[elbows]

I had to temporarily give up bicycling to work since my agency moved to a LEED building that so far at least makes it very hard to bicycle but has plenty of auto parking (thanks for letting me rant), but as someone who used to go through here every day and saw a number of accidents, I just don’t like the signal to cross solution. It will probably make drivers less likely to be rear-ended, but will cost crossers a lot of time and law-breaking will be rampant. What about more communication to drivers about an upcoming crosswalk and the rules (which still aren’t clear to me and I’ve read hundreds of comments about this intersection). When I rode through this intersection at night, I even turned my lights off to prevent the possibility of someone seeing me, stopping for me, and one of us getting hit. I’d rather just wait for a gap.

[elbows]

I was one of the cyclists on the sidewalk this morning and there were a lot of us. I was also surprised to see Custis closed during rushhour. Sorry to disappoint but I don’t know that area well and wasn’t going to take my chances getting on Lee Highway not knowing how I would get off of Lee Highway or what was coming up ahead.

[elbows]

When I went to my local community association meeting and asked the ACPD if they ever ticketed drivers for coming too close to cyclists while passing, they told me that there was no such law and then one started ranting about scofflaw cyclists who he sees speeding on the trails in Arlington. This was the first I had heard trail speed limits. Thanks for all you do, Mark Blacknell.

[elbows]

They were still out on 11-25 coming up from Roosevelt Island.

[elbows]

I live in South Arlington and ride into DC for work and activities. Every so often when I am injured as I am now, I can’t ride for a few days (strained back if anyone cares). I either take the bus (16y) or borrow a car to drive. The bus is crowded and slow and it makes me carsick. The car is expensive, risks an acccident or ticket, and is stressful. Both take longer than it takes me to bicycle and bicycling is fun and good for me (except for Columbia Pike which I know I complain about all the time). I just want to shake the sheep on the bus with their faces pressed in each other’s armpits and say, “there is a better way to get places”. I just don’t get why more people don’t ride. Really, I don’t. I try to talk it up at work when people ask and a few people have tried it but have their own reservations.

[elbows]

Are cyclists allowed to ride on the Army Navy Access Road? That would help me avoid the worst part of Columbia Pike.

[elbows]

I’m too late for the meeting and I agree with the points made regarding MVT and the crossings around Memorial Bridge. (Please, one day, make avoiding Columbia Pike easier.)

One minor point on MVT, there are several STOP SIGNS on MVT especially by the airport that do not contribute to the safety of cyclists at all. One is to cross a deadend road where there are about 8 parking spaces on the other side of the crossing.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=alexandria,+va&hl=en&ll=38.846497,-77.048554&spn=0.001132,0.002288&t=h&z=19&vpsrc=6
So all day long, if following the sign, hundreds (thousands) are supposed to come to a complete stop to make sure they notice that someone might be coming from a dead end. There are other signs that are downright stupid.

I think following the sign and coming to a complete stop here makes you less safe because you can’t cross as quickly. If you are only looking one direction, I don’t think a stop sign makes sense.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=alexandria,+va&hl=en&ll=38.847817,-77.048385&spn=0.001132,0.002288&t=h&vpsrc=6&z=19

Anyway, the point is that if this is the level of thought NPS puts into rules it makes for cyclists, clearly, there is room for improvement. Thanks for meeting with them.

[elbows]

Agree with everything everyone’s said. After 8 years of being car-less in various parts of Arlington, I think the Columbia Pike area is the worst for cyclists in Arlington. I wish the County cared.

The bike blvds are fine but they won’t help with the worst sections.

Still haven’t tried Ft Myer. I’m dreading the summer ending and traffic on the Pike picking up again. Among other things, the County school buses are a bit of a monster. In my opinion, the Pentagon isn’t the end of the scary part, it’s really just 27 where things get better.

[elbows]

Sorry to hear about your ticket. I can think of plenty of better uses for that cop’s time. Washcycle and others have posted compelling arguments for the adoption of the Idaho Stop. I know it isn’t going to happen anytime soon, but I do think it makes sense.
http://www.thewashcycle.com/2009/07/idaho-stop-makes-cyclists-145-safer.html

When the power was out for days, I saw plently of people function just fine at intersections where the light was out. Intersections like the Quaker Lane 5-way were a mess, but those are poorly designed. I have almost been hit twice at that intersection (once on bike and once on foot) and was fully following the law.

[elbows]

I rode Columbia Pike regularly for 2 years until I moved. My opinion is that if you want to bicycle most days, you can get used to anything. I prefered riding home on Columbia Pike to riding into DC because I did not like flying downhill towards the 27 traffic.

If you were moving close enough to 4 Mile Run, I would probably take that trail. Obviously, you could also go down Glebe to 4 Mile Run. My preferred way was to turn onto Orme and then go over to the Pentagon that way. I used to cross at the light at Quinn in the morning and ride on the sidewalk for one block just to avoid the 27 craziness.

[elbows]

I haven’t given this a lot of thought so I am not sure I heartily endorse either of these, but would suggest:
Bluemont Park, particularly around 4th and Manchester where 4 Mile Run goes by the disc golf course and playground
and also 4 Mile Run Trail where it goes through Arlington Bog.

Hope your 5-y.o. is a “real rider” before too long.

[elbows]

Thanks for the responses. Being that the intersection is somewhat heavily used by cyclists, I don’t think it is unreasonable to ask that it be made better. Some days I do go other ways, but I ride my bicycle fairly often (don’t own a car) and don’t always have the luxury of going a longer way.

Out of curiousity, because I’m not even sure, don’t drivers have an obligation to yield to someone in the crosswalk in certain circumstances there?

[Author]

Posts