[Brendan von Buckingham]

Helmet and handlebars. Too many dark curves and drivers not paying attention for me to go without a helmet light that I can point where I need to see/get a driver’s attention.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Driver has been arrested, and get this, charged with Murder Two. They must have video of the accident or a passenger willing to testify against the driver?

http://www.popville.com/2014/10/props-to-the-cops-arrest-made-in-hit-and-run-where-cyclist-was-killed-at-8th-and-s-st-nw/#comments

[Brendan von Buckingham]

What’s a lumen?

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@wheels&wings 97433 wrote:

For an upcoming talk, my Stockholm-based brother and I will be exploring attitudes toward cyclists in the US and Sweden.

So what is the Swedish attitude towards cyclists?

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Yes, but what about an electric assist wheel? The bike’s not electric, the wheel is. http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/07/if-an-electric-bike-is-ever-going-to-hit-it-big-in-the-us-its-this-one/375167/

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@lordofthemark 96985 wrote:

Is it too much to hope that things will be looking better in the Wharf area by the end of October?

Yes, too much to hope for. Three more years if they stay on schedule. Started in March 2014. Right now we’re in the middle of Item #4: Utility relocation work in Maine Avenue. Coming up soon is #6: Permanent closure of Water Street from Fish Market to 7th. Then it’s the Parade of Dumptrucks as they excavate foundations for the next 12 months.

Check out the spreadsheet in the middle of this artcle: http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/construction_to_start_on_the_wharf_in_march/8112

[Brendan von Buckingham]

When counterflowing on the Maine Avenue sidewalk, please be careful at this blind corner under 14th Street Bridge. http://tinyurl.com/mlwrckk. Last evening I came across the aftermath of a head-on collision between two cyclists. They were already being taken care of by a crowd of pedestrians but according to witnesses one of the cyclists was going too fast.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Paving complete. Road is smooth and ready to go (except lane markings).

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Friday evening, overcast, threatening to drizzle. Left office in SW DC, detoured up to U Street for two site visits before heading to Key Bridge and Wilson Blvd. Nothing notable about that. But jeez, every block in DC was swarming with cyclists; 4 or 5 every block, going every which way. People just heading home from work or just going out for the night. Only one or two cyclists kitted out for a long commute; rest just in normal dress. I’ve now officially seen a lot of progress in my life, and I wasn’t even born during the Depression.

Taking me down a notch were the “cyclists” on saw at Rhodes and Wilson by Rhodes Tavern. I was westbound stopped at my red; dark by now. Heading eastbound against traffic was a pack of a dozen kids on bikes, not a single light or reflector, all dark clothing, popping wheelies and generally not giving a sh:t. Just swarming through the intersection against the light nearly getting creamed by cars on Rhodes with the green. Just like the ATV swarms infecting parts of DC recently. Win because at least they were bikes? The kids these days…

[Brendan von Buckingham]

@Steve O 96705 wrote:

Sure, don’t take undue risks. The problem with this is that there are literally thousands upon thousands of people who have mitigated the risk by choosing not to ride bikes at all. They perceive them as dangerous; period. But we know that if those thousands started riding, it would be safer for them and for all of us, too. Cycling is not inherently unsafe. Crashes are rare. But the perception remains among many that it is unsafe and that crashes are frequent. And our infrastructure still has miles and miles to go before it becomes safe enough for those thousands and thousands to feel safe.

I will be very interested to find out what the driver is eventually charged with. I would recommend assault with a deadly weapon; negligent homicide or criminally negligent manslaughter if she dies. It will be enormously disappointing, and a deep disregard and diminishment of the value of a human, if he gets off with just traffic violations like failing to stop.

First paragraph, completely agree. Second paragraph–sadly–is wishful thinking. Driver will use the “I didn’t see the red light because of the sun” defense and nothing of great consequence will be further done.

I live on 50 near the at grade crossing at Park. Every 6 months, when the sun sets on axis with 50, outbound drivers drive blind. They “don’t see” the red lights so they drive as a pack depending on the herd to tell them when to stop. Every 6 months there’s a major accident when cross traffic on Park crosses with the green only to get creamed by a blinded westbound car. Cars usually end up all over the place, spun around and flipped over. It’s dangerous for cyclists just to filter up to the stop line on our red because it puts us in the blast zone.

The only safe way to cross 50 at grade is to treat it like a stop sign: stay in line or back from the intersection and don’t begin to cross until you can visually confirm that all 6 lanes have come to a stop. The at grade crossings on 50 are exceptional intersections, they need an exceptional approach.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Still under construction. They’re working west to east. They’ve only finished the first block. Columbus to George Mason still milled and rough and waiting pavement. Best to avoid.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Don’t forget helmets. Think of all the jogger/pedestrian head injuries that would be eliminated if joggers wore helmets all the time.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

They blew it on the new fangled Washington Circle lights too.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Don’t put any lane markings in the round about at all. Let drivers slow down even more and sort it out themselves.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

The secret to Poyntonifying (ha!, take that spell check) Clarendon is to merge all two-lane directions to one lane prior to entering the Poynton then not having any traffic lights. The merge slows down traffic, the poynton and its islands slow down traffic more, no lights means no one ever has to stop.

An intersection where everyone goes 5 mph means no one has to stop and throughput is higher than current practice of queuing, waiting, stopping, zooming.

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