Too crowded. DMV governors and mayors: please dedicate streets to walkers and bikers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some neighborhoods in america are enforcing staying on the correct side of road (so everyone moves along in same direction). Dc could also designate streets/trails for the cyclists and joggers spraying droplets, and they could be with each other? So many have come up swiftly behind me and cut close, with zero regard for my ability to maneuver to the side and away. If DC got creative they could send out a designated map that brought a little more order and safety to the outdoor exercise scene.

There is no "correct side of the road" for walking.

Cities all over the US and the world are opening streets for people who are out getting exercise. There's no reason DC can't do it too, other than lack of will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some neighborhoods in america are enforcing staying on the correct side of road (so everyone moves along in same direction). Dc could also designate streets/trails for the cyclists and joggers spraying droplets, and they could be with each other? So many have come up swiftly behind me and cut close, with zero regard for my ability to maneuver to the side and away. If DC got creative they could send out a designated map that brought a little more order and safety to the outdoor exercise scene.

There is no "correct side of the road" for walking.

Cities all over the US and the world are opening streets for people who are out getting exercise. There's no reason DC can't do it too, other than lack of will.

I chuckle when I read this, "There is no correct side of the road for walking". I feel like I am discussing something with my teenager who will take a winning argument to the grave. "But mom, I don't have to look both ways because the walk sign came on" as she crosses with her earpods in and never looks up for traffic.

There may be no 'correct' way, but don't you think you can pull your head up from your phone long enough to imagine that if people walked on the 'correct' side during this crazy situation that we find ourselves in, we just might make ourselves and our fellow neighbors feel a bit safer while they are social distancing.

But you just go ahead an be you...to borrow another phrase from my daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some neighborhoods in america are enforcing staying on the correct side of road (so everyone moves along in same direction). Dc could also designate streets/trails for the cyclists and joggers spraying droplets, and they could be with each other? So many have come up swiftly behind me and cut close, with zero regard for my ability to maneuver to the side and away. If DC got creative they could send out a designated map that brought a little more order and safety to the outdoor exercise scene.

There is no "correct side of the road" for walking.

Cities all over the US and the world are opening streets for people who are out getting exercise. There's no reason DC can't do it too, other than lack of will.

I chuckle when I read this, "There is no correct side of the road for walking". I feel like I am discussing something with my teenager who will take a winning argument to the grave. "But mom, I don't have to look both ways because the walk sign came on" as she crosses with her earpods in and never looks up for traffic.

There may be no 'correct' way, but don't you think you can pull your head up from your phone long enough to imagine that if people walked on the 'correct' side during this crazy situation that we find ourselves in, we just might make ourselves and our fellow neighbors feel a bit safer while they are social distancing.

But you just go ahead an be you...to borrow another phrase from my daughter.

OK, if you want to insist that everyone who comes out of their door must turn right (or whatever), have at it. I'm going to keep pushing the mayor and city government to adopt the very simple solution of converting traffic lanes to space for people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some neighborhoods in america are enforcing staying on the correct side of road (so everyone moves along in same direction). Dc could also designate streets/trails for the cyclists and joggers spraying droplets, and they could be with each other? So many have come up swiftly behind me and cut close, with zero regard for my ability to maneuver to the side and away. If DC got creative they could send out a designated map that brought a little more order and safety to the outdoor exercise scene.

There is no "correct side of the road" for walking.

Cities all over the US and the world are opening streets for people who are out getting exercise. There's no reason DC can't do it too, other than lack of will.

I chuckle when I read this, "There is no correct side of the road for walking". I feel like I am discussing something with my teenager who will take a winning argument to the grave. "But mom, I don't have to look both ways because the walk sign came on" as she crosses with her earpods in and never looks up for traffic.

There may be no 'correct' way, but don't you think you can pull your head up from your phone long enough to imagine that if people walked on the 'correct' side during this crazy situation that we find ourselves in, we just might make ourselves and our fellow neighbors feel a bit safer while they are social distancing.

But you just go ahead an be you...to borrow another phrase from my daughter.

OK, if you want to insist that everyone who comes out of their door must turn right (or whatever), have at it. I'm going to keep pushing the mayor and city government to adopt the very simple solution of converting traffic lanes to space for people.

Keep pushing Sisyphus, or just adapt and walk on the 'right' side of the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some neighborhoods in america are enforcing staying on the correct side of road (so everyone moves along in same direction). Dc could also designate streets/trails for the cyclists and joggers spraying droplets, and they could be with each other? So many have come up swiftly behind me and cut close, with zero regard for my ability to maneuver to the side and away. If DC got creative they could send out a designated map that brought a little more order and safety to the outdoor exercise scene.

There is no "correct side of the road" for walking.

Cities all over the US and the world are opening streets for people who are out getting exercise. There's no reason DC can't do it too, other than lack of will.

You show them! You go ahead and walk in the middle!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some neighborhoods in america are enforcing staying on the correct side of road (so everyone moves along in same direction). Dc could also designate streets/trails for the cyclists and joggers spraying droplets, and they could be with each other? So many have come up swiftly behind me and cut close, with zero regard for my ability to maneuver to the side and away. If DC got creative they could send out a designated map that brought a little more order and safety to the outdoor exercise scene.

There is no "correct side of the road" for walking.

Cities all over the US and the world are opening streets for people who are out getting exercise. There's no reason DC can't do it too, other than lack of will.

You show them! You go ahead and walk in the middle!

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, in some places the sidewalk is only 5 feet, but there is a treebox area adjacent to the sidewalk as well as the adjacent roadway. We just step off the sidewalk when needed to avoid inappropriately close encounters. There is very little traffic, and the few cars on the road give us wide berth when we need to be in the street. I think Mayor is right to decline closing streets - she has said she is afraid of creating a festival like gathering in the streets on those closed roadways, which is exactly what is happening now on beach drive on weekends.

How lovely for you, that you are able to do that. Not everyone is.

Not to mention - if you're already walking in the street, and there's very little traffic, what exactly is the problem with making it official?

Um. well. because people need to be able to drive their cars to work, to the hospital, to get groceries, etc. How do they do that if they streets are closed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, in some places the sidewalk is only 5 feet, but there is a treebox area adjacent to the sidewalk as well as the adjacent roadway. We just step off the sidewalk when needed to avoid inappropriately close encounters. There is very little traffic, and the few cars on the road give us wide berth when we need to be in the street. I think Mayor is right to decline closing streets - she has said she is afraid of creating a festival like gathering in the streets on those closed roadways, which is exactly what is happening now on beach drive on weekends.

How lovely for you, that you are able to do that. Not everyone is.

Not to mention - if you're already walking in the street, and there's very little traffic, what exactly is the problem with making it official?

Um. well. because people need to be able to drive their cars to work, to the hospital, to get groceries, etc. How do they do that if they streets are closed?

DC has lots of roads with more than one lane each way. Leave one lane each way for people who are driving, and redistribute the rest of the road space to people who aren't.

Why don't you look around and see what other cities are doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So the anti-car jihadists are really just doing it for the old people? Right.

Also, do you actually live here? There are TONS of places to walk where you will not run into anyone. If you walked up 16th Street, starting at Piney Branch, and went all the way up to the Maryland border, I bet you could count on one hand the number of people you would pass on the sidewalk.

People want to walk in their own neighborhoods, not get in a car (assuming they have a car and can drive it) and drive to somewhere else in the city so that they can get out and walk and then get back in their car and drive home.

They can. There's hardly anyone out. I could walk for miles in my neighborhoods without running into anyone.

That's nice for you, but people who are not you, who live in neighborhoods that are not yours, are in fact unable to walk in their own neighborhoods at appropriate distances. Including in the suburbs.

Where is this happening? Be specific -- which streets are too crowded to walk on?

This is a phony baloney problem by the anti-car jihadists who are trying to take advantage of the coronavirus emergency.

A standard sidewalk is five feet wide.

You can't name a single street in the entire city that is too crowded to walk on? I thought you said this was a big problem.

The reality is there's no one on the streets. Even the Mall is totally empty.

[Anonymous]

Driving, and yes, the freedom to put the pedal down a little, are the way a lot of people are coping right now. Get over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, in some places the sidewalk is only 5 feet, but there is a treebox area adjacent to the sidewalk as well as the adjacent roadway. We just step off the sidewalk when needed to avoid inappropriately close encounters. There is very little traffic, and the few cars on the road give us wide berth when we need to be in the street. I think Mayor is right to decline closing streets - she has said she is afraid of creating a festival like gathering in the streets on those closed roadways, which is exactly what is happening now on beach drive on weekends.

How lovely for you, that you are able to do that. Not everyone is.

Not to mention - if you're already walking in the street, and there's very little traffic, what exactly is the problem with making it official?

Um. well. because people need to be able to drive their cars to work, to the hospital, to get groceries, etc. How do they do that if they streets are closed?

You get on crowded public transportation and pack in like a sardine, silly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So the anti-car jihadists are really just doing it for the old people? Right.

Also, do you actually live here? There are TONS of places to walk where you will not run into anyone. If you walked up 16th Street, starting at Piney Branch, and went all the way up to the Maryland border, I bet you could count on one hand the number of people you would pass on the sidewalk.

People want to walk in their own neighborhoods, not get in a car (assuming they have a car and can drive it) and drive to somewhere else in the city so that they can get out and walk and then get back in their car and drive home.

They can. There's hardly anyone out. I could walk for miles in my neighborhoods without running into anyone.

That's nice for you, but people who are not you, who live in neighborhoods that are not yours, are in fact unable to walk in their own neighborhoods at appropriate distances. Including in the suburbs.

Where is this happening? Be specific -- which streets are too crowded to walk on?

This is a phony baloney problem by the anti-car jihadists who are trying to take advantage of the coronavirus emergency.

A standard sidewalk is five feet wide.

You can't name a single street in the entire city that is too crowded to walk on? I thought you said this was a big problem.

The reality is there's no one on the streets. Even the Mall is totally empty.

+1

[jsteele]

Mayor Bowser just announced that NPS has agreed to close Beach Drive and roads in Anacostia Park and Fort Dupont Park to cars:

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:Mayor Bowser just announced that NPS has agreed to close Beach Drive and roads in Anacostia Park and Fort Dupont Park to cars:

Brilliant.

She closes a road in the middle of a park, that doesn’t go from anywhere, to anywhere, and has no easy way to get to it, unless you live right next to it, so people will have a place to exercise.

What a consummate idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:Mayor Bowser just announced that NPS has agreed to close Beach Drive and roads in Anacostia Park and Fort Dupont Park to cars:

Brilliant.

She closes a road in the middle of a park, that doesn’t go from anywhere, to anywhere, and has no easy way to get to it, unless you live right next to it, so people will have a place to exercise.

What a consummate idiot.

You are the idiot who must not know Rock Creek Park or Beach Drive which bisect some of the cities densest neighborhoods.

And RCP has been jammed with people the last month. Where Beach Drive is closed it is fine and there is plenty of room for people to safely avoid one another.

But the lower parts of the park where it is only the 6 foot wide multi-use path is where people cannot safely avoid one another.

In any case if the road that doesn't go from anywhere to anywhere is closed (which isn't true FWIW) what the hell do you care?