[lordofthemark]

@Hancockbs 197614 wrote:

Yet, none of these actions have caused me to crash at speed into a stationary object that I could clearly see in advance of the event, as appears to be the case here.

So, I was once new to bike commuting. At my workplace, bike commuters need to show their ID card to the guard, before proceeding immediately down a fairly steep ramp into the garage. I held out my id, managed to get the cord on it tangled with the handle bar, while going down hill, and I ended up going over the handlebars and hitting the pavement on the ramp.

I was not killed. There was no bollard there (because this was a place where bikes used the same space as autos). If for some reason there WAS a bollard or similar obstruction, there is a non zero chance I would have been killed.

IMO, very precisely that death would have been due to the combination of my error, and the placement of the bollard. To say in that case that a bollard caused my death would not be in error.

I do congratulate you though on not making such errors.

[lordofthemark]

@Hancockbs 197711 wrote:

Any feedback or indication of why it was killed?

I would assume lobbying by insurance cos, who like the contributory negligence standard.

In general, bike/ped friendly legislation in Richmond takes a few attempts before finally getting passed. I was suprised Senator Surovell proposed this at this point – this is a good start, IMO.

[lordofthemark]

@Steve O 197670 wrote:

Not still there. Pablo found it.

What made this harder is that the official name of this public art is Ripple. The bench is part of the larger installation, which includes the fence. That’s why it is impossible to find on the Interwebs. Even I, a musician and piano tuner, have not thought of this as a piano bench in the past, so the clues were pretty obscure (unless you had the inside scoop on a private conversation, or so goes the rumor).

https://images.app.goo.gl/KxC7tWgWyRYDtD6s7

[lordofthemark]

@sszibler 197591 wrote:

It’s in Las Vegas?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0

[lordofthemark]

@lordofthemark 190694 wrote:

Thanks to all for the kind words, here, on strava, and in person. The bike is back in tip top shape thanks to the folks at District Hardware. I am feeling fine – had a bit of next day soreness, but that seems to all be gone now. I have been reimbursed for the full District Hardware bill. I do intend to report this in some fashion to DC. In particular I want to encourage DC to add a traffic signal at NJ and Eye SE (even BikePedantic was not sure of the current status of that). I also intend to avoid that intersection in the PM, which I can do by crossing NJ at L or K SE.

https://twitter.com/charlesallen/status/1220531791209037824

Sometimes things DO get better.

[lordofthemark]

Beerneuring #5 Port City Brewing

We know PCB. We love PCB. PCB just is. The bike lanes on Wheeler are – bike lanes. Despite the trucks. I will forgive them buying the parking lot across Wheeler if they push for a crosswalk.

But the fix it station. That, aside from the excellent bike parking, and their organized rides, and the plan for a CaBi station, is what shows they are bike friendly.

My story.

Maybe the tools are great. I went to deal with the air pump though. I currently own only one floor pump which I keep at work. Why bother with a floor pump at home when my building bike room has an electric pump? (don’t answer, that is part of the story) Even if its a schrader pump, I keep a supply of adapters. But. The pump is not working – again. And my tires were quite low.

No problem right? QOTM wanted to get crepes at Cafe Grains on Van Dorn (some of you may have seen the special on your FB feed). Well PCB is almost on the way, and I remembered the fixit station. So we agreed to meet at Van Dorn. I rode down to PCB. The air pump there didn’t work or I didn’t use it properly, and it didn’t really extend well – and not only did I drain my rear tire of all air, I bent the valve core (damn these presta valves are fragile). No bus there, no nearby bike shop. Shamed, I called my wife, to pick me up and drive me, with the rear wheel, to Conte’s. “Have a beer while you’re waiting for me” Which I did. (I also bought a portable pump from Conte’s while I was there)

Port City Baltic Porter

Very dark brown, tan head. Aroma is light roast malt, cocoa hints. Taste is roast malt, stronger cocoa. A bit of cola as it warms. Smooth, fairly light mouthfeel. Not bad, drinkable. No flaws, nothing too distinctive.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20965[/ATTACH]

[lordofthemark]

So, somehow I ended up with the Calvinball (proving that you need not seek the Calvinball, if it’s your fate to have it, it will seek you) Some kindly folks told me the kind of thing I need to do with it, sparing me from needing to read the rules.

It is out in the wild again. Here is a hint at its location

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tr0otuiQuU

To be clear it is NOT at the Kennedy Center.

Also there is now some food in it that is definitely NOT a power bar.

[lordofthemark]

@kmrice 197445 wrote:

This just came to me, and you’ll get it if you’re as old as I am: Quadrophenia.

I like Two Bits. If no one objects, I am making that our name.

[lordofthemark]

@komorebi 197363 wrote:

Nooooooooooooooooooooo! Don’t jinx this ride! If the forecast changes and it ends up pouring on Sunday, it’ll be all your fault.

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?15797-BAFS-Curse&p=196336#post196336

[lordofthemark]

@chuxtr 197229 wrote:

Check your email.

It worked! We now have 8 members! Yay!

[lordofthemark]

Beerneuring #4 Aslin Alexandria

Been there once before, but not for FS.

This place gave a purpose to the new bike lanes on Pickett west of Van Dorn. They are door zone bike lanes, but the parking is taken up by trucks that don’t seem to move on weekends or holidays, that I can see. The ride to there, through Ben Brenman Park, Cameron Station, and the Pickett bike lanes, is pleasant enough.

The brewery is large, high ceilinged and decorated with abstract art. It would be nice if there were some actual
bike parking.

Aslin Grovestand (Milkshake IPA

Very hazy orange, looks like fresh squeezed OJ. Light white head. Aroma is all citrus – mostly orange, but I think I get a little grapefruit, tangerine. Taste is largely orange at first with some hop bitterness (but not much) then the lactose appears. I’m not quite getting creamsicle, more like some orange soda concoction. Definitely on the smooth creamy side. Goes down quite easy.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]20881[/ATTACH]

[lordofthemark]

PM sent.

[lordofthemark]

@wheels&wings 197040 wrote:

Not necessarily. The dangerous part is crossing Shirlington Road and also 4MR Dr. There is no safe way to get across. Crossing 4MR Drive first is perilous because of the speeding right and left turns. Crossing Shirlington Rd at either location is equally bad. At 4MR Drive and Shirlington Rd the cars do not stop before their turns. If you do cross 4MR Dr. first, you can use the beg button to cross Shirlington Rd. But drivers ignore (or speed up at) the flashing yellow lights (why aren’t they red?) triggered by the beg button, even if they are approaching a red light. It is a terrible set of intersections if you’re not in a 4000 lb tank.

According to the article, we will have a better bridge across Four Mile Run stream. But the bridge is not really the problem. Personally I’m fine on the narrow bridge, even if there are others using it at the same time. I can go super slow and we will all stay alive. It’s crossing the road that’s the real problem. That’s where we can die. And that’s where our kids will get a false sense of security when they press the button, not realizing that the drivers will accelerate rather than stop. It appears there’s been no resolution… I hope I am misunderstanding…

From ArlNow: “The Four Mile Run plan also considered an underpass running beneath the bridge, negating the need for cyclists and other trail users to cross busy Shirlington Road, though that was not discussed at the Transportation Commission meeting.”

This. The new bridge will be helpful as ped volumes increase with the other changes to the area (which will still not be as dramatic as what I hoped for when I went to the first visioning session (a day I won’t forget as it was the day my Kona Dew was stolen)) But its not really a big improvement over the current status quo – I proceed on this sidewalk as W&W says, or (esp going NB) avoid it by going 27th to Nelson to the bridge near the dog park (which sometimes has peds, but with more room than the sidewalk on Shirlington Road) OTOH 27th is going away I guess? (I also occasionally take the lane on Arlington Mill SB, and go vehicular throught the intersection, though some issues making the sharp turn from Shirlington Road onto the trail usually deter me from that.

[lordofthemark]

@kmrice 197026 wrote:

Hi all, Kathy R here. Am new to FS, so guidance welcome. Sorry to miss HH, any name suggestions?

Welcome to FS and to our team.

Team captain here, been doing this since 2015. My guidance is to ride a lot and have fun! (I would give a lecture on sleazing but not sure I have figured out the new rules well enough)

As for our name, quarter something (because like 25, get it?) ? Quarterback? Washington Quarters? I dunno. I always try for puns or references based on the number, but clearly there are other ways to name a team.

And we should plan on a team get together!

[lordofthemark]

@huskerdont 197013 wrote:

I kind of agree with this, but I think it depends on where you are riding in Arlington (and also DC). In general, in DC the traffic is going slower. There are many more opportunities for conflicts, but those conflicts are likely to be at slower speeds than, say, Lee Highway or Military. But if you just ride the trails in Arlington, and you are attentive at the intersections, it does feel safer.

Yup.

The problem I have with comparisons of DC to the more suburban places – Arlington or even Alexandria – is that the strengths and weaknesses are so different. NoVa has a more developed trail network (though DC is catching up) DC is much further along with in street bike infra (but it should be, because more riders?). And DC has a legacy street grid that often gives relatively comfortable places to ride even when there no bike infra (though more direct routes sometimes involve the state avenues). But on the other hand DC has weaker traffic enforcement, and often more aggressive drivers (though some of those aggressive drivers in DC are from the suburbs). I appreciate the challenges of riding in DC , and the frustrations faced by bike advocate friends in DC, but I often appreciate the riding conditions, and I am very positive about the recent pace of progress there, certainly on infra, but also on other issues (DC is of course ahead on everything from contributory negligence rules to bike rights at LPIs)

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