[bobco85]

@TwoWheelsDC 29929 wrote:

Is it weird that the only thing I really noticed in that story was all the ninja cyclists in the B-roll? Get some lights, idiots!

That, and only 2 people were wearing helmets, although the 2nd person was wearing a BMX/skateboard helmet.

[bobco85]

@Tim Kelley 29790 wrote:

Hot on the heels of the Green Bike Lanes installation is a “Buffered Bike Lane” being installed between Clarendon and Courthouse.

Details here: http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/EnvironmentalServices/dot/traffic/page87034.aspx

Photo:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1610[/ATTACH]

I’m a bit confused here. The link shows two different types of buffers: 1) buffer between the bike lane and parking lane and 2) buffer between the bike lane and traffic.

In the picture, I get that the buffer is of the 2nd type, but are they only going to use that type?

I’m also trying to figure out which type would be safer since vehicles regularly “park” in the bike lane along Clarendon Blvd (yes, I know it’s technically “standing,” but when a car is sitting there with its engine off I call it parking). At least the 1st type (buffer between bike lane and parking lane) would help prevent dooring.

[bobco85]

I’ve seen a “fake bike lane” at the intersection of Fairfax Dr and Glebe Rd. There are yellow spray painted dashed lines that “connect” the bike lane on either side of the intersection heading eastbound. I follow them as guidelines whenever crossing that intersection, and it seems that vehicles do, too. Perhaps (hopefully) it will be a future green bike lane?

[bobco85]

Here’s my current set-up:

Helmet – headlight – Black Diamond Icon Headlamp – it requires a bit of fanagling, but if you have a visor attachment to your helmet, it will hold the straps in place. It’s nice and bright (1 main light, or 2 smaller LEDs) with different settings (including dimmer capability) that you can play around with.

Helmet – taillight – Planet Bike Spok Tail – I attach it (velcro) to the top strap of my headlamp as it works as a nice backwards facing blinking red light for when you turn your head.

Handlebars – CatEye EL120 Sport OptiCube LED Headlight – it’s pretty easy to transport, and works well as a blinking front light when on streets.

Seatpost – Planet Bike Superflash Tail Light – I can’t recommend anything more than this, as I’ve actually been stopped by multiple people (including a police officer in Alexandria) asking where they can get one. It’s visible for up to a mile away.

Front/Rear Wheels – Nite Ize See ‘Em LED spokelights – they’re pretty easy to attach/remove, and give a good amount of light for your sides. I’ve got green and amber for my front wheel and red and amber for the rear wheel. 2nd best part (the best part is actually being seen) is that you immediately become cool in the eyes of any kid (and most adults) when you have these spinning color wheels!

If you’re going to be using multiple bikes, I’d recommend investing in good helmet lights and lights you can attach to your backpack/other bags. You could probably just use a frog light on whatever bike you are riding at the time.

[bobco85]

@KelOnWheels 29445 wrote:

What the heck IS that?

I like to call it Virginia’s Lombard Street: http://goo.gl/maps/h4Gsk

[bobco85]

@KelOnWheels 29432 wrote:

OK, so when am I gonna get over being terrified of the edges of pavement? If I keep riding like I’m going to crash, I’m going to crash :p On Friday I WALKED my bike down the hairpin turn on the Shirlington ped bridge. (I experimented this morning and discovered that I am more comfortable turning left downhill than right. Time for some drills!)

If you’re looking for drills on tight downhill turns (both right and left hairpins) that won’t kill you if you mess up, try this obstacle course at the edge of the Eisenhower Avenue Connector in Alexandria: http://goo.gl/maps/us3Da

[bobco85]

On good days: There’s something about being on the trail, traveling somewhere (especially somewhere new), getting to think to myself, and enjoy nature that gets me out of bed at the butt-crack of dawn on my days off. And if it’s 50-60 degrees outside? I could ride forever! Also, the incentive to achieve my goal of 100 miles in a day (last year I got to 84, the year before was 76, the year before that was around 67) is always there.

On bad days: I think about (or look up online) some far off restaurant that I’ve wanted to visit and my stomach just seizes control of my body after that.

On the worst days: When I’m in a foul mood, and life makes me feel like throwing my hands up in the air and say, “I give up!”, there’s a little voice in my head that tells me, “But you like biking. Go do that!” Always seems to lift my spirits, if not get me some new ideas on solving whatever problem(s) causing said worst day.

On the dangerous days: Although I don’t do icy weather because I don’t have ice skates for wheels (yet), a good summer thunderstorm, complete with blustery winds, near-horizontal rain, booming thunder, and crackling lightning is a bit of a rush. I have clothes hangers on my shower rack almost year-round for drying my wet biking clothes.

[bobco85]

Alright, I’ve been considering trail clean-up through carrying a broom on me for quite a while now, and about a week ago actually started looking into ways to make it happen without success. Is there a way to get a broom that either folds/unscrews/telescopes to a normal size (longer than 3 feet) that will fit in a backpack? I’ve been searching online for one, but the problems seem to be: too expensive (I’m looking for a <$30 fix here), brush part too small, or too flimsy (will be used in rough outdoor environments). All I really need to find is the pole part with a screw at the bottom to fit into a typical broom brush (they all seem to screw in). Anybody have any ideas?

[bobco85]

@MCL1981 28473 wrote:

This is however a good time to mention… You should put some inconspicuous markings on the bike with an engraver. Like your initials and birthday or last four or something. That when the police say “How do you know this bike is yours”, you can point to the personally identifiable information on it. Something more than “Well I bought these cool tires and that is my favorite style fork”.

Wouldn’t registering your bike be enough? I mean, you give the bike serial number when registering your bike (it’s engraved on the bottom of the bike between the pedals), which will be stored in the police database (at least in Arlington County, it is). I figure it’d be easy to determine that a bike was stolen if that serial number is found to be scratched out.

[bobco85]

It needs a horizontal “impatient drivers blocking the crosswalk on red that are too far forward to trip the left turn light” line, a “crosswalk detour around cars blocking the way” line, and a few random dotted “jaywalking” lines! Oh, and a “road debris” bike lane, too!

I wonder how crazy it would look if it were in color.

[bobco85]

I’m glad the guy got his bike back, but I would never try and get it back in that way as it would be too risky. The thief could have had a weapon on him. Also, it irked me when they said that the thief almost got away with it had they not gathered this evidence (confession by the thief that he knew it was stolen).

That said, there’s a part of me that wishes I had that kind of coordination to get back my bike that was stolen in May 2011 (although it was worth $600 instead of the $2,500 in the video).

[bobco85]

In my experience, once you break a spoke on a wheel, it’s only a matter of time before a second spoke breaks. Check the other spokes (I run my fingers around each side of the wheel, “plucking” the spokes like playing a circular harp) to make sure that none of them feel too loose (at least one will feel a little loose on the end opposite to the broken spoke).

I think you should be fine with the 3.5 mile ride. If you decide to try the 8 mile ride to Proteus, make sure they have the spoke you need so it can be replaced and the wheel trued (I imagine this will be no problem, as I’ve heard good things about Proteus). Keeping your speed low and avoiding any sort of bumps, debris, or collards, you should arrive unscathed.

[bobco85]

@JustinW 28125 wrote:

Happiness and appreciation for whoever got the bollards and collars removed entirely from the Bluemont Junction Trail (@ the intersection with Kensington, at least)! Enjoyed an easier passage there just now. Progress!

We talked about it on this thread (along with before/after pics). That said, I’m always happy to see unused collars get removed.

[bobco85]

@jnva 28051 wrote:

Here’s a perfect example of Helpy McHelperton trying to do good, but it ends up bad.

http://vienna.patch.com/articles/cyclist-hit-by-car-near-w-od-trail

I think this adage from another thread really applies to this story, and it is stuck in my head to make sure not to cross unless all lanes of traffic are stopped/clear:

@pfunkallstar 27265 wrote:

“Two lanes of traffic – one of kindness, one of anger.”

[bobco85]

@Terpfan 27624 wrote:

But it does beg the point that when making a pass, if you’re not going to use a bell then you need to do it loudly, especially when we’re underneath a highway overpass where it’s naturally noisy. And your answer that I couldn’t hear it because of my earbuds (while amusing to me since they weren’t actually on for once and when they are, they’re on low volume) is sort of a poor argument anyway since the point of calling the pass isn’t for you to hear yourself.

When you leave the trail and enter a roadway, I hope you remove one of the earbuds. It’s illegal in VA, MD, and DC to be on the road with both earbuds in (you’re allowed to have one in because that covers wireless headsets).

I use the trails for walking on occasion, and will wear my headphones (clip-on kind) on a medium volume level where I can still hear outside stuff (like the whirring of bike wheels and passes), so I understand that you can wear them without too much auditory loss to the outside environment. It’s weird, I’m fine with walking with headphones, but find biking with headphones past my comfort zone.

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