Bikers on MacArthur Blvd. MD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm coming to this discussion very late, but I wanted to mention that as a cyclist who obeys traffic laws, rides single file and rides close to side of the road I still get harassed by motorists on MacArthur. I get honked at, spit on, and even have some motorists resort to using derogatory terminology to try to intimidate me. For the record, most motorists are tolerant and I appreciate and respect them for their tolerance. There is no reason why motorists and cyclists can't share the road. Just give us a couple of feet of distance when you pass and we'll both be fine. The entitlement factor is a double edged sword. I'm not asking for the entire road, I'm just asking to be treated like a human when I ride my bike.

I am sorry for your experiences but I don't think MacArthur is wide enough to share the road unfortunately. But it's your risk.

NP here.

If a lane is too narrow for a car to pass a bike in lane, and the road is only one lane in each direction, then the driver simply has to wait for a spot where it safe to cross the yellow line to pass. In that situation the cyclist should ride the center of the lane ("take the lane") to discourage unsafe in lane passes.

Personally I prefer avoiding roads like that, when they are posted at speed limits higher than 25MPH and have poor visibility, but I guess sometimes there are simply no good alternative routes. I do not ride much in MoCo (I live in NoVa) so I cannot speak much to this locale.

This is a zombie thread, but I have to chime in and say that it is a really bad idea to plan a bike route that *requires* you to take the lane in a narrow, fast-moving, heavily trafficked, commuter road. Taking the lane is fine when cars can easily pass, or when you're not holding up a ton of traffic. But it's just plain rude and dangerous to plan on taking the lane on a road like Mcarthur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm coming to this discussion very late, but I wanted to mention that as a cyclist who obeys traffic laws, rides single file and rides close to side of the road I still get harassed by motorists on MacArthur. I get honked at, spit on, and even have some motorists resort to using derogatory terminology to try to intimidate me. For the record, most motorists are tolerant and I appreciate and respect them for their tolerance. There is no reason why motorists and cyclists can't share the road. Just give us a couple of feet of distance when you pass and we'll both be fine. The entitlement factor is a double edged sword. I'm not asking for the entire road, I'm just asking to be treated like a human when I ride my bike.

I am sorry for your experiences but I don't think MacArthur is wide enough to share the road unfortunately. But it's your risk.

NP here.

If a lane is too narrow for a car to pass a bike in lane, and the road is only one lane in each direction, then the driver simply has to wait for a spot where it safe to cross the yellow line to pass. In that situation the cyclist should ride the center of the lane ("take the lane") to discourage unsafe in lane passes.

Personally I prefer avoiding roads like that, when they are posted at speed limits higher than 25MPH and have poor visibility, but I guess sometimes there are simply no good alternative routes. I do not ride much in MoCo (I live in NoVa) so I cannot speak much to this locale.

This is a zombie thread, but I have to chime in and say that it is a really bad idea to plan a bike route that *requires* you to take the lane in a narrow, fast-moving, heavily trafficked, commuter road. Taking the lane is fine when cars can easily pass, or when you're not holding up a ton of traffic. But it's just plain rude and dangerous to plan on taking the lane on a road like Mcarthur.

I am the NP, not the McArthur road cyclist, but I can say there are occasions when, depending on where I want to go, it is really hard to avoid such roads (or avoiding them means going really far out of my way). You cannot judge how rude it is unless you know why I am there and what the alternatives are. Now I will generally try to avoid being on such a route for a long distance, so people only have to go slowly behind me for a short distance. Where that is not possible, I will to "release the lane" IE swerve into the parking lane - but only where there is a parking lane with empty spaces, and only where coming back in can be done safely.

As for danger, there are really not that many hit from behind bike accidents. If you are very visible, its unlikely many people are going to run you down from behind. In fact dangers to cyclists more commonly occur at intersections due to turning cars, etc. Also dangers from drunk and distracted drivers. For some reason that is not the danger that drivers seem so concerned with, only the danger to cyclists who might be slowing them down. Which makes me think the concern is not about the safety of cyclists so much.

[Anonymous]

I wish there was a safer route to get into North Potomac, MD. I would actually avoid the Bethesda stretch of MacArthur Blvd. Cycling on the Clara Barton is illegal (as it should be) and riding through D.C. would enrage more motorists. Georgetown and N.W. Washington D.C. are even more busy that the Bethesda stretch of MacArthur. Maybe at some point the narrow MacArthur stretch will be repaved and widened. Here's to wishing.

[Anonymous]

Bumping this old thread b/c the bikers have multiplied and continue to refuse to ride on the bike trail and insist on riding in road. Not sure what's worse, the single biker taking up whole lane or the pack of them riding down MacArthur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have a right to ride in the street. If they rode the path they would endanger pedestrians and the speed limit on the path is too low.

They suck period. Don't obey traffic laws, dont respect cars or even pedestrians and they are dangerous!

Bikers epitomize white liberal privileged soy boys

[Anonymous]

The worst is the cyclists who cut in front of the waiting cars at the light at the one lane bridge.

[Anonymous]

It’s a terrible situation and someone is going to die from it. I always wait until it is safe to pass bikers. At least 3-4 times over the past couple years, I have had cars tired of waiting cross the double yellow line to pass both my car and the bikers, including in places where there is extremely limited visibility. I’ve never seen anything like it literally anywhere else in my entire life. I’ve also found myself head-to-head with cars trying to pass bikers in places where it is unsafe to do so.

[Anonymous]

And now with the new light at the Glen Echo turn by the Irish Inn!! Someone is going to get killed as they dart across with zero regard for the light or any traffic laws.

[Anonymous]

Frankly, after almost getting creamed by a horse trailer that swerved into my lane to avoid some cyclists, I'm past caring what happens to them. They're idiots. They're playing a dangerous game of chicken with motorists. When they get on the paths instead of the road, they're a menace to pedestrians and all other users of the paths.

They need to be outlawed. I think the only reason they're getting away with this sh*t is because a lot of them are lawyers/judges/cops, plus the bike lobby is LOUD. Maybe they'll get the message loud and clear once it's their dearly loved ones who get into a a serious head-on auto accident because of the stupidity of some cyclist.

[Anonymous]

I'm not one for zombie threads but this also burns me up. Yes biking is good for the environment. It's a totally awesome workout. But the infrastructure we have here isn't always compatible and the disdain for the trails has me thinking do these people have a death wish? Bikers complain about not enough bike paths but don't want to use existing paths because they slow them down???? So they choose to get on the road (which is obviously more dangerous to them then the cars)???? Really? I can't imagine considering taking up a hobby that I know will inconvenience lots of people I've never met multiple times a day cuz I get to wear cool lycra. Don't get me started about the packs. How am I supposed to give three feet of space to 25 bikers sprawled across the road going 13 mph????????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not one for zombie threads but this also burns me up. Yes biking is good for the environment. It's a totally awesome workout. But the infrastructure we have here isn't always compatible and the disdain for the trails has me thinking do these people have a death wish? Bikers complain about not enough bike paths but don't want to use existing paths because they slow them down???? So they choose to get on the road (which is obviously more dangerous to them then the cars)???? Really? I can't imagine considering taking up a hobby that I know will inconvenience lots of people I've never met multiple times a day cuz I get to wear cool lycra. Don't get me started about the packs. How am I supposed to give three feet of space to 25 bikers sprawled across the road going 13 mph????????

Just stay home, Karen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not one for zombie threads but this also burns me up. Yes biking is good for the environment. It's a totally awesome workout. But the infrastructure we have here isn't always compatible and the disdain for the trails has me thinking do these people have a death wish? Bikers complain about not enough bike paths but don't want to use existing paths because they slow them down???? So they choose to get on the road (which is obviously more dangerous to them then the cars)???? Really? I can't imagine considering taking up a hobby that I know will inconvenience lots of people I've never met multiple times a day cuz I get to wear cool lycra. Don't get me started about the packs. How am I supposed to give three feet of space to 25 bikers sprawled across the road going 13 mph????????

Just stay home, Karen.

I'm not Karen. I'm the person trying to drive to work in the morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whenever and wherever I pass a biker in traffic I always hug the curb afterwards which forces them to stop or pass me on the left, risking their lives. F them.

np Wow. you would knowingly cause harm to another person? You are a monster. What if it was your kid, wife, husband etc?

[Anonymous]

It’s really bad because it’s such a curved road. Can’t they use the tow path, or the capital crescent trail, or the c&o canal? Or that one that goes along beach?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s really bad because it’s such a curved road. Can’t they use the tow path, or the capital crescent trail, or the c&o canal? Or that one that goes along beach?

Again, they're as horrible on the paths as they are on the road. They endanger the pedestrians on the paths.

They broadcast when a cyclist is killed by a vehicle. They suppress the stories of pedestrians killed or injured by cyclists.