Alexandria Bike Lobby wins again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Since you were not riding, you may not have been able to judge whether he was safe or not - plus on Lee Highway, swerving around is not a safe option I guess.

Also I don't think you realize how many times in the course of a single commute we see drivers doing something illegal and/or dangerous, and even how many times we are actually endangered. You can reach a breaking point.

You also probably don't notice the times drivers honk at people on bikes (or at other drivers stopping for them) or do a "punishment pass". Or you know, rail against cyclists on line, at public meetings, etc.

Serious question for you PP:

Do you EVER criticize the actions of cyclists? Or are you exclusively an apologist/advocate?

Because you're almost out of credibility around here. You're practically a meme.

Among my fellow bike riders I often discuss how to be a safer and more polite rider.

In a community like this where people who ride bikes are under attack, by people who appear to not understand the realities of riding, it is most important that I explain those for them.

My husband is an avid bike rider. The bike controls EVERYTHING in our household, from where we bought a house to how we will retire. The dedication bike riders have to their sport is beyond anything I’ve ever seen, and it’s supported by other riders. It’s as close to a cult as I’ve ever seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"most important". Thanks for mansplaning/ biksplaning it for everyone, since you're so smart and we are all so dumb. You're a real thrill.

I don't know your gender, and you don't know mine.

It is a fact that people who bike know more about biking, especially what is involved in biking in the streets around here. That has nothing in paticular to do with IQ.

That is why I think its so important to get more people biking - drivers who also bike are generally safer around bikes (in fact at least one study shows that they are safer drivers in general)

You just confirmed my zealot statement. I don’t have to take up your hobby. Neither does anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd have more compassion for cyclists if they treated pedestrians respectfully - stop for them in crosswalks, don't bike like maniacs on trails and "thread the needle." Slow down and share the trails.

I clotheslined assaulted a guy who hit me biked somewhat close to me while I was crossing without a walk signal in a crosswalk while blasting through a redlight. He came off the bike and landed on his back, but his bike kept going, all the way through the intersection and halfway down the block almost to 18th St. it was fascinating to see how far the bike went, and it would’ve gone farther but it hit the curb. I was all set to fight him, but when he got up, he looked like he was already halfway knocked out. He must’ve hit his head on the ground when I knocked him off the bike after he bumped me. I was fine, except for he tore my pants with his pedal and got a small scrape on my leg. I laughed at him because I am an asshole and a waste of oxygen that is lucky that there were no cameras and the cyclist didn't call the cops and press charges

FTFY

If the pedestrian had torn pants and a scrape, he biker did indeed hit him, not just ‘biked close to him’

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Too bad she did not get him on video harassing her.

I'm pro biking, but I've seen lots of cyclists who seem to be looking for a fight/something to be offended about. Yesterday, I passed a cyclist. He was in a bike lane on a residential street, and I still gave a wide berth while passing. He seemed to be offended that I passed, because immediately afterward, he got into the center of the driving lane and started going fast. Meanwhile, I approached a stop sign and pulled to the right of the line, behind the car in front of me - it's one wide lane, and those turning right hang to the right, while those turning left hang to the left. He approached as I was starting to make my turn, and said, "are you kidding me?" and practically ran out into the street to cross. He barely stopped riding his bike and got off and pushed it across the street without pausing, looking for cars, etc. Not sure what his problem was, as I had done nothing wrong and am super careful around cyclists.

[Anonymous]

There are very tiny number of cyclists in the city of Alex.

BUT the City is extremely limo liberal and they love to embrace anything that aligns them with liberal ideas and want to make sure they are putting on a good show. They love any kind of environmental activism and causes and do lots of window dressing activities like send out declarations and such but there is very little substance. These actions are easy so they embrace them to avoid the real and tough issues like neglected infrastructure, school issues and so on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are very tiny number of cyclists in the city of Alex.

BUT the City is extremely limo liberal and they love to embrace anything that aligns them with liberal ideas and want to make sure they are putting on a good show. They love any kind of environmental activism and causes and do lots of window dressing activities like send out declarations and such but there is very little substance. These actions are easy so they embrace them to avoid the real and tough issues like neglected infrastructure, school issues and so on.

The more safe and useful bike routes there are in Alexandria, the more people will ride bikes in Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Too bad she did not get him on video harassing her.

I'm pro biking, but I've seen lots of cyclists who seem to be looking for a fight/something to be offended about. Yesterday, I passed a cyclist. He was in a bike lane on a residential street, and I still gave a wide berth while passing. He seemed to be offended that I passed, because immediately afterward, he got into the center of the driving lane and started going fast. Meanwhile, I approached a stop sign and pulled to the right of the line, behind the car in front of me - it's one wide lane, and those turning right hang to the right, while those turning left hang to the left. He approached as I was starting to make my turn, and said, "are you kidding me?" and practically ran out into the street to cross. He barely stopped riding his bike and got off and pushed it across the street without pausing, looking for cars, etc. Not sure what his problem was, as I had done nothing wrong and am super careful around cyclists.

PP, I am trying to be nice when I say this: it probably was not about you at all. There are lots of reasons why a person riding a bike might start riding in the middle of the lane (this is called "taking the lane".) And it's legal , not to mention often safer, to take the lane.

Also, when drivers turn right across the path of bicyclists who are going straight, that's called a right hook, and it's well-known for killing people on bikes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My husband is an avid bike rider. The bike controls EVERYTHING in our household, from where we bought a house to how we will retire. The dedication bike riders have to their sport is beyond anything I’ve ever seen, and it’s supported by other riders. It’s as close to a cult as I’ve ever seen.

Lots and lots of people don't ride bikes as a sport. They ride bikes as a means of transportation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"most important". Thanks for mansplaning/ biksplaning it for everyone, since you're so smart and we are all so dumb. You're a real thrill.

I don't know your gender, and you don't know mine.

It is a fact that people who bike know more about biking, especially what is involved in biking in the streets around here. That has nothing in paticular to do with IQ.

That is why I think its so important to get more people biking - drivers who also bike are generally safer around bikes (in fact at least one study shows that they are safer drivers in general)

You just confirmed my zealot statement. I don’t have to take up your hobby. Neither does anyone else.

DP. Nobody said that anybody has to. The PP said "It's important to get more people biking," not "You must bike."

I'd also like to remind you that for many people, biking is not a hobby - just like driving is not a hobby for you. It's a way to get from Point A to Point B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Too bad she did not get him on video harassing her.

I'm pro biking, but I've seen lots of cyclists who seem to be looking for a fight/something to be offended about. Yesterday, I passed a cyclist. He was in a bike lane on a residential street, and I still gave a wide berth while passing. He seemed to be offended that I passed, because immediately afterward, he got into the center of the driving lane and started going fast. Meanwhile, I approached a stop sign and pulled to the right of the line, behind the car in front of me - it's one wide lane, and those turning right hang to the right, while those turning left hang to the left. He approached as I was starting to make my turn, and said, "are you kidding me?" and practically ran out into the street to cross. He barely stopped riding his bike and got off and pushed it across the street without pausing, looking for cars, etc. Not sure what his problem was, as I had done nothing wrong and am super careful around cyclists.

PP, I am trying to be nice when I say this: it probably was not about you at all. There are lots of reasons why a person riding a bike might start riding in the middle of the lane (this is called "taking the lane".) And it's legal , not to mention often safer, to take the lane.

Also, when drivers turn right across the path of bicyclists who are going straight, that's called a right hook, and it's well-known for killing people on bikes.

No, he was upset. And I didn't right hook him. He was at least a block away when I started to make my turn, and I was going slowly. He came and inserted himself into the situation. Also, at the intersection, there is a stop sign for everyone, including cyclists. It's dangerous not to stop, as the intersecting road doesn't have any stop signs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are very tiny number of cyclists in the city of Alex.

BUT the City is extremely limo liberal and they love to embrace anything that aligns them with liberal ideas and want to make sure they are putting on a good show. They love any kind of environmental activism and causes and do lots of window dressing activities like send out declarations and such but there is very little substance. These actions are easy so they embrace them to avoid the real and tough issues like neglected infrastructure, school issues and so on.

The more safe and useful bike routes there are in Alexandria, the more people will ride bikes in Alexandria.

Wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Too bad she did not get him on video harassing her.

I'm pro biking, but I've seen lots of cyclists who seem to be looking for a fight/something to be offended about. Yesterday, I passed a cyclist. He was in a bike lane on a residential street, and I still gave a wide berth while passing. He seemed to be offended that I passed, because immediately afterward, he got into the center of the driving lane and started going fast. Meanwhile, I approached a stop sign and pulled to the right of the line, behind the car in front of me - it's one wide lane, and those turning right hang to the right, while those turning left hang to the left. He approached as I was starting to make my turn, and said, "are you kidding me?" and practically ran out into the street to cross. He barely stopped riding his bike and got off and pushed it across the street without pausing, looking for cars, etc. Not sure what his problem was, as I had done nothing wrong and am super careful around cyclists.

PP, I am trying to be nice when I say this: it probably was not about you at all. There are lots of reasons why a person riding a bike might start riding in the middle of the lane (this is called "taking the lane".) And it's legal , not to mention often safer, to take the lane.

Also, when drivers turn right across the path of bicyclists who are going straight, that's called a right hook, and it's well-known for killing people on bikes.

No, he was upset. And I didn't right hook him. He was at least a block away when I started to make my turn, and I was going slowly. He came and inserted himself into the situation. Also, at the intersection, there is a stop sign for everyone, including cyclists. It's dangerous not to stop, as the intersecting road doesn't have any stop signs.

Correct. He was behind you. You were making a right, so you took the lane in that case, meaning you should be in the bike lane to make the right after stopping. He gets to stop after you and go straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My husband is an avid bike rider. The bike controls EVERYTHING in our household, from where we bought a house to how we will retire. The dedication bike riders have to their sport is beyond anything I’ve ever seen, and it’s supported by other riders. It’s as close to a cult as I’ve ever seen.

Lots and lots of people don't ride bikes as a sport. They ride bikes as a means of transportation.

By choice. That’s a sport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I don't get is how confrontational bikers are to drivers. I witnessed a man pull over in bike lane to confront a woman driver who was parking in front of the Dunkin Donuts on Lee Highway at 8:30AM bc she almost cut him off. She did signal and he was far enough behind her that she could safely move over to park but he flipped out. He almost caused an accident by stopping in bike lane and pulling up next to her window--literally blocked her from opening her car door. Insane.

Too bad she did not get him on video harassing her.

I'm pro biking, but I've seen lots of cyclists who seem to be looking for a fight/something to be offended about. Yesterday, I passed a cyclist. He was in a bike lane on a residential street, and I still gave a wide berth while passing. He seemed to be offended that I passed, because immediately afterward, he got into the center of the driving lane and started going fast. Meanwhile, I approached a stop sign and pulled to the right of the line, behind the car in front of me - it's one wide lane, and those turning right hang to the right, while those turning left hang to the left. He approached as I was starting to make my turn, and said, "are you kidding me?" and practically ran out into the street to cross. He barely stopped riding his bike and got off and pushed it across the street without pausing, looking for cars, etc. Not sure what his problem was, as I had done nothing wrong and am super careful around cyclists.

PP, I am trying to be nice when I say this: it probably was not about you at all. There are lots of reasons why a person riding a bike might start riding in the middle of the lane (this is called "taking the lane".) And it's legal , not to mention often safer, to take the lane.

Also, when drivers turn right across the path of bicyclists who are going straight, that's called a right hook, and it's well-known for killing people on bikes.

No, he was upset. And I didn't right hook him. He was at least a block away when I started to make my turn, and I was going slowly. He came and inserted himself into the situation. Also, at the intersection, there is a stop sign for everyone, including cyclists. It's dangerous not to stop, as the intersecting road doesn't have any stop signs.

Correct. He was behind you. You were making a right, so you took the lane in that case, meaning you should be in the bike lane to make the right after stopping. He gets to stop after you and go straight.

If it’s a right hand turn lane and there is no right hand turn bike lane, since she was first to the intersection, she had every right to be in the right lane. He must queue up behind her

[Anonymous]

This is all an abusive game being played by the Mayor, who is an avid cyclist. He instructed the whole series of staff findings and his plan was upset when the board opposed him. What was adopted was always his plan B. There is nothing else to see here.