Options for opposing Connecticut Avenue changes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing DC to Copenhagen is ridiculous.

They ride bikes because they live in the city and/or can’t afford cars. They have never been reliant on cars the way Americans are. We can’t flip a switch and change. Plus, people commute downtown via CT Ave from far flung burbs. Simply put: they cannot ride a bike 20+ miles to work.

I’m curious who will be the fall guy/sacrificial lamb when this fiasco becomes national news.

PS - Anyone figured out yet why Rosemary’s has outdoor seating in the street on CT Ave? Anyone else sick of sitting in traffic along that stretch as lanes merge?

I’m predicting an accident with a metro bus as it struggles to merge. I witness near misses all the time.

No, but we can change gradually by building more bike infrastructure.

Also, nobody is insisting that people ride a bike 20+ miles to work (though this actually can be done). There is an entire Metro system built with the purpose of getting people from far flung burbs to jobs downtown.

Speaking of the far flung burbs, remember when people along Old Georgetown Road insisted that the bike lanes were catastrophically dangerous, and then it turned out that the bike lanes actually made the road safer?

I don't think you realize how many people commute from Montgomery County and beyond. I've been commuting downtown for 25 years. I do not live near metro...lots of people live far from the end of the lines in Shady Grove or (crime ridden) Glenmont. Nobody is driving 30 mins to metro, paying to park, then paying to ride metro. Ridership is down dramatically from when I used to metro downtown. It's cheaper and easier to drive and park downtown. It's also safer.

Having commuted downtown for decades along GA or CT Ave, I can report cyclists are few and far between. The reality is there are very few people who commute by bikes. What on earth makes decisionmakers believe the masses will purchase bikes and all of a sudden be physically equipped to ride a bike to work???

I have not one, but two, colleagues who are longtime cyclists (think: travel abroad for cycling vacations). As they aged, they got wobbly and accident prone as is backed up by research. Long story short: both suffered serious accidents commuting to work in DC. These were people who commuted to work by bike for several decades. Both ended up in the hospital. Cars weren't involved...age was a factor.

I'm curious just how many bikes are envisioned for this new plan? If I see 2 or 3 people on bikes during my 90 minute rush hour commute down CT Ave,are the new lanes for them...for those 3 people? Or are you imagining dozens of people? Hundreds?

This is a delusional plan that will create accidents and gridlock.

Why didn't they redesign side streets to create safer bike lanes instead of creating more traffic on CT Ave?

And can somebody for the love of God please do something about Rosemary's seating in the street??? There is a daily back-up created by the merge that typically lasts 20 mins starting several blocks north. Why on earth haven't they cleared it up?

It won't. It will make the road safer for everyone, including bicyclists. If you want to drive to work instead of taking Metro, go ahead, don't take Metro, keep driving, nobody is stopping you. But there is no reason why DC should design its streets to prioritize your car-commuting convenience.

(Why don't you drive on side streets instead of on CT Ave?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing DC to Copenhagen is ridiculous.

They ride bikes because they live in the city and/or can’t afford cars. They have never been reliant on cars the way Americans are. We can’t flip a switch and change. Plus, people commute downtown via CT Ave from far flung burbs. Simply put: they cannot ride a bike 20+ miles to work.

I’m curious who will be the fall guy/sacrificial lamb when this fiasco becomes national news.

PS - Anyone figured out yet why Rosemary’s has outdoor seating in the street on CT Ave? Anyone else sick of sitting in traffic along that stretch as lanes merge?

I’m predicting an accident with a metro bus as it struggles to merge. I witness near misses all the time.

No, but we can change gradually by building more bike infrastructure.

Also, nobody is insisting that people ride a bike 20+ miles to work (though this actually can be done). There is an entire Metro system built with the purpose of getting people from far flung burbs to jobs downtown.

Speaking of the far flung burbs, remember when people along Old Georgetown Road insisted that the bike lanes were catastrophically dangerous, and then it turned out that the bike lanes actually made the road safer?

I don't think you realize how many people commute from Montgomery County and beyond. I've been commuting downtown for 25 years. I do not live near metro...lots of people live far from the end of the lines in Shady Grove or (crime ridden) Glenmont. Nobody is driving 30 mins to metro, paying to park, then paying to ride metro. Ridership is down dramatically from when I used to metro downtown. It's cheaper and easier to drive and park downtown. It's also safer.

Having commuted downtown for decades along GA or CT Ave, I can report cyclists are few and far between. The reality is there are very few people who commute by bikes. What on earth makes decisionmakers believe the masses will purchase bikes and all of a sudden be physically equipped to ride a bike to work???

I have not one, but two, colleagues who are longtime cyclists (think: travel abroad for cycling vacations). As they aged, they got wobbly and accident prone as is backed up by research. Long story short: both suffered serious accidents commuting to work in DC. These were people who commuted to work by bike for several decades. Both ended up in the hospital. Cars weren't involved...age was a factor.

I'm curious just how many bikes are envisioned for this new plan? If I see 2 or 3 people on bikes during my 90 minute rush hour commute down CT Ave,are the new lanes for them...for those 3 people? Or are you imagining dozens of people? Hundreds?

This is a delusional plan that will create accidents and gridlock.

Why didn't they redesign side streets to create safer bike lanes instead of creating more traffic on CT Ave?

And can somebody for the love of God please do something about Rosemary's seating in the street??? There is a daily back-up created by the merge that typically lasts 20 mins starting several blocks north. Why on earth haven't they cleared it up?

It won't. It will make the road safer for everyone, including bicyclists. If you want to drive to work instead of taking Metro, go ahead, don't take Metro, keep driving, nobody is stopping you. But there is no reason why DC should design its streets to prioritize your car-commuting convenience.

(Why don't you drive on side streets instead of on CT Ave?)

Shouldn’t urban design—particularly main arteries—contemplate commuters?

The obvious answer is yes.

Why?

Traffic and safety on CT Ave impacts residents as well as businesses that employ or cater to commuters. And, residents commute via CT Ave.

It’s silly to counter a post by telling one person to suck it if they opt to drive. As if thousands of other commuters don’t exist.

I cannot imagine why anyone thinks this is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

I don't know why you're lol-ing. People actually do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing DC to Copenhagen is ridiculous.

They ride bikes because they live in the city and/or can’t afford cars. They have never been reliant on cars the way Americans are. We can’t flip a switch and change. Plus, people commute downtown via CT Ave from far flung burbs. Simply put: they cannot ride a bike 20+ miles to work.

I’m curious who will be the fall guy/sacrificial lamb when this fiasco becomes national news.

PS - Anyone figured out yet why Rosemary’s has outdoor seating in the street on CT Ave? Anyone else sick of sitting in traffic along that stretch as lanes merge?

I’m predicting an accident with a metro bus as it struggles to merge. I witness near misses all the time.

No, but we can change gradually by building more bike infrastructure.

Also, nobody is insisting that people ride a bike 20+ miles to work (though this actually can be done). There is an entire Metro system built with the purpose of getting people from far flung burbs to jobs downtown.

Speaking of the far flung burbs, remember when people along Old Georgetown Road insisted that the bike lanes were catastrophically dangerous, and then it turned out that the bike lanes actually made the road safer?

I don't think you realize how many people commute from Montgomery County and beyond. I've been commuting downtown for 25 years. I do not live near metro...lots of people live far from the end of the lines in Shady Grove or (crime ridden) Glenmont. Nobody is driving 30 mins to metro, paying to park, then paying to ride metro. Ridership is down dramatically from when I used to metro downtown. It's cheaper and easier to drive and park downtown. It's also safer.

Having commuted downtown for decades along GA or CT Ave, I can report cyclists are few and far between. The reality is there are very few people who commute by bikes. What on earth makes decisionmakers believe the masses will purchase bikes and all of a sudden be physically equipped to ride a bike to work???

I have not one, but two, colleagues who are longtime cyclists (think: travel abroad for cycling vacations). As they aged, they got wobbly and accident prone as is backed up by research. Long story short: both suffered serious accidents commuting to work in DC. These were people who commuted to work by bike for several decades. Both ended up in the hospital. Cars weren't involved...age was a factor.

I'm curious just how many bikes are envisioned for this new plan? If I see 2 or 3 people on bikes during my 90 minute rush hour commute down CT Ave,are the new lanes for them...for those 3 people? Or are you imagining dozens of people? Hundreds?

This is a delusional plan that will create accidents and gridlock.

Why didn't they redesign side streets to create safer bike lanes instead of creating more traffic on CT Ave?

And can somebody for the love of God please do something about Rosemary's seating in the street??? There is a daily back-up created by the merge that typically lasts 20 mins starting several blocks north. Why on earth haven't they cleared it up?

It won't. It will make the road safer for everyone, including bicyclists. If you want to drive to work instead of taking Metro, go ahead, don't take Metro, keep driving, nobody is stopping you. But there is no reason why DC should design its streets to prioritize your car-commuting convenience.

(Why don't you drive on side streets instead of on CT Ave?)

Shouldn’t urban design—particularly main arteries—contemplate commuters?

The obvious answer is yes.

Why?

Traffic and safety on CT Ave impacts residents as well as businesses that employ or cater to commuters. And, residents commute via CT Ave.

It’s silly to counter a post by telling one person to suck it if they opt to drive. As if thousands of other commuters don’t exist.

I cannot imagine why anyone thinks this is a good idea.

The obvious answer is no, urban design should not prioritize car commuters.

What's more, prioritizing car commuters worsens both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue, and de-prioritizing car commuters will improve both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue.

You have options for commuting. You choose to drive. If conditions change, for example driving becomes less convenient compared to other modes, you might choose to take one of the other modes instead. Or you might not - you might choose to continue to drive despite the inconvenience. Those choices are up to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

I don't know why you're lol-ing. People actually do this.

She had a 3 or 4 month old. Tiny baby in a portable car seat.

Show me an infant bike seat for a 3 or 4 month old.

Hint: it doesn’t exist.

And I doubt the commuter who abruptly stopped on CT Ave to walk across the street to drop off her infant at daycare will all of a sudden opt to take up biking to work. If you don’t have time to park your car legally for daycare drop off, you don’t have time to commute by bike.

Lol

Delusional DC bike lobbyists are next level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

I don't know why you're lol-ing. People actually do this.

She had a 3 or 4 month old. Tiny baby in a portable car seat.

Show me an infant bike seat for a 3 or 4 month old.

Hint: it doesn’t exist.

And I doubt the commuter who abruptly stopped on CT Ave to walk across the street to drop off her infant at daycare will all of a sudden opt to take up biking to work. If you don’t have time to park your car legally for daycare drop off, you don’t have time to commute by bike.

Lol

Delusional DC bike lobbyists are next level.

Me: People do these things.
You: Nuh uh! They do not! Nope nope nope! You're delusional!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing DC to Copenhagen is ridiculous.

They ride bikes because they live in the city and/or can’t afford cars. They have never been reliant on cars the way Americans are. We can’t flip a switch and change. Plus, people commute downtown via CT Ave from far flung burbs. Simply put: they cannot ride a bike 20+ miles to work.

I’m curious who will be the fall guy/sacrificial lamb when this fiasco becomes national news.

PS - Anyone figured out yet why Rosemary’s has outdoor seating in the street on CT Ave? Anyone else sick of sitting in traffic along that stretch as lanes merge?

I’m predicting an accident with a metro bus as it struggles to merge. I witness near misses all the time.

No, but we can change gradually by building more bike infrastructure.

Also, nobody is insisting that people ride a bike 20+ miles to work (though this actually can be done). There is an entire Metro system built with the purpose of getting people from far flung burbs to jobs downtown.

Speaking of the far flung burbs, remember when people along Old Georgetown Road insisted that the bike lanes were catastrophically dangerous, and then it turned out that the bike lanes actually made the road safer?

I don't think you realize how many people commute from Montgomery County and beyond. I've been commuting downtown for 25 years. I do not live near metro...lots of people live far from the end of the lines in Shady Grove or (crime ridden) Glenmont. Nobody is driving 30 mins to metro, paying to park, then paying to ride metro. Ridership is down dramatically from when I used to metro downtown. It's cheaper and easier to drive and park downtown. It's also safer.

Having commuted downtown for decades along GA or CT Ave, I can report cyclists are few and far between. The reality is there are very few people who commute by bikes. What on earth makes decisionmakers believe the masses will purchase bikes and all of a sudden be physically equipped to ride a bike to work???

I have not one, but two, colleagues who are longtime cyclists (think: travel abroad for cycling vacations). As they aged, they got wobbly and accident prone as is backed up by research. Long story short: both suffered serious accidents commuting to work in DC. These were people who commuted to work by bike for several decades. Both ended up in the hospital. Cars weren't involved...age was a factor.

I'm curious just how many bikes are envisioned for this new plan? If I see 2 or 3 people on bikes during my 90 minute rush hour commute down CT Ave,are the new lanes for them...for those 3 people? Or are you imagining dozens of people? Hundreds?

This is a delusional plan that will create accidents and gridlock.

Why didn't they redesign side streets to create safer bike lanes instead of creating more traffic on CT Ave?

And can somebody for the love of God please do something about Rosemary's seating in the street??? There is a daily back-up created by the merge that typically lasts 20 mins starting several blocks north. Why on earth haven't they cleared it up?

It won't. It will make the road safer for everyone, including bicyclists. If you want to drive to work instead of taking Metro, go ahead, don't take Metro, keep driving, nobody is stopping you. But there is no reason why DC should design its streets to prioritize your car-commuting convenience.

(Why don't you drive on side streets instead of on CT Ave?)

Shouldn’t urban design—particularly main arteries—contemplate commuters?

The obvious answer is yes.

Why?

Traffic and safety on CT Ave impacts residents as well as businesses that employ or cater to commuters. And, residents commute via CT Ave.

It’s silly to counter a post by telling one person to suck it if they opt to drive. As if thousands of other commuters don’t exist.

I cannot imagine why anyone thinks this is a good idea.

The obvious answer is no, urban design should not prioritize car commuters.

What's more, prioritizing car commuters worsens both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue, and de-prioritizing car commuters will improve both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue.

You have options for commuting. You choose to drive. If conditions change, for example driving becomes less convenient compared to other modes, you might choose to take one of the other modes instead. Or you might not - you might choose to continue to drive despite the inconvenience. Those choices are up to you.

^^^

That’s the mindset that will destroy the city.

And it’s a baffling one.

Presumably you are progressive, no?

As a progressive, you should contemplate the entire community…not just your own personal agenda.

When everyone eventually realizes this was a colossal mistake, we can resurrect this thread and do the Church Lady’s “told ya so” dance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

I don't know why you're lol-ing. People actually do this.

She had a 3 or 4 month old. Tiny baby in a portable car seat.

Show me an infant bike seat for a 3 or 4 month old.

Hint: it doesn’t exist.

And I doubt the commuter who abruptly stopped on CT Ave to walk across the street to drop off her infant at daycare will all of a sudden opt to take up biking to work. If you don’t have time to park your car legally for daycare drop off, you don’t have time to commute by bike.

Lol

Delusional DC bike lobbyists are next level.

Me: People do these things.
You: Nuh uh! They do not! Nope nope nope! You're delusional!

Correct. Bad parents who don’t follow safety guidelines and lack commonsense take risks with infants.

According to Safekids.org, infants under 12 months cannot safely use bicycle seats/carriers.

#themoreyouknow

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing DC to Copenhagen is ridiculous.

They ride bikes because they live in the city and/or can’t afford cars. They have never been reliant on cars the way Americans are. We can’t flip a switch and change. Plus, people commute downtown via CT Ave from far flung burbs. Simply put: they cannot ride a bike 20+ miles to work.

I’m curious who will be the fall guy/sacrificial lamb when this fiasco becomes national news.

PS - Anyone figured out yet why Rosemary’s has outdoor seating in the street on CT Ave? Anyone else sick of sitting in traffic along that stretch as lanes merge?

I’m predicting an accident with a metro bus as it struggles to merge. I witness near misses all the time.

No, but we can change gradually by building more bike infrastructure.

Also, nobody is insisting that people ride a bike 20+ miles to work (though this actually can be done). There is an entire Metro system built with the purpose of getting people from far flung burbs to jobs downtown.

Speaking of the far flung burbs, remember when people along Old Georgetown Road insisted that the bike lanes were catastrophically dangerous, and then it turned out that the bike lanes actually made the road safer?

I don't think you realize how many people commute from Montgomery County and beyond. I've been commuting downtown for 25 years. I do not live near metro...lots of people live far from the end of the lines in Shady Grove or (crime ridden) Glenmont. Nobody is driving 30 mins to metro, paying to park, then paying to ride metro. Ridership is down dramatically from when I used to metro downtown. It's cheaper and easier to drive and park downtown. It's also safer.

Having commuted downtown for decades along GA or CT Ave, I can report cyclists are few and far between. The reality is there are very few people who commute by bikes. What on earth makes decisionmakers believe the masses will purchase bikes and all of a sudden be physically equipped to ride a bike to work???

I have not one, but two, colleagues who are longtime cyclists (think: travel abroad for cycling vacations). As they aged, they got wobbly and accident prone as is backed up by research. Long story short: both suffered serious accidents commuting to work in DC. These were people who commuted to work by bike for several decades. Both ended up in the hospital. Cars weren't involved...age was a factor.

I'm curious just how many bikes are envisioned for this new plan? If I see 2 or 3 people on bikes during my 90 minute rush hour commute down CT Ave,are the new lanes for them...for those 3 people? Or are you imagining dozens of people? Hundreds?

This is a delusional plan that will create accidents and gridlock.

Why didn't they redesign side streets to create safer bike lanes instead of creating more traffic on CT Ave?

And can somebody for the love of God please do something about Rosemary's seating in the street??? There is a daily back-up created by the merge that typically lasts 20 mins starting several blocks north. Why on earth haven't they cleared it up?

It won't. It will make the road safer for everyone, including bicyclists. If you want to drive to work instead of taking Metro, go ahead, don't take Metro, keep driving, nobody is stopping you. But there is no reason why DC should design its streets to prioritize your car-commuting convenience.

(Why don't you drive on side streets instead of on CT Ave?)

Shouldn’t urban design—particularly main arteries—contemplate commuters?

The obvious answer is yes.

Why?

Traffic and safety on CT Ave impacts residents as well as businesses that employ or cater to commuters. And, residents commute via CT Ave.

It’s silly to counter a post by telling one person to suck it if they opt to drive. As if thousands of other commuters don’t exist.

I cannot imagine why anyone thinks this is a good idea.

The obvious answer is no, urban design should not prioritize car commuters.

What's more, prioritizing car commuters worsens both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue, and de-prioritizing car commuters will improve both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue.

You have options for commuting. You choose to drive. If conditions change, for example driving becomes less convenient compared to other modes, you might choose to take one of the other modes instead. Or you might not - you might choose to continue to drive despite the inconvenience. Those choices are up to you.

^^^

That’s the mindset that will destroy the city.

And it’s a baffling one.

Presumably you are progressive, no?

As a progressive, you should contemplate the entire community…not just your own personal agenda.

When everyone eventually realizes this was a colossal mistake, we can resurrect this thread and do the Church Lady’s “told ya so” dance.

Your personal agenda is a convenient drive to work from the Maryland exurbs to your job in DC.

From a community standpoint, we in the US have prioritized that personal agenda since the 1950s. It destroyed cities, literally. Time to do something different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

I don't know why you're lol-ing. People actually do this.

She had a 3 or 4 month old. Tiny baby in a portable car seat.

Show me an infant bike seat for a 3 or 4 month old.

Hint: it doesn’t exist.

And I doubt the commuter who abruptly stopped on CT Ave to walk across the street to drop off her infant at daycare will all of a sudden opt to take up biking to work. If you don’t have time to park your car legally for daycare drop off, you don’t have time to commute by bike.

Lol

Delusional DC bike lobbyists are next level.

Me: People do these things.
You: Nuh uh! They do not! Nope nope nope! You're delusional!

Correct. Bad parents who don’t follow safety guidelines and lack commonsense take risks with infants.

According to Safekids.org, infants under 12 months cannot safely use bicycle seats/carriers.

#themoreyouknow

Infants under 12 months can ride in car seats (so to speak) clipped in to cargo bikes. For example: https://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/bikes/baby-in-a-cargo-bike/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Comparing DC to Copenhagen is ridiculous.

They ride bikes because they live in the city and/or can’t afford cars. They have never been reliant on cars the way Americans are. We can’t flip a switch and change. Plus, people commute downtown via CT Ave from far flung burbs. Simply put: they cannot ride a bike 20+ miles to work.

I’m curious who will be the fall guy/sacrificial lamb when this fiasco becomes national news.

PS - Anyone figured out yet why Rosemary’s has outdoor seating in the street on CT Ave? Anyone else sick of sitting in traffic along that stretch as lanes merge?

I’m predicting an accident with a metro bus as it struggles to merge. I witness near misses all the time.

No, but we can change gradually by building more bike infrastructure.

Also, nobody is insisting that people ride a bike 20+ miles to work (though this actually can be done). There is an entire Metro system built with the purpose of getting people from far flung burbs to jobs downtown.

Speaking of the far flung burbs, remember when people along Old Georgetown Road insisted that the bike lanes were catastrophically dangerous, and then it turned out that the bike lanes actually made the road safer?

I don't think you realize how many people commute from Montgomery County and beyond. I've been commuting downtown for 25 years. I do not live near metro...lots of people live far from the end of the lines in Shady Grove or (crime ridden) Glenmont. Nobody is driving 30 mins to metro, paying to park, then paying to ride metro. Ridership is down dramatically from when I used to metro downtown. It's cheaper and easier to drive and park downtown. It's also safer.

Having commuted downtown for decades along GA or CT Ave, I can report cyclists are few and far between. The reality is there are very few people who commute by bikes. What on earth makes decisionmakers believe the masses will purchase bikes and all of a sudden be physically equipped to ride a bike to work???

I have not one, but two, colleagues who are longtime cyclists (think: travel abroad for cycling vacations). As they aged, they got wobbly and accident prone as is backed up by research. Long story short: both suffered serious accidents commuting to work in DC. These were people who commuted to work by bike for several decades. Both ended up in the hospital. Cars weren't involved...age was a factor.

I'm curious just how many bikes are envisioned for this new plan? If I see 2 or 3 people on bikes during my 90 minute rush hour commute down CT Ave,are the new lanes for them...for those 3 people? Or are you imagining dozens of people? Hundreds?

This is a delusional plan that will create accidents and gridlock.

Why didn't they redesign side streets to create safer bike lanes instead of creating more traffic on CT Ave?

And can somebody for the love of God please do something about Rosemary's seating in the street??? There is a daily back-up created by the merge that typically lasts 20 mins starting several blocks north. Why on earth haven't they cleared it up?

It won't. It will make the road safer for everyone, including bicyclists. If you want to drive to work instead of taking Metro, go ahead, don't take Metro, keep driving, nobody is stopping you. But there is no reason why DC should design its streets to prioritize your car-commuting convenience.

(Why don't you drive on side streets instead of on CT Ave?)

Shouldn’t urban design—particularly main arteries—contemplate commuters?

The obvious answer is yes.

Why?

Traffic and safety on CT Ave impacts residents as well as businesses that employ or cater to commuters. And, residents commute via CT Ave.

It’s silly to counter a post by telling one person to suck it if they opt to drive. As if thousands of other commuters don’t exist.

I cannot imagine why anyone thinks this is a good idea.

The obvious answer is no, urban design should not prioritize car commuters.

What's more, prioritizing car commuters worsens both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue, and de-prioritizing car commuters will improve both traffic and safety on Connecticut Avenue.

You have options for commuting. You choose to drive. If conditions change, for example driving becomes less convenient compared to other modes, you might choose to take one of the other modes instead. Or you might not - you might choose to continue to drive despite the inconvenience. Those choices are up to you.

^^^

That’s the mindset that will destroy the city.

And it’s a baffling one.

Presumably you are progressive, no?

As a progressive, you should contemplate the entire community…not just your own personal agenda.

When everyone eventually realizes this was a colossal mistake, we can resurrect this thread and do the Church Lady’s “told ya so” dance.

Your personal agenda is a convenient drive to work from the Maryland exurbs to your job in DC.

From a community standpoint, we in the US have prioritized that personal agenda since the 1950s. It destroyed cities, literally. Time to do something different.

Not true.

There are myriad reasons why some cities declined. There is rather interesting research that centers on the mass exodus to suburbs (including DC to the burbs), but it’s far more complex than cars and commuting.

Regardless, DC resolved the mass exodus issue as evidenced by rampant gentrification and continued housing development.

Is your hope that the addition of unnecessary bike lanes (given the documented lack of cyclists in any meaningful number) will…what, exactly?

Prompt people to buy bikes, spandex, locks, etc. and develop the stamina and extra time needed to change their commute…regardless of weather, where they live and work, etc.? And what does success look like using your measure?

Or is the goal to frustrate car commuters to the point of quitting?

None of this makes sense.

I predict accidents involving buses. We already see them, and we will see more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

I don't know why you're lol-ing. People actually do this.

She had a 3 or 4 month old. Tiny baby in a portable car seat.

Show me an infant bike seat for a 3 or 4 month old.

Hint: it doesn’t exist.

And I doubt the commuter who abruptly stopped on CT Ave to walk across the street to drop off her infant at daycare will all of a sudden opt to take up biking to work. If you don’t have time to park your car legally for daycare drop off, you don’t have time to commute by bike.

Lol

Delusional DC bike lobbyists are next level.

Me: People do these things.
You: Nuh uh! They do not! Nope nope nope! You're delusional!

Correct. Bad parents who don’t follow safety guidelines and lack commonsense take risks with infants.

According to Safekids.org, infants under 12 months cannot safely use bicycle seats/carriers.

#themoreyouknow

Infants under 12 months can ride in car seats (so to speak) clipped in to cargo bikes. For example: https://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/bikes/baby-in-a-cargo-bike/

And infants *can* ride in the lap of a stoned hippie on a motorcycle.

Doesn’t mean they should…just because rando mom Juliet says it’s totz fine.

I’ll stick with the guidance from Safekids.org.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/05/10/cyclists-break-far-fewer-road-rules-than-motorists-finds-new-video-study/

This video camera study showed that less than 5% of people on bikes break traffic laws while riding, yet 66% of people do so when driving. And if you REALLY want even MORE bike-riders to obey laws, build more protected bike infrastructure.

In DENMARK.

If you want to go that route, I can I’m sure provide a study showing that drivers break fewer rules. It would be a study that takes place in Germany, but that’s fair, I guess.

I do agree that there should be protected lanes and whatever it takes to separate cars and bikes, sharing lanes is a stupid idea on any road with a speed limit >20mph. We should also install more bus pull off areas for loading and unloading to keep lanes moving.

Until then, can we enforce the laws???

I can't tell you how many people park illegally on CT Ave during morning rush to run into Starbucks and drop off kids at the daycare center on the northbound side of CT (they park illegally on the southbound/inbound DC side of CT Ave). When people abruptly stop and park on CT Ave during the morning rush hour, it's dangerous and it creates traffic as we lose the lane and folks must merge.

Suppose people could get their kids to daycare by bike instead of having to drive them?

Lol

The woman I saw dropping off a newborn in a portable car seat will surely find a way to commute by bike…even though no infant bike seat exists for a newborn.

I don't know why you're lol-ing. People actually do this.

She had a 3 or 4 month old. Tiny baby in a portable car seat.

Show me an infant bike seat for a 3 or 4 month old.

Hint: it doesn’t exist.

And I doubt the commuter who abruptly stopped on CT Ave to walk across the street to drop off her infant at daycare will all of a sudden opt to take up biking to work. If you don’t have time to park your car legally for daycare drop off, you don’t have time to commute by bike.

Lol

Delusional DC bike lobbyists are next level.

Me: People do these things.
You: Nuh uh! They do not! Nope nope nope! You're delusional!

Correct. Bad parents who don’t follow safety guidelines and lack commonsense take risks with infants.

According to Safekids.org, infants under 12 months cannot safely use bicycle seats/carriers.

#themoreyouknow

Infants under 12 months can ride in car seats (so to speak) clipped in to cargo bikes. For example: https://www.cyclesprog.co.uk/bikes/baby-in-a-cargo-bike/

And infants *can* ride in the lap of a stoned hippie on a motorcycle.

Doesn’t mean they should…just because rando mom Juliet says it’s totz fine.

I’ll stick with the guidance from Safekids.org.

Oh, what does Safekids.org say about car seats in cargo bikes?