BikeDC

“Metro Transit Police using innovative tactics to fight crime”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

From a WMATA press release:

“When a teenager tried to steal a bicycle parked outside of the Prince George’s Plaza station last night (Nov. 15), members of the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) Crime Suppression Team immediately moved in and apprehended him.

What the young man did not know was that the bicycle belongs to the Metro Transit Police and officers in casual clothing were nearby, closely watching the bicycle and the person about to steal it.

MTPD is using innovative techniques, including decoy bicycles, to further reduce crime in the Metro system. The Crime Suppression Team targets bicycle thefts and snatch robberies, identifies suspects, and makes immediate arrests. Since the team began their efforts about a month ago, it has made dozens of arrests, stopping would-be bicycle thieves and robbery suspects trying to escape with victims’ electronic devices such as iPhones or cash. The team also has arrested individuals for simple assault, drug and weapons possession.

“We are employing new tactics to combat bike theft and theft of electronic devices, such as iPads and iPhones. The teams are doing a great job in addressing crime and keeping our customers safe,” said Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn.

“During the holiday season we traditionally see an increase in robberies. While we’re taking steps to keep customers safe, we also need the public to do their part too,” Taborn said. “Remain aware of your surrounding and take steps to protect yourself and your property.”

An Awesome New Series: Someone Saw My Stolen Bike and I Got it Back!

By Prince Of Petworth

Yesterday I started a new series called Have You Seen My Stolen Bike?. I’m psyched one bike from yesterday’s post has been returned (and we got some leads on the other bike.)

“Dear PoP,

my sister and i were driving up the alley and passed someone who i recognized as a local homeless fella standing in a driveway holding a bicycle. it took me a moment to realize that he most likely doesn’t own a bike and that he was probably stealing it, so i decided to go back and stop him. in the few minutes it took me to return, some other people in the alley had caught him in their backyard snooping around and were holding him until the police came (he has stolen stuff from them before). i pointed out that i saw him with a bike and we found it stashed in the next driveway. we couldn’t prove that it was stolen since we were unable to identify the owner of the bike, but the cops arrested him for trespassing and impounded the bike. i took some photos and was going to make up some flyers and post it on p.o.p. when i came across the owner’s posting.”

Prior to that a couple of other readers wrote in with tips.

Finally:

“Dear PoP,

I’m happy to report that after your post on my wife’s stolen bike, we were able to recover it from the hundreds held by MPD. Getting the bike back was a major relief, and it was extra-pleasing to see an appeal to our PoPville neighbors work so effectively.

Most of the credit goes to a neighbor on our block who observed the thief (a habitual drunk with a long history of petty crime) lean my wife’s bike against a gate to another house on our alley and surreptitiously enter that yard. The observing neighbor called to a resident at the house, who immediately recognized the thief, called the police, and held the man until they arrived. The police arrested the man for unlawful entry and will now also charge him with theft.

(BTW, the MPD, contrary to certain comments to the earlier post, displayed an avid interest in returning our bike and augmenting charges against the thief.)

The happy outcome of this episode is a great stroke of luck. But it illustrates the great potential for fighting crime in neighbors actively looking out for one other. It also shows the powerful role that communication here can play. As you know, we received multiple leads from your readers, and we wouldn’t have recovered the bike without them.

Thanks PoPville!

Ted and Miranda”

Irony?

By Prince Of Petworth

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association headquarters is located at the corner of Ontario and Columbia Rd, NW but the bike lane on Columbia Rd doesn’t actually start until a block away at 17th and Columbia. Whenever I bike past their headquarters I think there’s gotta be something wrong with this…


View Larger Map

An Unfortunate New Series: Have You Seen My Stolen Bike?

By Prince Of Petworth

Ed. Note: It amazes and saddens me how many emails I get every month about stolen bikes. It is very rare that bikes are reunited with owners but perhaps there is some therapeutic value in posting. Also, I hope it is a good reminder to be super vigilant about always locking up your bikes. Perhaps some folks will recognize these bikes – if so please leave a note in the comments where you may have seen it.

If you’re bike has been stolen send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail with Stolen Bike in the subject line. Please include the location where it was stolen and let me know if you’d like me to include your email address with the post.

For the bike above:

“Custom made bike was stolen from outside of the Starbucks on 14th St. (Columbia Heights?) Attached to this email is a picture of the bike, since it was put together from scratch it is very distinctive”

“My wife’s wheels just got stolen, and we hope your readers can help us find them. The bike, a cream-colored Abici Donna (like the one shown in the photo, except with a wicker basket in front), was my anniversary present to her, and she uses it for her commute and all kinds of errands. Any tips will be much appreciated by us both.”

Dear PoPville – Frustrating Biking Experience

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Yesterday morning I was riding my bicycle toward the right side of the right lane headed south bound on 11th Street. This is a two lane road in both directions. I passed a stopped bus which was partially occupying the right lane however I did not have to switch lanes to do so. At the moment I passed I was in the process of positioning the bike to the right of my lane again when a tan Dodge Caravan came from behind me and came to inches of hitting me.—It was similar scenario to the biker who was hit by the pickup truck riding on Rhode Island Ave. except there was no verbal exchange and no actual contact.— I think that the minivan definitely tried to scare and intimidate me for no apparent reason.

I followed the minivan a couple blocks to the intersection of 11th and K St NW and approached the window of the car. The driver rolled down the window in anticipation and asked me if I have a problem in a very confrontational manner. I asked if he did not see me as he came inches to hitting me to which he asked if I was speeding. To me that did not seem like a logical response/question since he came from behind me and was probably speeding himself. I made him aware that I am on a mountain bike with stop lights every block which would make speeding very hard.

I decided to leave since other then to escalating the encounter there was little I could do. As I was leaving the driver had a smirk on his face, as if he was acknowledging an accomplishment.

The thing that bothers me is that we, as bicyclists are vulnerable on the road as it is, and I truly feel that this is clear provocation of a bicyclist for no apparent reason other then hate. Had this driver made contact with me I would have been truly injured and in my opinion it would have been a hate crime. There was no reason for the driver to behave as he did on the road other then the strong dislike of cyclists.

I guess my question to you and the readers would be if there is any good retaliation to this kind of behavior?”

Sometimes even when you are in the right – there are no satisfactory answers. And to a certain degree, I can see this as a somewhat rhetorical question. Nevertheless, while I know some folks will disagree with me, in my opinion there is never “any good retaliation to this kind of behavior”. The best retaliation is to smile and bike on by. Believe me, I respect the desire to want to punch somebody in the face or hit their car or scream but, as trite as it sounds, you gotta be the better person. I don’t believe a confrontation will have any positive outcome.

It is my hope that one day bike lanes will be better respected and cover more of the city. But until that time comes some shitty and unfortunately sometimes dangerous situations are going to arise. And no doubt there are some serious jerks in the world – that is just a reality that I don’t think will ever completely change. No retaliation will change their behavior. If you take the bait of instigators then they win, if you smile and bike on by with your head held high – then you win.

I believe Council Member Tommy Wells recently said that ultimately the culture needs to change to make the harassment of bikers less common (though I believe some legislation is being debated as well). And certainly there are some bike riders who instigate drivers. In fact some cyclists can be down right insufferable. But at the end of the day – we all need to respect each other whether our mode of transport has two wheels or four. It does take time for culture to change so in the meantime I’ll leave you with the words of the great Canadian jurist Barbara Hall:

“Justice does not come from the outside. It comes from inner peace.”

The 5pm Post – “The Cupcake Caper!”

By Prince Of Petworth

From an email:

”
Thursday, October 27 · 7:30pm – 11:00pm
BicycleSPACE
459 I Street, NW

We have planned a special event for the season finale of our I Street Social Group Ride which has consistently drawn large numbers of participants over the course of the summer. This Thursday, come prepared for “The Cupcake Caper!” Foul play will be afoot, and we will need your help to solve a mystery. Whoever can solve the crime will win a beautiful Brooks saddle and matching handlebar grips. But this won’t be easy– you’ll have to closely follow the clues and piece together the evidence.

Participants are encouraged to come in costume and dress up their bikes– prizes will be awarded to the most creative. It’s Halloween, people!

As always, expect to ride a unique route through the city accompanied by tunes from our “music bike.” Bring plenty of cheer to animate passers by.

If you would like to attend this Murder Mystery Party On Wheels, kindly RSVP on Facebook.”

5th Annual DCCX Cyclocross Bike Race To Be Held At Old Soldier’s Home Sunday

By Prince Of Petworth

From an email:

“DCCX, presented by Dogfish Head Alehouse and Family Bike Shop, is offering a day of bicycle racing, refreshments, kids’ fun and Civil War history this Sunday, Oct. 23.

The course is on the historic grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, located at the corner of Upshur St and Rock Creek Church Rd, NW. More than 700 competitors in the cyclocross races will compete in different events running from 8:30 am until 5 pm — with the elite racers taking off at noon (for women) and 3 pm (for men).

DCCX, part of the Bikereg.com MABRAcross Super 8 race series, is a great place to check out high-level bike racing in a relaxed environment — or to strap on a helmet and try racing for the first time. Registration is still open, and while some categories are full, slots are still available in the 4:15 pm Rookies’ Race.

And come out on Saturday afternoon from 1:30 pm until 4 pm for a chance to pre-ride the course.”

More info from DCCX here. A reader gave a good run down of a previous year’s event for competitors and spectators here.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled for a Felt F95 Team Edition Stolen Bike

By Prince Of Petworth

Dear PoPville,

My boyfriend and I are new to the DC area – we moved to 12th and U about 2 months ago from Miami. On Friday, my boyfriend’s bike got stolen between 11am and 5pm from the bike rack in front of the Dupont metro station on Q Street. We are so bummed! People had warned us about bike theft in DC so we bought a crazy Kryptonite lock. The thief still got it :(

If anyone happens to spot the bike please send me an email (princeofpetworth at gmail) with the location and I’ll forward it to the reader.

Construction begins on Metro’s first Bike & Ride facility at College Park + Reminder of Station Closings this 3 day Weekend

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo of construction via WMATA

From a WMATA press release:

“Bike commuters looking for a more secure way of protecting their ride will soon have a new option at the College Park Metrorail station, with the addition of Metro’s first “Bike & Ride” facility.

Once completed, the new Bike & Ride—essentially a 2,400-square-foot room with steel mesh walls—will provide a bright, access-controlled area for locking bikes up to 120 bikes. If successful, the facility’s capacity can be expanded in a future phase.

Currently, about one-third of customers who park at College Park Station travel short distances (less than three miles) by car. Only about one percent travel to the station by bike, a percentage Metro hopes to increase once the new facility is completed.

“We want to do everything we can to encourage bike access to the Metro system,” said Nat Bottigheimer, Metro’s Assistant General Manager of Planning. “By providing customers with enhanced security and convenience, our hope is that more College Park customers will consider bike access.”

“The cycling community is extremely pleased to see Metro taking its planning efforts to improve bicycle access to the next stage by starting work on a new type of bike parking solution,” said Shane Farthing, Executive Director of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. “We look forward to seeing this facility open and well-used in the near future, and we hope that the lessons learned in College Park can be used to provide better, safer bicycle parking options throughout the system.”

Constructed using see-through steel mesh walls, the facility will feature bright lighting, multiple cameras and card-controlled access. Customers who sign up for bike parking will receive an access card or fob that allows them to enter. Customers using the new Bike & Ride will be charged a nominal fee (about 3-5 cents per hour). Free racks will continue to be available at the station.

The facility is being constructed within the existing College Park parking garage, using a space on the southeast corner of the building that was originally programmed for retail use.

Bike & Ride Features

24-hour card controlled access
Capacity for up to 120 bikes
Docking space for oversized bikes
Enclosed space provides protection from weather
Security features, including steel mesh walls, cameras, lighting
Emergency egress door and intercom

Construction is expected to be completed by early 2012.”

This sounds pretty sweet.

And in other metro news – just a reminder that the Shaw, U Street, and Columbia Heights stations be closed from 10 p.m. Friday through system opening Tuesday.

Stolen Bike and Related Question – Should New Bikes Be Painted in Dull Colors?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

My brand new bike, “robin egg” blue Surly Cross Check stolen from outside Busboys and Poets at 14 and V last night between 8 and 11 pm.”

If anyone spots this bike please email me at princeofpetworth(at)gmail and I’ll put you in touch with the reader.

But it also leads me to a question I’ve been meaning to ask – and I admit it’s disappointing that I have to think this way – do you think new bikes should be painted dull colors to make them less tempting for thieves? A friend of mine who had a couple of bikes stolen did that to his third bike and never had a problem after that. Do you guys think that is an effective tactic? Again admittedly it sucks to have to do so but if it works…?

View More Stories