May 19, 2005
Bike to Work Day Tomorrow
Tomorrow, if only for a day, the tables will be turned. Cyclists will wander fearlessly through traffic, knowing that they have strength in numbers, while cars proceed meekly through roads populated by amateur cyclists, roadies, off-roaders, and seasoned two-wheeled urban warriors. It'll be the day where Indians become chiefs, hunted the hunters.
Ok, so maybe that's a little dramatic. Tomorrow is, though, Bike to Work Day. Part of the national Bike to Work Week, which spans the week of May 16-20, Bike to Work Day is a celebration of commuting to and from work on two wheels. Sponsored locally by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, tomorrow's festivities will include 19 pit stops in the area at which participants -- 4700 are currently expected -- can gather, eat breakfast, win prizes, and join cyclist convoys to safely navigate to work. Registration is still open. The primary pit-stop, at Freedom Plaza in the District, will feature a variety of speakers -- confirmed are D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Congressional bike proponent Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Council-member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large), and the Director of the District Department of Transportation, Dan Tangherlini.
DCist will be roaming the city streets tomorrow morning on bike, taking in the scenery and snapping some shots for a full rundown on the day's events.
As part of our service to the public, and continuing in our series of cool infographics (the first having been dedicated to the unofficial rules of Metro), DCist has put together an unofficial guide on how drivers and cyclists can best co-exist on the city's crowded streets.
The guide is available in whole after the jump.
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In #6, should be "knows." Better I point it out now than hear one more idiotic reference about hiring a copy editor.
As for tomorrow, I will "share the road" when cyclists start "obeying the traffic laws."
As a cyclist I have to say in response to Underused:
As if cars always obey the traffic laws???
I don't blame all drivers for the shortcomings of a few. Please don't do the same to cyclists. It's far more dangerous.
stop being a fucking baby, bikes running reds and stop signs don't pose the same threat as the dozens of cars I see do it everyday. and if you don't share the road, don't be surprised if one day a biker drags you out of your car and beats your face in.
As a 4/5 day a week biker, I always hear, "I'll be a decent human being when bicycles start obeying the traffic laws." It would be helpful to know which laws "we" are breaking that are so egregious.
No, really, which are the worst?
PS....Rule #4 for cars should have been: Use mirrors BEFORE changing lanes, not after. If you don't need your mirrors, cyclists will be happy to take them off for you.
So, are people riding this morning? Cause it's, um, pouring rain right now.
Not to mention that obeying the laws written for cars is sometimes downright suicidal on a bike. While your car may have 170 horsepower to accelerate through a dangerous situation, I have, um, my legs. Often times the only defense that a bike has is using the momentem they're carrying to swerve out of the way of some dumbass. It's *really* hard to swerve when you're at a dead stop.
Of course, for every close encounter I have with a car, I have 10 pedestrians step out from between parked cars in the middle of the street. Or stand in the middle of the road. Or cross against a crosswalk signal.
Yeah. I normally bike everyday, but not today. The downpour killed that. I did, however, walk halfway and take a bus the rest of the way (once I was wet up to my knees I was not in the mood to walk anymore).
On the note of cars and bikes -- get a life motorists. Don't use bike messengers as an excuse to risk the life of another human being. Are there a number of cyclists that make dangerous maneuvers? Yes. Do the majority of bicyclists obey traffic laws? I believe so. Running a red light with no oncoming traffic is fine in my book (it gives you a head start on all the cars that are trying to run you over). Beyond that, there are idiots out there that weave through perpendicular traffic and such.
I think another huge problem for cyclists and motorits is the huge number of illegaly parked cars. I take 13th street from P to E every morning. The right lane is designated for bikes and cars (bikes are allowed full use during rush hour). However, I have to weave out of the lane once every block or two because of some idiot parked in the rush hour lanes.
Oh. And just because you have your hazard light on it doesn't mean you have free reign to park illegally.
I didn't bike today either. I bike to work because it's a smart thing to do, not an insane thing to do. Biking today would have been insane. If you biked to work today, great, but in all good humor, you're a little nuts.
I respect that bikers are allowed their share of the road. But just because YOU follow traffic laws, that doesn't mean a majority of bikers do. And I'm not just talking about bike messengers. Every day, I see bikers wearing slacks and a tie--i.e., heading to work at the office--running red lights and stop signs, riding illegally on the sidewalk in downtown areas where it is prohibited, and generally being a menace to pedestrians (I don't have a car or a bike, so I guess you could put me in that group--pedestrians).
If bikers would drop their holier-than-thou attitude and actually start obeying traffic laws, then maybe they would have a point. Until then, many bikers are just as much of a menace as bad drivers.
"and if you don't share the road, don't be surprised if one day a biker drags you out of your car and beats your face in."
Excuse me while I die from laughter.
A special warning to motorists who think it's perfectly okay to harass cyclists, particularly bike messengers: do so at your own risk. You really don't know what you could potentially be getting yourself into. Bike locks are excellent for smashing windows. I know more than one messenger who has been attacked with a car, then caught up with the person a few lights up and dragged him out into the street for a beating. I know one who carries a carpentry tool specially designed for shattering glass with a slight tap. Look, you know anyone who rides a bike for a living in this city just isn't quite right in the head for that fact alone. Show some basic respect and common sense.
Matt,
I agree with your general principle -- cyclists should respect the rules of the road -- but disagree with your conclusion. A bad cyclist is nothing of a threat compared to a bad driver. A cyclist can hurt a pedestrian or themselves, sure, but compared to the sheer kenetic energy of a car going fast, they're small game.
I think cyclists should ride intelligently. This means they do not have to obey every rule of the road, provided they can do so safely and while recognizing the inherent risks. I run red lights all the time, but do so after making sure that no cars are flying towards the intersection I'll be going across. If I do something stupid, I am the first to admit it, while stupid drivers tend to blame cyclists for their bad driving.
Martin
To the person who complains about sidewalk riding - when my choices are
a) piss off a couple pedestrians for 2 blocks
b) be run over by inconsiderate drivers
I'll take A. Bikers can't win. For someone who has been run off the road and hit by car doors being opened, all while contributing to the health of my city and my own personal well being via my daily bike use...I'm going to do what I need to do in order to stay the safe.
You could always, you know, get off your bike and walk it for the two blocks you're too scared to ride on the street.
Or, you know, find a safe route to bike. Do I try to ride up 16th street to my house? No. I go a few blocks out of my way and use 11th. No circles, fewer crazy drivers, better biking. Find a route that's safe and get the hell off the sidewalk.
What are some other good north south streets. I've been leaving Columbia Heights, and the city on 14th st. It get's a little hairy (though I think its kinda fun). I just noticed that portions of 11th have bike lanes. What about 15th? 18th? I dont know. I guess you learn this stuff after biking around after a while.
Martin, and others who argue that illegally manuevering cyclists are not hazardous compared with cars - you're not acknowledging the chain reaction that can occur when a cyclist runs a red light or commits some other infraction, causing vehicles to swerve to avoid the dickhead and then potentially strike pedestrians or other vehicles. The biker is as much at fault as the driver. You are responsible for following ALL of the applicable laws, even though you're just a piddly bike. Cars can safely run lights too if no cars are coming - but they're not allowed to, and neither are you.
It's hypocritical to complain about drivers' behavior while excusing cyclists' lawbreaking. Kind of like how "critical mass" demands respect for cyclists by creating massive traffic disruptions.
Plus: some of you cyclists need to give up the self-righteous, violent self-defense schtick. If you're breaking windows or beating drivers, then you're not in a position to bitch about how you get treated. If you want lawlessness, then resign yourselves to being on the losing end of a fight for the roadways. If you want safe, lawful streets, then suck it up and follow the laws just as you're asking cars to do. I'm glad lots of people ride bikes. Wish more did. I also appreciate the risks of biking. I just tire of the attitude.
New rule: No bikes on 16th!!!!!!!
Scott-
I try to avoid 14th and 16th whenever possible. 11th is my preference because you can go from Columbia Heights all the way to Pennsylvania without going through a traffic circle. Logan Circle isn't too hard to navigate on a bike though, so 13th is an option if you're going south. Meridian Hill is steepest on 13th street, so I wouldn't personally want to come up it. 18th street isn't too bad sometimes, depending on what Adams Morgan is like. I wouldn't do it on a Friday night, but it can be useful during the day on weekends and such. But, it's too broken up north of AM and south of Dupont Circle to be of too much use. 19th street is useful if you're just going from AM to Dupont, although the grade is a little steeper than it is on 18th.
Going north of Columbia Heights I dont know- never head that way on my bike. 13th to Georgia might work. 11th street ends at Spring Road.