[planetmike]

Getting back on topic. I would also point out that, at that moment, cars were accelerating past me over the limit of 35 mph and none were stopped by the over zealous cop.

Getting off-topic, regarding the concept of professional mistakes, would it be acceptable for an airline pilot to make a mistake?

Again, while I very much agree that law enforcement is necessary, please don’t diminish the accomplishments of doctors, lawyers, scientists, and other true professionals by comparing them to the police.

[planetmike]

Again with the emotive attacks. On the contrary, I conclude you are the one with the attitude.

@MCL1981 10664 wrote:

Ok. You never make mistakes. I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was having a conversation with the living breathing version of perfection. No wonder you hate the police so much. Your so arrogant, you feel that you are a professional simply by definition and you never make mistakes because of that. Therefore any interaction with the police MUST be automatically wrong since you are obviously always right. In fact, the arrogance of this is doubled since not only do you feel this way, but you actually come right out and say it!

You have no right to tell me to keep my comments to myself on your arrogant jerk attitude towards police. You made that matter the primary focus of your very first post. If you didn’t want to hear other people’s opinion on the matter, don’t spew your own on it.

[planetmike]

Thanks Greg. Useful information.

I was polite, as a bicycle commuter of over 10 years here in DC. However, I would rather pay higher taxes and not live in a police state. This is one reason I moved out of Virginia.

@gregbilling 10658 wrote:

(WABA Response)

Yes, it is legal to ride the underpasses in DC unless otherwise posted (I don’t know of such a sign prohibiting bicycling in the tunnels).

With that said, the DC Municipal Regulations Section 1201.15 states, “No person shall operate a bicycle except in obedience to the instructions of official traffic control signals, signs, and other control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise directed by a police officer or other person authorized to direct and control traffic.”

An officer could instruct you to not ride there and if you continued, they would have the authority to issue you a citation for not following the instructions of an officer.

This situation happened to me last year. Despite being very clear with the officer about the law, he persisted that “if I see you riding here again, I’ll cite you.”

For future interaction with the police, it will require careful handling and a humble attitude. Ask questions. Don’t preach. Be curious. Ask for explanations. Be helpful. Educate the officer without them know you are doing so. Use the WABA pocket law guide to back up you information.

Greg

[planetmike]

I believe the term “profession” has been used a bit loosely of late. A profession is typically characterized by a governing State wide or National organization which tests, certifies and licenses an individual in that profession. This certification typically requires a review on a periodic basis. If this certification lapses or a violation is made by the individual, the license can be revoked and you are out of a job.

A professional, as I am, also considers one’s actions and confers with colleagues prior to taking action or making decisions which impact those they serve. In this context, I do NOT make such mistakes.

I now ask that you keep your comments regarding the legality of the situation or comment on the zealousness of the cop. I am clearly in my right to commute to work on my bicycle without being harassed.

@MCL1981 10645 wrote:

I’m quite nice to meet in person, when the person I’m meeting isn’t insulting an entire profession for something you don’t even know the answer to in the first place.

You’re whining that I didn’t answer your question. Yet a good half or more of your post was nothing to do with your question. Rather it was about alleging this police officer was persecuting you and abusing his power. You opened the door to that discussion, so don’t complain when someone responds to it. If my response is “useless ad hominem”, then I guess that would make half of your post useless ad hominem as well. Had you simply asked the question without accusing the police officer of baseless malfeasance, then I would have had nothing to say on the matter other than wonder it myself. It is a great question.

As for suggesting that the police officers know everything about everything, I presume you’ve never been wrong or made a mistake in the course of your job either, right?

[planetmike]

Thanks for your useless ad hominem comments and not answering my question about the legality of the route.

I think it most reasonable to EXPECT the one enforcing the law to know it.

@MCL1981 10640 wrote:

I think your condescending attitude toward the police officer is what is more in question than whether cycling through the tunnel is allowed or not. It is standard procedure to check the ID of those whom are stopped. Alleging it was for intimidation is purely a lie. And stopping you for going through the tunnel was not “abusing his authority”. Either it IS illegal and you are wrong (perish the thought), or it isn’t illegal and it was an honest mistake on his part. And his assertion that it is not safe is correct regardless of legal or not and his intention was clearly not malicious. It is laughable that you posted a picture of his cruiser as if anyone would go after him for doing his job to the best of his abilities. Though I might look him up and send him a thank you note for stopping you. Maybe if you didn’t just assume every hard working police officer was out to get you, you wouldn’t make such foolish posts on the internet.

If you posted your question with the same condescending holier than thou attitude to DDOT and WABA, I am not surprised you didn’t get an answer.

[planetmike]

You have two basic options. Either the mostly trail route or the road route.

Trail Route:
Follow Rock Creek pass the Kennedy Center. You need to cross the on-ramp to the Memorial Bridge. The trail then takes you to a park which is parallel to Independence Avenue. Follow this to 14th Street and then get on Independence towards 10th Street.

Road Route:
Follow K Street out from under the White Hurst Freeway. Connect to Penn. Avenue at the GW round-a-bout. Take Penn Avenue to 10th Street. There is a bike path after you pass the White House.

[planetmike]

Consider riding Van Dorn onto Eisenhower to Commonwealth to the GW Parkway. This will get you to the North Parking at the Pentagon. It is not the most direct route but scenic at points and less traffic.

[planetmike]

BTW, I posed this same question to Jim at DDOT and WABA directly but no reply as per usual….

[planetmike]

It is not about knowing. This thread is about collecting opinions from WABA members and Forum members about how WABA is performing from their perspective.

[planetmike]

If you are a 5:00AM cycling commuter then you may not hear any report on the radio before you leave your home. This is currently the case for automotive commuters. However, you could text a report for those cyclist who depart later than you.

Again, I believe this is as much part of a bicycling awareness campaign for non-cyclists as it is for us.

@5555624 3167 wrote:

I get my “morning and afternoon cycling conditions” from weather.com. If it’s 75 degrees and sunny, people will be out and the trails will be crowded. If it’s pouring rain, the joggers and walkers will mostly be gone. If it’s in the 20s, I’ll have the trails mostly to myself.

The problem — to me — with “traffic reports” on the radio/TV is that I’d have to get them before I leave home/work. By the time I get to a problem spot, there is a good chance the “traffic” issue will be resolved. (If it’s snow/ice, I’ll have a good idea from weather .com) A bad traffic problem — from a motor vehicle perspective — can last quite a while, but most form a cycling perspective don’t seem to last very long. Right off hand, I can’t think of a traffic issue in the last 5-10 years, that has really been a problem. While radio traffic reports can be pretty much real time, I’m not listening to the radio (or anything else) when I am riding, so they would not help.

A blog, especially during the winter, with the status of the various trails, would be helpful.

[planetmike]

@Riley Casey 2769 wrote:

Kate Ryan might be a good first step http://kateryanreports.blogspot.com/

I agree levity should be included in the reports but after the news tells us where the trees are down or which surfaces are either flooded or covered in ice, etc..

Perhaps a blog is the way of the future to get current information… However it is high time for cyclists to get their 30 seconds in the morning and afternoons.

Everyone talks about awareness of cyclists, or the lack there of, here’s also another way to increase awareness and provide helpful information.

[planetmike]

Ran the trail over the weekend and saw less than 10 people, all runners and dog walkers. Trail is frozen over with 1/2 to 3 inches of snow under neath and hard icy spots where people have walked on before. Even with studded tires, this would be a bit of a struggle to ride. I doubt this will improve if we get the predicted sleet tonight.

[planetmike]

@Just161 1365 wrote:

Snapping a photo and posting to http://dc.mybikelane.com/ is a way to vent frustration, but I’m not sure how much it helps!

Perhaps becoming a photographer or a film maker isn’t a bad idea afterall. Here’s a BBC article. The cyclist wears a helmet cam for insurance and evidence. Perhaps WABA can make a bulk buy and sell helmet cams at a discount?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12334486

[planetmike]

Another observation is this. I have been commuting down Connecticut Avenue daily and have noticed that “no one” double parks because there is NO bicycle lane. I actually find it a safer commute. Motorist are forced to notice you because you are in traffic.

Also, I notice several cars and a UPS truck “safely” parked on the new dual bicycle lane on 15th street yesterday.

Again, my point is unless a bike lane is designed to prevent cars from driving on or parking in it, we’re probably better off without one.

[planetmike]

Critical Mass or something like it could improve bicycle awareness if it is well organized with marshals, sanctioned, etc… The problem with the one here in DC is that it is not.

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