Archive for the DC category
August 12th, 2008
Have you noticed how many more cyclists we have out on the streets these days? I’m thrilled to see that, personally, but sometimes I wish that these new cyclists had gotten a little help on the do’s and don’ts of riding in traffic. Well, I was just reminded that there are a number of free Confident City Cycling classes scheduled to take place in Arlington and DC. These classes are aimed at teaching you to:
- Ride your bike safely and skillfully through city traffic;
- Expand your comfort zone; and
- Be a confident urban rider.
They do this by covering the rules of the road, avoiding the common causes of crashes, lane positioning, improving pedaling efficiency, useful accessory equipment, basic bike maintenance and repair. Optional one hour on-road bike session follows in most classes.
These courses are sponsored by DC and Arlington, and run by WABA. Registration is required. You can sign up here or call 202-213-1459.
Schedule:
Sat, August 23, 10 am-1 pm Madison CC,
3829 N. Stafford St.
1 hr on-bike session follows
Sat, Sept 6, 1pm-4pm
Turkey Thicket Recreation Center
1100 Michigan Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20017
Sat, Oct 11, 1pm-4pm
Takoma Community Center
300 Van Buren St. NW
Washington, DC 20012
Mon, Oct 20, 6-8:30 pm
Phoenix Bikes
4100 S Four Mile Run Rd
Mon, Sept 22, 4-6:30 pm
Rm 913, Arlington County Offices
2100 Clarendon Blvd
1 hr on-bike session follows
Sat, Nov 8, 10 am-1 pm
Lee CC, 5722 Lee Hwy
1 hr on-bike session follows
August 8th, 2008
DC is forever trying to claim that it’s a city on par with NYC. It isn’t, of course, but I’d love to see that ambition (delusion?) fuel a copycat attempt at this:
Summer Streets will take place for three consecutive Saturdays in August (August 9, 16, & 23) from 7:00 am - 1:00 pm. The route will connect the Brooklyn Bridge with Central Park [,in addition to closing down a continuous route the length of Manhattan] and there will be recommended connections to the Hudson River Greenway, allowing participants to plan a route as long or short as they wish.
This event takes a valuable public space - our City’s streets - and opens them up to people to play, walk, bike, and breathe. Summer Streets provides more space for healthy recreation and is a part of NYC’s greening initiative by encouraging New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation.
Click for the map. Impressive.
Via Waldo
August 8th, 2008
The end of another week. So much to write about, so little time. Here’s what I wish I’d talked more about, this week:
Steve Clemons takes Obama to task for abandoning his Muslim-American outreach chief over an absolutely ridiculous issue (brief concurrent corporate board service with a questionable fellow):
I think that this is outrageous — and those on the left who appreciate Obama and what he may mean for this country must become as tenaciously committed to what is right and what is good — and fighting for that — because those on the other side of these debates are trying to compel Obama to dilute himself.
[ . . . ]
Obama should say it. Convince the American public that he’s not setting up a zero sum game between Muslims on one side and Christians and Jews on the other.
Obama is a Christian. I get that. I’m a secularist hard core — but I won’t stand by to watch more good people be flushed down the political drain because they are Muslims trying to work for a balanced and level playing field in America.
The rest is well worth reading.
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The Lori Drew case is a case full of disgusting facts - appalling adult behavior (on all sides) contributed to circumstances that drove a young girl to suicide. One of those adults is now being prosecuted under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for violating the MySpace.com terms of use agreement. That’s right, Federal prosecutors are trying to treat not complying with those ridiculous click-through agreements on nearly every web site you use a crime. Thankfully not everyone is losing their mind over this (horrible) situation, and the EFF, Public Citizen, and others have stepped in with an amicus brief demonstrating just what a bad idea this is.
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There is an art to writing interesting reviews, and John Brownlee demonstrates it in this review of Monkeylectric . . . uh, bike lights.
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The more I read about the Bruce Ivins/anthrax story, the less I know. Serious coverup vibes coming from that.
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Here’s a test - which one of these are jokes? Bike Commuter Banned for EPO or Race Walker Banned for EPO?
August 1st, 2008
Just back from my semi-annual check-up on the DC Critical Mass crowd. Unsuprisingly, DC did not live up/down to the examples recently set in Seattle or NYC. It was a mostly positive affair that I’ll write more about later. I’ll say now, tho’, that the hipster simply didn’t represent like I expected them to (in fact, the only clearly ID’able one I saw didn’t take part in the ride at all - he was busy loading his Pista into the back of his . . . SUV! at 14th & R St.). Anyway, in honor of the evening -
We start with the setting - Dupont Circle at 6pm. Lily Allen’s LDN is apropos, no?
As we get rolling on the ride, I look around to see who’s with us. All sorts, really, but one stands out. She may well be proof of time travel, looking like she’d been snatched out of Ready for the World’s Oh Sheila video:
Props to her, though - could you pedal with 4 inch heels? No, you could not. So up and around Thomas Circle, swing across U, and back down to the Capitol. We crash the party that the local DC skate/rollerblade club had going on. Much fun, sometimes towing the skaters, sometimes getting pushed. The guys on the tall bikes (triple stacked!) wanted to try something with the tour buses, but they ran away. So we were left to:
Shortly after, I and a couple of other guys parted ways with the pack, and headed home. An excellent start to the evening.
August 1st, 2008
Let’s just file this under There’s Much Much More to the Story, I Bet.
July 30th, 2008
If so, take a few minutes to respond to the solicitation for feedback from the MDOT Office of Planning and Capital Programs below, please. Thanks.
Dear Friends and Supporters of Trails in Maryland,
I am very excited to let you know that MDOT is leading a strategic planning effort to guide development of a bicycle and pedestrian trail network that connects people to the places in which they live, work, and play. The plan will chart a course for Maryland’s state and local agencies to implement a seamless, multi-use trail system that can be used for transportation by bicyclists, pedestrians, runners and others. MDOT is committed to continue working with our local and state partners in this effort and we want your input in the plan development process to ensure that your plans, perspectives, needs and visions are included.
We have created two easy ways for you to provide input:
First, I invite you to complete a simple online survey. Click on the following link, which will take you to directly to the survey at the SurveyMonkey website. It will take just a few minutes to fill out.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aFsezUukX8MtDQEpOXS3_2fQ_3d_3d
Second, through our project website, we provide an opportunity to use Google Maps to give us geographic information about where trail improvements and linkages are needed. Go to the website using the link below. You will find instructions there and a link to the Maryland Trails Google Map.
http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/trails.html
In addition to completing the survey yourself (and giving us ideas on a map), I want to encourage you to forward this invitation (by email or in newsletters) to your friends, colleagues and fellow members of bicycle, pedestrian or trail interest groups in which you are involved. The survey and map will remain open from now through September 30, 2008.
For more information about the project, I have attached a project announcement flyer that explains this exciting effort. You can also visit our project homepage at http://www.mdot.state.md.us/Planning/TSIP/index.html.
Sincerely,
Sylvia Ramsey
Manager Community Enhancements Programs
Office of Planning and Capital Programs
Maryland Department of Transportation
Sramsey1@mdot.state.md.us
July 28th, 2008
In the weeks since cyclist Alice Swanson was killed by a driver who came into her lane and crushed her, I’d been expecting to hear that the driver had been charged with - at least - reckless driving. But I’d not seen anything about it, and had hoped that maybe it had just gone unreported. Well, it seems that the MPD isn’t answering any questions about it. From today’s Washington Post live chat with Eric Gilliand, executive director of the Washington Area Bicycle Association:
Eric Gilliland: We are watching the Alice Swanson case very closely, but in spite of our repeated efforts to get more information about the case calls to the Major Crash unit have not been returned. We are in the process of setting up a meeting with MPD to discuss this, but have nothing solid yet. We have been pretty disappointed with the reaction to the tragedy by the city as a whole.
If you live in the District, please call the Mayor and your council member, and ask them why the MPD doesn’t seem to be taking the death of one of its residents very seriously.
July 23rd, 2008
Why is Robert Novak still driving?
Bono said the pedestrian, who was crossing the street on a “Walk” signal and was in the crosswalk, rolled off the windshield and then Novak made a right into the service lane of K Street. “The car is speeding away. What’s going through my mind is, you just can’t hit a pedestrian and drive away,” Bono said.
That right, Robert Novak hit someone who rolled across his windshield, and he didn’t even notice it. If he’s that unaware of things, why does he still have a national column, nevermind his car keys?
Update: The more I read about this, the more I’m pretty sure that Novak just plain fled the scene:
He said he chased Novak half a block down K Street., finally caught up with him and then put his bike in front of the car to block it and called 911. Traffic immediately backed up, horns blared and commuters finally went into reverse to allow Novak to pull over.
Bono said that throughout, Novak “keeps trying to get away. He keeps trying to go.” He said he vaguely recognized the longtime political reporter and columnist as a Washington celebrity but could not precisely place him.
Finally, Bono said, Novak put his head out the window of his car and motioned him over. Bono said he told him that you can’t hit a pedestrian and just drive away. He quoted Novak as responding: “I didn’t see him there.”
I used to have an office right on that corner (1776 K St.), and while I was glad to get out of there, I sure would have loved to have had it today. (Also, this Bono fellow is running for the board of the Washington Area Bicycle Association. I think he just cinched my vote.)
July 18th, 2008
Yesterday was the first day you could register a handgun in DC. How many people were in line, clamoring to exercise this new right? Two. And one forgot his gun.
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I was never a fan of comics as a kid, but after being introduced to a few really impressive “graphic novels” as an adult (i.e., Maus, Blankets, and Palestine), I’m a little more open to the artform. So I found myself sucked into the webcomic Yehuda Moon the other day. Not as serious as those graphic novels, but a bit of light - if occasionally pointed - fun. If you’re a cyclist, check it out.
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Perhaps the most entertaining session I attended at the first YearlyKos convention was the one where Dave “Mudcat” Saunders threatened to punch Whistling Past Dixie author Tom Schaller for speaking frankly about some of the uglier sides of the South. As I’ve previously noted, Tom’s probably not the best messenger, but he’s got an important message. Vivian Paige just started posting a multi-part review of the book, and I’m looking forward to her take on it.
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And that post about pettiness, earlier this week? The Washington Post decided to prove that they can be just as petty as the rest of us.
July 15th, 2008
WashCycle has a fantastic post up about the “Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist”:
In fact after Alice Swanson’s death, many comments on the post, DCist and elsewhere mentioned that something like this was bound to happen because of the illegal manner in which most cyclists ride. Despite the fact that there seems to be no indication that she did anything illegal.
Which leads to what I call “The Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist”.
Now then, I’m not trying to claim that cyclists don’t break the law. Let me state clearly and upfront, they do. What I’m saying is that there is nothing unique about the frequency with which cyclists as a class break the law when compared with drivers or pedestrians. And even if cyclists broke the law more flagrantly, that would not negate the need to share the road.
And then he goes on to knock down pretty much every piece of the scofflaw myth, fact by fact. Very well done.
