely GORGEOUS morning!

[Sunyata]

While I saw perhaps double the amount of cyclists that I normally see (super early, Fairlington to Clarendon) yesterday, I saw at LEAST double THAT amount today! It was a pretty awesome sight.

I really hope that most people that are trying bike commuting for the first time in a while or for the first time ever will stick with it, even after Metro gets their act together. 😎

[vern]

I got hit by a car this morning at the intersection of the WOD and Great Falls. The motorist stopped at the crossing, so I proceeded across, at which time he decided it was a good time to go. I’m ok, but my left front wheel is shaped like a potato chip. I haven’t inspected the frame or fork closely yet. I think the wheel took the brunt of it. Hilariously, he’s already called his insurance company and said he is not at fault. If you know the intersection, you know there are signs posted instructing motorists to stop for individuals crossing.

[Crickey7]

The insurance company will be happy to only have to buy a new bike, as long as you’re not claiming any neck or back injuries. And I’d say if you’re in the crosswalk when you were hit, that ought to settle it.

[huskerdont]

@vern 140955 wrote:

I got hit by a car this morning at the intersection of the WOD and Great Falls. The motorist stopped at the crossing, so I proceeded across, at which time he decided it was a good time to go. I’m ok, but my left front wheel is shaped like a potato chip. I haven’t inspected the frame or fork closely yet. I think the wheel took the brunt of it. Hilariously, he’s already called his insurance company and said he is not at fault. If you know the intersection, you know there are signs posted instructing motorists to stop for individuals crossing.

Really sorry that happened to you. Hope you don’t have soreness creep up on you today and tomorrow like happened to me. In the adrenaline you think you’re fine and don’t get the police involved, next thing you know you’re hurting and the jerkwad is saying it was your fault you were in the crosswalk. Good luck!

[Steve O]

@vern 140955 wrote:

I got hit by a car this morning at the intersection of the WOD and Great Falls. The motorist stopped at the crossing, so I proceeded across, at which time he decided it was a good time to go. I’m ok, but my left front wheel is shaped like a potato chip. I haven’t inspected the frame or fork closely yet. I think the wheel took the brunt of it. Hilariously, he’s already called his insurance company and said he is not at fault. If you know the intersection, you know there are signs posted instructing motorists to stop for individuals crossing.

Sorry. Glad you seem to be okay.

@vern 140955 wrote:

my left front wheel is shaped like a potato chip.

How many front wheels do you have?

I recommend Bruce Deming’s book (it’s free): Surviving the Crash. A police report would be helpful here. He also recommends lots and lots of photos.

[Steve O]

@Steve O 140963 wrote:

I recommend Bruce Deming’s book (it’s free): Surviving the Crash. A police report would be helpful here. He also recommends lots and lots of photos.

Hey, everybody!
Click on the link and order the book. Then read it. I have not yet personally needed the information in there, and I hope I never do. And I hope none of you do either.
But if hundreds of us out on the streets and trails are armed with the information in the book, we can be truly helpful to all our fellow bike riders when and if we are witness to a crash, even if we ourselves are never in one.

Click. Now.

[wheelswings]

@vern 140955 wrote:

I got hit by a car this morning at the intersection of the WOD and Great Falls. The motorist stopped at the crossing, so I proceeded across, at which time he decided it was a good time to go. I’m ok, but my left front wheel is shaped like a potato chip. I haven’t inspected the frame or fork closely yet. I think the wheel took the brunt of it. Hilariously, he’s already called his insurance company and said he is not at fault. If you know the intersection, you know there are signs posted instructing motorists to stop for individuals crossing.

Sending hugs to my teammate vern. What a rotten way to start the day. Sorry about the potato-chip wheel. Hope you are okay. Sorry the driver was so self-serving.

[KLizotte]

@Sunyata 140950 wrote:

I really hope that most people that are trying bike commuting for the first time in a while or for the first time ever will stick with it, even after Metro gets their act together. 😎

I’ll be happy if they learn to be better motorists around cyclists.

[KLizotte]

@vern 140955 wrote:

I got hit by a car this morning at the intersection of the WOD and Great Falls. The motorist stopped at the crossing, so I proceeded across, at which time he decided it was a good time to go. I’m ok, but my left front wheel is shaped like a potato chip. I haven’t inspected the frame or fork closely yet. I think the wheel took the brunt of it. Hilariously, he’s already called his insurance company and said he is not at fault. If you know the intersection, you know there are signs posted instructing motorists to stop for individuals crossing.

Yikes! So sorry to hear about this; I hope you are truly okay and that the situation is resolved quickly. Don’t say you are healthy and okay to the insurance company! You don’t want to screw yourself down the road if you do find that you suffered an injury.

[Author]

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