[arlrider]

While I am sympathetic to the plight of those affected by cars parked too close to intersections (personally, I think most jurisdictions around here allow the street parking to end WAY too close to intersections, hence blocking the line of sight), the clear fact of the matter appears to be that you “gunned it” and nearly killed a cyclist. I do not think a finger point was unwarranted.

[arlrider]

@mstone 40266 wrote:

But why point that out and then keep beating on it? What in his past behavior could have changed the incident in question one way or the other?

I did not write those comments and do not necessarily agree with them, I was more just pointing out that the “victim bashing” being mentioned by the original poster in this thread was not of the typical “he shouldn’t have been out on a bike at night” sort, but of a more nuanced type highlighting that this individual had a history of promoting potentially dangerous behavior. I’m not saying I agree with those comments either, just bringing up a point that this wasn’t your typical wholesale anti-cyclist slant.

[arlrider]

@KelOnWheels 40248 wrote:

Wow, there’s a whoooole lotta victim-blaming in the comments.

Well, some of the victim-blaming seems to be coming from other cyclists, and I don’t know the LA cycling community, so it seems there might be at least a discussion to be had. The guy certainly is painted as a bit of a renegade, and the article makes it seem like he got famous by toying with the law. But, from his personal comments below (under “roadblock”) it seems that he is reformed in his ways.

I DO NOT think that anyone is blaming him for what happened on that night – where he was clearly in the right and was hit by a driver who was drunk with at least power, if not alcohol as well. However, I do think that some are pointing out that this individual, at least in the past, had championed a breed of cycling behavior which was likely to lead to issues with safety or the law.

[arlrider]

I was really just going for more of a “haha, chuckle” cute human interest post, not an examination of the statistical validity of anecdotal data or a commentary on the very real dangers we are facing due to global warming. I realize that these are serious and important topics, but me, I was just joking mostly.

[arlrider]

As a transplant, I am amused by the extent of variation in DC weather and have no idea whatsoever to consider “normal”. I have been here for four summers. Every single one of them, it seemed like it was 100 degrees out every single day. Every year, people who have lived here a long time have told me “oh, it isn’t normally this hot”…and then the next summer it is hotter. The first two winters, it snowed. The lifetime residents freaked out – “oh, it NEVER snows this much”. Last two winters it has not snowed at all – the lifetime residents freaked out “oh, this is SO unusual!”. So apparently there is no such thing as normal DC weather.

[arlrider]

To the guy on a hybrid and dressed in all black who was legitimately riding 30 MPH the WRONG WAY last night in the bike lane on Clarendon Boulevard, without any lights whatsoever, who nearly killed me and another pedestrian – I hope you are turned to ash by a rain of fire and brimstone from the sky. That is all.

[arlrider]

I put my backpack in a kitchen trash bag and tie it up, drawstring side down. Then I rip two small slits, only enough to pull the straps through. Works great. The rest of me can get wet – it’s only water.

And +1 to birddog above – I ride SO SLOWLY in the rain it’s not even funny. But I have wiped out enough to know what’s good for me. Be especially careful around manhole covers, grates, and other metal things; they can get really slick.

[arlrider]

I did this just two weeks ago! My chain bound up, snapped, and managed to shear off my rear derailleur and mangle a few teeth on a medium sprocket as well.

[arlrider]

What caught my eye is that the monthly (and daily) parking rates for cars aren’t that much more there than in DC, which leads to the logical question of…when are DC property managers going to notice this and start charging us for bike parking?

Though one thing I thought of was that a lot of buildings have bike parking as an easy way to earn LEED points. Does anyone familiar with the certification know if charging for said bike parking would change that status?

[arlrider]

@Bilsko 38149 wrote:

Eminva took a picture

Thanks! As useful as this forum is, I have to say that it is often difficult to find things, especially when they end up in the mega-threads. I surveyed the new posts as of this morning (and swear I even checked that thread) but didn’t find anything…anyhow sorry for the double post.

Though I think that is a legitimate public service point – if there’s something that’s a big deal or potential danger, I think it deserves its own thread! Don’t bury it…threads are free, you know? I’ll get off the soapbox now.

[arlrider]

Back to the original topic, I think this list is mostly great except I will say again that you should NOT be contacting ANYONE’S insurance company yourself if you have a case. Your attorney should be the only one who does that. One wrong word said to anyone’s insurance company and you are toast – you can undermine your case before you even known it.

[arlrider]

This is a pet issue for me, but I seriously hope anyone injured in a bike accident where the other party is cited or accepts fault immediately seeks legal counsel (no, I am not a lawyer myself). So many times I hear people say things like “The driver’s insurance company offered to pay my medical bills” as if it is a blessing from heaven. The car insurance companies want to push these things under the rug. Your case is worth a multiple of your damages. Don’t speak to the other driver, don’t speak to their insurance company. Don’t speak to your insurance companys. Speak to 1) the police, and 2) your attorney. All further communication should be through counsel.

This is not money-grubbing, it is sticking up for cyclists’ right to equal protection and pushing for change. Hitting perpetrators and their insurers in their wallets draws attention to the issue.

[arlrider]

@jabberwocky 33922 wrote:

The truck in question is a new-looking SVT Lightning, which isn’t exactly a cheap car. So I would bet the driver has assets to go after

SVT Lightning was discontinued in 2004, probably not worth that much now.

[arlrider]

@dbb – thanks for the post of the notes from the meeting. I’d not heard anything so, uh, concrete (pun intended) on the matter in some time.

One thing that I thought was interesting was this:

“The new Custis Trail heading uphill by the Marriott hotel will be 16 feet wide (up from 10 feet). Note: this corrects earlier information from previous ABAC notes. Schedule shows design completion in 2013 followed by construction. The plans include strategies to remove signal cabinets and other boxes from the trail.”

This seems to conflict with the fact that they’ve spent the last month or two tearing the trail all to hell right there, installing even MORE stuff in the boxes, and putting into place that giant overhead sign supported by a huge column that is just off the trail.

[arlrider]

@txgoonie 33697 wrote:

I find that in the same situation people will try to pass just as often on the right, either while you’re waiting at the light or at the moment the light turns green. It happens a lot when you’re waiting at a light in a bike lane. ELITE biker rolls up behind you, does an assessment and determines you must be slower. Either proceeds through the gap between you and curb and lines up alongside or in front of you, or they sprint past on the right when the light turns, so you have cars passing on the left and cyclists passing on the right. It’s awesome. I feel such respect emanating from the ELITEs every time it happens :-l

I’m fine in most cases being passed on either side by an ELITE Cyclist, when actually in motion. I’ve hung out in the slipstreams of Felt riders for miles on the W&OD before and given them a pretty good surprise when they turn around and see me. The problem with this particular intersection is that you know that 50% of the population is going to be turning left, and you see that there are already a dozen people stopped on the correct side of the trail, so to shoal up on the left or pass on the left is just such a jerk move.

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