Originally uploaded to flickr by shoupiest
I started using my bike as a primary means of transportation when I moved to Capitol Hill in 2005. I loved the freedom bike riding afforded me—I wasn’t a slave to slow Metro trains, no-show Metro buses, and parking enforcement drones that would ticket in an instant—but I quickly learned that the city is not always safe for a cyclist.
There are many obstacles that can scare a cyclist into locking up her bike forever, such as the motorist, who would rather run over said cyclist than get stuck behind her and risk being late for work. Then there are the bad cyclists who give good cyclists a bad name—you’ve seen them weaving in and out of traffic while disobeying traffic laws. These cyclists will even cut-off fellow cyclists in a quest to get where they are going. Finally, there is my most hated obstacle of all, the tourist who thinks he can walk into traffic, against the light. When I crossed paths with a tourist doing just this thing he attempted to push me off my bike. I was a very noticeable seven months pregnant when the father, with wife and children following close behind, told me bikes don’t belong in the street and in his way. Even when we are in the right, we can’t win!
Cyclists in the District, most of which I believe would prefer to travel in bike lanes, are free to ride on roadways and even on sidewalks, depending on where it is we are traveling. But does everyone know the rules? While most pedestrians think that cyclists don’t belong on sidewalks and most drivers think that cyclists should stay off of the road and out of the way, it is important that pedestrians, motorists and even some cyclists understand the rules of the road.
So whether you feel cyclists are Mother Nature’s goodwill ambassador or just an obstacle that gets in your way, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the District’s bike laws, and remember that while we may not have the vote we are all free to travel the streets and sidewalks of DC.
But be careful when you’re on the sidewalk. Someone reported on ANC 6A listserve that someone hit her 5-year-old daughter on a Pennsylvania Ave sidewalk and it was a close call that her girl wasn’t more seriously injured.
Lou,
I read that and the biker backlash that followed. I even commented on a few lists before I decided to make a post out of it so that we at THIH could remind readers that there are laws/rules that we should all be aware of.
I’ve had a lot of close calls with bikers approaching me from behind on Hill sidewalks. Please be aware that we can’t hear you when you’re behind us.
Depending on what you mean by “weaving in and out of traffic” that may be legal. Riding between rows of stopped cars, is known as lane-splitting or filtering and is legal in the District. It’s also a useful way for cyclists to maximize their efficiency.
I’m talking about the cyclists that disobey traffic laws, not to get in a position to make a turn or maximize efficiency in a legal manner, but rather these cyclists ride with complete disregard for their own safety and the safety of those around them.
And I’m not meaning to paint people with broad strokes. These are just some of the many hazards that a cyclist might encounter. There are other things such as pot holes and street debris, but given that cyclists are often the stepchildren of the road, I went with human hazards here.
What I want people to note are the rules of the road, and hopefully understand what it means to ride a bike in the city–since I think cyclists are the exception, not the rule.
I ride daily from Cap Hill to Dupont, and I readily admit to jockeying between the road and the sidewalk depending on the block – I know my route, and several blocks allow virtually no curb to ride against, or are so riddled with hazards that it is not worth trying with traffic whizzing by. The city really needs to step up their bike program, and I know it is in process, but in the meantime, I ride to survive. I do not sidewalk ride when there are pedestrians present, I will get off my bike and walk it. But really, the risks are too high.
Let’s keep in mind that when we *all* follow the rules to the letter (drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians), everybody wins.
Okay…that’s crap. In that scenario, drivers win, because traffic laws are written to the benefit of drivers. All you have to do is walk around the hill and look at the timing of pedestrian crosswalks (15 seconds to cross Penn Ave near Frager’s), the ridiculous posted 25mph speed “limit” (which means that no one driving under 35 gets ticketed), and the delivery trucks parked in the bike lanes.
The reason there’s friction between cyclists and pedestrians is that there’s a defacto policy of marginalizing all users of public space except drivers. Thank God DC (with leadership from CM Wells) is starting to chip away at that…
Thanks for your post.
I, too, have been riding since moving to Captiol Hill eight years ago. Now with two kids on the back of my Xtracycle Big Dummy (we’re the big blue one with wooden double-kid seat), I’m very conscious of traffic issues.
We always ride in the street. I stop at all signs and wait at red lights. I use my hand signals to let traffic behind me know where I’m headed. I have bells on my handlebars to signal our approach to pedestrians. I use stupidly-bright lights in front and back to make sure we’re seen by others.
However, I’m unapologetic about our use of the road. I DO NOT and WILL NOT STAND for drivers of cars bullying us off the street. The laws of DC are very clear. Cyclists are traffic, too.
This, of course, imparts responsibility on the cyclists to use these rights while also respecting other users. Don’t run through intersections against the light. Signal to other people with hand signals or your bell.
I know many cyclists who feel marginalized as oboe has stated. After eight years of biking on the Hill, I’ve sometimes felt that way too. Unfortunately, this leads some cyclists to conclude that since no one else respects their rights to the road, they do not have to respect the traffic laws. This only leads to more problems. When drivers see cyclists not respecting traffic laws, they have less respect for cyclists on the road.
Please try to do the right thing, Hill bikers. It makes it safer for all of us.
Locus – I know your bike and get a kick out of seeing it up and down East Capitol St. That is, until you are pushing that thing at the same speed I am on my road bike. Then it’s a bit of shame. =)
I just want to add to pedestrians – please stay out of the bike lane! We cyclists have enough to deal with from cars, trucks, and buses. Joggers and walkers should be on the sidewalks, especially on East Capitol St with its very wide sidewalks.
thanks for a good post and reasonable comments. very refreshing!
how can any of you care about cycling this much!!