Complimentary sushi is not necessarily the best pre-commute food. Even when it's of a decent quality and known provenance, it's still soporific- especially when consumed as a post-post-lunch "snack" at an end-of-year awards ceremony. As such, I was distracted for most of my ride home. I decided that I would look around and actually try to take in both floors of the row houses in Georgetown. They're quite nice, in a small r republican way. I kept wanting to think they were like the stately homes of Georgian Bath, but that's simply not that case and I don't know why that idea wouldn't leave me alone.
Public Service Announcement: a vanity plate of "JD & MBA" makes you a douchebag. No one will think, "Well, I'm trying to open an establishment in a difficult regulatory environment and I'd like someone to assist me both with my business plan and the various legal problems concomitant with incorporation and if only there was one person who could do both of those things- hey, wait, look at that guy's license plate! I must get his number forthwith." Instead they'll think, "this guy is a douchebag."
On the Key Bridge, there was a gaggle of college-aged pedestrians and a cyclist in front of me tried to zig and zag through them, passing some of them on the right and trying to sneak past others on the left. As I rode up behind them, one of them turned and asked me- without the slightest glint of cynicism in her voice- "What side are we supposed to walk on?" I was taken aback not from the question, but from the complete lack of biting sarcasm that I expected. In fact, I might have actually guffawed as I said "Um, the right." She thanked me and called again "Guys, move to the right." I think it was a genuine attempt to figure out where they were supposed to walk. I don't know if they came directly from London or New Zealand and were asking the equivalent of the "what year is it?" question from time travel movies, or if she was just confused because faster pedestrians and bikers kept passing them every which way. I don't know where they were from (though her shirt might have said State College, I can't remember exactly), but, golly, all of the things that a fellow traveler has ever said to me, that was probably the most shocking. And I've heard a lot.
No CaBis. I really expected to see more. It was a beautiful day.
I played an totally unnecessary game of cat and mouse with a police officer, whereby I biked up on the sidewalk rather than wait at a red light, but then stopped after the light because I didn't want to merge back in with the traffic turning left from Pierce. So, by the time I got going again, the cop car had already passed me. I don't think he noticed me to be bemused and I think if he did not notice me he was less than bemused. The things I do to amuse myself tend to range from pointless to dumb. This was both.
I stopped at the grocery store to buy soy milk. It asked me again if I wanted the Senior Citizen's discount. Do they olds buy soy milk? In the grocery store parking lot, I overheard a guy on his cell phone say "I don't fucking care. I just like to see her car in the garage when I get home." I don't really get what that was about.
4/21/11
Ride In 4/21
Back in on the saddle again. I don't like the word saddle, not so much for the connotation of equestrianism- I like my palominos wild, thank you- but rather because of the way that the flat a sound abuts that alveolar d and then folds into a nondescript, not-really-a-schwa final vowel. It's not as bad when you only have to read it. Though, maybe not after this overwrought explication.
It was colder than I expected it would be, but not so cold as to warrant my wearing anything more than a light jacket over my usual springy shorts and shirt. I did see someone biking along the Custis wearing a winter hat (with pom-pom), a jacket with a faux-fur-lined collar, and wool gloves with snowflakes on them. I thought she had overdone it a bit, but go with whatever makes you comfortable. Maybe she was riding to work in her work clothes and she happens to work in a meat locker or as a snowboard instructor.
You know how some people in Virginia have Jimmy Buffet vanity plates? You didn't? Anyway, you never see a Parrothead license plate that's just CS-2353. When you sign up for a Parrothead plate, I think you might also be required to submit a Buffet-related sequence of letters and numbers. Today I saw "PAROTS." The other day I saw "PH4LFE" or something close to that. I assume that these don't come stock with the license plates, though I could imagine a sadistic prison warden making the incarcerated struggle with to string a sequence of 6 letters and numbers together in a Buffet-centric way. Wasting away in Margaritaville (State Penitentiary).
All tow truck drivers, by law, should be required to play heavy metal music as they ply their trade. It doesn't have to be Metallica, but it probably will be.
I saw a CaBi on the Key Bridge. Other side though.
Stuck behind a bus in Georgetown with an advertisement on its back from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It was a doctored image of a penny with the "In God We Trust" replaced by "In Reason We Trust." It still had Abraham Lincoln on it, not Richard Dawkins or whoever. Nothing says reason like the depiction of a coin with a value less than it costs to make.
I don't like when pedestrians wave cars through crosswalks, even when the driver has decided to stop (as required by law?) and let them cross. This makes me crazy. The driver did the right thing and rather than start to cross, the person was like "nah, why don't you just go. I'll just chill here a little longer." I think that she was letting the cars from the other direction (who were not stopping) go past and figured "why delay this driver when I'm not gonna cross for another 25 seconds?" By all means, I'm not advocating anyone do anything unsafe, like throw yourself out in the middle of the street assured of your correctness that drivers should yield to pedestrians. This would be a Pyhrric victory, relished most likely from a hospital bed. All I'm saying is that if a driver stops for you, you should just accept it and cross as far as you feel safe. Stepping away from the curb might even cause a driver coming from the opposite direction who wasn't planning on stopping for you to do so. Waving a driver through just muddles the whole situation. Also, never run. No running in public is a frequently expressed concern of the official wife. Her line is "Spandex and emergencies- that's it." You're rightfully using a public space, not trying to escape an axe murderer. Running in public should be exclusively saved for emergency situations. Like actually trying to escape from an axe murderer. If we adopted this rule, then when I see someone running, I could be like "whoa, is there some kind of emergency? Did an axe murderer escape Margaritaville State Pen?" Running in public is the pedestrian equivalent of speeding. Obviously with less deleterious outcomes, but it still seems uncivil.
It was colder than I expected it would be, but not so cold as to warrant my wearing anything more than a light jacket over my usual springy shorts and shirt. I did see someone biking along the Custis wearing a winter hat (with pom-pom), a jacket with a faux-fur-lined collar, and wool gloves with snowflakes on them. I thought she had overdone it a bit, but go with whatever makes you comfortable. Maybe she was riding to work in her work clothes and she happens to work in a meat locker or as a snowboard instructor.
You know how some people in Virginia have Jimmy Buffet vanity plates? You didn't? Anyway, you never see a Parrothead license plate that's just CS-2353. When you sign up for a Parrothead plate, I think you might also be required to submit a Buffet-related sequence of letters and numbers. Today I saw "PAROTS." The other day I saw "PH4LFE" or something close to that. I assume that these don't come stock with the license plates, though I could imagine a sadistic prison warden making the incarcerated struggle with to string a sequence of 6 letters and numbers together in a Buffet-centric way. Wasting away in Margaritaville (State Penitentiary).
All tow truck drivers, by law, should be required to play heavy metal music as they ply their trade. It doesn't have to be Metallica, but it probably will be.
I saw a CaBi on the Key Bridge. Other side though.
Stuck behind a bus in Georgetown with an advertisement on its back from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It was a doctored image of a penny with the "In God We Trust" replaced by "In Reason We Trust." It still had Abraham Lincoln on it, not Richard Dawkins or whoever. Nothing says reason like the depiction of a coin with a value less than it costs to make.
I don't like when pedestrians wave cars through crosswalks, even when the driver has decided to stop (as required by law?) and let them cross. This makes me crazy. The driver did the right thing and rather than start to cross, the person was like "nah, why don't you just go. I'll just chill here a little longer." I think that she was letting the cars from the other direction (who were not stopping) go past and figured "why delay this driver when I'm not gonna cross for another 25 seconds?" By all means, I'm not advocating anyone do anything unsafe, like throw yourself out in the middle of the street assured of your correctness that drivers should yield to pedestrians. This would be a Pyhrric victory, relished most likely from a hospital bed. All I'm saying is that if a driver stops for you, you should just accept it and cross as far as you feel safe. Stepping away from the curb might even cause a driver coming from the opposite direction who wasn't planning on stopping for you to do so. Waving a driver through just muddles the whole situation. Also, never run. No running in public is a frequently expressed concern of the official wife. Her line is "Spandex and emergencies- that's it." You're rightfully using a public space, not trying to escape an axe murderer. Running in public should be exclusively saved for emergency situations. Like actually trying to escape from an axe murderer. If we adopted this rule, then when I see someone running, I could be like "whoa, is there some kind of emergency? Did an axe murderer escape Margaritaville State Pen?" Running in public is the pedestrian equivalent of speeding. Obviously with less deleterious outcomes, but it still seems uncivil.
4/20/11
No Rides Today 4/20
Had a meeting downtown this morning and I took the bus in with the official wife. It was quite pleasant. I took the Metro home which wasn't the bad either. We saw a CaBi on the Key Bridge and I saw a few more downtown. Speaking of Bikeshare, the "missing stations" from the first round are finally coming online this week and the system is going to be expanded considerably this summer. Feel free to pore over the expansion map. No new planned stations in super-upper NW, so I'll continue to have to trudge to the AU law school. Seems fitting anyway.
4/19/11
Ride Home 4/19
Reverse Micky Dolenz situation this afternoon. I packed a jacket, but ended up having to use sunscreen and sunglasses. I have a problem with sunglasses on account of my very long eyelashes. They never really feel comfortable and just don't sit on my face right. I used to think it was my nose that caused the problems, but I'm pretty sure it's my eyelashes. Yup, this is me.
Two big bike news events today, but if you're reading this (hi mom!), you probably already know about them. First, Gabe Klein, the uber-crush of local urbanist types and erstwhile DDOT head, is taking over Chicago's Department of Transportation. Does FakeMayorEmanuel know? I wonder if this will bring bikesharing to Chicago soon.
The other news is that we're adding one more Bikeshare station to the grid tomorrow. Based on Cody Rice's sleuthing and the the actual bikeshare map (that did list earlier 25, then 17 empty docks, but now says nothing), the station will be installed at the 14th and D/Ronald Reagan/ John A. Wilson building. That should be really great for city employees. I don't know to what extent the bikes are considered "fully loaded," but presumably CMs could use them too. Color scheme is already set though, so they'll just have to make do. I don't know if this is auspicious and the other stations will be installed soon, but it's a good sign nonetheless.
Great ride through the District. In Georgetown, I was riding down 34th and I saw another cyclist turn onto the street about a block in front of me. Female. Flowing hair. No helmet. Flip-flops (which is sorta gross). Purse. Riding upright. She was Mary Poppins to my Claude Levi Strauss (this would be the worst movie franchise reboot ever) and the few blocks I spent riding behind her was the lamest bike-related "experiment" ever. Conclusion: She was treated no differently from how anyone else would be treated while biking along that stretch. Cars still blocked her path with their incomplete turns. No one gave her any additional room to pass. There was no additional deference at stop signs. No to sound too decisive, but I'd conclude that the interactions between drivers and cyclists are predicated more on structures of the facilities and norms of the road than based on the outward appearance of the individual on the bike.
First CaBi sighting on the Key Bridge. Almost missed it because it was on the opposite side of the bridge and I got distracted by a foreign man (I can tell based on the cut of his pants) who made some strange squawking sound (unrelated to me) to his conversation mates, who also looked foreign. It was a very weird noise.
At the intersection of Oak and Wilson, a teenager yelled from the passenger side window of a black car, "I like your bo-ots" (with two syllabes in boots as required by the local accent) to a girl crossing the street. She was wearing brown wellingtons and they had shapes on them that I thought might have been donuts. I don't think it was a cat call, but it was sort of weird. If she did have donuts on her boots, that's worth remarking on because it's awesome, but there's probably a better forum. She's probably some narcissist with a blog titled talesfromwearingdonutwellingtons.blogspot.com.
Rest of the way home was really good. I said "sorry" to a woman opening and then quickly closing her car door prior to my approach on the hill before Courthouse. I said "sorry" because I felt like I startled her and I'm appreciative of her closing the door to allow my safe passing. I guess I could have said "thank you," but sometimes you just say what you say. A lot of car doors almost being opened in my path, but the drivers along Wilson and Fairfax tend to be quite cognizant of bike riders. I attribute that to the striping of the bike lanes, but that's just a theory.
Two big bike news events today, but if you're reading this (hi mom!), you probably already know about them. First, Gabe Klein, the uber-crush of local urbanist types and erstwhile DDOT head, is taking over Chicago's Department of Transportation. Does FakeMayorEmanuel know? I wonder if this will bring bikesharing to Chicago soon.
The other news is that we're adding one more Bikeshare station to the grid tomorrow. Based on Cody Rice's sleuthing and the the actual bikeshare map (that did list earlier 25, then 17 empty docks, but now says nothing), the station will be installed at the 14th and D/Ronald Reagan/ John A. Wilson building. That should be really great for city employees. I don't know to what extent the bikes are considered "fully loaded," but presumably CMs could use them too. Color scheme is already set though, so they'll just have to make do. I don't know if this is auspicious and the other stations will be installed soon, but it's a good sign nonetheless.
Great ride through the District. In Georgetown, I was riding down 34th and I saw another cyclist turn onto the street about a block in front of me. Female. Flowing hair. No helmet. Flip-flops (which is sorta gross). Purse. Riding upright. She was Mary Poppins to my Claude Levi Strauss (this would be the worst movie franchise reboot ever) and the few blocks I spent riding behind her was the lamest bike-related "experiment" ever. Conclusion: She was treated no differently from how anyone else would be treated while biking along that stretch. Cars still blocked her path with their incomplete turns. No one gave her any additional room to pass. There was no additional deference at stop signs. No to sound too decisive, but I'd conclude that the interactions between drivers and cyclists are predicated more on structures of the facilities and norms of the road than based on the outward appearance of the individual on the bike.
First CaBi sighting on the Key Bridge. Almost missed it because it was on the opposite side of the bridge and I got distracted by a foreign man (I can tell based on the cut of his pants) who made some strange squawking sound (unrelated to me) to his conversation mates, who also looked foreign. It was a very weird noise.
At the intersection of Oak and Wilson, a teenager yelled from the passenger side window of a black car, "I like your bo-ots" (with two syllabes in boots as required by the local accent) to a girl crossing the street. She was wearing brown wellingtons and they had shapes on them that I thought might have been donuts. I don't think it was a cat call, but it was sort of weird. If she did have donuts on her boots, that's worth remarking on because it's awesome, but there's probably a better forum. She's probably some narcissist with a blog titled talesfromwearingdonutwellingtons.blogspot.com.
Rest of the way home was really good. I said "sorry" to a woman opening and then quickly closing her car door prior to my approach on the hill before Courthouse. I said "sorry" because I felt like I startled her and I'm appreciative of her closing the door to allow my safe passing. I guess I could have said "thank you," but sometimes you just say what you say. A lot of car doors almost being opened in my path, but the drivers along Wilson and Fairfax tend to be quite cognizant of bike riders. I attribute that to the striping of the bike lanes, but that's just a theory.
Ride In 4/19
Muggy with a hint of allergen. Springtime in the District. At least it wasn't hot. Fun.
There are some days that I like riding with other people around me, other days not so much. I wouldn't say that this latter urge is brought out by misanthropy, but maybe it is. It's just nice to ride somewhere quiet and unpeopled rather than jockey with drivers or cyclists or pedestrians. One of the primary joys of bike commuting, to me at least (because I'm a rugged individualist type...) is being able to set your own pace and this is increasingly difficult the more a particular route is used. To this end, I decided to ride down 5th to Irving, through a residential neighborhood where people walk their dogs in the street because there are no sidewalks. This isn't a bother because there's ample grass in the yards of the abutting houses and because there were barely any drivers out anyway. This would be a great bicycle boulevard if they flipped some of the stop signs at the intersections (to stop traffic at the cross streets rather than along 5th), but the neighbors might want to avoid this on account of the close proximity to Contes, whose patrons would be more than willing to use the stretch to test their aerobars.
Irving puts you out near Wilson and from there is was business as usual. I saw the guy who I talked to a few weeks ago on what would turn into a very rainy ride, but I declined to say anything. Wilson was as usual, except for the Ellie the Poodle doppelganger that I saw (exactly the same but with less mischief in the eyes). I wonder if the group of people waiting at for the bus (either the 4B or 38B) around Rhodes knew that there's a new bikeshare station right around the corner. Not only that, but that their route is littered with stations (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square excepted):
I know that bicycling might not be for everyone, but for some people, it might be better than waiting for the bus.
I saw a tourist family trying to make sense of a Rosslyn map at the corner of Clarendon and Oak. Good luck. I live in Arlington and still have a hard time figuring out how to get around. I was going to ask if they needed help, but the light changed and they looked like they were having fun, family time with it. Sure...
On the bridge, I made my typical dinging way causing groups of women and children to have to dive for cover to escape my charging path. Or not so much. I rang my bell a few times as I approached (but not meanly, mind you) before a woman saw fit to shoo her child rightward and likewise move herself and the large stroller she was pushing in the same direction. She said to the little girl "Look out for the cyclist." I thought she was going go to with "Look out for the asshole," based on her tone, but I guess she was moderating her language for the sake of the child. There's no good way to ride across that bridge without offending someone. You ring your bell more than once and you're a pushy jerk. You slowly ride behind someone and you're following to closely and making them feel uncomfortable. You try to ride past, even with the help of the bell, and they'll accuse you of going to fast and passing too close. You don't ding the bell and you're causing harm by not letting them know of your presence. I'm trying to be sensitive to the concerns of others and all it does is convince me that there's no winning. Maybe someone can start a ferry for self-doubting cyclists overly concerned with the feelings of others. It could be called Mope Boat and I'd take it every day.
Not too much going on along 35th in Georgetown, except for the construction. I got waved through by the Slow/Stop sign road crew guys, though on the near side, he didn't flip around his sign to read Slow instead of Stop. I guess the slow was a given and he figured that my being a cyclist, I'd be more than comfortable with riding through a stop sign. He probably even thought that I'd prefer it. I feel bad for road crew guys because I they spend their days in a pretty vulnerable position vis-a-vis cars and though they have bright vests and big signs, anything can happen.
I think my crossing guard police officer might be giving me the cold shoulder. It's two days in a row now that she's just ignored me when I've been riding by. No acknowledgment whatsoever. What happened? I thought we were cool.
There are some days that I like riding with other people around me, other days not so much. I wouldn't say that this latter urge is brought out by misanthropy, but maybe it is. It's just nice to ride somewhere quiet and unpeopled rather than jockey with drivers or cyclists or pedestrians. One of the primary joys of bike commuting, to me at least (because I'm a rugged individualist type...) is being able to set your own pace and this is increasingly difficult the more a particular route is used. To this end, I decided to ride down 5th to Irving, through a residential neighborhood where people walk their dogs in the street because there are no sidewalks. This isn't a bother because there's ample grass in the yards of the abutting houses and because there were barely any drivers out anyway. This would be a great bicycle boulevard if they flipped some of the stop signs at the intersections (to stop traffic at the cross streets rather than along 5th), but the neighbors might want to avoid this on account of the close proximity to Contes, whose patrons would be more than willing to use the stretch to test their aerobars.
Irving puts you out near Wilson and from there is was business as usual. I saw the guy who I talked to a few weeks ago on what would turn into a very rainy ride, but I declined to say anything. Wilson was as usual, except for the Ellie the Poodle doppelganger that I saw (exactly the same but with less mischief in the eyes). I wonder if the group of people waiting at for the bus (either the 4B or 38B) around Rhodes knew that there's a new bikeshare station right around the corner. Not only that, but that their route is littered with stations (Foggy Bottom and Farragut Square excepted):
 |
| Orange line with a view |
I saw a tourist family trying to make sense of a Rosslyn map at the corner of Clarendon and Oak. Good luck. I live in Arlington and still have a hard time figuring out how to get around. I was going to ask if they needed help, but the light changed and they looked like they were having fun, family time with it. Sure...
On the bridge, I made my typical dinging way causing groups of women and children to have to dive for cover to escape my charging path. Or not so much. I rang my bell a few times as I approached (but not meanly, mind you) before a woman saw fit to shoo her child rightward and likewise move herself and the large stroller she was pushing in the same direction. She said to the little girl "Look out for the cyclist." I thought she was going go to with "Look out for the asshole," based on her tone, but I guess she was moderating her language for the sake of the child. There's no good way to ride across that bridge without offending someone. You ring your bell more than once and you're a pushy jerk. You slowly ride behind someone and you're following to closely and making them feel uncomfortable. You try to ride past, even with the help of the bell, and they'll accuse you of going to fast and passing too close. You don't ding the bell and you're causing harm by not letting them know of your presence. I'm trying to be sensitive to the concerns of others and all it does is convince me that there's no winning. Maybe someone can start a ferry for self-doubting cyclists overly concerned with the feelings of others. It could be called Mope Boat and I'd take it every day.
Not too much going on along 35th in Georgetown, except for the construction. I got waved through by the Slow/Stop sign road crew guys, though on the near side, he didn't flip around his sign to read Slow instead of Stop. I guess the slow was a given and he figured that my being a cyclist, I'd be more than comfortable with riding through a stop sign. He probably even thought that I'd prefer it. I feel bad for road crew guys because I they spend their days in a pretty vulnerable position vis-a-vis cars and though they have bright vests and big signs, anything can happen.
I think my crossing guard police officer might be giving me the cold shoulder. It's two days in a row now that she's just ignored me when I've been riding by. No acknowledgment whatsoever. What happened? I thought we were cool.
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