[lordofthemark]

They are making a “roll call video ” for Fairfax County police on biking law. Was mentioned at last night’s FABB meeting.

[lordofthemark]

I’ve taken in a pair of long pants to keep at work. And have discussed switching my telework day so that I would bike to work every Friday and telework on a different day.

[lordofthemark]

@americancyclo 60898 wrote:

I cannot think of any point in VA between DC and Front Royal where there is a bridge that cyclists may use the interstate. I am dubious of the reliability of a website called bicyclinginfo.org and cannot find any info to substantiate it on the VDOT website nor in the Virgina State Code.

http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/about/more-information.cfm

I would wager they were referring to the TR bridge, but never checked that the river belongs to DC. That’s a not uncommon mistake.

or maybe this?

http://www.virginiadot.org/programs/bk-laws.asp#Where

“Bicyclists are not permitted to ride on interstate and certain controlled access highways, unless the operation is limited to bicycle or pedestrian facilities that are barrier separated from the roadway and automobile traffic. The restricted sections of the highways are marked with conspicuous signs.”

I think thats a reference to places like the Marta Custis trail. Not to the TR bridge so much.

[lordofthemark]

By the way, whats the legal status of the “Connector Road” on Pentagon Reservation. I see cyclists riding there, and the sidewalk is narrow (esp on the bridge) but the Arlington County bike map seems to have it colored as “limited access no biking”.

[lordofthemark]

http://www.crystalcity.org/area/transformation/boundary-channel-drive-interchange

the map there seems to suggest it will follow the desire path to boundary channel, where there will be a new roundabout built to ease auto (as well as bike/ped) access to Long Bridge Park.

[lordofthemark]

my discovery of said “desire path”

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?5328-Pentagon-quot-desire-path-quot&highlight=desire+path

And yes, it will get better

http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/CapTrack/Details.aspx?q=UHJval9JZD0zNDAy

which is now on track to get funded

http://www.arlnow.com/2013/07/05/arlington-projects-to-receive-funding-under-new-transportation-bill/

[lordofthemark]

@KLizotte 60743 wrote:

I thought it was illegal to ride on roads with mph of 45+ (or was it 35+)…

If that were the case, it would be impossible for some folks on 45MPH roads (like little river tpke) to bike from home – except on sidewalks and in some cases not even then. Plus there are rural areas where people live along 55MPH roads.

Biking (and walking) can be banned on limited access roads, because no one has a limited access road as the only way to and from their house.

[lordofthemark]

this explains, better than I did, the kind of riding I like (though I am also drawn to doing trails and counting miles – but then even some of those rides have something of this – at least on rails to trails, which get you all those lovely rail station villages like Vienna and Herndon)

http://talesfromthesharrows.blogspot.com/2013/08/ride-to-nowhere-in-particular-810.html

[lordofthemark]

@KLizotte 60626 wrote:

Sadly $700K counts as middle class in Arlington.

This is a metro area of 6 million people more or less, and an economically strong one. I can accept that nice SFHs in a place thats what, 2 miles from the center of the region and in a good school district to boot, are going to be pricey. I’m just going to look for something different.

[lordofthemark]

@KLizotte 60623 wrote:

You should check out the Aurora neighborhood then (next to Pentagon City). It’s a neighborhood of middle class single family dwellings (mostly); quiet and bike friendly.

We are more interested in condos – less maintenance, no lawn work. We will only move to another house if we fail at decluttering. And while Aurora is super cute, it looks like everything on the market there lists for 700k and up, which is somewhat high for us.

[lordofthemark]

thanks Tim – I recall hearing about that, but now that its more practical concern to me, I will remember it better.

[lordofthemark]

@KLizotte 60615 wrote:

My experience has been that the Crystal Drive sensors are only activated by cars if they don’t run on a rotating light schedule. I routinely stop on S Hayes Street (at Crystal Drive) and the sensors are only activated by cars; most of the time this isn’t an issue because a car is usually behind or in front of me.

FYI: It is generally better to take South Hayes Street than 15th Street. Less traffic, wider bike lanes.

after going from 15th up Eads, and then over on 12th to Fern (for Frozen yogurt ) I rode up Joyce to Army Navy and over to Hayes and then down Hayes to 18th into CC – and then back across through the SFH neighborhood, and up Joyce again to Army Navy, and then down Army Navy to Shirlington. I wanted to explore the CC/Pentagon City bike infrastructure generally – cause its interesting, cause its near my commute, cause we MAY move the area one day, and cause it made a nice kind of loopy ride for me (3A to rosslyn MVT to Crystal, Army Navy to Shirlington, and then back up the WOD to the bus on ColPike)

Hayes looks like it will be pretty nice when they are done with it.

[lordofthemark]

I’m glad I braved the storms. The ride back was uneventful.

[lordofthemark]

Thats the kind of bike culture and attitude I’d like to aspire towards – old bikes, riding in regular clothes with no need to shower. I don’t expect to see that in the USA (outside of a few places – hey, is it possible for OLD people to retire to Portland?) in my lifetime, and of course NL has a terrain advantage over most US cities, but its at least a vision to heard toward.

[lordofthemark]

Well its definitely nice riding when you have BTWD hoopla to look forward to at the end. Still, not a bad ride at all.

1. On BTWD I was in better shape. Seems I haven’t ridden at all in about 3 weeks. Made the hill between Pentagon bus station and Boundary Channel, and the climb on to 14th St bridge, a bit less pleasant and slower.

2. No rain. A bit humid.

3. I’m becoming a somewhat more confident rider – did relied less on sidewalks and took the lane more riding around Pentagon

4. I remembered where to cross on the way from Jefferson Memorial to Water Street.

5. I street. Two seperate blocks of the bike lane taken for what appeared to be curb repair or something. That plus the block where it becomes a sharrows (busy with cars) before S Capital. I hope this gets better.

6. Made it in 50 minutes including all stops, water breaks. Not counting waiting for the light to cross M Street. Or riding through the parking garage.

7. Never did really attach my parking decal. Carried it in my wallet, and stuck it between the spokes. Surely no one will steal what they can get for free.

8. Fitness center shower worked out fine. Except it appears that somehow my long pants didnt make it into my Walmart bag – just a shirt, sock, underwear and towel. So I am wearing shorts (NOT bike shorts). Fortunately there aren’t too many people here today.

[Author]

Posts