[Tania]

Holy mother of buttercups, I hadn’t realized just how spoiled I’d become biking through the city at 6:30am rather than at rush hour (thanks metro).

Gah.

[Tania]

@americancyclo 136569 wrote:

happy to help!

and proof that I walk the walk:

Gravel Morning: https://www.strava.com/activities/388464995

Gravel Home: https://www.strava.com/activities/389086129

Are you on the paths there along the mall and then along the G-town waterfront? It’s hard to tell exactly if I should be on those or on the roads.

[Tania]

Coffee is on me next CC-iteration americancyclo ! Thanks for that.

[Tania]

@huskerdont 136546 wrote:

Sometimes I go the towpath way on summer mornings for variety. It’s usually still a bit dark, and this one time I almost ran into a beaver. True story.

I’d love to start doing this but I honestly have NO clue how to get to/from the towpath into Georgetown. I can maybe probably hopefully figure out how to get to the entrance of the CCT and then switch over a little farther north on the CCT. I need to start doing 41st Street more often.

[Tania]

@huskerdont 136545 wrote:

That path you’re talking about always makes me uncomfortable to ride on because it just looks so much like a sidewalk. Not sure of its official designation. I’ll use it sometimes if there aren’t many people about, but if I do, I do like you and take it very easy. Usually I do take the road–either the pain in the butt way around the circle, or breaking the law going against traffic flow and hopping back onto the sidewalk if cars come.

I used to always go through the circle (taking the lane since I can bike about as fast as cars through there) but one day about two months ago I had incident after incident biking to the TR Bridge from Metro Center. By the time I got to Virginia and G street, I was D-O-N-E with cars so I took the pedestrian crossing to the sidewalk and it just became a habit. I really do ride slowly, I’ve held conversations with pedestrians a few times. I’ve had a few people say “sorry!” and scoot off the sidewalk into the grass when I said I was passing (or they heard my hubs as I coasted – yay Hopes!) and I say “no no! You have the right of way, I just didn’t want to surprise you. You’re totally fine.”

Anyway, screenshot from DC’s bike path map here:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11193[/ATTACH]

It looks like it is actually a bike path (the dotted black line means “off street trail”) but I agree that it looks questionable.

Any changing topics BACK to the one about no rights on red, as a driver I’m always relieved when this is posted at an intersection. I hate creeping forward (because there could be pedestrians coming from the left that I can’t see because of a car to my left) and then the jerks in cars behind me honking because I’m not pulling out into traffic. PS, you honk at me, I’m going to count to at least 10 before moving. 15 or 20 if I’m feeling smarmy and you keep honking. I may even “accidentally” stall my manual car.

I was almost hit as a pedestrian this am. I’m waiting to cross at a light, a car is at the same intersection turning right. He saw the cars from the left slowing down (because the light changed) and gunned it right as I stepped out into the intersection (with a walk signal). I knew he was going to do it though (he didn’t even bother to stop after he saw me).

[Tania]

The intersection at lee and oak has a no turn on red sign. The cab the other am just ignored it. He ignored the red light all together in fact since he never actually stopped. I’m way too lazy to figure out how to right this image when posting from my phone. Sorrynotsorry.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11190[/ATTACH]
Changing topics a touch – the sidewalk there along the Kennedy Center on the east side of 25th – that’s considered a bike path, right? I had a lady yell at me for being on the sidewalk today. I called out that I was passing – politely, as in “I’m going to pass you on your left ma’am” and passed her quite slowly and with plenty of room. When she told me to get on the road I said “surprisingly, this is considered a bike path!” with no snark at all but as I rode towards the TR Bridge (and waved to my favorite guard at the Embassy? Kennedy Center? Not sure of his role but he always has a friendly greeting) I realized that I’m not 100% sure that’s true.

[Tania]

@vern 136509 wrote:

There is one traffic light crossing in Herndon, at Elden. There are no other traffic light crossings until Leesburg and beyond.

There’s definitely something at Van Buren (the crossing just east of Elden). I’ve biked through there more times than I can count (heck, I used to LIVE near there!) and I can’t remember if it’s a flashing trail crossing light (like the new one east of Vienna at Cedar) or if it’s a stop light. I’m leaning towards stop light.

Superfluous? Meh, maybe. I’m always happy to have lights/beg buttons/bridges/crossing guards/whatever at trail intersections. I prefer them over the “stop” signs which may or may not be enforceable and then there’s the whole ambiguity of “when pedestrians present” that was discussed in another thread.

[Tania]

@Steve O 136380 wrote:

It also, for me, depends on sight lines. If I can see way ahead and there is no oncoming car, I will shift to the right side of the lane as a way of signaling to drivers behind me that I am comfortable with their passing, even if the lanes are narrow. They can then swing wide and everything’s cool.
And vice versa: if there is not room for a 3-foot buffer, and a hill or curve obscures the view ahead, then I will take the entire lane, sometimes even to the left of center, to send a clear signal that I have no intention of allowing a car to pass with insufficient space. Then when we clear the hill or curve and it’s clear ahead, I’ll shift over and give the car a little wave. My intent is to engender good will. I’m not taking the lane because I’m an entitled jerk; I’m just taking it for the time and space I need to keep us all safe.

What Steve said. Gah! 😮

I’ll also take (and keep) the lane if it’s two lanes in each direction. I do this routinely on Gallows before the bike lane starts – heavy traffic and no one actually does the 35 mph speed limit and they will routinely try to squeeze by me (sharing my lane) if I don’t take the entire darn thing. It’s only for maybe 1/2 mile though if that. Conversely, I try not to be smug and split the lane (when lacking a bike lane) during rush hour when traffic gets backed up – I’ll wait in line like everyone else.

[Tania]

This is twice now in as many weeks that I have agreed completely with SteveO. (the other was on the “stop signs” thread I believe)

Should I be worried?

[Tania]

@huskerdont 136255 wrote:

It’s such a dangerous intersection. I’ve had people turn *left* on red there in front of me before, and you know they know they’re not supposed to do that.

Since I go through every day, I’ve taken to slowing down there a bit, but then you risk a cyclist climbing up your rear.

Seriously. I see the speed at which others ride through there (~Scott to Monolith) and I’m amazed.

I’d already slowed way down approaching Oak because I’d just passed a runner and I don’t like to buzz people. Glad I did.

[Tania]

W&OD east of Van Buren and Custis looked freshly brined this am. I don’t want to know why.

[Tania]

First missed connection:

6:20am-ish heading east on the Custis at Oak Street, almost t-boned a cab who didn’t bother to stop at the crosswalk or look to the right when making a right turn onto Lee from Oak against the light and without coming to a full stop (I had the green and the little bike signal). I don’t think he even saw me although his passenger sure did. If I’d been a second faster, it wouldn’t have been a “missed” connection.

Second incident:
Around 6:30am in Georgetown:

Me: I’m in the middle lane of M Street as some cars are still parked in the far right lane.

You: dark SUV crossover type vehicle VA plates VGV 4235/4325 who decided to honk repeatedly and pass within a foot of me (your passenger mirror almost clipped me). Seriously dude? There’s NO other traffic, the lane to your left was open and you could have easily switched lanes (or, you know, moved over even just a few feet) to go around me. I was just thinking too “I should probably – pothole! – move over and make sure I’m – gah! pothole! – smack dab in the middle of the lane.” I almost switched back to the TR bridge this am since it’s now light enough that the glare of oncoming cars along GW Parkway won’t bother my old lady eyes.

[Tania]

@Tim Kelley 135882 wrote:

Aquaphor is your friend!

…and my big tub of it that I had to fish out from under the couch (thanks cat) expired three years ago. I’m using it anyway.

[Tania]

I’m registered for the 33 mile loop but I’ve been battling a rub/chafing issue post-bike fit/ramping up mileage and this weekend it crossed over from “kinda annoying” to “I CAN’T EVEN WEAR PANTS.”

Hopefully staying off the bike this week will let it heal a bit so I can ride it. Also, hopefully the forecasted chances of snow are a joke.

[Tania]

hd – that’s my understanding too although I agree with S. Arlington Observer that she likely would have tried to pass regardless.

And I’ve seen people do what jabberwocky has described…while riding behind jabberwocky in a single file.

There’s something about being in a car that makes some people do stupid things.

[Author]

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