Photo by PoPville reader feelsgoodlost
Thanks to Matt for sending word that Sharrows have gone up at at 1st and R St, NW. “This marking is placed in the center of a travel lane to indicate that a bicyclist may use the full lane.”
I don’t know about you guys but when I’m riding a bike the sharrows don’t really comfort me. I love all the new bike lanes but when I’m riding on a street with sharrows I’m still holding my breath. Do other bike riders find sharrows to be useful?
Dear PoPville,
On my bike commute home today I rode through Lafayette Park as always. As I approached the car entrance on H Street, a cop SUV, not sure which police force probably Secret Service, was entering and the first set of blockade bars were lowering into the ground so that the SUV could pass. I purposefully waited until the car stopped to wait for the second set of bars to lower and I was sure there was room for me on the side. As I went through the cop got out, blocking my way with the door, and told me to get on the sidewalk and that “this is a roadway, think about it, you’re going to get yourself killed!” I said that I was thinking about it and rode off.
Right after, I remembered that I thought it was illegal to ride a bike on the sidewalk in DC and stewed about not delivering that pertinent fact as a comeback line. When I got home, I of course Googled it and came up with this from DDOT.
It looks like Lafayette Park is within the CBD, but is there some restriction to this no-sidewalks rule in parks managed by the NPS?
Unfortunately another disturbing crime on the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT). A reader sends a report from the MBT Yahoo group:
“From Commander Solberg (via ANC Commissioner Tim Clark) last night:
It appears to be a robbery involving three suspects. A shot was fired at the victim, and he was grazed but thankfully not seriously injured. It happened at 3rd and T Sts. about 6:15.
We have not made any arrests.”
Subsequent messages are unclear as to whether the actual incident took place on the trail or at 3rd and T St, NE.
UPDATE from MPD:
On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, at approximately 6:15 pm, an area resident was walking on the Metropolitan Branch Bike Trail in the area of 3rd & R Street, Northeast, when he was accosted by three individuals. One subject produced a weapon and demanded the victim’s possessions. After complying and without provocation, the victim was punched in the face. The victim then attempted to flee from the scene and sustained a graze gunshot wound to the hip area after the suspect fired his weapon.
All three suspects then fled on foot. The victim received treatment for his injuries and an area hospital. The Metropolitan Police Department continues its investigation into the identity of these three individuals.
To ensure this area remains safe for all, the bike trail will be monitored and patrolled by officers on a regular basis.
Capt. Jeff Brown
459 I Street NW
Just got word from the folks at BicycleSPACE that they are moving from 459 I Street NW to 1019 7th St, NW (next to The Passenger) in Mt. Vernon Square. The move should be completed this Winter. Owner Erik Kugler tells me:
“We thought it would be a great location because it was formerly a hardware store and has that homey feel, it’s close enough to our old location, next to a high-quality establishment (Passenger) and it’s going to be out of the heavy construction zone in the MVT in the near future as that all gets redeveloped. We’re just scratching the surface of what we’ve set out to do with bicycle retail.”
For fans of BicycleSPACE – do you like this new location?
1019 7th St, NW
Very cool news about the renovation going on at 905-907 U St, NW. The second and third floors are going to house Off Road Indoor Cycling – “a dedicated indoor cycling studio”. I’m told that if all goes well they will open their doors around the May/June time frame. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
An homage to WWII bomber planes?
And long haul truck drivers?
Photo by flickr user Gerry Dincher
Back in June 2011 we looked at an incident about an off duty police officer who was intentionally hit/harassed by a car in Columbia Heights:
I was stopped [on a bike] at the intersection of 13th and Kenyon St. NW at a red light, waiting to turn left onto 13th St. Kenyon is a one-way street going west, and I was on the left side of the street, since I would be turning left. While waiting for the light I heard a car speed up Kenyon St. behind me…
The light turned green and I started to proceed. And then I felt *BUMP!!!!!* again, this time a bit harder…
So I stopped. Pulled out my police badge (yes, I’m a cop if you didn’t know before. No I really don’t want to talk about it, thanks) showed it to the driver and motioned him to stay right where he was.
Thanks to a reader for sending a link to the update from a Girl on a Bicycle:
In the end: Mr. Harrison was sentenced to 36 months for the felony fleeing, 36 months for felony possession of a firearm and 180 days for the assault on a police officer, to be served concurrently. So basically, 3 years (minus the year he’s already served while sitting in jail since being arrested). I am happy with this. It’s the high end of the spectrum for each of the charges, and even though its concurrent, not consecutive, I feel its enough.
My hope is that maybe Mr. Harrison will learn his lesson this time. Maybe.
And maybe others out there might think twice before doing something dangerous to another human being and think they could get away with it. I am very sure Mr. Harrison had no idea what the consequences would be for doing something he probably thought was no big deal. That night, I was just another girl on a bicycle. Today, he’s just another criminal in jail.
Why in the Helen of Troy are there always so many bikes locked up outside the residential block of the 1400 block of N St, NW?
Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour
Dear PoPville,
Several weeks ago I locked my bike Downtown with a u-lock and, after a night of hard drinking, woke up to find that I had lost my keys. I have no spare and my bike has been sitting locked to the rack since then. Unfortunately I did not register the bike with the police department. Does anyone have any recommendations as to how I can get my bike back?
Thanks to @tsb_dc for sending the photo. He writes:
“Happy New Year from DC Council member at large. 15th St bike lane at M st”
At least a Greater Greater Washington commenter notes that CM Vincent Orange apologized:
“I’m very sorry! I apologize for parking in the bike lane.”
I honestly think it’s a very good sign that an apology was issued so quickly.