BikeDC

First Key Fob Dispensing Bikeshare Station Now Open Downtown – Cool New Map Feature Too

By Prince Of Petworth


via Capital Bikeshare

From DDOT:

“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) unveiled the first key fob dispensing Capital Bikeshare station in the District of Columbia.

The new technology allows Bikeshare members to pick up a fob at the station, instead of waiting for new or replacement fobs to arrive via mail.

The new station is located at 15th Street NW and M Street NW, an intersection with two protected bike lanes. With this station, DC joins Arlington and Montgomery County who have already launched key fob dispensing at select stations.

To find other key fob dispensing stations, visit the Capital Bikeshare system map. The black fob decal indicates key fob dispensing stations.

Riders will also notice new map panels at Bikeshare Stations. The maps features: (more…)

“Annies ACE Hardware is hosting a bike collection for Bikes for the World (BFTW) and is offering a free $20 gift card for each adult bike donated.”

By Prince Of Petworth

From an email:


via Bikes for the World

“Donate your unused bikes (and sewing machines)

Annies ACE Hardware is hosting a bike collection for Bikes for the World (BFTW) and is offering a free $20 gift card for each adult bike donated.

BFTW is a DC-based organization that has collected and distributed 125,000 bikes to 20 countries in the past 10 years. BFTW’s mission is to make quality used bicycles and parts affordable and available to lower income people and select institutions in developing countries, to enhance their lives and livelihoods through better transport. It also works to generate skilled employment in bicycle repair and maintenance overseas, and to provide satisfying environmental and humanitarian community service opportunities for volunteers in the United States.

This year Annies ACE will host BFTW collections June 10 at both of their DC stores (see below) What we will collect: (more…)

Poorly Planned DDOT bike lane redesign on G Street NW at GAO

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

DDOT has reconfigured the bike land on G Street NW at GAO so that for 2/3 of the block it runs behind back-in parking with no physical barriers. As you might expect, this means cars back right into the bike lane and park, making the bike lane dangerous and unusable.

Update: Barriers appeared today.

Problem 1: The barriers are only placed where there are official parking spaces, not directly in front of GAO, where people frequently park. As a result:

Problem 2: The barriers aren’t secured in any way and they are light – I moved one just by tapping it with my foot. As a result, many of the barriers have already been pushed back from where they were placed:

It won’t take long for the barriers to be in the bike lane itself.”

“What’s worse is that there are generally a lot of bicyclists in the First Street lane, and I worry eventually someone will get hit.”

By Prince Of Petworth


via google maps

“Dear PoPville,

I wanted to alert you to a potential traffic issue I’ve been noticing more than more. There’s a very weird intersection around the southwest corner of Union Station, where the cabs/cars/buses that have dropped off people in the front come out to either Mass Ave (turning left or right) or going straight down E Street. If you look at the map, though, there’s also a small lane that comes out of First Street NE. The traffic lights are not well angled, so when the Union Station lane gets the red light, the First Street lane gets green, but I’ve seen several times cars (cabs in particular) from Union Station mistaking the second green as theirs, and driving out. What’s worse is that there are generally a lot of bicyclists in the First Street lane, and I worry eventually someone will get hit.”

Eyes Peeled Please “We’ve filed a police report and learned our lesson on proper locking.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

My husband’s beautiful bike was stolen from our porch on Allison Street in Michigan Park in the early morning on 5/16. Unfortunately, only the back wheel was locked–not the frame–so the guy took the bike and left the wheel (but came prepared with his own back wheel!). It is a matte green Momentum iNeed STREET bike with a bright orange Yepp child carrier on the back and metal basket in front. If you happen to see this bike (or the thief in the video), please contact me at tracy.higgens(at)gmail.com. We’ve filed a police report and learned our lesson on proper locking.”

Videos of theft in action here and here.

74-year-old Cyclist Dies after passing through a red light and colliding with a pick-up truck

By Prince Of Petworth

cyclist
via google maps

From MPD:

“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit are investigating a traffic accident that occurred on Friday, April 28, 2017, at approximately 2:49 pm, that resulted in a fatality.

The operator of a bicycle was traveling northbound on First Street, Northwest, when he passed through a red light at Florida Avenue, Northwest. An operator of a Ford pick-up truck was traveling westbound on Florida Avenue, Northwest, where the bicyclist collided with the pick-up truck. DC Fire and EMS personnel transported the bicyclist to an area hospital for treatment.

On Wednesday, May 10, 2017, the bicyclist, identified as 74-year-old Dan Neidhardt of Northeast, DC, died from his injuries.

The case is currently under investigation by the Major Crash Investigations Unit. Anyone with information regarding this case should call 202-727-9099.”

“Who’s in charge of the bike racks at Union Station?”

By Prince Of Petworth

bike racks

“Dear PoPville,

I biked to lunch at Union Station today and was kind of appalled by the bike rack options.

There are twenty or so U-shaped bike racks outside the west side of the station (by the Chipotle) — but many of them are loose on their screws, or missing the screws altogether.

A thief could (and probably has) easily lift the rack, slide the locked bike out, and put the rack back in place. (more…)

“Banning bikes from the lobby and front doors is a common occurrence in buildings in the area. I was hoping to fact check this.”

By Prince Of Petworth

bikes no bikes

“Dear PoPville,

My condo board is proposing a resolution where bikes would be banned from entering through the front doors and going through the lobby to the elevators. This would not be a problem except that our building is laid out such that the only other access we would have to the elevators is through the loading dock in an alley (and that provides access to only one elevator that can be locked by management), and through the garage. Below are the suggestions to exit and enter the building with a bike:

1. Loading dock
2. Garage
3. North stairwell
4. South stairwell
5. Retail elevator (between breezeway and garage)

We also know that you can’t always call the middle elevator in order to exit the building via the loading dock area. In this case, you can take either side elevator to G1 and exit out of the garage. If you are uncomfortable biking or walking up or down the garage ramp, you can always use the retail elevator to travel with your bike between G1 and the breezeway.

The management and Board has stated that banning bikes from the lobby and front doors is a common occurrence in buildings in the area. I was hoping to fact check this. Can we get a dialogue going about how often this occurs?”

View More Stories