Greenbelt
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GreenbeltParticipantAnother beautiful day, another great commute. Today’s highlights included a (truly) careful dump truck driver, some excellent on-bike maneuvers, and some amusing views. Of course, there were the usual red light runners and pass you to turn right guys too. But on balance, another great ride. Here is today’s highlight reel:
[video=vimeo;25846379]http://www.vimeo.com/25846379[/video]GreenbeltParticipantI think this one is best:
[ATTACH]274[/ATTACH]GreenbeltParticipantOn a related topic of etiquette, is it considered OK to draft someone on a trail? Just don’t do it? Announce that you’re back there so the rider in front knows? I’ve pulled up and drafted fast riders occasionally on the (not crowded usually) MBT in headwinds or just for the heck of it. And I’ve had people do the same behind me. I don’t mind at all — it seems to make sense to help somebody up the trail. But I didn’t want to creep somebody out by following them either. And also, obviously, the drafter needs to be really alert for slowdowns…
GreenbeltParticipantBonaire. Great place to dive and bike. Not much else, which is perfect for us.
GreenbeltParticipantI have no imagination. My commuter bike is called “the commuter bike” and my CX bike is called “the super bike.” Sort of like John Wayne in that movie naming his dog: “Dog” I guess.
GreenbeltParticipantHi Annie — I can’t help on your route — I commute from the other direction! In general though, it certainly pays off to test out your route on weekends. Quite a few trails from Georgetown to the Mall and then up to Union Station are marked on the DC official bike map, but there are lots of pedestrians and joggers to watch out for and numerous road crossings. Not an area to go fast, for sure. I prefer trails myself, and will go out of my way to avoid heavy traffic. But it is slower, and you have to build that extra time in to your routine.
My only advice on bikes isn’t really about bikes and it’s sort of patronizing, but I’ll go there anyways: don’t forget to invest in reflectors and lights and bright colored jerseys. I’m a newbie long distance commuter myself (less than a year going all the way to DC every day), but I never cease to marvel at the crazy things you see out there on the roads and trails. Being visible can really help avoid problems.
GreenbeltParticipantBest picture award, I think. By far!
GreenbeltParticipantYeah, I sent another letter to the mayor asking for traffic calming and better speed enforcement — Cherrywood lane connects most of Greenbelt with the Anacostia Tributary trails. It has bike lanes, but the road design is pretty awful and leads to speeding and reckless turns coming in to and out of the Greenbelt Metro and also near Beltway Plaza mall. You’d think our progressive city could do a better job taking control of that road and creating a safe corridor for riders to get to the trails.
GreenbeltParticipantThis morning, I almost got run down by a car (I didn’t see the driver) who attempted to pass a line of traffic on the right by speeding through the bike lane at about 60 miles per hour. This was on Cherrywood Lane in Greenbelt. I didn’t have time to fish my camera out to get a picture. He (or she) had to get the Greenbelt metro, you see, which was a couple hundred yards farther up. Probably late for an important meeting or something. And nearly killing a couple cyclists and hitting another car was incidental to the extreme importance of gaining a couple car lengths going into the parking lot.
These sort of drivers really don’t care about killing others. After all, it’s just an accident, right?
GreenbeltParticipantIf these things start getting marketed as rad new scooter-like toys for kids, to be used like the scooters that infest the U of MD campus, then I’m all for banning them on trails. On the other hand, if they’re marketed (and engineered) to help older or less strong riders commute by bike or utility bike by helping them on the hills, then I’d be much more tolerant.
GreenbeltParticipantThere was a pretty well-commented thread from a DC-area e-biker on a liberal political blog a few days ago (most of the comments bike oriented, not political):
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/11/984188/-An-abortive-Bike-to-Work-Day–with-many-bike-to-work-daysMy two cents is that if e-bikers only use the motor for hill climbing, not to buzz past pedestrians and regular bikes on the flats, we should give them a chance on the trails. Of course, the trails in my area aren’t too crowded, so my two cents might not be valid elsewhere.
GreenbeltParticipantMy bike shop is fairly small, but if you know what you want they can order almost anything. Oftentimes I’ve gone in and just told them what I wanted, and they’ll search their catalogues until they find it exactly right, then order it. They’ve ordered me helmets, headsweats, etc. when I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. And they usually end up stocking the stuff, because they figure if I’m willing to be fussy and get exactly what I want, then it’s probably a pretty important thing to have available. Good bike shops actually appreciate that kind of input, and want to make sure they order stuff that people actually want to buy.
GreenbeltParticipantNice. And to show you’re a true commuter, as soon as it arrives you must immediately start plastering it all over with bright reflective stickers!
GreenbeltParticipantI have almost paid as much for my outfit then I have my bike.
True, gear costs some but it also seems to last forever. Just don’t skimp on the bright colors and don’t forget to get good lights!
GreenbeltParticipantI loosened mine up as far as possible on my commuter bike, and then squirt chain lube on them for additional slipperyness. (I’m not sure if they’re supposed to be lubed, but so far I haven’t had any trouble. I’ve never accidentally popped out of them while riding, but have been really grateful a few times when I needed to put a foot down fast that it came out so easily.)
Also, new pedals just sometimes are very stiff. I got some new ones for my weekend bike a couple weeks ago and had a lot of trouble at first (didn’t have a screwdriver with me to loosen them). But after a while, they seemed to loosen up a little on their own.
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