[Mark]

@elbows 211915 wrote:

Bikelane Farewell Party, Sunday, 12/12/21 at 11 am

https://twitter.com/daniel_marcin/status/1469125476266520585

Evite invite

When is the bike lane being discontinued?

[Mark]

The comment period closes on August 22.

[Mark]

Besides filling out the WABA petition, I hope that folks who would like to maintain the Beach Drive closures also provide written comments to the Park Service.

Here is the link: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentform.cfm?documentID=113206 .

[Mark]

For me, the pandemic has been great for my riding. I’ve been teleworking since last March. Before the pandemic, Iwould bike commute to work 3 or 4 times a week on average, 33 miles round trip. The first few months of the pandemic, my cycling really diminished. I then decided to start cycling regularly. With my flexible work hours, I’ve been able to easily work in rides. I’ve generally timed my rides to take advantage of the best weather and traffic conditions. I ride almost exclusively on roads, so crowded trails haven’t been an issue.

[Mark]

@lordofthemark 210754 wrote:

Maybe I will go out hunting for this, but from my recall, and a bit of checking on google street veiews, I believe MStone is correct. Two lane roads in built up suburbs (at least around ALX and Arlco, and probably elsewhere in the region) and in cities, simply do not get dashed yellow lines regardless of road geometry. The choice is either a double yellow or no center line at all, depending on the nature of the street. If the expected volume is above a certain level they stripe the double yellow.

I’m sure MStone is correct. I’ve been paying attention on my rides in Montgomery County. Less traveled streets have no marking in the cernter. More heavily used streets all have double yellow lines. I also discovered that in October Maryland passed a law that a) required cars to have at least 3 feet of space when passing cyclists and b) allows cars to cross the double yellow line when passing cyclists. (https://bikeaaa.org/2020/10/02/3-foot-passing-now-applies-to-all-maryland-roads/#:~:text=Wells%20and%20cross%2Dfiled%20by,required%20on%20all%20Maryland%20roads!) (I started this discussion by describing my conversation with a policeman, who said I was impeding traffic because cars had to cross the double yellow line to pass – he was clearly wrong. Even though I was riding next to another rider, I was well toward the right side of the road. And even if I had been on the shoulder, cars still would have been required to cross the yellow line to pass).

[Mark]

@mstone 210739 wrote:

This. The double yellow is used at least here in Virginia on any local road with a traffic volume over a certain number of cars per day. On such roads you will never find a broken double yellow line indicating a passing zone. It is quite common on this sort of road for things like trash trucks or lawn service trucks or any number of things to block the lane. And guess what–drivers do not just sit there unable to go because they fear to cross the double yellow line. The meaning of the double yellow in this case is “you’re on a 25MPH neighborhood road, there’s never a reason to pass another car because you want to go faster so just slow down” not “there isn’t enough visibility to pass safely”. (And yet, for some reason, drivers panic and have absolutely no idea what to do when there’s a cyclist. The only fix for this is more cyclists so it’s a common thing not a novel experience. Unfortunately it’s a chicken/egg problem because a lot of people don’t want to bike where the drivers are clueless–or where, as a driver, they’d freak out if they saw a cyclist.)

Thanks. Your post makes a lot of sense. Besides the two roads I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve now come across a third with a double yellow line. And come to think of it, given the speed limits, there is generally no reason for a car to pass another moving car on these roads. There is of course a reason to pass a much slower moving cyclist. This requires that the motorist have good visibility and cross the double yellow line to have sufficient space between him and the cyclist.

[Mark]

Thanks. Your post makes a lot of sense. Besides the two roads I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve now come across a third with a double yellow line. And come to think of it, given the speed limits, there is generally no reason for a car to pass another moving car on these roads. There is of course a reason to pass a much slower moving cyclist. This requires that the motorist have good visibility and cross the double yellow line to have sufficient space between him and the cyclist.

[Mark]

@baiskeli 210723 wrote:

Not sure what you mean, but a double yellow most definitely provides useful information. It says that if you begin to pass another vehicle across it, you will probably not have enough visibility to see if it is safe to complete the pass.

That’s the problem. On the streets I mentioned in my post, there is a double yellow line throughout their entirety, whether or not there is sufficient visibility to pass. The double yellow line on these streets is not being used as a guide when to and not to pass.

[Mark]

@ImaCynic 210710 wrote:

I can assure you that this is not the only law being ignored by motorists.

More bicycle laws are NOT going to make things safer; they simply add to confusion and ignorance.

In the case I’m referring to, the double yellow line should be ignored because it unfortunately provides no useful information. Motorists and cyclists simply need to use good judgment. I wonder what is the point of putting down meaningless road markers.

I agree with your point that laws are not going to make things safer. When I’m on the road, my decisions are based on what I believe is safe, not on what the law requires. But it still wouldn’t hurt if laws were written to be as clear and sensible as possible. Unclear laws citing cyclists as impediments strike me as simply bad laws. The three foot passing law is a good one: it is clear and to the point. Motorists do not know exactly what three feet is, but the law does convey the idea that they cannot pass to close to a cyclist. (Of course, most motorists don’t even know this rule. The good drivers simply understand that they should have a safety margin when passing.)

[Mark]

I’ve also been looking for double yellow lines. My most common ride takes up Kemp Mill from Randolph then over to Sligo and University and then all the way down Sligo to New Hampshire. (this used to be part of my commuting route, and is now my route for a quick ride for exercise). There is a double line the entire stretch of Kemp Mill and through the entire stretch of Sligo. On some parts, visibility is quite good and cars can safely pass. On other sections, visibility is poor and cars cannot safely pass. The double yellow line is essentially meaningless and is ignored by motorists.

[Mark]

I just used a tape measure to measure off 14 feet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a lane that wide.

I then did a google search on lane width and found the following in Wikipedia: “In the United States, the Interstate Highway standards for the Interstate Highway System use a 12 ft (3.7 m) standard lane width, while narrower lanes are used on lower classification roads.” So if lanes less that 14 feet are considered to be substandard width, one can always take the lane.

[Mark]

A couple of disparate comments.

Many traffic rules require interpretation. However, the goal should be to write them in a way that minimizes potential differences in interpretation. Part of the difficulty lies in codifying common sense and simple courtesy. Add to that the fact that cyclists are often viewed by legislators and motorists as second class citizens who don’t have equal rights on the road.

I’m not in the habit of measuring lane width when I am out riding. However, for nearly every road I ride on, there is insufficient space for both a bicycle and a faster moving car (the speed at which cars are traveling is another factor in determining how much room I feel I need.) I’m sure the new Virginia law is an improvement over the current law, but it is written in a rather odd way. A bicycle and other slower vehicles “shall ride as close as safely practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following circumstances:” Among the circumstances is: “When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right curb or edge.” These aren’t exceptions but rather determine how close to the right it is safely practicable to ride.

[Mark]

Somehow an earlier response by me did not show up, so I will try again.

I was biking on Sligo Parkway between New Hampshire and University. This is a two lane road. Some sections have a double yellow line and visibility is not great, so drivers simply need to be a little patient. It is their responsibility to wait for a safe place to pass. If visibility is good enough and it is safe to pass, I will move to the right to give them more space. If I were to hug the right throughout, some drivers would try to squeeze by.

Lest I give the wrong impression, this is a pretty good road to bike on. Especially now, there are a fair number of cyclists using the road, so drivers are used to seeing bikes. Most drivers are courteous and respectful, and I try to be the same, as do most other cyclists I see on this road. One sometimes encountered aggressive drivers during pre-pandemic rush hour, but that seems to have improved significantly over the years. And occasionally a driver will yell at a cyclist to get on the winding multi-user path even though signage clearly indicates that the road is to be shared with cyclists.

Calling a cyclist an impediment in the situation I described seems inappropriate and conveys the wrong message to drivers. I am entitled to take the center of the lane (and I am a reasonably fast cyclist). By the same token, any car driving slower than the maximum speed would be an impediment whenever faster cars pulled up behind him.

[Mark]

Before I started teleworking full time during the pandemic, I used to commute from Silver Spring near Randolph and New Hampshire to the Postal Square Building across from Union Station. Major sections of my route were Sligo Parkway, 3rd Street and the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Several years ago I purchased a recumbent. Over time, I have done an increasing share of my riding on the recumbent. My recumbent is a Rans V Rex. It has a 20 inch wheel in the front and a 26 inch wheel in the back. I am quite visible to drivers and feel comfortable riding in traffic. In fact, my recumbent may be more noticeable to drivers by virtue of the fact that it is so different from what they are used to seeing. A pannier is a must for carrying a pump, spare tire, change of clothes, etc. The biggest issue for me when I began riding the recumbent was starting after a stop, especially on a hill. This improved with practice. Switching to clipless pedals made a big difference, so that this is no longer an issue for me.

[Mark]

@Mark 186724 wrote:

Anyone know what condition the Metropolitan Branch Trail is in today?

Thanks.

I rode the MBT today and it was in excellent shape.

[Author]

Posts