Letters to the Editor - Greater Greater Washington

Inaudible speakers made Metro passengers evacuate

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:18:00 EDT

Metro has asked passengers not to open emergency doors. One did on a recent Green Line train at Shaw, creating delays. Reader Bitter Brew posted more details of what happened, and says the biggest problem was incomprehensible announcements and no other information from Metro staff. Here's Bitter Brew's comment:

What should you do [on Metro] when the crackling, incomprehensible intercom says something that sounds like "evacuate"?

Photo by Mr. T in DC on Flickr.

My girlfriend was in the car where they opened the doors. She said the intercom and speakers, as with so many Metro cars, barely worked.

They stood there in the dark for over 20 minutes, with the typical semi-comprehensible Metro announcements. First "**static** be **static** momentarily," which we can all translate as Metro's favorite lie. Then "***static** hold **static** control ***static***." Five minutes later, "**static** something brakes **static** apologize **static** delay."

Then a Metro employee came through the car from one end to the other, saying nothing, and not responding to anyone's questions. A couple more minutes of silence. Then "**static** evacuate **static** train **static** something safety."

At that point, a buzz went up through the car. "Did he say 'evacuate'?" someone asked. That's when a knot of passengers by a door began to discuss whether they should open it and evacuate. Why? Because Metro told them to evacuate.

After another minute or two with no more announcements and no sign of any Metro personnel, they began to open the door. And just after they opened it, someone from Metro finally came in from the front of the car and began giving instructions to offload that way.

If Metro is unable and unwilling to communicate with passengers during its frequent lengthy breakdowns, or is going to make unclear announcements with words like "emergency" and "evacuate," it can't blame passengers for following the instructions they do have. And it shouldn't—because sooner or later, the emergency is going to be a real, life-threatening one and if passengers are punished for taking the initiative now, they're not going to take the initiative when they need to do so to save lives.

35 comments

Ask GGW: How do you prevent helmet hair?

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

Do you have long hair and bicycle, especially to work? Do you have any tricks for keeping your hair looking good while wearing a helmet? Reader Jon asks:

Photo by Mandajuice on Flickr.

My wife has recently started biking to work, but I've noticed that on hot days or when she has a meeting in the morning, she is very reluctant to wear her helmet because of the effect it has on her hair (and how uncomfortable it can be with long hair when it's 100 degrees).
I know helmets aren't a panacea for all bike-related safety risks, but it could save her life and I want to help find a way for her to be comfortable while she rides.

Do you have any suggestions for Jon and his wife?

43 comments

Women: How comfortable do you feel biking? (Mar 30, 2011)
What's the best bike for CaBi lovers? (Jun 15, 2011)
It takes a village to become a bicycle commuter (Dec 27, 2011)
Ask GGW: Graduate programs? (Sep 4, 2009)
More people walking, biking, riding the bus to Metro stations (Jun 5, 2009)

Takoma Park progressives are for progress

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:08:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

Tim Male, a City Councilmember in Takoma Park, Maryland, sent us this response to Dan Reed's recent article, "Sometimes, it's okay for progressives to embrace progress."

Dan Reed wrote recently about the link between development and progressiveness in and around the area of Takoma Park, but the narrow coverage missed the real story of what is going on.

Takoma-Langley Crossroads, at the edge of Takoma Park. Photo by thisisbossi on Flickr.

Its true that City residents worked to oppose a proposed development that would have eliminated green space at the Takoma Metro in favor of townhouses with two car garages and less bicycle and bus access. Somehow that didn't sound like smart or progressive growth to us.

However, at the same time, development plans on nearby previously developed but underused sites have been moving forward near the Metro.

Elsewhere, the City of Takoma Park has been working to facilitate mixed commercial and residential space along the University and New Hampshire Avenue corridors to make more housing and affordable housing available on mass transit and future Purple line routes. These are developments that take advantage of underutilized commercial and retail space to build new capacity and energy into an area—and new housing.

In both cases, the City is supporting more density where it makes sense. In fact, if you actually watch the video about Melbourne, Australia's urban development plans that Alex Steffen refers to, they did precisely what Takoma Park has been promoting—Melbourne avoided developing on any green space or historic areas and reused vacant commercial and retail to get more housing density.

And in reference to the claims of Takoma Park pushing poor people out, we have great data from the Community Indicators Project that shows just the opposite. We have a higher proportion of low and moderate income families than the rest of Montgomery County—34 percent of our households are low income compared to 19 percent for the County and the average rent for a vacant unit in Takoma Park was more than $400/month cheaper than the County.

Part of this is because since 1980, the City has had a rent stabilization policy in place that has been an effective way to keep rents down and not without sacrifice from other residents who end up paying a higher property tax burden.

The point is, not all development is progressive and if you look a little deeper, you will see a lot more evidence that Takoma Park knows how to balance quality of life, diversity and development far better than Mr. Reed suggests.

22 comments

Sometimes, it's okay for progressives to embrace progress (Feb 21, 2012)
Brookland: save the environment somewhere else (May 19, 2008)
Preservation versus taxidermy in Takoma Park (Apr 29, 2008)
Takoma: some space is green, garage will be optional (Jul 19, 2008)
Olson may scuttle new housing in College Park (Sep 13, 2010)

Support the CaBi CANstruction and feed the hungry

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:50:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

In this morning's Breakfast Links, we pointed out a sculpture of a Capital Bikeshare bike made out of cans. Builder Jorge Mayor wrote to us with more information about the project and how it helps the needy.

I was part of the team that built the Capital Bikeshare bike out of Amy's soup cans. We made a timelapse video and posted it on Youtube:

CANstruction benefits the Capital Area Food Bank (all food used is donated to the food bank). People can either go to the Building Museum and donate canned foods by voting for their favorite structure (one can = one vote), or they can go online and make a donation where $1 = one vote. It's a great event for a great cause, and we'd love for your readers to get involved.

Comment

Submit tips here (Mar 17, 2009)
Buy a CaBi membership, donate to WABA (Apr 8, 2011)
Support local charities this holiday season (Dec 16, 2010)
Weekend video: It's a wonderful city (Feb 12, 2011)
Past and future chances to walk and bike (Sep 21, 2010)

Downtown's lack of playgrounds is hard on families

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:51:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

We received this letter from Chinatown resident Caroline Armijo:

Since March, I have been on a quest to find space for a playground in downtown DC. I have been living in Chinatown for six years and now have a two-year-old daughter.

Photo by mdmarkus66 on Flickr.
I was warned that the lack of playgrounds, not the dismal schools, is the primary reason that young families move away from downtown. I did not understand the full impact until this spring when my daughter was in full-force running mode.
Long story short, my husband walks to work and we drive to playgrounds. Furthermore, my daughter gets her exercise in museums, at the library and church—all places I would want to my child to act in a more reverent fashion. Not the case. But what can you do? We live in a 1000-square foot apartment with no outdoor space. Toddlers need to run.

One of the great mysteries is dealing with the [National Park Service]. Numerous people have told me that NPS does not support playgrounds on the parks they control. However all of the parks in Capitol Hill are parks maintained by the NPS and they all have playgrounds. How did this happen? Did Congress intervene?

NPS playgrounds rare and hard-won

To get an answer for Ms. Armijo, I talked to Peter Harnik of the Trust for Public Land. He addresed this very issue in a Washington Post op-ed (pay required for full article) on October 10, 2004:

The almost 7,000 acres of national park land in the District contain a grand total of 11 playgrounds. If you include playgrounds on the 800 acres operated by the DC parks department, Washington's total reaches 71. This compares with 129 playgrounds in Baltimore, 162 in San Francisco and 504 in Chicago.
Each of the 11 playgrounds on national park land has a political history akin to the passage of some major piece of legislation. The newest one, which opened last winter on Capitol Hill, took a group of Lincoln Park mothers six years of campaigning and resulted in an unfenced tot lot rather than the adventure playground they had hoped for.
It's not just a problem for small children: Even counting the wide open spaces and recreational facilities of Anacostia Park, the Park Service provides only 18 soccer fields in the whole city, compared with, for instance, 75 on a smaller land base in Seattle.

Frustration felt citywide

Steve Coleman, of Washington Parks and People, says the challenges of getting NPS to accommodate children goes beyond downtown. He wrote in an email:

Yes, the parks on Capitol Hill tend to have playgrounds. Residents have generally only gotten their concerns addressed through massive community effort. Stanton Park neighbors, for example, had to campaign for years just to make simple safety upgrades to their play area.
For some, the wait is even longer. At Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park, the Park Service approved, ordered, and began to install several play areas in the 1930's, then halted work because of budget cuts for World War II, never to be re-started. As a result, thousands of families living in the densest area of the city have faced the same dilemma as Chinatown residents of whether to give up on the neighborhood because of lack of adequate play facilities.
The Park Service has built some beautiful playgrounds in DC. But sadly, NPS has shown a tendency to build and care for play areas in some more affluent neighborhoods such as Montrose Park in Georgetown while providing far less care or support for the families living in many less affluent areas.
The Park Service's enabling legislation cites its mission as preserving the nation's natural and cultural resources unimpaired for the education, inspiration, and enjoyment of this and future generations. Many dedicated people in the Park Service work hard every day to advance this mission for all, despite budget shortfalls.
There are signs that Park Service leaders may want to finally address the under-investment and shortcomings of inner-city DC parks management. Yet in many under-served parts of the capital, the reality is that the enjoyment of this generation of children has been all too often left by the wayside.

Park Service spokesperson Bill Line did not respond to multiple emails sent over the course of 2 weeks asking for comment on Ms. Armijo's question.

66 comments

Don't call it a park (Apr 28, 2008)
Manage Rock Creek like Central Park or Yosemite? (Feb 25, 2011)
Families, community, and the West End (Jun 17, 2008)
Local parks need local government (Jan 2, 2008)
Summer Streets: Next year in Washington? (Sep 2, 2008)

On 4th, federal officials forget bikes are transportation, too

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:32:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

Bicycling is sometimes a recreational activity, but for many people it's an integral means of transportation. Federal officials securing the Mall for yesterday's festivities forgot that, keeping roadways open for cars to traverse but blocking all safe routes for bikers in the area.

Reader Vicente writes:

15th Street being closed for the 4th. Photo by the author.

Most weekends I pedal my way out of the District via one of the area's many bike paths. Often this means heading south on the 15th Street-Ohio Drive-14th Street Bridge route, one of the most popular bikeways in the city. This route intersects the Mount Vernon trail, which opens destinations including the Pentagon City mall and Old Town Alexandria.

Yesterday, I decided to use this route and head for Potomac ~~Mills~~ Yard. This is home to the closest Old Navy, after all, and I was jonesing for some cargo shorts. I also did some grocery shopping while at the mall there. Since I always bike to Potomac Mills, I did not anticipate it being much of a problem, but once en route I quickly noticed the massive street closure and security operation that was underway.

The bike access to the 14th Street Bridge path was closed. All of the people that wanted to use this area had to wait in line and go through a security checkpoint. It did not make any sense. That small corner of road at Independence and 15th is an important access point for cyclists and pedestrians. It's not part of the Mall or the Washington Monument. Why close it? Other nearby areas, including 14th Street as it crosses the Smithsonian area, were open to bikes and pedestrians.

Security barricades at the Mall. Image adapted by the author from Google Maps.

The guards at the Bureau of Engraving sprung out of their booth when they spotted me and a fellow biker evaluating alternate routes on 14th Street. The shortcuts through their building lots had been taped off.

"Can I help you?" one of them asked.

"Can we get to the Jefferson Memorial and the bridge bike path by heading down that way?" I asked, pointing south on 14th Street towards the freeway-ish looking overpass.

"Only if you want to get hit by a car," he reassured me.

My biking comrade claimed that he had used this route before, so we decided to chance it. It was a half-mile sprint across the overpass to the Jefferson Memorial area. We pedaled hard as cars zipped past us at highway speeds. But we made it.

Jefferson Memorial checkpoint. Photo by the author.

On the way home from Potomac Mills, I once again crossed the 14th Street Bridge. This time I decided to wait in line and go through the Tidal Basin security checkpoint to access the bike route.

A member of the Alexandria police force rummaged through my backpack once I reached the bag check area. He spotted a 12-ounce glass jar of Target-brand cheese dip that I had purchased just moments earlier along with other glass-enclosed groceries. "You'll have to throw all of those things away if you want to get through here," he told me.

This was outrageous. This city is my home. This is where I've lived for ten years. Now I can't even bike back from the grocery store with cheese dip. Had I been in a car, I could have easily driven any of the numerous roads to get home, including the 14th Street overpass.

The guard directed me towards a Park Police lieutenant who gave me the same "tough shit, buddy" look that his underling had. He told me I could either bike back across the Potomac and head many miles north to the Key Bridge crossing and on into Georgetown or bike many miles south to another crossing that he said would lead me to the Capitol.

Once again, I decided to improvise. I headed away from the checkpoint down Maine Ave., another road that didn't feel super safe for biking, and found a place where I could drag my bike under the overpass, across a couple of metal guardrails, and up 14th Street once more.

Event planners need to be mindful of common bikeway access points when setting up street closures. It is not appropriate to use a one-size-fits-all security approach anymore where people are treated as cars or non-cars. Fine, close off the Mall. Set up a perimeter. But take into consideration those of us who bike and go about our daily lives as residents of this city.

There is no need to close off bike access on 15th Street. This is how cyclists, including many tourist cyclists, access some of the area's best trails. Moreover, there is no security interest that is being protected by closing this street.

When setting up a security perimeter, please look closely at these locations instead of blankly eyeing a map and setting up roadblocks. There are freeways and overpasses in this area not just a flat street grid. Many of these roads are dangerous for pedestrians and bikers, both of whom will be forced to use these areas when left with no choice but to wait in a security line.

59 comments

NPS, Secret Service close to approving 15th Street bike lane (Oct 20, 2010)
Park Police overprotect on Earth Day (May 10, 2010)
Jefferson Memorial next to get security wall (Oct 7, 2010)
The Yards waterfront park squeezes bikes to the edge (Feb 4, 2008)
National Zoo blocks pedestrian access from the east (Apr 19, 2010)

In 2 letters, road behaviors contrast

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:56:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

Individual drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders naturally have differing views and observations when their modes of travel intersect. In many cases, those intersections are complicated. Below, two letters from readers, Bradley K. and Steve W., describe contrasting road behaviors from, respectively, the views of a driver and of a cyclist.

Bradley K. writes,

A week or so ago, I was driving down King Street in Alexandria between I-395 and Old Town. There was a cyclist riding down the road, mostly to the right-hand side. He was doing a pretty decent speed, but still worth passing.
This is a two lane road, so passing the cyclist was a game of patience. Once oncoming traffic subsided, I passed the cyclist in the oncoming lane (leaving him an entire lane of room) and thought nothing of it.
Of course knowing King Street, traffic came to a halt, and the cyclist caught up to me. He got in front of my car and started shouting obcenities at me and ended up giving me the finger...

This draws a few questions for me:
What did I do wrong? I left the cyclist the entire lane while I passed.
What do motorists expect of cyclists?
What do cyclists expect of motorists?

What I expect of a cyclist:

If you are on the street, obey the rules of the road (including stop signs, stop lights etc.)
Stay to the right of the road. You don't have to be on the curb, but assist the motorists if they desire to pass you. It creates a safety issue if you are in the middle of the road going 15-20mph.

What I would expect of a motorist:

Treat the cyclist as a slow car.
Give the cyclist plenty of room if you need to pass.
DO NOT PASS if the road is narrow and there is oncoming traffic (see suggestion two)

It seems like Bradley did nothing wrong in this case, but riding in the middle of the lane is often the right thing to do.

Meanwhile, Steve W. writes,

This morning, I picked up a CaBi bike from my local station for the typically relaxing commute to the office. I made my way onto the cycle track on Pennsylvania Avenue NW. I would typically think of this section as being one of the safer and more segmented parts of my commute with no car doors to open or traffic sharing the same lane with me.
However, as I started through the 11th Street intersection going east, a minivan also going east made an illegal left turn in front of my path and onto 12th Street. Fortunately, I was able to slow down and only tap the minivan as it sped by without any consideration for cyclists.
Not only did the minivan not pay attention as it passed me and then turned in front of me on Pennsylvania Avenue, but it also made an illegal left turn as turns are never allowed at this intersection. Unfortunately, many drivers, especially tourists, are not familiar with having to pay attention to bike lanes that are separate but intersect at cross streets.
Perhaps these no-turn intersections should have some sort of red lights to additionally make drivers aware when and where they should not turn. Alternatively, maybe some sort of double yellow line would provide greater awareness to drivers.
I'm fortunate that no one was injured today, but not everyone is as fortunate.

Turning across the Pennsylvania Avenue lane illegally and without looking is definitely not the right thing to do.

68 comments

Not stopping doesn't make every cyclist a "rogue" (Feb 9, 2009)
Letters: Cycling safety starts with cyclists (May 24, 2010)
Enforce bicycle laws, but the right laws (Jan 16, 2009)
Bus driver assaults cyclist, MPD uninterested (Mar 4, 2009)
Do we need a name for anti-bike-ism? (Feb 18, 2010)

Letter: For WMATA Board, think Greater Greater Washington

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:03:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

We received this letter from Josh Lopez, who was recently a candidate for DC Council at-large.

At-Large Council Member Michael Brown (I) has announced that he is stepping down from his position as one of the DC Board members to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) due to a busy schedule.

Photo by thisisbossi on Flickr.

This sudden announcement led me to think of a sound appointment to WMATA from a deserving group, Greater Greater Washington. This dedicated group of regular contributors is led by David Alpert and they have been at the forefront of transportation issues here in DC.

The appointment of a GGW member to the WMATA board would also be an asset in supporting Council member Tommy Wells (Ward 6) who also serves as the other appointed DC board member. Council member Wells currently chairs the Committee on Public Works and Transportation.

Mr. Wells has worked extensively with GGW over the years when it comes to transportation and developing new policies to encourage residents to get out of cars and use alternative means of transportation in DC. Although Mr. Wells brings new ideas and progressive policies to the table, he is only one voice.

The possibility of adding a second voice to support Mr. Wells would be great for the city. For years, DC has appointed members who may either not take the role seriously or have no background in transportation. This is a great opportunity to bring something new to the table. The appointment of a non-traditional transportation expert on the board will send the message that DC welcomes new ideas and will look at different and new ways to improve WMATA service for District residents.

Chairman Kwame Brown has the power to appoint a new board member to WMATA. I encourage him to explore this great opportunity. This potential appointment could be a win win for everyone. I encourage you to call Mr. Brown's office at 202-724-8032 or email him directly at kbrown@dccouncil.us and ask him to meet with Greater Greater Washington to discuss possible appointees to the WMATA board.

26 comments

Where's Michael? DC needs active WMATA Board members (Mar 11, 2010)
Tommy Wells gets transportation chair, WMATA Board (Dec 22, 2010)
O'Malley to replace WMATA Board members, wants rules limiting qualifications (Feb 17, 2011)
Zimmerman leaving WMATA Board, bag checks starting (Dec 16, 2010)
Feds name Mort Downey, Marcel Acosta to WMATA Board (Jan 24, 2010)

ATU 689 responds to overtime article

Sun, 15 May 2011 11:57:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

Jackie Jeter, President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, sent us this response to an article in the Washington Examiner regarding overtime pay. We reported on the Examiner's article in a breakfast link on Monday.

As President of Local 689, the union representing almost 11,000 active and retired WMATA employees, it is my duty to respond to public accusations that impugn the reputation of our members or our union.

Photo by zach kowalczyk on Flickr.

According to the he Examiner's article, TOC Chairman Matt Bassett believes "the agency has not been able to successfully negotiate more time with the operators (sic) union," but it should be noted that WMATA has not proposed the extension of time off to the union.

The only mention was a proposal in the WMATA package which was never fully vetted or discussed during the last round of negotiations in 2008. That proposal has not been brought up since then.

Currently we have a required 8 hours off in a day, which comes from the FTA/DOT recommendations. The assignment of overtime is performed by management, not the union. Mr. Bassett and the union have never spoken about time off or the safety climate at WMATA, but most importantly, it is ATU Local 689 (the union) which holds WMATA's feet to the fire concerning 8 hours off in a 24 hour period as required under our contract.

In a Greater Greater Washington morning links post, it was reported that Mr. Bassett made this statement: "that you (TOC) would like to increase time off between shifts for Metro operators to allow 8 hours of sleep but has met resistance from the ATU (the union), since members are cashing in on overtime." It is important to the union that statements such as this one, made in jest or by those unfamiliar with the functioning of WMATA, be exposed either as errors or intentional misstatements for nefarious purposes.

The union has not resisted any conversation regarding an attempt to govern overtime. I think it wise, as a public official for Mr. Bassett to familiarize himself with the process for negotiating our union contract before making statements that can be construed by the public as accurate. His misstatements cast a questionable light on the intentions and good faith dealings of the union and cast a pall over its members.

Lisa Farbstein's statement, "The agency is filling vacancies and hiring more employees. But in the meantime, staffing shortfalls means extra cash and long days for some workers," is similarly problematic to me. Farbstein's statement encourages readers to assume that the agency has no structure for workers, as they "happily" make extra cash and work from sun up to sun down!

It is crucial for readers to understand that the maintenance track work being performed is hard, manual labor that shortens the work life of our members even if they are lucky enough to escape injury. And right now, Metro is trying hard to run an efficient agency and make repairs to an aging system at the same time.

Finally, it should be noted that train operators play a very small part in this type of overtime work which raises the question: Why the inquiry into overtime costs? Again, accuracy is the issue. I must put this in the proper perspective: Only 1 out of the 10 employees mentioned in the Examiner article was a union worker and none were bus operators, train operators, or station managers. The 1 union worker was from the skilled crafts.

The union cannot be accused of opposing workplace safety rules in order to boost income without speaking out. That inference is not true! Union members are guaranteed 40 hours of work a week. Anything over 40 hours a week is overtime. That overtime is scheduled by WMATA management, not the union. When union members work overtime to accommodate extraordinary demands on the public transit system for travel downtown during the 4th of July or other public events, no articles appear in the newspaper the following day alluding to misappropriate use of manpower.

Additionally, a hiring freeze that was imposed last year to prevent a higher budget gap, which would result in a reduction in service. The railroad has continued to function because it is our job to make sure every customer gets home safely.

For safe, efficient, and effective travel on our public transit system, manpower must be used. Union members take time away from their families to ensure the safety and reliability of the Metro system for Virginia, Maryland, and DC residents and their families. Overtime is often required to get the job done and to keep the system working. WMATA employees are hired to do their jobs.

31 comments

What do Metro employees really make? (May 12, 2010)
Tri-State Oversight finds safety lapses on track right-of-way (Jan 7, 2010)
Metro workers afraid to report hazards, Board unfazed (Oct 12, 2010)
Lessons not learned: WMATA misinterprets FTA safety program and blames workers (Jan 5, 2011)
Sarles focusing on "basics" of safety, reliability, finances (May 11, 2010)

Mickey on the Bikeshare

Fri, 06 May 2011 13:42:00 EDT

by Letters to the Editor

Mickey Martinez submitted this entertaining song. It's sung to the tune of "Charlie on the M.T.A.," the famous 1949 campaign song about Boston fare hikes and later popularized by the Kingston Trio in 1959.

Photo by Daquella manera on Flickr.

Let me tell you the story
Of a guy named Mickey
On a tragic and fateful day
Tossed his to-go mug in his backpack,
Kissed his cat and boyfriend,
Went to commute the Bikeshare way.
Mickey picked up his bike
At the Lamont Park station
And he pedaled to New York Ave.
When he got to the bike docks
He got 15 more minutes
Cuz there wasn't a spot to have.
CHORUS: Did he ever return,
No he never returned
And his fate is still unlearn'd
He may ride forever
On the streets of Washington
He's the man who never returned.

Now all day long
Mickey rides through DC's streets
saying "What will become of me?"
The app says there's a free spot
Up by the Cathedral
And another at UDC. (CHORUS)
Mickey's boyfriend goes down
To the Q Street bike lane
Every day at quarter past two.
At the corner of 14th
He hands Mickey a sandwich
As his bike goes wheeling on through. (CHORUS)
Now you bikers of Washington
Don't you think it's annoying
That you can search for a dock all day?
Join the Capital Bikeshare
Pay your 75 dollars
Get poor Mickey off that bike someday!
Or else he'll never return,
No he'll never return
And his fate will be unlearn'd
He may ride forever
On the streets of Washington
He's the man who never returned.

The other thing you can do to help get Mickey off the Bikeshare is to keep encouraging DDOT to expand the numbers of docks, bikes and stations. They're accepting comments at DDOT.Bikeshare@dc.gov, and there's a public meeting on expansion locations on Wednesday, May 25, 6-8 pm at 441 4th Street (One Judiciary Square), room 1107.

9 comments

DC, Arlington to add 36 Capital Bikeshare stations (Dec 23, 2010)
Tell DDOT where you want a Capital Bikeshare location (Jun 17, 2010)
Is your CaBi station getting full or empty? (Mar 23, 2011)
Capital Bikeshare introduces new 5-day pass (Mar 14, 2011)
Why is Capital Bikeshare usage low east of the river? (Jan 31, 2011)