Haven't seen any mention of the Post Express's front page story yesterday that we are now the 2nd most congested city in the country.

by Tom Coumaris on Jul 10, 2009 10:55 am  

One thing I noticed recently about AAA: Membership comes with ped/bike/transit/travel accident insurance. If you're injured on a subway, train, sidewalk, etc., you get a payout from AAA. Not a bad benefit.

I'm currently in Vancouver, and when I went to the AAA site, it directed me to BCAA, and the first thing on the page was their Bike Assist program -- so it may be in more places as well.

by Gavin Baker on Jul 10, 2009 10:55 am  

that TTI study that we've become 2nd most congested city is also posted at Forbes today http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/07/traffic-congestion-cities-lifestyle-real-estate-traffic-jams.html

by Tom Coumaris on Jul 10, 2009 11:02 am  

I find it rather incredible that no one seems to have noticed that the sedgway tour companies in DC always use the sidewalks downtown. Sedgways, the last time I checked, are motorized vehicles- and yet they are allowed on sidewalks. While ordinarily I would not take offense at this- actually- I believe that they are being VERY RATIONAL in doing this- they ARE flouting the city's backwards- anti-bicycle laws fordibbing cycling downtown on the sidewalks. The sedgway people are not even provided with warning bells- and they can be quieter than cyclists.

It is time to revamp the stupid laws that forbid cycling downtown on the sidewalks- especially on weekends and where there are no cycling paths or bike lanes. The city needs to SERIOUSLY step up to the plate and start making dedicated separated bicycle ways that are part of the sidewalk- and we have SUPER WIDE SIDEWALKS IN DC- but these bikeways should be separated from the pedestrians so that walkers are not in danger.

As it stands now- a slow moving , non- racer, non-athletic , grocery carrying cyclist is liable for a ticket when cycling on a downtown street, while they look the other way for a sedgway tourist convoy that is actually comprised of motor vehicles and using the same sidewalks.

Somethig needs to be done. I can see the sedgways sharing any new bikeways that are built. But our planners have not even given us a bikeway on Penn Avenue or any of our most important and heavily travelled roads. They are asleep at the wheel.

by w on Jul 10, 2009 11:04 am  

I'm very cognizant of the Segways on the sidewalk issue downtown - and I find it extremely obnoxious that these companies are making money by flouting the law and encouraging others to do also.

As to the "stupid laws" that prevent cycling on downtown streets and the supposed "SUPER WIDE SIDEWALKS IN DC" - I guess you live and/or work on streets where half the sidewalk isn't already taken up by outdoor restaurant seating. I guess you are live/work on streets where there are no people walking (people on sidewalks aren't looking for or aware of anything travelling at more than walking speed - and they shouldn't have to be. I guess you live/work on streets where there doesn't form a crowd at the corner (already reduced in size by the multitude of newspaper boxes at each corner) waiting for the light to change. Yeah - those laws keping bicycles off the sidewalks really are "stupid" aren't they?

by andy on Jul 10, 2009 11:16 am  

A better downtown Falls Church:

You can start be not identifying those streets by their state road number. VA-7 = Board Street, VA US-29 = Washington Street.

by Sand Box John on Jul 10, 2009 11:33 am  

I think the answer is for urban churches to ship the homeless out to the suburbs and then make daily trips with food to ensure they stay there. That is essentially what suburban churches do to us.

by Reid on Jul 10, 2009 11:44 am  

Andy

i understand your points about pedestrian safety and this is foremost on my mind- go to Cologne, go to Amsterdam, go to Muenster- and you will see exactly what I am espousing. and I agree with you about the outdoor cafes- there needs to be a rethinking about their being allowed to use public sidewalk space which should be about mobility first- not that I want to see them banned or discouraged- but there is certainly some way they can be accomodated while allowing more flexibilty on the cycling and pedestrian issues. On PaAv SE the cafes allow for very little pedestrian space at all- and yet there is a HUGE MEDIAN STRIP in the center of PaAv that goes UNUSED - IMO- either the sidewalks could be expanded here with a dedicated, barrier separated bikeway and pedestrian space - eliminating the median strip- or a bikeway could be placed in the median strip itself.

We do have very very wide sidewalks in DC- much wider than other east coast cities- but instead of getting all upset about cyclists using them- perhaps you could check out what HAS been done successfully in other places that works.

I get the feeling that you or someone that you know of has been hurt by a bicyclist. I am with you on this- and I happen to be a cyclist who is both cognizant of walkers and also one who goes slow and uses bells. If the cycling trends moved away from the obcession with racing and sports and speed- it will attract more people who are less inclined at present to cycle- women, elderly, kids, and those , like myself- who are averse to the danger of auto traffic. We really need to do this- and bikeways- as they are advocated by the likes of Anne Lusk and John Pucher- take the pedestrian into account .

another item here of note- many posts of the historic DC buildings and streetscapes made by Kent on this blog have made mention of the fact that many of our sidewalks have been encroached upon over the past decades- to make way for wider streets for cars. This trend needs to be reversed.

Bicyclists also need to move away from speed and racing
[ this is happening already]

and well thought out , multi - modal streets and sidewalks need to be designed. This , at present, is not being done here in DC. Bicyclists and pedestrians, sorry to say, are still afterthoughts while car mobility is first priority.The bicycle planners seem to cater only to the young male racing community which is also the most outspoken on these issues. A very very sad and closed minded way of doing planning. The planners have obviously not done their homework and have not reached out nor investigated other places- like NYC- that have started to implement dedicated, separated bikeways.

by w on Jul 10, 2009 11:55 am  

Thanks for pointing out that AAA lobbies against public transportation. AAA's main purpose is to sell insurance and promote individual car use.

The Better World Club is a much better alternative. I've been a member for five years and been happy with their service. Of course, I drive <5,000/year, and I've only needed it once -- for a dead battery, and I didn't get charged a cent for the jump.

Several years ago, NRDC published a report on the AAA's anti-environmental stands. The report doesn't seem to be available online anymore, but there is a Harper's article on the same topic on BWC's web site: http://www.betterworldclub.com/articles/harpers2002may.htm

Also, the Car Talk guys prefer BWC over AAA. Yaay!

by Banksy on Jul 10, 2009 12:14 pm  

I get the feeling that you or someone that you know of has been hurt by a bicyclist

dude - making up ad hominem motivations of someone you don't know to answer their point is about the cheapest and most dishonest way to make discuss. Just sayin'

The fact of the matter is, anything moving at more than walking pace doesn't belong on a crowded sidewalk in a busy downtown. Until a whole new system is installed, the laws prohibiting bicyclists and segways on the sidewalk that protect pedestrians are far from "stupid". Try and get past your incredible sense of bicycle entitlement.

by andy on Jul 10, 2009 1:03 pm  

I will no longer respond to your comments, Andy.

You obviously are not taking the problem seriously and you are unwilling to see that I am trying to see your points in a fair way. You are totally ignoring an entire area and discipline of cutting edge urban planning for selfish reasons.

Perhaps you might wish to consider that having fewer cyclists in DC will mean more cars in DC- and cars are a hell of a lot more dangerous to pedestrians than cyclists .

As for the "dude" business- I am making a very reasonable attempt to reach out and converse with you by trying to understand your obvious hostility towards cyclists. You are coming across as a very inflexible person so I feel no need to consider your opions worth noting anymore.

by w on Jul 10, 2009 1:18 pm  

That means suburbs are having to grapple with many of the issues they ignored or pushed onto cities in past decades.

Well, that's no problem then, is it? Because every suburbanite I've ever encountered lays the blame for every urban ill squarely at the feet of "stupid urban voters" with some blame left over for Marion Barry.

Since suburban municipalities are in the thrall of neither urban voters of Marion Barry, they should have this whole homeless problem whipped in less than a month at the most.

captcha: "horrify convention"

by ibc on Jul 10, 2009 1:51 pm  

As a bike commuter and occasional pedestrian, I think bikes and other vehicles (other than wheelchairs and equivalents) should keep off the sidewalk whenever there are significant numbers of pedestrians. Downtown, this means essentially all the time. Thus I fully support the District's law and wish it were enforced against the Segways as well as bicycles. My feeling is that if you're on the sidewalk for any reason, you should be walking.

Yes, this can get annoying when there's a lot of traffic both in the roadway and on the sidewalk. But really, that's one of those things (like parking hassles) that come with having a lively urban area. I'll take the package, and ride my bike in the roadway and walk it on the sidewalks.

by david on Jul 10, 2009 2:13 pm  

I don't understand why anyone would ride on the sidewalk, unless it's late, and you have no light, or you're out in the 'burbs, and traffic is rolling at 50+ mph.

As a general rule, I'm not a big fan of transferring risk from myself to others for any reason...but especially for some spurious safety benefit.

Riding on the sidewalk in an urban environment at more than a brisk walking pace is one of the most dangerous things you can do on a bicycle (if you plan on crossing any streets/driveways).

At least until "w"'s utopia of comprehensive, segregated bike/segway trails is completed sometime in FY 2183... :)

by ibc on Jul 10, 2009 2:20 pm  

Among its negatives, AAA or one of its affiliates apparently also runs guided tours. I had the misfortune to be stuck behind one with about 60 people completely blocking the King Street Metro escalator this morning, causing myself and others to miss at least one train. Worse, they all parked themselves right at the top of the escalator causing even more pileup as they got off.

When I finally got to the top, I asked the tour guide to let his group know that it's better etiquette to stand on the right and let people pass. His response: "No, I don't think I will, as this is the one and only time that they'll be riding the Metro in their lives." Never mind that they still had to ride the escalators out of the system.

Now, ever since I was young, people have stopped me to ask for directions and information all the time. Even when there has been a crowd of other people standing right next to me, it never fails that people go to me, so I guess I must look approachable. Accordingly, I'm always polite and solicitous when it comes to tourists. However, as I didn't hold out any hope for this twit of a tour guide to be reprimanded by AAA, I settled for a not-so-sotto voce epithet as I walked away.

by Craig on Jul 10, 2009 11:13 pm