[VikingMariner]

Speed doesn’t kill. Bad driving kills. Three years on the Autobahn with a formidable sports car and a German license that was not easy to get taught me that. That said the journalist should have picked another place to test the limits. Summit Point was not far away. Just my two cents.

Haven’t seen many cyclists on the road in question and honestly I would never ride my bike on that road because I don’t want to die over a recreational bike ride. That road, it’s terrain, and the apparent lack of motorist driving skill are not well suited to bikes. Not sure I understand some of the anti-motorist angst or perhaps rage. Forgive me.

[VikingMariner]

@vern 90025 wrote:

Calm down, people. The NOAA forecast highs for next Wednesday and Thursday are in the low 80’s…83, with overnight lows 20 degrees cooler. Below normal by about 6 degrees…No big deal for us, but a nice piece of drama by the CWG.

And monkeys will fly out my ass when a weather geek can accurately predict that far into the future without a time machine, which I just happen to be working on.

[VikingMariner]

@Phatboing 90007 wrote:

The errant pieces of shattered glass in the Gallows bike lane (or more accurately, the Gallows shoulder with bike markings) just north of Idylwood finally got my tires. That’ll teach me to run my road tires at the max recommended pressure.

I must give a shout out to the HED Belgium Black + Clement Strada combination, however – the ease with which I was able to unmount and mount the tire was as delightful as things can get when you’re fixing a flat by the roadside.

Yeah. I go that route sometimes. All that glass is from car crashes, mostly from driving while texting and tailgating. Drivers tend to veer to the right while texting from the right hand. I completely avoid that area during rush hour. Too risky. Police only emphasis catching speeders. Lame. Speed doesn’t kill; bad drivers kill. Gallows needs a barrier between the bike lane and road. Someone will die there soon.

[VikingMariner]

Saw the sat photos this morning. Yeah, it looks like a bunch of stuff is moving into position around Hudson Bay again just like last winter. Izzz good for summer biking. Yea.

[VikingMariner]

Not really into the critical mass hatred of cars thing but yes car drivers need better education about how to drive a car. The WP had a goal–more clicks on the page through controversy. They achieved it. No doubt they hoped for a larger protest. Playing one group against another is just gravy. They manipulated people rather than report real news. They will do it again.

Respectfully,
The cyclist and driver for 45- and 35-years, respectively

[VikingMariner]

To live in fear is not to live at all.

[VikingMariner]

Everyone is racist. It’s just a matter of degree.

[VikingMariner]

@baiskeli 89915 wrote:

I don’t blame the air for wanting to be free. It’s been under alot of pressure lately.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwrL9MV6jSk&feature=kp

[VikingMariner]

Seen this before, mostly in crop fields. Aliens will be coming soon. Cattle mutilations are up.

[VikingMariner]

Well he didn’t say anything about a Navy jersey so I’m off the hook. Hahaha. You guys/gals crack me up.

[VikingMariner]

@Geoff 89889 wrote:

Dear Miss Manners:
On a recent ride on a multi-use trail I came to an intersection with a street. I had a green light, so I proceeded into the crosswalk. At the same time a driver, eyes glued to a phone, pulled into the crosswalk directly in front of me.

I wanted the driver to know I was there, to take her eyes off the phone, and to realize she should not have been blocking the crosswalk. So, as I manuevered around her car, I swatted the car. Might have even hit the hood.

It felt good at the time but now I’m having second thoughts. Was I being a bully? Did I escalate the motorist-cyclist wars? Do I deserve to have a broomstick stuck in my spokes?

Sincerely,
Bike Ninja

Dearest Mr. Ninja,

Road rage is unacceptable behavior. Both driver and cyclist would be in the wrong in this situation. Remember–two turds don’t make an eagle. :0) Be seeing you soon.

Your pal,
The City of Falls Church Police Department
http://www.fallschurchva.gov/292/Police

“Be excellent to each other.” – Bill & Ted

[VikingMariner]

One thing is for sure: The op-ed article generated a lot of interest in cycling, promoted the idea that not every cyclist is a Lance-wannabee douche bag, and that there is at least one responsible interest group in DC promoting safe, responsible cycling. The whole incident is a teaching moment for society in the DC metro area (definitely for motorists & cyclists, who can at least spell empathy, excluding sociopaths). I see this whole thing as a win for cyclists and motorists alike (double win for me, my Madone, and my German sports car). Just my two cents.

[VikingMariner]

@lordofthemark 89777 wrote:

I don’t think Milloy speaks for DC blacks – Democrats, liberals, or otherwise. Even CM Barry has not adopted this kind of position, AFAIK. At most he speaks for frustrated PG auto commuters, who may mostly vote Dem, but aren’t really a “faction” of the “left”.

Actually most of that county doesn’t vote.

[VikingMariner]

@Geoff 89598 wrote:

My wife, Cathy, and I rode down to Occoquan for lunch on Sunday. A good part of the way was on the Fairfax County Parkway Bike Trail.

Someone on this forum described this trail as being “utilitarian.” I think that is being kind. It is paved, but badly needs to be swept to rid it of sand, gravel, broken glass and other broken car stuff. Next, the vegetation needs to be cut back in many spots. There are places where half the trail width is unusable because of overhanging shrubbery.

If we could take care of those issues it would almost be up to the level of the Custis. Like the Custis there are sections that need to be repaved, but we can deal with that. The permanent problem, IMHO, is simply it is the Parkway trail and as such is quite close to the cars. Riding with traffic on country roads is one thing, riding with a steady stream of cars roaring by is something else.

After all that griping I admit we will likely ride it again, just not very often. I’ll probably take my commuter bike next time, not my nice road bike. But is there any way to get it swept?

Very useful data. Thanks!

[VikingMariner]

I don’t know. There is a lot of cyclist douche’baggery going on out there. I’ve been an avid cyclist on road (then called racers), mountain, and hybrid bikes for 45 years. Until recently, the attitude depicted in this video did not exist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgCqz3l33kU. Funny video but f’ugly behavior in the real world that is not making any friends. Critical Mass, for example, is the perfect guerrilla warfare tactic to make lots of new enemies. All of us safe and responsible riders suffer the consequences.

[Author]

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