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A minimalist Femme Fatale with pink lipstick.

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Hi my friends. Here are some of the prizes I will be awarding for FS 2017. These four may need separate threads, starting in January:

—The London Bridge Prize.
This is the prize for the most crashes. We can pick up the thread from last winter.
http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?9868-W-amp-W-London-Bridge-Pointless-Prize-Log

—The Warming Climate Prize.
With the planet heating up, we may need to upgrade our challenges as Freezing Saddles turns into Sweaty Butts. To keep things on the chilly side, this award will go to the riders who take the most rides clad in their bathing suits. Pictures or it did not happen. Further details to be announced.

—The Bike Samaritan Prize.
If someone were to offer a Roadside Assistance service for bicycle riders, I would be the first to sign up. I’m one of those people who are eternally grateful when fellow riders stop to offer help. So this prize is for those who share their technical expertise on the roads or trails, be it for flat tires, slipped chains, etc.

—Little Did I Know…
Sometimes our rides don’t turn out the way we expect. For example, a couple weeks ago, mid-way to my job, my front wheel rim buckled and my tire exploded. I never made it to work. It was one of those situations where you later tell Mom, “Yeah, I decided to stay home from work today ‘cause I was having a bit of trouble with my tire,” when secretly you are unbelievably thankful to be alive.
This prize will be for absurd, surprising, terrifying, or heart-warming, unforeseen predicaments.

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If the Whitehurst-Freeway commuting ice-ophile Steve O finds conditions “uncomfortable,” I suggest the rest of us should proceed with extreme caution.

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Ha. Hope you enjoyed the rest of the issue, too.
Funny to see the various keywords inserted to ‘feminize’ and sexualize the content.

More seriously, though, and thinking what Cosmo’s all about, I have sometimes wondered if efforts to advocate for bicycle commuting could benefit from greater appeals to physical appearance….just as campaigns to keep youths away from cigarettes have evolved over the years to emphasize less the medical details and more the superficial effects like wrinkles.

Like other lady-riders, I’ve several times been approached by other women asking about my exercise regimen, and even asking if I’ll be their personal trainer. I tell them, just ride your bike. This initial exchange often evolves into lengthy conversations about the amazing advantages of bicycle commuting. But the initial trigger is purely superficial, in true Cosmo fashion, “I want to have legs like hers.”

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No no! I love my traveling lounge chair.

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@bobco85 146685 wrote:

I had broken one of the 2 supports on the saddle itself.

No need for a bike shop. Your saddle issue will no longer matter with a slight adjustment in your riding style.

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I’m just grateful the cars crashed into each other and not into you. They’ve got airbags, bumpers, steel enclosures…you’ve got nothing. Not to downplay that it was a p.i.t.a. for them – no doubt it was. But the main thing is that you are fine.

I was in a somewhat similar situation three weeks ago where a driver stopped for me, and other cars behind him stopped, and I cautiously started to cross – and then another driver switched lanes and sped through the one lane that remained open. I emitted the loudest scream in my life, as I thought it was my last. I always approach these stopping-car crossings with a mix of thankfulness (for the one who stops) and terror (for all the rest of ‘em).

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Sadly I’ll be busy driving a freakin’ 3000 pounder tonight (aka gymnastics carpool), but please give Boomer a hug from me!

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Ouch, Emm, sorry to hear. I am yearning to press the “empathy button” but it doesn’t exist. Those buggers hurt…for days! I got stung on my leg and on my waist during commutes earlier this summer.
As for LSG, Tania, and Judd…y’all are just cracking me up.

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@Steve O 146135 wrote:

Also, you can always bike to the metro station, which makes the definition of “close” a little wider.

Eh. Jorgsofi said s/he would like a place near a Metro Station, and personally I think that’s a very reasonable idea because even though he (or she) rides a bike, that doesn’t mean that every friend rides as well. It’s far easier to have friends over if you’re an easy walk from good transit.

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Very interesting to hear about the Arlington Ridge option. Is there a decent edge so cars can pass you without too much trouble on the uphill? Or is it super-narrow?

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Has anyone ridden that stretch of sidewalk lately on S. Glebe between Mt. Vernon Ave and S Eads? In the past I’ve heard it’s not great, but how bad is it really?

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Thanks for coordinating, Arlingtonrider! I think this Thursday is the 15th (not the 16th). I’m 90 percent sure I can join you sometime after 6 pm. Looking forward! w&w

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I grew up in NYC, which does not permit right turns on red. So I’ve always been curious about the phenomenon. For some broader context, it’s good to take a peek at the Wiki’s fascinating right-on-red entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_on_red

Here are a couple excerpts. I have highlighted the most interesting portions:

Right turns on red are permitted in many regions of North America. While Western states have allowed it for more than 50 years; eastern states amended their traffic laws to allow it in the 1970s as a fuel-saving measure in response to motor fuel shortages in 1973. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 required in §362(c)(5) that in order for a state to receive federal assistance in developing mandated conservation programs, they must permit right turns on red lights. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico have allowed right turns on red since 1978, except where prohibited by a sign or where right turns are controlled by dedicated traffic lights. (In June 1978, Maryland became the last state to allow right turns on red. Right turns on red became legal in the District of Columbia in November 1978.) The few exceptions include New York City, where right turns on red are prohibited, unless a sign indicates otherwise.

During 1982–1992, approximately 84 fatal crashes per year occurred in the U.S. where a vehicle was turning right at intersections where right turn on red was permitted. As of 1992, right turn on red is governed federally by 42 U.S.C. § 6322(c) (“Each proposed State energy conservation plan to be eligible for Federal assistance under this part shall include: …(5) a traffic law or regulation which, to the maximum extent practicable consistent with safety, permits the operator of a motor vehicle to turn such vehicle right at a red stop light after stopping, and to turn such vehicle left from a one-way street onto a one-way street at a red light after stopping.”). All turns on red are forbidden in New York City unless a sign is posted permitting it.

In the European Union member states in general, it is illegal to turn on a red light, unless it is indicated otherwise, for example by a green arrow on a red light, a flashing amber arrow with a red light or a permanent green board next to the red light.

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@BobCochran, you get an A for effort and also for honesty! Sounds like you’re not yet used to long overheated rides in unfamiliar terrain. No worries, there’s always next year. I flatted during 50 states when I tried it three years ago, and then I got totally lost running alongside my bike trying to find the route (and someone carrying a pump). What a relief when I finally came upon the other riders and a guardian angel (aka ride marshal) who took me under his wing. Fifty States is a fascinating ride — I hope we can both do it next year!

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