why are cars allowed in the National Arbortetum? Why? Why? WHYYYY?

[Anonymous]

I've always wondered why you can't rollerblade there, but you can bike and drive. What the what?

[Anonymous]

I can't wait for OP to walk into The Gap and bemoan that cheeseburgers aren't served.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Yes. Just what the arboretum needs - more bike share bikes laying all over the place wherever the last used got done with it and let fall over. Great plan. That’ll REALLY help keep the vistas pristine. So much better to stare at and step around 100 bikes laying all over the place than a passing car every few minutes.

While we’re looking at all the heaps of bikes everywhere we can help you with teaching your kid not to walk into the street without looking.

That’s important- because if he keeps doing that, he’s gonna get run over by a cyclist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Yes. Just what the arboretum needs - more bike share bikes laying all over the place wherever the last used got done with it and let fall over. Great plan. That’ll REALLY help keep the vistas pristine. So much better to stare at and step around 100 bikes laying all over the place than a passing car every few minutes.

While we’re looking at all the heaps of bikes everywhere we can help you with teaching your kid not to walk into the street without looking.

That’s important- because if he keeps doing that, he’s gonna get run over by a cyclist.

I don't know. I think OP's whining is ridiculous, but adding a few bikeshares seems like a reasonable way to provide additional non car options, even though I agree cars should be able to remain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Okay, so don't come? The Arboretum IS relaxing to my family, which includes two little kids. We went a lot already, but it's been a godsend during the pandemic. In fact, the accessibility to all of it by car makes it really nice for us as parents of small kids. We aren't limited to how far a 2 year old can make it on foot, or how far we want to shove a stroller or haul a picnic for four people. We can drive to a nice, more isolated area of the park, park our car off to the side of the road and walk into a practically empty clearing well off the road where we can then let the kids loose to run around while we enjoy our lunch that we only had to carry 20 yards instead of a mile on foot. It's lovely!

So you want to be able to drive all over the core of the arboretum to get to more isolated spots, thereby making the more popular spots less enjoyable for others. Do I have that right?

that's no way to manage a scare resource (green space in a city).

Do you have that right? Well, not quite. I do want to be able to drive on the existing roads (there for this exact purpose) to get wherever I want to go there, as is very much allowed. I've never heard anyone complain that it is making the more popular spots "less enjoyable" except from you, OP. I also like to go to the "popular spots" as well, and I don't find those to be at all disrupted by vehicle traffic. The Capitol Columns are up on top of a hill/surrounded by a huge open field, the bonsai collection is enclosed in a walled garden, the Asian Collection is in it's own valley completely removed from the road... is it just the Azalea Collection that stresses you out so much?

[Anonymous]

Because people with disabilities and/or small children need the ability to drive in to the arboretum? Do you expect all public institutions to be designed around you specifically? Weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't wait for OP to walk into The Gap and bemoan that cheeseburgers aren't served.

It’s more like - walking into the Gap and wondering why all the clothes are only size 12.

It’s an open green space, not a giant parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. Just what the arboretum needs - more bike share bikes laying all over the place wherever the last used got done with it and let fall over. Great plan. That’ll REALLY help keep the vistas pristine. So much better to stare at and step around 100 bikes laying all over the place than a passing car every few minutes.

While we’re looking at all the heaps of bikes everywhere we can help you with teaching your kid not to walk into the street without looking.

That’s important- because if he keeps doing that, he’s gonna get run over by a cyclist.

Actually people generally return bikeshare bikes (the kind you get at bikeshare stations) to the bikeshare bike stations...

And even with the ones that don't have stations, you don't get heaps of bikes.

And I'd rather look at 100 parked bikes than 100 parked cars, because for one thing, 100 parked bikes take up a lot less space, but maybe that's me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because people with disabilities and/or small children need the ability to drive in to the arboretum? Do you expect all public institutions to be designed around you specifically? Weird.

This answer always comes up, when people ask why car convenience must be prioritized over everything else, and it's kind of misleading, given that people with disabilities are generally less likely to drive/have car access than people without disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because people with disabilities and/or small children need the ability to drive in to the arboretum? Do you expect all public institutions to be designed around you specifically? Weird.

I expect them to be designed for their purpose. And I stated multiple times that my idea would make it more accessible. Keep the main parking lots and only let cars drive between them on one road. that leaves all the other paved paths extremely accessible and safe for wheelchairs; and other features accessible from the parking lots. You don’t need to be able to drive all over the arboretum to make it accessible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Yes. Just what the arboretum needs - more bike share bikes laying all over the place wherever the last used got done with it and let fall over. Great plan. That’ll REALLY help keep the vistas pristine. So much better to stare at and step around 100 bikes laying all over the place than a passing car every few minutes.

While we’re looking at all the heaps of bikes everywhere we can help you with teaching your kid not to walk into the street without looking.

That’s important- because if he keeps doing that, he’s gonna get run over by a cyclist.

I don't know. I think OP's whining is ridiculous, but adding a few bikeshares seems like a reasonable way to provide additional non car options, even though I agree cars should be able to remain.

There is literally already a Capitol Bikeshare station right at the R Street entrance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Okay, so don't come? The Arboretum IS relaxing to my family, which includes two little kids. We went a lot already, but it's been a godsend during the pandemic. In fact, the accessibility to all of it by car makes it really nice for us as parents of small kids. We aren't limited to how far a 2 year old can make it on foot, or how far we want to shove a stroller or haul a picnic for four people. We can drive to a nice, more isolated area of the park, park our car off to the side of the road and walk into a practically empty clearing well off the road where we can then let the kids loose to run around while we enjoy our lunch that we only had to carry 20 yards instead of a mile on foot. It's lovely!

So you want to be able to drive all over the core of the arboretum to get to more isolated spots, thereby making the more popular spots less enjoyable for others. Do I have that right?

that's no way to manage a scare resource (green space in a city).

Do you have that right? Well, not quite. I do want to be able to drive on the existing roads (there for this exact purpose) to get wherever I want to go there, as is very much allowed. I've never heard anyone complain that it is making the more popular spots "less enjoyable" except from you, OP. I also like to go to the "popular spots" as well, and I don't find those to be at all disrupted by vehicle traffic. The Capitol Columns are up on top of a hill/surrounded by a huge open field, the bonsai collection is enclosed in a walled garden, the Asian Collection is in it's own valley completely removed from the road... is it just the Azalea Collection that stresses you out so much?

I get the impression that OP just walked along the road. That's fine, I've done the loop for exercise too, but it is not the same as actually walking into the collections. The idea that someone is going to park at the NY Ave lot and push a wheelchair up the hill to see the dogwoods is kind of crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Okay, so don't come? The Arboretum IS relaxing to my family, which includes two little kids. We went a lot already, but it's been a godsend during the pandemic. In fact, the accessibility to all of it by car makes it really nice for us as parents of small kids. We aren't limited to how far a 2 year old can make it on foot, or how far we want to shove a stroller or haul a picnic for four people. We can drive to a nice, more isolated area of the park, park our car off to the side of the road and walk into a practically empty clearing well off the road where we can then let the kids loose to run around while we enjoy our lunch that we only had to carry 20 yards instead of a mile on foot. It's lovely!

So you want to be able to drive all over the core of the arboretum to get to more isolated spots, thereby making the more popular spots less enjoyable for others. Do I have that right?

that's no way to manage a scare resource (green space in a city).

Do you have that right? Well, not quite. I do want to be able to drive on the existing roads (there for this exact purpose) to get wherever I want to go there, as is very much allowed. I've never heard anyone complain that it is making the more popular spots "less enjoyable" except from you, OP. I also like to go to the "popular spots" as well, and I don't find those to be at all disrupted by vehicle traffic. The Capitol Columns are up on top of a hill/surrounded by a huge open field, the bonsai collection is enclosed in a walled garden, the Asian Collection is in it's own valley completely removed from the road... is it just the Azalea Collection that stresses you out so much?

I get the impression that OP just walked along the road. That's fine, I've done the loop for exercise too, but it is not the same as actually walking into the collections. The idea that someone is going to park at the NY Ave lot and push a wheelchair up the hill to see the dogwoods is kind of crazy.

Pretty sure OP would love to volunteer to push some wheelchairs up the hills, once we get rid of all the cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Okay, so don't come? The Arboretum IS relaxing to my family, which includes two little kids. We went a lot already, but it's been a godsend during the pandemic. In fact, the accessibility to all of it by car makes it really nice for us as parents of small kids. We aren't limited to how far a 2 year old can make it on foot, or how far we want to shove a stroller or haul a picnic for four people. We can drive to a nice, more isolated area of the park, park our car off to the side of the road and walk into a practically empty clearing well off the road where we can then let the kids loose to run around while we enjoy our lunch that we only had to carry 20 yards instead of a mile on foot. It's lovely!

So you want to be able to drive all over the core of the arboretum to get to more isolated spots, thereby making the more popular spots less enjoyable for others. Do I have that right?

that's no way to manage a scare resource (green space in a city).

Do you have that right? Well, not quite. I do want to be able to drive on the existing roads (there for this exact purpose) to get wherever I want to go there, as is very much allowed. I've never heard anyone complain that it is making the more popular spots "less enjoyable" except from you, OP. I also like to go to the "popular spots" as well, and I don't find those to be at all disrupted by vehicle traffic. The Capitol Columns are up on top of a hill/surrounded by a huge open field, the bonsai collection is enclosed in a walled garden, the Asian Collection is in it's own valley completely removed from the road... is it just the Azalea Collection that stresses you out so much?

I get the impression that OP just walked along the road. That's fine, I've done the loop for exercise too, but it is not the same as actually walking into the collections. The idea that someone is going to park at the NY Ave lot and push a wheelchair up the hill to see the dogwoods is kind of crazy.

No, I’ve been all over the arboretum. they could leave the eastern lots open by the dogwoods and limit traffic to the northern roads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had a lovely walk around the Arboretum this weekend, but it was really significantly worsened by car traffic. Not a lot, but enough that the noise and interruption on the path was meaningful. For the life of me, why do they let cars in? What's the point of that? Cars should be allowed in to park, then everyone should walk/bike. Maybe a day a month where the disabled and elderly can be allowed to drive.

YES! Add lots of bike share stations, and incentivize a bike store to set up shop near the front gate.
At the very least, a day a month car-free. The Arboretum is not relaxing at all for my family, because little kids and big cars are not very visible to each other, and neither of them are good at remembering to watch out for each other's presence when not in large numbers.

Okay, so don't come? The Arboretum IS relaxing to my family, which includes two little kids. We went a lot already, but it's been a godsend during the pandemic. In fact, the accessibility to all of it by car makes it really nice for us as parents of small kids. We aren't limited to how far a 2 year old can make it on foot, or how far we want to shove a stroller or haul a picnic for four people. We can drive to a nice, more isolated area of the park, park our car off to the side of the road and walk into a practically empty clearing well off the road where we can then let the kids loose to run around while we enjoy our lunch that we only had to carry 20 yards instead of a mile on foot. It's lovely!

Not really a solution. I'm not the OP.

Uhhh it absolutely is a solution. If something is stressful and not enjoyable to you, simply don’t do it. Don’t expect the entire universe to revolve around what you personally find enjoyable.