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@elbows 186432 wrote:

Would the proposed Virginia bills make it illegal for a cyclist to look at the navigation app on their handheld phone while at a stoplight? Or is that already illegal?

https://www.thewashcycle.com/2019/01/virginia-considering-bill-to-regulate-dockless-bikes-ban-phone-use-by-drivers.html#comments

The bills specifically reference motor vehicles, and they allow operation while stopped, so I don’t think cyclists at stoplights have anything to worry about here.

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Valerie & I have signed up for dog walking Thursday evening – though I doubt I’ll be able to convince her to bike there.

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Leslie, I’m horrified, saddened and enraged that this happened. Feel better soon – !רפואה שלמה

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@drevil 184984 wrote:

Steve’s correct. I am not sponsoring a Dirty Biker pointless prize this year, but if someone wants to continue it for 2019, be my guest.

Fixed

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I’m back! The list of Pointless Prizes has been updated and will be maintained in the first post in this thread.

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@dbehrend 184174 wrote:

estimated cost of $1.3 – 1.6 billion for the preferred alternative.

Maybe someone needs to start a GoFundMe.

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The Prince of Pointless Prizes will have limited Internet connectivity from 12/23/18-1/5/19. Updates to the Pointless Prize list will resume on or about 1/6/19.

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@VikingMariner 184044 wrote:

But how do you know that since we never built the bigger roads? We have essentially the same system capacity from decades ago in the DC metro area. As exhibit A I submit to you the Beltway, I-395 and I-66.

The Beltway has been widened a number of times since it was opened, taking it from its original 4-6 lanes to 10-12 in places today – including the recently added express lanes. They’re about to open more lanes on I395 as well, extending the I95 express lanes north to DC. I66 has been successively widened outside the Beltway and, as I’m sure you know, they’ve been squezing in more capacity inside the Beltway as well.

VikingMariner, I agree with your point that pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists should get past seeing each other as warring factions – though (to circle back to the OP) I don’t agree with your assertion that the NYT article was fanning such flames.

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@chuxtr 183998 wrote:

The hashtag is #FS2019coffeeride

Fixed

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@SpaceJockey 183967 wrote:

Might need to coerce Alexandria to put the brakes on the raw sewage discharge for that to work…..I cringe every time I see the paddleboarders of the Potomac or DC Triathlon postponed due to health concerns… https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/triathlon-cancels-swim-due-to-water-quality-in-potomac-river/316067042

I’ve stuck my head in that river more times than I can count, and I’m still normal. Aren’t I?

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Here is the first compendium of Pointless Prizes. It will be updated with prizes, links, and hashtags as the list grows. Keep ’em coming!

Beerneuring (sjclaeys) – Drink beer. Ride Bikes – Details TBD
Silly Rabbit Trix (drevil) – Biking’s more fun when you pepper it up with silly trix. No hashtag
Pointless Kids (jrenaut) – Riding with kids on their own bikes & tracking their miles #withkid[name]
Kidical (LhasaCM) – Riding your bike with one or more kids “attached” to your bike (trailer, cargo bike, kids seat, etc.) #kidical
Points per Mile (chuxtr) – Highest ratio of points per mile
Coffee Rides (chuxtr) – Visit different coffee places on your bike #FS2019coffeeride
Calvinball winner (josh) – Pointless prize for the winner of Calvinball No hashtag
Ride Alexandria’s Bike Infrastructure Prize (lordofthemark) –
Dumpling Ride (bikedavid) – Visit dumpling restaurants #FS2019dumplingride
The Road goes ever on and on… (AliasXIII) – TBD – has to do with covering the most ground
Photo captions (SteveO) – Best photo captions
Loopy for Arlington (bentbike33) – Completing the most Arlington Loops No hashtag

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Great article. Sadly, the friction among street & road users seems never-ending. Right now it’s a hot topic on my neighborhood’s NextDoor board.

BTW, is anyone doing a “Walk Your City” (as mentioned in the article) campaign in Arlington?

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I’ll be there.

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@Steve O 183435 wrote:

The IOD can be much improved for much less cost than building bridges (or tunnels), and actually is better than those alternatives.

Do you feel the current work will accomplish those improvements?

Also, I read the linked post. It proposes some smart improvements but ignores a number of danger spots in the greater IOD (that is, other than the Custis trail crossing at Lynn St.). For example, my most recent terrifying near accident was on the south side of Gateway Park.

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I’m happy for this project. I’m sad that it doesn’t really do very much, in my opinion, to improve safety at the IOD and its surrounding intersections. I love “luminous bodies” and “semi-custom fences” as much as the next guy, but pedestrian bridges over Lynn St. and both directions of Lee Hwy would be much better.

[Author]

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