Help from our DC ladies!

[JmcG]

Great letter! Let us know if you get a response. That's all we need around here - more hatred towards cyclists coming from a radio show. What I've learned from riding around this area is that a cyclist is the best target for people who need to release their anger (and trust me, lots of people in this area are harboring lots of pent up anger).

[IFjane]

What number is the station? I have XM but have never listened - I want to check it out on my way home from the office.

[Pedal Wench]

What number is the station? I have XM but have never listened - I want to check it out on my way home from the office.

They're on the Take 5 channel - 155, I believe..

[IFjane]

thanks, PW. After I posted I did and amazing thing - I realized I could look it up online....DUH...

[Tuckervill]

Yeah, except for some stupid reason, you can't get 155 at xmradio.com, like you can every other station.

What a ripoff.

I also like Satellite Sisters on that station, and on the weekends, More Time.

Karen

[aicabsolut]

Here is a summary of DC area bike laws, with links.
Nice letter...thanks for writing it.
Oh, you may want to add (to clarify for those who don't know) that even if a bike path or MUT is available, cyclists are usually *not required* to use it. This is a safety issue, for the very reasons you point out (other users, slower speeds, etc).

This is true. I get yelled at CONSTANTLY, and some of the gestures and words have been very threatening recently, on MacArthur Blvd which runs from Georgetown area to Maryland. This is a road that is covered with road bikes on the weekends. The speed limit is fairly low, but people speed a lot. There is a "bike path" (technically, it's not a MUP, because it's marked for bikes) on one side of the road--sometimes it is on the shoulder like a regular bike lane and sometimes it breaks off and is separate from the road. It's hard to ride on the path going north as it runs on the other side of the street. It's also used more like a MUP. Joggers, walkers, strollers, kids on bikes, slower bikes of all varieties, dogs, people parking. The way people pull out from side streets, it is pretty dangerous to ride on the path going north (they don't look), and if you are going over 15mph, which is very easy on this road, it's pretty dangerous to ride on for the traffic. PLUS, that road is a bike route with "share the road" signs all over the place. We're thus not at all required to actually be on the path.

Sidewalks are so busy and pretty dangerous to be on. The regular MUPs are ridiculous if you're actually trying to train. The only time there are significant numbers of cyclists on them such that you may not have to stop or go off the path regularly is during commuting hours. Even then, it's not so safe. My only wreck so far has been on a DC area MUP.

The Rock Creek path is not very suitable for road bikes. It has so much debris and some rough bridges that it's much more suitable for mountain bike tires.

Thanks for writing the letter. Non-cyclists who use the paths want us on the street. Motorists want us on the paths or sidewalks or home.

[Velobambina]

Earlier this year, the Washington Post had an article about the hazards of local MUCs and the blame seemed to be pointed at the cyclists. About a month ago, there was a letter to the editor on the same topic. The writer claimed that cyclists were going 30mph on the Mt. Vernon Trail (hmmm, I'm not sure that's possible, given the trail's windy nature, bumps, etc.).

While I've encountered cyclists going way too fast for conditions, taking corners incorrectly at higher speeds, and engaging in unsafe behavior, most of the "hazards" I've encountered have been on foot (IPOD wearers), moms w/stollers, or inexperienced cyclists (wobblers, IPOD wearers, kids, et.al.). Julie is right that there are a lot of angry people in this area who take their anger out on others---cyclists are a popular target.