I suppose, if ever, my bike commute last night became marginally interesting when I was riding in the bike lane behind a woman who was driving a Prius. She hadn't drifted into the bike lane, as sometimes drivers do and she wasn't halfway in, as sometimes drivers are. She was just driving in the bike lane. Clearly, there was some misunderstanding on her part. Maybe I should forgive her or maybe we shouldn't let people who can't distinguish between a bike lane and not a bike lane drive cars. Either/or. I think the worst was when she slowed to a stop so the impatient driver behind her could more easily pass. Incredible. When I see stuff like this, I think I'm less angry than I am (rightfully) frightened for my safety and well-being. It makes me sad. It's much harder to forgive kooky and wacky driving when you're in the position to much worse feel its impacts (hopefully not literally).
A guy on a CaBi rode in a circle around me as I waited to the light to change at 11th and L. Like a shark or a bird of prey, or maybe like the water flushed down a toilet bowl.
Saw this on a bollard along Pennsylvania Avenue:
Because it's white chocolate chip cookies, I think it's some sort of statement about gentrification.
It is my new life mission to try to ruin any picture of any DC monument taken by the driver of a moving car. A person has to have goals in life, right? This seems appropriately petty to be one of mine. Honestly, please don't do this.
I do love tourists, though, and they love Bikeshare. This is both statistically true and anecdotally true. I don't know what kind of other kinds broad generalizations we can make about Bikeshare as it approaches its second birthday, but I sort of can't imagine DC without it.
Livable, Walkable, Joggable? But maybe not in the bike lane?
INTERSTITIAL
Friend of the blog Michael has blogged his ride. If you've always wanted to bike along the C&O Canal Towpath but don't have time, I encourage you to scroll down the page really fast. It's like a flip book. Or, conversely, you could just make some time and actually do the ride since that's also fun.
IMPORTANT ALL-CAPS UPDATE
A long time ago, I decided that I would accept money to sing in public. Rather than keep this money, I would give it to WABA, so they could, I don't know, do bike stuff with it. And now the details of where I shall sing (while wearing a tuxedo) are to be made available. So here they are:
Sunday, August 26 around/after 7PM
Banana Cafe
You may attend. In fact, I'd really like it if you came not only because I have the pipes of a young Sinatra (I know this plumber in Hoboken) but because it might be fun to see you watching me watch you as you see me sing. I'll also bring some buttons if you'd still like to buy one/another one. So yeah, that's happening. Woo. Please promote this event widely as I'd prefer to have a large audience who will clap for me no matter what. Also, please clap for me no matter what.
INTERSTITIAL OVER
On my ride in, I was told by a Capitol Police officer "Bike lane, sir, bike lane" after I found myself riding not in the bike lane because I had left it to pass another cyclist. First of all, it's amply legal for me not to ride in the bike lane. Secondly, leave me alone. Thirdly, if the reaction he was hoping for was anything other than my continuing to ride down the center of the lane, he would've been sorely disappointed. Stuff like this chafes me because it's needlessly antagonistic. If my riding my bicycle somehow endangers the Capitol, feel free to intercede. Otherwise, get over it. And I suppose I should do the same.
Black Volvos are black BMWs with a soul. In Buffy parlance, they're basically Angel.
I rode up 11th to New York Avenue and then took that down across past the White House. This route took me out of my way, but better riding longer than waiting at even one red light. Although, then instead of waiting at one red light on Penn, I waited at three on 11th and then two more on New York Avenue. Whoops.
Coffee means comity.
After staying too late, I rode with minor haste up 15th then across R and up Massachusetts. Someday I'll ride across 15th, up R and across Massachusetts but not today because today I didn't have time to switch up my prepositions.
Hate it when people try to act like they know the law to force us to be more convenient for them. Last week had a guy zoom past me quite close on 5th btw. E.Cap and A NE. I raised my hand and to my surprise he stopped and rolled down his window. The first thing he said was to ask me whether I wasn't supposed to be riding further to the right (implicitly acknowledging the close pass). I replied that he needed to pass with at least three feet of clearance. He then said that he'd read the DC Bike Laws just LAST WEEK! I replied that nowhere does it say I have to stay as far right as possible, calling his bluff. He zoomed off. I waved goodbye.
ReplyDeleteSome tourists from Florida, when I was still working at a job where I rented bikes to tourists, were trying to borrow helmets from us. They were REALLY excited about these cute red bikes that they had because "We only paid $7 per bike for 24 hours!" When I tried to explain to them how the pricing actually works, they didn't believe me.
ReplyDeleteI am of the opinion that their marketing is purposefully misleading.