[baiskeli]

Cool! Your route avoids the IoD (Intersection of Doom) in Rosslyn. I’d stick with it. It might be the fastest anyway.

[baiskeli]

@JustinW 179715 wrote:

Saw another option in Chesapeake Beach, along the Bay. They have a short but pleasant rail trail that uses some sort of composite material (perhaps combining plastic resins & recycled wood, a la Trex?)

I’m a big fan of composite, but it can be slippery.

In any event, whatever the material, it would likely be not only better to ride on but more durable and require less maintenance and last much longer before needing replacement, which might justify the upfront cost. Of course, NPS/Congress may not care anyway.

[baiskeli]

@huskerdont 179499 wrote:

I know Arlington does have some sort of program to put in sidewalks after-the-fact. Guy I know used to work in that department and once described some of the hoops they needed to jump through to get anything done. (Understandable considering that in old neighborhoods, new sidewalks can cut through plantings, trees, etc.)

I this is it: https://projects.arlingtonva.us/programs/complete-streets/

[baiskeli]

@mstone 179508 wrote:

just go half way across, then look around the bus to see whether anyone’s coming. you don’t actually have to dart across the whole road at once.

Maybe. But that may not be a comfortable place.

[baiskeli]

I’m so tired of snarky responses on the internet.

[baiskeli]

Just found this comment because I checked your profile due to your other trolling comment. Saw this:

“Seriously, are you hiring people who are mentally retarded, or just dishonest jerks? “

Please don’t be a (expletive ommitted) and use “retarded” as an insult. It’s wrong always, but especially when there are at least two members of this forum I know of who have kids with intellectual disabilities. Grow up and find a better term – there are many, and I’m happy to “share” them with you any time.

[baiskeli]

@n18 179237 wrote:

Besides what others suggested, since you would be spending hours visiting museums, I suggest that you use Capital Bikeshare and other bike sharing services.

BTW I just checked and there is a bikeshare station at the Arboretum.

[baiskeli]

@huskerdont 179236 wrote:

Even though it was the early 90s, I can still remember the look on the lawyer-type’s face, but it’s just not worth getting that worked up at this point if I can help it. I find the casual middle-digit salute to be much less stressful.

Today at the intersection of doom, I *could* have made the signal, but the person in front of me was dithering and I didn’t feel it was safe to pass. So, the flashing-no-walkie hand started, and she went anyway as I stopped. The two lanes of cars mercifully yielded to her even though they no longer had the right-turn prohibition. Then another cyclist passed me and went through with maybe 2 seconds on the countdown, and they also yielded to him. I was cringing for their safety.

Since most people don’t know that the flashing hand means don’t enter the intersection, and they probably also don’t realize that when the flashing starts, motorists no longer have the right-turn prohibition, it’s a situation set up for accidents. It’s a little better than before the prohibition, but it really needs improvement.

I think we need a bicycle control light there instead of just a pedestrian light–a light for bikes only that has the standard green/yellow/red, with no countdown. Cyclists who know they can zip through at the last second shouldn’t be controlled by lights designed for slower pedestrians. It’s not safe and it makes it even harder for car traffic to get through, which makes the motorists even more desperate to get through at the last second, adding to the safety hazard.

[baiskeli]

@Tania 179256 wrote:

I *never* cross that intersection unless I have the white walk signal. Never ever ever.

That is my policy too. I can wait.

As this incident shows, even crossing with the white walk signal can be hazardous.

[baiskeli]

The interesting thing about “rough neighborhoods” is that they change fast, so fast that you have to ask someone who has been there recently to get the real scoop. I can think of several places in DC that I would be terrified to go to the last time I ventured there that are now really nice, popular areas. The city has really grown for the better.

Here’s a recent article about a strip club that was in a seedy area four years ago. There was a building collapse and they had to shut down and rebuild. Now they are finally reopening and the neighborhood completely changed in four years and the neighbors are upset that a strip club is opening. It shows how fast things are changing.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-dc-strip-club-reopens-to-a-changed-neighborhood–of-high-end-condos-and-artisanal-toast/2018/06/25/ada12c7e-6e53-11e8-bf86-a2351b5ece99_story.html?utm_term=.627819fc30bf

[baiskeli]

@kcb203 179170 wrote:

I got hit there this morning at about 8:30. I was going eastbound and had the white walk signal. It was white when I arrived, so I was moving when I entered. The car that hit me had blocked the intersection and waited for several pedestrians to cross then pulled forward and hit me on my right side. I went down. There were several cyclist witnesses. The driver stopped and apologized and admitted fault–that she had been in the intersection after it turned red for her and then entered the crosswalk and hit me while I had the white walk signal.

Sorry to hear that.

You were legally and morally not at fault. I say that because, just to play the game of “what I would do with the benefit of both hindsight and lots of time to think about it,” I think I would want to let the car continue through the intersection and get out of my way even though she had already violated my right-of-way. In essence, it was too late – she had already pulled through – so yielding to her would clean up the mess she made and restore order. For safety’s sake, it would be best to wave her through and get her out of your way instead of crossing in front of a driver desperate to get out of the situation and get out of the way of cars honking at her. Yielding despite having the right-of-way is usually a bad idea, but in this situation it might have been best. But again, that’s just me, and with lots of time to think about what to do after the fact, so I don’t blame you at all for simply proceeding on a green light as was your right to do – no victim-blaming here. Of course, if you waved her through you might also have endangered other cyclists or pedestrians who weren’t going to yield though, so maybe I’m all wrong.

[baiskeli]

@ursus 178909 wrote:

Be attentive when crossing the tracks and cross them more less perpendicularly. Otherwise a wheel might get caught in the groove. Been there, done that.

Yes oh yes.

[baiskeli]

@Adamsmi 178896 wrote:

I am hoping someone can answer a few question. We are coming to D.C. At the end of the month. We are staying in Old Town Alexderia. Can we ride our bikes from Old Alexeria to the National Mal on a bike path? Would it be better to rent or bring our own bikes? Is biking on the weekend just to difficultdue to the amount of people?

Thanks for any help.

Christy from Michigan

Welcome, Christy.

You can indeed ride on a path to the Mall. Starting in Old Town, ride east toward the Potomac River to Union Street and turn left, which will soon turn you left onto Pendleton Street. The connection to the Mt. Vernon Trail is just on your right, through a park and parallel to the train tracks you just crossed. See link below. After a short split in the trail (the right side is more scenic), it takes you along the river to the 14th Street Bridge. Go under it and turn left to cross the bridge and you’ll be next to the Jefferson Memorial.

As for rental, you can use our Capital Bikeshare system or find one of many dockless bikes, but they tend to be heavy and clunky and (in my experience) uncomfortable for long trips. A long trip could also cost too much on those. There’s a place you can rent more comfortable bikes at a better rate for a day: http://bikeandrolldc.com. They have a rental spot just off Union St. at King Street so it’s perfect for you. They have more options too, such as tandems and kid trailers. I don’t know if you have to reserve them in advance but I definitely would if possible because they will be popular. There are a few bike shops in Old Town that you might check for rental too.

This trail will be very busy on a summer weekend but its fine if you know how to ride safely and watch out for those who don’t. There will be a few bottlenecks with pedestrians when you get downtown, but once you are on the Mall, it should up.

Biking is the very best way to get around and see the sights here so you’re making the right choice!

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mt+Vernon+Trail/@38.8099529,-77.0405157,18.39z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7b1aa25726c0b:0x95fd8a0ced6d4e61!8m2!3d38.7930742!4d-77.0495195

[baiskeli]

@bentbike33 178083 wrote:

This was probably a singular case of a detour being vastly superior to the original route. I shall miss it.

I agree. Just make the trail for pedestrians and give us a permanent protected lane on the street.

[baiskeli]

“Naval Jelly” (no, not navel jelly, you pervs) will eat rust. You can get it at Home Depot, etc.

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