[mikoglaces]

I always ride on the sidewalk there, except sometimes on weekends at a time when traffic is very light. The car lands on the bridge are just too narrow and car speeds too fast, and drivers are particularly impatient during rush hour. I tend to ride a bit slower on the bridge. Heck, it’s the nicest part of the ride scenery-wise. I use east side coming into DC and west side going to VA.

[mikoglaces]

@Bilsko 60950 wrote:

The two patrons of the Exxon gas station on Canal at the DC side of the Key Bridge:
Patron #1: When pulling into a driveway from the roadway, turning signals help those on the sidewalk understand your intentions.

Can’t operate turn signals when you have steering wheel in one hand and smart phone in the other!

[mikoglaces]

It was pouring when I was going to leave Dunn Loring at 7:55. Checked the weather radar, then watched TV with my son for 10 minutes and rode in without any rain.

[mikoglaces]

Me: On the W&OD riding westbound on the climb up to Vienna on Saturday morning, approaching and about to overtake 3 guys riding single-file once there was room anyway.

You: You and your friend tried passing me and the other guys, but due to oncoming traffic your buddy slotted just in front of me (there was just space for one bike between me and the 3 ahead of me) and you moved to the right of the yellow line just alongside me forcing me to ride double-file with you.

Couldn’t you just have waited and passed us when there was no oncoming traffic and not squeezed me to the right? When I said you shouldn’t have done so, you replied “this is how you pass on the W+OD.” Not how I pass buddy.

[mikoglaces]

This morning I was crossing L St. NW on foot at 22d just right of the crosswalk when a car entered the cycle track. So I stood there and told him and he wasn’t supposed to be there and I stood in his way with my hand up indicating he couldn’t proceed. He said (1) he was entering a driveway on that block, and (2) he had a baby in the car but I didn’t see the relevance of either argument. I didn’t budge and he didn’t run me over or threaten to. He eventually had to back up to go forward in the car lane. That forced him to wait a light cycle because he had missed a whole cycle while arguing with me.

[mikoglaces]

@acc 56921 wrote:

Oh gosh, I was thinking most are riding in. I know when it gets very hot some people choose to peel off and ride home rather than come back to the shop.

Yeah, most are riding in for sure.

Is there a ride tonight? I won’t be there. Going to the Natz game. Hope it doesn’t rain!

[mikoglaces]

@Dirt 56396 wrote:

Great riding with you last night, Dale! Hope you enjoyed the loop. We sure enjoyed riding with you. The beer after the ride was great too.

I’ll see you in a few weeks.

Pete

Another great ride. Had I known there’d be beer afterwards I might not have turned down my street on the second loop.

[mikoglaces]

@eminva 56348 wrote:

The radar suggests it will be through there and gone by 6:30 p.m. when the ride starts. Hopefully cool things off a little?

Liz

Well don’t know if I’ll be going if there’s a thunderstorm before that as I’ll be riding from DC. We’ll see.

[mikoglaces]

@ShawnoftheDread 56321 wrote:

Anyone going to this tonight?

I will probably be there.

[mikoglaces]

I have been commuting to work on the Custis almost every day for umpteen years and have no complaints. Yeah, the sight-lines around corners are not good. That’s why you stay right and only pass when you can see that it’s safe.

[mikoglaces]

@bobco85 56171 wrote:

I’m posting this video because I have already posted about this type of incident on this very thread and it happened again today at the same location (Carlin Springs Rd/Thomas St in Ballston). That said, I’ve experienced this at other locations, too.

[video omitted]

Dear guy in the wrong lane about to try to pass me when I’ve already moved to the left and signaled my turn (arm-signal): Um, what are you doing?

If he had just stayed in the travel lane, he could’ve easily gone to the right around me and not risked a collision. Patience is a virtue.

Yeah, that’s happened to me too. It’s like the driver thinks, hey, I am driving a car, I have to pass that guy on a bike. It’s just the natural order of things. I can’t let him beat me to an intersection. Or something like that.

[mikoglaces]

Fun ride. Thanks Pete and Fresh Bike.

[mikoglaces]

Me: the guy who had his second flat of the day on the W&OD near Purcellville, only to discover that his tube of glue was dry.

You: One of the many people who came to my aid, offering glue, patches, even CO2 cartridge (feeling sorry for me with my little mini-pump).

You guys rock!

[mikoglaces]

@Certifried 54070 wrote:

Me: driving on the right side of the road somewhere in DC, headed to my doctor’s.

You: riding down the middle of the lane I’m in, heading straight at me, on a bicycle. You didn’t appear to really care you were riding illegally, but I really was sad to see it. It gives a lot of cyclists a bad name, as if we’re all just scofflaws and could care less. I’m more sad due to the fact that you looked exactly like Gwadzilla. Hopefully it was just a look alike.

I wonder if it was one of the same morons I see riding the wrong way in the L St. bike lane.

[mikoglaces]

On the W&OD near east Falls Church Metro, riding streets instead of trail to avoid the circuitous route that takes you near the metro. Not so much secret – almost everyone does it once they’ve been riding the W&OD for any period of time.

[Author]

Posts