Anonymous wrote:I feel like everyone probably realizes this at some level, but the question and some of the comments treat "bicyclists" lime some monolith, when they are really just as diverse a group as every other group. The folks who are riding on the sidewalks may not be the same folks that ride on the sidewalks--different cyclists have different needs/comfort levels. Likewise, some cyclists ride dangerously and flaunt the rules and some don't--just like drivers, pedestrians, etc.

There has been an uptick in pedestrian and cyclist deaths in DC, and we need to all do what we can to abate that. The two things I wish everyone would do, cyclists and drivers: (1) stop texting while driving/cycling; and (2) use turn signals.

Texting while cycling? Bicyclists not using turn signals? I’m sure I’ve seen that, but rarely and it’s not the thing that is killing and injuring people. That’s all on people driving cars. Bigger/taller cars that are more likely to kill someone than smaller/lower cars, speeding, not paying attention, impatient/not caring about pedestrians/bicyclists, running red lights, drunk / impaired driving... I can keep going on. These are the things that are killing people. Bicyclist behavior is mostly annoying, although it can result in injuries or even a death, but mostly their own.

Anonymous wrote:I feel like everyone probably realizes this at some level, but the question and some of the comments treat "bicyclists" lime some monolith, when they are really just as diverse a group as every other group. The folks who are riding on the sidewalks may not be the same folks that ride on the sidewalks--different cyclists have different needs/comfort levels. Likewise, some cyclists ride dangerously and flaunt the rules and some don't--just like drivers, pedestrians, etc.

There has been an uptick in pedestrian and cyclist deaths in DC, and we need to all do what we can to abate that. The two things I wish everyone would do, cyclists and drivers: (1) stop texting while driving/cycling; and (2) use turn signals.

"lime" = "like"
"folks that ride on the sidewalks" = "folks that advocate for bike lanes"
my brain = already thinking about turkey, apparently.

I feel like everyone probably realizes this at some level, but the question and some of the comments treat "bicyclists" lime some monolith, when they are really just as diverse a group as every other group. The folks who are riding on the sidewalks may not be the same folks that ride on the sidewalks--different cyclists have different needs/comfort levels. Likewise, some cyclists ride dangerously and flaunt the rules and some don't--just like drivers, pedestrians, etc.

There has been an uptick in pedestrian and cyclist deaths in DC, and we need to all do what we can to abate that. The two things I wish everyone would do, cyclists and drivers: (1) stop texting while driving/cycling; and (2) use turn signals.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

The bus is inconvenient. Driving is costly and polluting. It saves me time to combine my commute and my exercise, and its the best part of my day.

Agreed. I leave on my own schedule, and can detour if there’s car traffic backed up. It’s also flexible so I can deviate from a route easily. That said, I do take the bus/metro when I don’t feel like biking. You can also bus/bike combo or bike/metro when it’s not crowded on the metro.

Bikes are really the ultimate freedom in a city.

Yep. The freedom run red lights.

The freedom to blow through stop signs.

The freedom to go the wrong way against traffic.

The freedom to knock over pedestrians in crosswalks who are crossing with the light.

The freedom to smash vehicles with your bike lock if they get within arm's reach.

The freedom to ride on the sidewalk, weaving between walkers, scaring them out of your way.

The freedom to trap everyone else on the road behind you as you take the lane going uphill.

The freedom not to bound by any traffic laws whatsoever, yet still call yourself a victim when you wind up under a car because you entered an intersection from a redlight at 20 mph.



Yep, bikes are the ultimate freedom. From accountability.

Wow, it’s crazy how different that is than my experience. I stop at red lights and for stop signs. I don’t go the wrong way on one way streets. I rarely ride on the sidewalk and only when there are no pedestrians or almost none. Think: Michigan/Irving by the Washington Hospital Center. I give pedestrians a wide berth and defer to them even when they jaywalk. I’ve never hit a pedestrian or smashed a car with anything.

And I’m still free.

I don’t get stuck in traffic. You know, like when your buddies block the box and cause gridlock. I don’t clog up the streets when parking and don’t have to worry about where to park or how much it will cost. I don’t have to call a tow truck when my bike has a mechanics issue and it costs me less than $100 to fix, not thousands. I get good exercise and can talk to friends or friendly strangers. I don’t worry about the price of gas or repairs breaking my budget. I don’t have a monthly car payment because a decent bike is pretty inexpensive.

All the complaints you have about bicyclists are reasonable. I wish everyone biked responsibly. But if I had one wish only, I would wish that car drivers drove safely and responsibly. Because car drivers are the ones killing and injuring people all over the place. They are the ones causing congestion in our city and polluting our air.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

The bus is inconvenient. Driving is costly and polluting. It saves me time to combine my commute and my exercise, and its the best part of my day.

Agreed. I leave on my own schedule, and can detour if there’s car traffic backed up. It’s also flexible so I can deviate from a route easily. That said, I do take the bus/metro when I don’t feel like biking. You can also bus/bike combo or bike/metro when it’s not crowded on the metro.

Bikes are really the ultimate freedom in a city.

Yep. The freedom run red lights.

The freedom to blow through stop signs.

The freedom to go the wrong way against traffic.

The freedom to knock over pedestrians in crosswalks who are crossing with the light.

The freedom to smash vehicles with your bike lock if they get within arm's reach.

The freedom to ride on the sidewalk, weaving between walkers, scaring them out of your way.

The freedom to trap everyone else on the road behind you as you take the lane going uphill.

The freedom not to bound by any traffic laws whatsoever, yet still call yourself a victim when you wind up under a car because you entered an intersection from a redlight at 20 mph.



Yep, bikes are the ultimate freedom. From accountability.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

+ 1000!

I’d really love to understand what goes on in your head. You want more cars on the streets during rush hour?? Are you paid by the oil and gas lobby or are you just insecure about your own choices?

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

+ 1000!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Truly trying to understand. My commute involves about a half mile walk in Capitol Hill. I’m amazed at the number of folks barreling down the sidewalk on bikes, next to a bike line. I’m assuming bike riders push for bike lines & then ignore them? I don’t get it.

1. Sometimes the bike lane is dangerous because its next to parked cars, and there is a danger from dooring.

2. Sometimes the bike lane has a direction, and the person needs to go in the other direction. Or they are going to or from a location on that block, and they need to ride the sidewalk to get to the corner (rather than try to squeeze between parked cars)

3. Some people, esp kids, some new immigrants, some people who have biked since the bad old days when there were no bike lanes, are really afraid of cars, and will not ride in the road even when there is a bike lane. Especially if the only thing protecting the bike lane from cars is paint.

To be clear, I push for bike lanes. And I ride in them all the time. But the other day I was almost doored in one. I also often have to ride a sidewalk to get the last half block to my specific location.

I'm going to start driving on the sidewalk because I'm scared of the car lanes

In the places where I ride on a sidewalk, if the sidewalk is narrow and a pedestrian is coming, I stop and allow the pedestrian to pass. Based on my experiences seeing cars parked on sidewalks, most sidewalks are too narrow for that to be possible.

But why are you scared? You are surrounded by a protective cage and you are driving at the speed of traffic.

As a rider I have only a plastic helmet for protection, and in many places I cannot come close to the speed of traffic - I may be riding at 14MPH and the road may be signed at 40MPH, with most cars going 50MPH or more.

But if you want to make it easier for more riders to take the lane, by all means support lower speed limits and more speed cameras.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

Why not take a bike to work and drive for leisure on a scenic route like Skyline Drive?

Why not take a bike to work and bike through Rock Creek Park or any of a number of other beautiful local parks?

PP you're responding to. That would be even better, of course! But it sounded to me like the top PP was interested in driving as a leisure activity, so I wanted to provide options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

Why not take a bike to work and drive for leisure on a scenic route like Skyline Drive?

Why not take a bike to work and bike through Rock Creek Park or any of a number of other beautiful local parks?

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

Why not take a bike to work and drive for leisure on a scenic route like Skyline Drive?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Truly trying to understand. My commute involves about a half mile walk in Capitol Hill. I’m amazed at the number of folks barreling down the sidewalk on bikes, next to a bike line. I’m assuming bike riders push for bike lines & then ignore them? I don’t get it.

1. Sometimes the bike lane is dangerous because its next to parked cars, and there is a danger from dooring.

2. Sometimes the bike lane has a direction, and the person needs to go in the other direction. Or they are going to or from a location on that block, and they need to ride the sidewalk to get to the corner (rather than try to squeeze between parked cars)

3. Some people, esp kids, some new immigrants, some people who have biked since the bad old days when there were no bike lanes, are really afraid of cars, and will not ride in the road even when there is a bike lane. Especially if the only thing protecting the bike lane from cars is paint.

To be clear, I push for bike lanes. And I ride in them all the time. But the other day I was almost doored in one. I also often have to ride a sidewalk to get the last half block to my specific location.

I'm going to start driving on the sidewalk because I'm scared of the car lanes

They’re general use lanes, not just for cars. And you wouldn’t be the first moron driving their car on a sidewalk or path.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Truly trying to understand. My commute involves about a half mile walk in Capitol Hill. I’m amazed at the number of folks barreling down the sidewalk on bikes, next to a bike line. I’m assuming bike riders push for bike lines & then ignore them? I don’t get it.

1. Sometimes the bike lane is dangerous because its next to parked cars, and there is a danger from dooring.

2. Sometimes the bike lane has a direction, and the person needs to go in the other direction. Or they are going to or from a location on that block, and they need to ride the sidewalk to get to the corner (rather than try to squeeze between parked cars)

3. Some people, esp kids, some new immigrants, some people who have biked since the bad old days when there were no bike lanes, are really afraid of cars, and will not ride in the road even when there is a bike lane. Especially if the only thing protecting the bike lane from cars is paint.

To be clear, I push for bike lanes. And I ride in them all the time. But the other day I was almost doored in one. I also often have to ride a sidewalk to get the last half block to my specific location.

I'm going to start driving on the sidewalk because I'm scared of the car lanes

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

The bus is inconvenient. Driving is costly and polluting. It saves me time to combine my commute and my exercise, and its the best part of my day.

Agreed. I leave on my own schedule, and can detour if there’s car traffic backed up. It’s also flexible so I can deviate from a route easily. That said, I do take the bus/metro when I don’t feel like biking. You can also bus/bike combo or bike/metro when it’s not crowded on the metro.

Bikes are really the ultimate freedom in a city.

Anonymous wrote:Why not take the bus or drive a car to work and bike for exercise on a bike path or in your basement???!!!

The bus is inconvenient. Driving is costly and polluting. It saves me time to combine my commute and my exercise, and its the best part of my day.