[JorgeGortex]

@ShawnoftheDread 52181 wrote:

Whose hair or face??

“What did the five fingers say to the face? SMACK!” – Rick James

[JorgeGortex]

Amusing that they are worried about the smell and less about the overflow run off from that sewer line during heavy periods of rain. When storm water mixes into the system (which happens regularly in the DC sanitary system) it can overflow into the Potomac. Not sure what they’d done in recent years, if anything to prevent this, but it used to be if you visited Thompson Boat Center and stood near the shore under the trees you could watch the much (including paper) bubble up through the grate and into the river. Ugh, to say the least. Another large vault where the system mixes is in the empty space next to the old Aqueduct Bridge pier. Sure there are others along the CCT, along the river.

JG

[JorgeGortex]

Because, again, with respect, this is fantasy. You are not going to get people out their cars. Not with the distances that many people have to travel, and the time commitments they have. Some people manage, and I salute them. The majority passing through Arlington can not. (I live in Arlington, and I can not, right now.) Otherwise, they’d simply live and work in Arlington. Right? The commuters through Arlington are part of where are Arlington is. Its geography. And where we choose (or are lucky to) live means we have a choice to accept it, try to make smart and rational improvements, but to embrace the reality of where we live.

I think maybe my point at the end of my earlier post was lost: “This will not change and will only continue to be more so as the region grows (unless many new and innovative ideas are brought forth, and old ones thrown out, for changing this).” The key point here is the change in how we do business and work. i.e. tele-commuting. This really is the best and most necessary avenue for easing congestion on our roads. Until you remove the need to travel to work, the majority of people will need to travel via some form, and the most likely form is by car. With housing prices etc. its not feasible to ask someone in outer Fairfax, Woodbridge, etc. to commute in by bike. At least not everyday, certainly.

As for traffic calming, i.e. your example of Westover which I am quite familiar with… you can’t expect to do that along the entire stretch of road from border to border. In distinct places such as the spots in Cherrydale you mention, it makes sense. But not the entire length of the road.

Ultimately every change we make creates new challenges. Put everyone on bikes? Then we have bike jams and accidents. We have healthier people because people ride bikes… we have greater longevity… and population growth/density/crowding as people live longer. This puts more stress on resources and services, etc. This is a tangent, but you can see it makes the point that every change, action, has an impact. Good or bad.

JG

G.

@dasgeh 53003 wrote:

I completely agree with this.

But not this. One way to change the attitude is to remind people that they are in a neighborhood, even if the road has a U.S. # attached to it. Lee Highway is the main street of my neighborhood. I walk, bike or drive on it pretty much every day, usually with kids. It is not an interstate, nor should it be treated as such. Yes, streets are there to serve the entire community, but they primarily serve those who live closest to them.

Look at Wash Blvd through Westover. It’s not perfect, but it looks like a neighborhood main street. Yes, there’s lots of traffic, and yes, most cars are going through. Lots of cars move through there just fine. But the level of aggression from drivers, and the general feel are better than, say Lee Hwy just north of there (where it’s just strip malls — Cherrydale is somewhere in between).

There’s a circular argument here: yes, most people drive, but not because driving is some inherent right or some wonderful thing. Driving is dangerous: Just looking at this: http://www.tableausoftware.com/public/gallery/causes-death-world-1990-2010, it’s a significant cause of death (higher than breast cancer, on par with Other diarrheal diseases). People don’t want to be in their cars because it’s awesome to be in cars, they want to be in cars because they think it’s the “best” way to get somewhere (time, convenience, experience, etc.). If you make lots of high speed roads, then, for a while, cars will continue to be the “best” (or at least fastest) way to get around. BUT, (1) eventually, you can’t pave your way out of the problem, and you get congestion, and cars are slow anyway and (2) the cost of that high speed car traffic is mostly born on the locals, not those passing through.

So (1) if we slow down the cars, we’ll get more people on foot and bikes; and
(2) why should the neighborhoods of Arlington have to bear the cost of being bisected because people in Fairfax and Loudon choose to go to DC / people who work in DC choose to live in Fairfax and Loudon and don’t want to spend as long in the car.

[JorgeGortex]

A number of years ago now, when the county decided to put sidewalks in along Washington Blvd. west of George Mason Drive I attended a meeting of homeowners that lived along that stretch. The focus was on the sidewalks and drive ways, but one gent brought up traffic calming and narrowing of the road near Harrison St. He called it a “neighborhood street.” I spoke up, and respectfully, pointed out that this was a fantasy… Washington Blvd is a major travel route and arterial road, to which the county official agreed with me. I think as we discuss ped and bike safety, and crossings, its important to remember that several routes through Arlington are major thoroughfares vital to the commuting population. This will not change and will only continue to be more so as the region grows (unless many new and innovative ideas are brought forth, and old ones thrown out, for changing this). As a life long resident I have only seen traffic increase, despite the propaganda the county spouts. Arlington is not an urban village or happy little town where everyone merrily walks, bikes, and mass transits everywhere (or can). Arlington is a living, breathing, bustling, and densifying (new word alert!) county. And most people are merely passing through at each rush hour.

Ultimately, the biggest issue to be addressed is not with road width or raised cross walks, but with attitude and culture. People want theirs, now, and in time crunched and over filled lives they don’t want to slow down and help their fellow man. That is the issue and what needs to be addressed. Can it be? I’m not sure it can, but we can try. The more we do our part, call it like we see it, and teach our kids to respect others, the more likely we will see change.

JG

[JorgeGortex]

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/05/15/one-mans-homeless-camp-takes-vdot-five-hours-ten-trucks-to-remove/

[JorgeGortex]

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/05/15/one-mans-homeless-camp-takes-vdot-five-hours-ten-trucks-to-remove/

Not sure why this was necessary. The guy wasn’t hurting anyone, and the property wasn’t being used. Would love to know why someone felt the need to complain about it.

[JorgeGortex]

@Tim Kelley 51320 wrote:

Facts aside, many runners would agree that they perceive a difference in the feeling of asphalt vs concrete. Perhaps just a placebo, but I don’t think you are going to change anyone’s mind anytime soon.

As they say, Tim, perception is reality and reality is often only what people want to hear. Oh well…

[JorgeGortex]

@mstone 51289 wrote:

Why? If someone has somewhere to go at night, why should NVRPA care? It’s also generally unenforceable, ending up purely as a harassment pretext.

Agreed. Are they going to close the streets at night? What this amounts to is the ACPD and county can no longer devote resources to, or organize patrolling the paths at night. Officers are still assigned to cars or motorcycles almost exclusively. The walk/bike centric focus of the county government has not seen the same level of trickle down to the rest of their agencies. Do as we say not as we do taxpayers…

[JorgeGortex]

@GoodOmens 51173 wrote:

As both a runner and a cyclist I can understand why runners choose to run in the cycling lane.

First its less crowded. Just as annoying it is to ride on a crowded sidewalk it is just as annoying to run in one too
Two – it’s better on the knees to run on asphalt then run on concrete

With respect, the notion that asphalt is easier on the body than concrete is a fallacy… at least until the typical 90 degree temps of DC start melting things. The density of either material is such that neither offers a significant amount of extra cushioning for our poor knees. That is more about proper form and the proper shoes for each individual. Trail running is the only option for a truly softer surface, or one of the local modern tracks.

As for it being less crowded… in that case I’m driving on the sidewalk the next time I’m sitting in traffic and the sidewalk next to me is clear. Maybe a different route would help with the crowded sidewalk issue? Better than forcing cyclists into traffic out of the designated bike lane…

JG

[JorgeGortex]

As someone who has been sidelined from running, more or less, since 2010 since because of Achilles tendinitis I am here to tell you take it easy. It sucks… but I didn’t back off because I was training for a race and I have caused myself no end of problems. My Achilles simply isn’t healing well. The next thing I can add is don’t take random advice… or even not so random advice from doctors. I went to do two different podiatrists, both runners, and thought I was getting good advice. In retrospect I was either getting not great or not complete advice that has only prolonged or worsened the injury.

It wasn’t until I talked to my primary care doc (a team doc for the Caps) that I got pointed in the right direction. He sent me to Dr. Cuttica at the Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center. The great thing about this facility is that they are total care: doctors, PT, and onsite orthotic creation. And they only deal with lower leg/foot issues. Now, I am still trying to recover from my injury, but I feel like the advice and care I’ve received has been accurate and therapeutic. http://www.footankledc.com/medical-staff/daniel-j-cuttica-d-o/

Ultimately, again, my advice on an Achilles injury (or any injury) is to take it easy, heal, heal completely and smartly before you try to get active as you’d like again. Otherwise you are running the risk of long term frustration or worse.

JG

[JorgeGortex]

I’m George, aka the guy who loves bikes and bike culture but rides about as much as I climb Everest these days. Coaching HS rowing in the afternoons and keeping up with a 6 month old will do that to you. My handle (also my twitter and strava) is a mish-mash created from the fact (according to my friends) that I used to have more gortex jackets than most people had underwear. When June hits you’ll find me commuting again along the Custis, WO&D, 4MR, and Commonwealth Ave between Bluemont and and the King St. metro area. My main steed is a Bamboosero bamboo commuter, but if I feel the need for speed I hop on my red and black Cannondale CAAD8. The bike goes faster than me. I break most elite rules since I have mtb pedals on all my rides… including llamas. Beer solves all problems. Yes.

[JorgeGortex]

There is a small piece in the latest Outside magazine about Kevin and LeBron’s interest in cycling. They both ride in Critical Mass events in Miami. They just show and ride, no fanfare.

[JorgeGortex]

The response from ACPD was much the same as yours, but contained even less detail. I received no reply from the County Board, other than the automated response. Poor form IMHO, but then again I criticized their pet projects as well. This is why I think the cycling community needs to keep up the pressure for long term trail patrols as well as bike patrols in the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor.

“…warmer?” Have they never heard of clothing? And the colder, darker months probably would benefit from more beat patrols. Again, for me this more than just trail safety, but safety in general in our neighborhoods.

I’ve seen motorcycles on the trails before, riding two abreast even. They make you stop so they can pass. I agree that, unless its an emergency, motorcycles (and cars!) should stay off the trail. Dangerous to users and not sending the right message anyway. Segway? Really?! Jeez…

JG

[JorgeGortex]

@creadinger 48350 wrote:

It’s a shame they’re not Arlington alpacas. Alpacas are really soft. A low speed collision with an alpaca would almost be welcome.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2654[/ATTACH]

Except my wife, the knitter, would want me to strap it to the top tube and pedal it home. I can barely get myself home.

[JorgeGortex]

I hope we can keep pressure on ACPD and the County Board to continue this sort of police presence into the warm summer months that are coming. Its great that they are getting out on the trails, but they need the resources and drive be out on bikes everywhere in the county, and to do so not just now, but all the time. If you are an Arlington resident (or someone who commutes through Arlington regularly) I’d encourage you to write your own letter and statement. The more they hear it and the more they keep hearing it, the higher the likelihood our efforts will stick. This is about our community even more so than our trails.

[Author]

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