My Morning Commute

[lordofthemark]

@scoot 143047 wrote:

IIRC, you (and maybe others) have experienced that behavior frequently at that intersection. Yet Streetview shows multiple signs and pavement markings indicating a right-turn only lane. What more could be done to prevent this? Put green paint to mark the bike lane all the way through the intersection? Install a tiny traffic island that would force people to curve to the right as they enter the intersection from that lane?

Are drivers are doing this out of ignorance, or are they purposely using that lane trying to shoal other traffic (or to pass left-turning vehicles)?

Yes, I have mentioned this before. Its not every day, but it happens enough times I am conscious to look out for it.

1. I think some do so out of ignorance, but I think some do so deliberately, especially if the driver in the lane to the left of the bike lane is signalling a left turn. Or if they just think there is a high probability (as there tends to be) that they will.

2. I am all for green paint to clarify how cyclists should get through intersections like that, and get more people expecting them. But I do not expect that to change much. The percent of drivers who do that who have some concern about hitting cyclists, probably think they can look and see if there is a cyclist there, and when there is, get out in front of them before swerving back left. The rest are simply oblivious.

3. IIUC MoveDC proposes PBLs on Eye Street SW (as well as on M Street SE/SW, btw ) so I doubt DC would want to invest much in the current configuration.

Look at the streetview pic, by the way.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8792861,-77.0099562,3a,75y,87.24h,86.76t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWpBsCiIoCSGoudlk6X2LhA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It’s great. It shows the sign and the arrows on the ground. There is a cyclist in the bike lane. And look how the car in the right lane is positioned! Like he is about to swerve left!

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8792868,-77.0095058,3a,75y,66.37h,74.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sdoNs-u1Hsv_juY9DhOCxBQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

By pulling into the crosswalk (note he is not signalling a right, and not starting to turn right, so I am pretty sure he did proceed straight, though StreetView does not appear to show it) he is in a good position to get ahead of the cyclist, who is waiting behind the crosswalk and has a foot on the ground.

Edit – it looks like he did turn right. He just treated use of his turn signals as optional, but that is par for the course, right?

[GovernorSilver]

You guys just reminded me of one reason I gave up on riding southbound on the First St NE protected bike lane, on my evening commutes.

At the intersection of First and K, there are too many northbound drivers that are all too willing to turn right from First to K, cutting in front of southbound cyclists trying to cross K on that unprotected segment of the bike lane, even though in theory the cyclists have the green light and the right-turning drivers have the red light. Some cars did their right turn less than 3 feet in front me as I was crossing.

Since DC is all about making money off of traffic cam tickets anyway, maybe they need to install a camera there. The money from the tickets could help finance more protected bike lanes.

It’s kind of ironic that I feel safer riding southbound on N. Capitol St. – which has no bike lanes at all – on my evening commute.

[LhasaCM]

@GovernorSilver 143054 wrote:

You guys just reminded me of one reason I gave up on riding southbound on the First St NE protected bike lane, on my evening commutes.

At the intersection of First and K, there are too many northbound drivers that are all too willing to turn right from First to K, cutting in front of southbound cyclists trying to cross K on that unprotected segment of the bike lane, even though in theory the cyclists have the green light and the right-turning drivers have the red light. Some cars did their right turn less than 3 feet in front me as I was crossing.

Since DC is all about making money off of traffic cam tickets anyway, maybe they need to install a camera there. The money from the tickets could help finance more protected bike lanes.

It’s kind of ironic that I feel safer riding southbound on N. Capitol St. – which has no bike lanes at all – on my evening commute.

That’s not the only headache along that route.
1. It’s not just southbound; some cars try to squeeze the gap on northbound cyclists as well.
2. At the same intersection, there’s a high potential of being hit (or having the scurry out the way) when waiting at a red light going southbound at 1st and K. Cars (and even worse, trucks and buses) turning northbound from K onto 1st street cut the corner too sharply, driving into the bike lane (which already is set back from the intersection).
3. Cars don’t like waiting to turn right from L St. onto 1st. I’ve seen a number of near misses (and one hit) where drivers turned right on red. Since drivers can’t go straight there, it seems there’s even more impatience than normal.
4. Some pedestrians crossing between G and K St. NE don’t like to look before stepping into the bike lane; they’re focused on finding a gap in the cars.

Yet, I do it every day…what’s the definition of insanity again?

[scoot]

@GovernorSilver 143054 wrote:

At the intersection of First and K, there are too many northbound drivers that are all too willing to turn right from First to K, cutting in front of southbound cyclists trying to cross K on that unprotected segment of the bike lane, even though in theory the cyclists have the green light and the right-turning drivers have the red light.

This is a general problem with 2-way PBLs along the edge of a street. Many drivers will never think to look for oncoming traffic when making right turns across one. It’s essentially the same hazard a cyclist would face when trying to salmon in a gutter. For this reason, I do not find riding in such lanes to be comfortable at all. In fact it requires more vigilance than usual.

@GovernorSilver 143054 wrote:

It’s kind of ironic that I feel safer riding southbound on N. Capitol St. – which has no bike lanes at all – on my evening commute.

Ironic perhaps, but not surprising. I presume you were riding on the southbound side of the street, thus you would be exactly where drivers would expect to see southbound traffic.

[lordofthemark]

Of course my problem would not be solved by taking the general lane – people swerving left from a right turn lane would be a problem in the absence of a bike lane. And the Eye Street lanes allow me to safely and legally filter when intersections like S. Capitol and Eye are in failure.

Note if I wanted a multilane alternative with no seg infra, I could take M Street SW/SE. Some riders do that, but AFAICT most do not. (And Strava heat map is not helpful here, for obvious reasons)
In general I do think two way cycle tracks should be avoided, except where proper signals can seperate bike and car phases. I have only ridden the 1st Street PBL once in the last year, I think – I seem to recall a bike signal, but I don’t recall the exact situation at K Street.

[JanaeBixby]

On my afternoon commute: Was passing a guy walking his puppy under the bridges on 4 mile run, just after exiting the MVT and before the switch back that brings you up behind Potomac Yards. Went a little slow because the puppy was all over on the leash and I was just about to turn onto the switch back anyways, and got passed by the biggest d*** bag (going in the same direction as us and coming from behind us) who yelled at me and my husband as if we were inconveniencing him by being in the left (to pass the dog) and slowing him down; obviously he was worried about his strava time. How big of a jerk are you to get upset about your speed over a puppy?!?? What’s wrong with people. I hope he gets a stick in his spokes and I hope he reads this post and feels embarrassed for himself! He deserves it for being an awful human being. On the bright side, the puppy was the cutest black lab ever.

Also passed by a car who was stopped half on the sidewalk/half in the street on Main Ave. SW in the middle of moving traffic so he could stop and get a pokemon while driving….. This pokemon thing is getting dangerous for drivers who are not paying attention to bikers. Maybe for every biker you hit you will get extra poke points?! Are poke points a thing?

[GovernorSilver]

@JanaeBixby 143066 wrote:

On my afternoon commute: Was passing a guy walking his puppy under the bridges on 4 mile run, just after exiting the MVT and before the switch back that brings you up behind Potomac Yards.

That was my evening route when I first started bike commuting. I don’t like that switchback, and most of the people who I encounter on it are rude.

Thanks to this awesome forum, I learned about this route, which goes behind the buildings in Crystal City – then takes you on 26th to S. Clark St.:

https://goo.gl/maps/usfSDZ2egUw

This is the 2nd half of the route to get to Potomac Ave. Ignore the very beginning of the route – you will actually be on S. Clark St. – continue to 27th where you’ll make a left and end up on Potomac Ave.

https://goo.gl/maps/EHTtgVEdDer

Optionally, you could instead enter a parking lot from S. Clark/27th, ride through it to get to 29th St, then from 29th St. turn right on Potomac Ave. This way you can avoid the traffic light at 27th and Crystal. Google Maps seems to think 29th is a one-way street but it’s not.

Even better – for me anyway – is the Boundary Channel route.

[lordofthemark]

Well this time the illegal proceed straight through car at Eye and S Cap was actually sitting IN the bike lane waiting (ahead of me and two other cyclists), so I guess it least it was both clearer what he was going to do, and less dangerous. Still a WTF moment.

But compensating for that, the weather was not bad, and I not only got to see awning guy, but got to hear his radio as well.

[JanaeBixby]

@GovernorSilver 143070 wrote:

That was my evening route when I first started bike commuting. I don’t like that switchback, and most of the people who I encounter on it are rude.

Thanks to this awesome forum, I learned about this route, which goes behind the buildings in Crystal City – then takes you on 26th to S. Clark St.:

I avoid Crystal City at all costs. I will take the rude bikers over the ignorant drivers. Especially along parking areas, where people double park to go to Chick-fil-a, or pull into or out of those parallel spots without even checking. There are just too many places you have to stop for drivers, lights, or stop signs through Crystal City on your way south. The tunnel and underpass are dangerous, and bikers are rude there too. It’s not worth the stress. After 2 years I have mastered the switchback!

Plus, you encounter rude and impatient bikers wherever you go. You are never more than 10 feet away from a self involved person. Thanks for the suggestions

[JanaeBixby]

@lordofthemark 143077 wrote:

Well this time the illegal proceed straight through car at Eye and S Cap was actually sitting IN the bike lane waiting (ahead of me and two other cyclists), so I guess it least it was both clearer what he was going to do, and less dangerous. Still a WTF moment.

Lordofthemark,

I have reported this area to the cops many times (since this is on my daily commuting route), after being side swiped here by a car sitting in the right hand turn lane, with me next to her to her left in the bike lane, and then she sped up at the green and pushed me to try to get around me (and the other cars) going straight through the intersection. Unfortunately, I have seen cops do this too. It’s a regular thing, almost every day, every green. I have started reporting license plate numbers of the cars who aggressively endanger bikes by doing this. The problem is, the city (police department) doesn’t care, until somebody gets killed. I am thinking about getting a Fly6/Fly12 camera to report it.

The funny thing is, almost all of them turn into McDonalds!!!!!!!! They are in such a rush to get in front of everyone so they can be first in line!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12130[/ATTACH]

[huskerdont]

@JanaeBixby 143078 wrote:

After 2 years I have mastered the switchback!

Eggsellent. Whenever I do the airport loop home, I make a detour up and down the switchback, just for fun. (If there are pedestrians about I will hold onto a railing to let them pass.)

[GovernorSilver]

@JanaeBixby 143078 wrote:

I avoid Crystal City at all costs. I will take the rude bikers over the ignorant drivers. Especially along parking areas, where people double park to go to Chick-fil-a, or pull into or out of those parallel spots without even checking. There are just too many places you have to stop for drivers, lights, or stop signs through Crystal City on your way south.

I hear ya, but if you take the Behind The Buildings route, you avoid a lot of that – on most days it’s just you and your bike, blissfully cruising behind buildings with virtually no cars, no people for that matter other than perhaps a worker or two taking a smoke break. After you emerge from Behind The Buildings (if you’re northbound), you’ll find the connector to Mt. Vernon Trail to your right, unless of course you choose the Boundary Channel route.

Going Behind The Buildings southbound is a bit trickier, as the southern end is 26th St. and Crystal Dr, and Crystal Dr is one-way northbound, south of that intersection. But while you’re on it, it still delivers the same benefits – no errant taxis, double-parkers, etc.

S. Clark coming from Long Bridge Drive southbound looks fairly deserted by the time I typically arrive in Crystal City. Traffic is significantly lighter at that time of the evening there than Crystal Dr – usually its the 6:30-7pm timeframe.

BTW, I was riding on Potomac Ave. Trail a lot, coming from the switchback in the evenings too. But one stormy night, I saw a cyclist lying on the road looking unconscious. She had been hit by a car while crossing on the crosswalk to get to the other side of the trail. I then realized Potomac Ave. Trail north of Glebe is just a glorified sidewalk, with all the dangers of sidewalk riding – especially in driveways and crosswalks. I decided to just ride on the road after that. I feel like I’m a lot more visible to the drivers there.

Anyway, the reason I prefer riding through Crystal City in the evenings is the Gravelly Point/DCA portion of Mt. Vernon Trail. There’s been some accidents there lately due to the blind curves, on top of the usual hazards (people walking on/off the trail gawking at planes instead of checking the trail traffic, heavy food/cycling traffic in general). Now we’ve got this Pokemon mobile thing going too.

[mello yello]

People and yelling things… gets to me.
I gotta say, the “now that’s a ride baby” was excellent to hear.
“hey white man” is baffling… yes, it’s true, but I’m not the only one who lives or bikes east of the river… I’ve gotten that one a few times

The one I was expecting, but had yet to hear, happened yesterday… the classic “get on the sidewalk!”

[Judd]

@mello yello 143097 wrote:

People and yelling things… gets to me.
I gotta say, the “now that’s a ride baby” was excellent to hear.
“hey white man” is baffling… yes, it’s true, but I’m not the only one who lives or bikes east of the river… I’ve gotten that one a few times

The one I was expecting, but had yet to hear, happened yesterday… the classic “get on the sidewalk!”

Paging LeprosyStudyGroup for what was said to him during his ride east of the river.

[vern]

I work on Crystal Drive and have been bike commuting to work the last 3 years. I didn’t realize that riding my bike through Crystal City was so hazardous! I usually come in via Eads and leave via the connector to the MVT (variety and all that). I’m not saying that what others have encountered and described here isn’t real, but I’ve never really felt that riding in Crystal City was very problematic.

[Author]

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