Comments on Streetcar track poses hazard to one contributor and her bike - Greater Greater Washington

Comment by Capt. Hilts

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:58:06 EDT

It's an aquired skill. It took a little bit of practice for me in Toronto.

Comment by Richard Masoner

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:10:23 EDT

Did somebody say cycletrack down the middle of the tracks?

Comment by Dennis Jaffe

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:32:02 EDT

I had almost the exact same kind of accident three years ago in Portland, OR, with a moderately serious injury. I emailed WABA executive director Shane Farthing, hoping he would take seriously this very well done report issuing recommendations based on lessons learned from a study of "interactions" between bicycles and streetcars. I didn't hear back.

http://www.altaplanning.com/App_Content/files/pres_stud_docs/Bicycle_Streetcar_Memo.pdf

Comment by Alan Page

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:05:40 EDT

I am all for bike lanes on I street, preferably one in the direction of traffic and a contraflow one going east on the other side of the street. I Street NE is quite wide and could comfortably accomodate bikers on either side and traffic in the middle.

Comment by Alan Page

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:03:55 EDT

I had a bike accident due to the opposite problem: I rode to the right of the streetcar tracks (after having a prior experience getting my tire caught in them when making a right onto H from 8th), then had someone in an SUV throw open a door without looking, which I braked to avoid hitting, skidded out on the wet asphalt (it had recently rained) and busted my knee. The driver of the vehicle got out and asked "What happened?" as if it was not immediately obvious. Shout out to Metro Mutts, the store whose emblazoned logo was on the side of the SUV. Folks in parked cars, please look over your shoulders before opening doors on the traffic side of the road.

Comment by Payton

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:37:49 EDT

To whom should we highlight double-parking hot spots? Our ANC reps? Perhaps these are locations where higher-priced street parking (to open up curb space) and/or loading zones are needed. I counted a full dozen double parked cars blocking the bike lanes outside Waterfront Station (4th St SW) the other day.

As for the alternately snarky/defensive tone in the comments, I'd hazard that the headline is kind of "Dog Bites Man." It's unfortunate, but really incredibly common. Like I said, it's the #1 cause of bike crashes in Toronto* and I'd imagine that it's a leading cause in plenty of European cities as well. I've fallen over on rails before, even though I'm always completely on edge when riding around them.** Yes, there was a double-parked car, but it's not like the cyclist had no way of knowing that the rails were there -- they're there for the entire length of the street. I was recently riding on H, between the rails, and someone in front of me stopped to turn right; I just had to stop and wait until either she could proceed, or I could safely merge to the left.

* Toronto has the continent's most extensive and best-patronized streetcar networks, along miles of thriving/fascinating streetcar retail streets; central Toronto neighborhoods have bike mode shares over 10%, among the highest in North America. You'd think these cyclists would be used to it.
** Sort of OT: do not wear your Kryptonite chain lock around your waist. I was doing so when I toppled that one time, and landed on the chain; it bruised me badly, and apparently similar accidents have resulted in broken pelvises and looong recoveries.

Comment by shawguy

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:39:23 EDT

I'll second all the comments on here from Philadelphians - bikers in Philly learn, quickly, to just be sure you are *always* crossing streetcar tracks at a bare minimum of a 45 degree angle (90 degrees is, of course, the ideal). Every Philly biker got caught in a track once and learned this (sadly usually quite painful) lesson. DC bikers will do the same with time. I just learned to steer clear of streets with tracks and if my destination was on one (as it often was), ride a parallel street until I got a block away, cross up to the street I was going to, and then ride or walk my bike on the sidewalk for that final half a block until I got to a place I could park it.

Comment by Mr. Carlin

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:27:22 EDT

Double-parking is tolerated way too much. Even the existence of that term is pernicious: "Parking in the middle of the road" is what it should be called, and people should lose their licenses when they do it.

Comment by jt

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:28:04 EDT

k street isn't too bad as well

Comment by jason

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:05:14 EDT

Wait...so why isn't being careful an option? I mean, self-preservation should factor into the equation? We're careful when we ride, generally, why not when there are pitfalls in the road?

Comment by Doug

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:52:03 EDT

@Richard
"much more homogeneous demographically, and so getting people to follow the law might be easier there"

That was vaguely racist.

Comment by Richard Layman

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:26:09 EDT

Falls Church -- enforcement won't have impact until the streetcar is in service, there is a roving tow truck, and massive fines.

I don't think you understand how stuff works in certain DC neighborhoods about rampant violation of double parking and jaywalking against traffic signals. cf. _Streetwise_ by Elijah Anderson. There is such wanton disregard that without certain exogeneous variables like big, heavy streetcars, things won't change anytime soon.

Portland of course is much more homogeneous demographically, and so getting people to follow the law might be easier there...

Comment by tom veil

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:24:58 EDT

@Alex: I think you have the same model of bike as my wife! That's a pretty nice city bike, although I have to hunch over too much when I borrow it.

Comment by tom veil

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:22:22 EDT

@Critical Chris: Sorry, I realized I wasn't clear. The bike should be on the sidewalk to avoid the trolley tracks. It's legal anywhere east of the Capitol, as far as I know. If private automobiles were banished to G and I streets, then there would be plenty of room to expand the sidewalk so that bikers don't crash into walkers. Lots of German downtowns are like this, and it works great.

Comment by HogWash

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:18:21 EDT

Seems as if people are attaching motivations to and making assumptions about AlexB that were never there.

Comment by d

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:51:53 EDT

pesky tracks! what are those doing there anyways?

Comment by oboe

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:15:37 EDT

Well, on the other hand, if there's going to be a specific crack-down on double parking on H St, it should start now, rather than waiting for streecars.

Personally, I think DC should increase parking enforcement close to the point where we see *zero* infractions. It's generally a revenue maker, and the costs fall mostly on non-residents. Let's make DC like Singapore.

Comment by Falls Church

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:11:18 EDT

I still dont understand why everyone is neglecting the double parked car.

My guess is because DC parking enforcement is widely considered as efficient and effective...perhaps too much so by some.

As far as cracking down on double-parking goes, we will be seeing a crackdown once the streetcar starts running. Either that or the streetcar will be unusable.

Well, on the other hand, if there's going to be a specific crack-down on double parking on H St, it should start now, rather than waiting for streecars. Double parkers create a greater problem on roads with tracks for both bikers and streetcar riders, so it's reasonable that there would be extra enforcement and penalties that's added in two phases. The first when the tracks are laid down and then an additional layer when the streetcars start running.

Streetcar tracks are simply not compatible with double parking.

Comment by elmothehobo

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:50:09 EDT

@oboe: that, and bikers would be better off not riding on active streetcar tracks. To me that seems like common sense, but then again, this is DC. I fully expect helmetless bikers getting all kinds of head injuries and suing WMATA/whoever ends up operating the streetcar.

Anyone that is proposing a physical change to the streetcar tracks is 100% off their rocker. It cost millions to lay the tracks in the first place, now people want to spend millions more idiot-proof them?

People will learn to deal with the streetcar, and if they don't, Darwin will take them.

Comment by oboe

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:41:08 EDT

As far as cracking down on double-parking goes, we will be seeing a crackdown once the streetcar starts running. Either that or the streetcar will be unusable.

Comment by Jasper

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:38:21 EDT

@ alexbaca: I was using "you" in the generic form, not pointing at you as a person.

I guess it should have been more directed at the author that you are person involved. Me and Dave've had squabbles in the past about taking and making it personal when certain authors/commenters here call certain neighborhoods ghettos and publish misleading information, so I try really hard to keep it general.

My point: This is a non-issue, unless someone has a report that it's a lot smarter to build streetcar tracks in the center of the road.

Comment by oboe

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:29:25 EDT

@Doug:

I take it you spend a lot of time on a bike with skinny tires and drop-bars?

http://youtu.be/5z1fSpZNXhU?t=40s

It's not about the bike...

Comment by AWalkerInTheCity

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:28:40 EDT

I understand conditions will never be perfect. But with people proposing everything from bikes not using the street at all, to alternative ways of building the street car, to using BRT instead, I wonder if stiffer parking enforcement in THOSE locales where the street car/bike conflict is most manifest, wouldn't be a more cost benefit efficient solution.

Comment by Lance

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:28:00 EDT

She bounced into a COP car ... ? And nothing in the rest of the story on what happened next? Enquiring minds want to know ... Did she get a ticket? Get arrested and hauled off to jail? Get a sympathetic shoulder to lean on from a cop with a dented door? Come on ... You can't leave us hanging like this !!!!

Also ... interesting to learn that Alex is a she ... Not that it makes a difference other then who you have in mind when responding ... Next I guess we're going to learn that Biachi is a guy (I've always assumed a she ... Maybe because I had a female biker friend whose dream bike was a Bianchi ...)

Comment by Richard Layman

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:18:59 EDT

No, but obviously, in the city, you have to deal with double parked cars, and cars parking in bike lanes ALL THE TIME. It's hardly a unique or atypical condition.

(and depending on the neighborhood, people crossing the street in the face of oncoming traffic, against the walk signal.)

Comment by elmothehobo

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:17:45 EDT

... is this really news? I sprained my wrist when I (stupidly) swerved my bike across the center slot on the tracks in Georgetown and supermaned off my bike.

The first thing I thought was "Wow I'm a massive idiot and should have never in a million years done something so stupid," not, "OMG streetcar tracks are dangerous, something needs to be done to protect me from them," which is what you suggested in your comments here.

It's called common sense and personal responsibility. If you don't use the former, you better save face and use the latter.

Short of pulling up the tracks there is no solution to this problem.

Comment by Richard Layman

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:16:54 EDT

WRT Falls Church's comments on the type of bike, s/he's right about having the right kind of bike for city conditions. I use a hybrid, so the wheels are wide enough to deal with potentially lousy road conditions (that doesn't mean that I don't mess up from time to time). I also don't ride that fast, about 10-13 mph, so that I can deal with road hazards if they all of a sudden come up.

Yes, I envy all the people with narrow tires who pass me while riding, but... I think my bike ends up being more multi-purpose through a variety of conditions.

I don't ride as much as I used to, because I work at home, but with this kind of bike, I ride 300+ days/year in normal conditions.

Comment by AWalkerInTheCity

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:16:54 EDT

I still dont understand why everyone is neglecting the double parked car. Double parking is illegal, and creates all kinds of dangers, and not just to bikes.

Did I misread or miss something?

Comment by @Doug

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:10:36 EDT

@Alexbaca
...but can you do this on it?

Comment by Froggie

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:09:09 EDT

Something to ponder: this could just be one of those unavoidable accidents. I certainly don't see any issue with Alex's actions. Sometimes, things just happen.

Comment by alexbaca

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:05:46 EDT

@Jasper, I never blamed anyone/anything, and I'm bothered to hear you imply that I did. I tweeted my initial comment as a statement—not a finger-point—and was responding to those who responded to me on Twitter last night. If David's aggregation of my tweets in this post suggested as much, that's on him, not me.

Comment by Jasper

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:01:16 EDT

@ alexbaca:have gotten quite good at either planning my routes to avoid H Street itself or cutting across the tracks at a hard angle to avoid spilling.

You need to bike where you feel safe. That is very important. Having said that, you just need to know that you *have to* cross streetcar tracks at an angle. Sure, you can't avoid all accidents. However, to stay with this example, the double parked car, and the tracks did not come out of nowhere. The biker could have avoided the situation easily by anticipating. If you can't avoid parked cars, and tracks, how can you be safe with (new) potholes and moving objects?

Perhaps, the tracks would have been safer in the center of the road. I don't know what the impact on traffic would be.

However, as an experienced biker, I strongly believe you can't blame others for hitting non-moving objects.

Comment by alexbaca

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:57:40 EDT

@Doug, I have a Jamis Coda Femme. Yes, the tires are skinny. No, I don't hunch over, because I have flat, not drop, handlebars. I needed a nimble, lightweight bike and it's been perfect for the starting and stopping that city riding requires, as @Falls Church mentions.

I don't race bikes. I ride them for transportation.

Comment by Falls Church

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:51:03 EDT

You really aren't getting around much faster on your racing bike anyway. It's just unnecessary,

I think the biggest advantage of a racing bike is the lower intertia which makes it easier to get going from a standstill. City biking involves a lot starting and stopping, so that's a big advantage. Another advantage is that road bikes are easier to carry up and down stairs and through doors. I've scraped up my leg many times carrying my fairly heavy hybrid through doors.

Comment by Falls Church

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:47:46 EDT

I don't think it's possible to fix the road to solve this problem, so you need to either (a) change your tires to something that's more compatible with street hazards and/or (b) increase your biking skill level to cope with street hazards.

I appreciate this article for bringing to my attention the need to be extra cautious around streetcar tracks. It's also useful to factor in this information when weighing the pros/cons of buying different types of bikes (personally, I use a hybrid that's on the hefty side. I have to deal with many kinds of hazards in a suburban biking environment with infrastructure that's designed with biking as an afterthought). Third, the folks a Alta Bikeshare should be alerted to the growing problem of biking near streetcar tracks as their bikes (which are intended to be usable by novice bikers) should be modified if necessary to handle streetcar tracks reasonably well (a modification that could be made as parts need to be replaced over time).

Comment by Doug

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:43:21 EDT

I'd be curious to know if the OP has one of those racing type bikes with super thin tires that you have to hunch over to ride? I feel like those bikes are more prone to accidents and easier to lose control of. Also in a case like this maybe easier for the tires to slip into tracks. I think a normal bike or mountain bike would be better. The riding position is more natural and therefore it's just easier to more the bike around underneath you and maneuver. You really aren't getting around much faster on your racing bike anyway. It's just unnecessary, it's like if you commuted in a formula one car and were complaining about bottoming out on speed bumps. If your not training for the Tour De France you don't need a racing bike. Also, if you had a small BMX you could just bunny hop over the tracks (really not that hard once you get the hang of it).

Comment by alexbaca

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:32:53 EDT

@Jasper, I didn't write the headline...or this post. I know how to control my bike and how to face obstacles on the road. I ride every day, often around the H Street area, and have gotten quite good at either planning my routes to avoid H Street itself or cutting across the tracks at a hard angle to avoid spilling. Unfortunately, that's not possible 100 percent of the time.

I don't know if there's a good solution here. I agree signage will help those who aren't aware that the tracks exist. But what if you do, and are forced to ride on H for one reason or another? I'm happy to be careful, and I think that I haven't ever hit anything on H Street in the past is a testament to the fact that I am. And I'm not opposed to DDOT leaving it as-is. This should have been planned better in the past, and perhaps the city will learn from it.

Comment by Michael

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:16:54 EDT

egk is right of course. Just having a different surface for the lane travelled by streetcars is enough of a natural, passive deterrent, such as grass or cobble stones. Or of course you could have suspended streetcars, with the tracks overhead (ha!), or stick with buses and underground tracks. (If only our Metro were immediately below the surface instead of deep down in the bedrock, we wouldn't have to spend half the trip on those annoyingly-slow escalators.)

Comment by Jasper

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:04:56 EDT

BTW: The headline of this article is similar to "Gravity poses threat to bikers". Before you go on the road, you need to be able to control your bike. Also when obstacles present themselves on the road.

Comment by Jasper

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:58:11 EDT

View Larger Map

It all works fine in Amsterdam.

It does take respect between different users. Cars need to understand that bikers can not cross tracks parallel. Bikers need to know that too. Everybody needs to give everybody else space.

BTW: Look at the tracks and see that this is a two-way track.

This is the same place the other way:

View Larger Map

Comment by egk

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:52:45 EDT

Best solution, of course is - nice separate facilities:

View Larger Map

Comment by Froggie

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:52:08 EDT

@andrew: the signage thing could certainly be done, and that's probably the best bet for the time being. I'd suggest K though instead of I since K connects across the rail tracks.

@crin: I can relate. Did something similar heading to the Bikeshare birthday. Those GGW regulars who've seen me over the past 6 weeks got to see the after-effects.

Comment by crin

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:45:06 EDT

There's no fix. Cyclists will have to get used to it and add it to the mental list of 78 other things that suck and can hurt us.

I once took a merge from street to driveway too obliquely and the 1 inch tall lip of the concrete apron swiped my wheels from underneath me. I did not ask for concrete driveway aprons to be banned or retrofitted. I just never did that again.

Comment by MDE

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:29:33 EDT

Bus Rapid Transit.

Comment by andrew

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:27:30 EDT

1) How thick is the wheel flange on a modern streetcar? On future segments, could we narrow the gap on straight sections of rail, where it doesn't really need to be more than an inch wide?

2) Can we install signage warning cyclists of the hazard, and informing them of the bike-friendly streets on G and I?

Comment by fongfong

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:56:01 EDT

I had the same experience over 30 years ago when riding in Boston. Never having crossed a tram track before, I had no idea that the combination of steel, wet and narrow rubber would be recipe for disaster. As I was gathering my pride while lying on the wet pavement, as if from a Greek tragedy, an old lady emerged from the mist a said to my prone self, "That's what happens when you cross the tracks at an angle!"

Let's start a campaign for signage on H Street with that motto.

Comment by Richard Layman

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:55:06 EDT

Hmm. I guess DC needs to install these signs sooner rather than later.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rllayman/47151177/in/datetaken/

Comment by ksu499

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:46:46 EDT

I wonder if the operator of the cop car she bounced off could have given the double-parked car a ticket.

Comment by MrTinDC

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:43:51 EDT

I haven't yet encoutered this problem, but I suspect the tires of a Bikeshare bike are wide enough for it to be less of an issue. Has anyone ever gotten hung up in the streetcar tracks on a CaBi bike?

Comment by Squalish

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:37:18 EDT

Might it be reasonable to back down on the "Roads are for wheels and sidewalks are for feet" message on streetcar routes?

Comment by charlie

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:28:23 EDT

can we just stop the bike on transit violence? Please, for all of us.

Comment by elliott

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:27:05 EDT

As a DC native now living in Philly, I'll join the chorus - the safest way to bike in the land of streetcars is to avoid the tracked streets at all costs. Seriously, at some point you will get screwed by the tracks. I have yet to meet a cyclist living in West Philly without a "trolley track accident" story. Of course alexbaca is right, if you want to check out what restaurants are on H street, you *must* at some point ride on H street...

http://www.altaplanning.com/App_Content/files/pres_stud_docs/Bicycle_Streetcar_Memo.pdf This document is from a transit dept in Portland, concerning cyclists and streetcars. Haven't had a chance to read through it, but it might contain items of interest

Comment by PMT

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:25:44 EDT

Glad you are ok, Alex. It's hard to see bike friendly improvements on H St with the streetscape already being complete, but others have suggested adding bike lanes or bike sharing signage to G and I Streets, which is a good idea and would help here. Does anyone know how we get that done?

Comment by spookiness

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:25:25 EDT

lovin my balloon-tired bike!

Comment by oboe

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:21:50 EDT

What I've noticed is bikers tend to not slow down when they swerve.

A "swerve" is an emergency manuver. Hitting the brakes while swerving would just destablize the bike. Makes no sense.

Oftentimes they don't signal their intention to swerve. A lot of accidents can be avoided by slowing down.

Again, most drivers don't put on their turn signals when they swerve to avoid a pothole, either.

And while slowing down might avoid some accidents, the speed disparity between two vehicles can increase danger as well. Often the solution is to be looking far "down-range" so you can safely change lanes far in advance of double-parked cars. Not to slow down while swerving, etc...

Of course, then you've got folks who might take your lane-change as a provocation. After all, bikers are supposed to stay right at all times!

Comment by oboe

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:16:34 EDT

@Critical Chris:

So exactly which STREET (not the "limited access" freeways) in DC are you talking about Jerome?

My guess is that Jerome means any street he has, is currently, or is likely to in the future, be riding his car on.

Comment by TMH

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:16:14 EDT

Solution: Learn the cross streets and ride your bike down a less busy parallel road. Take the appropriate turn (left or right) and cross the streetcar tracks at a 90° angle or walk your bike across the street.

Comment by Anon

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:11:13 EDT

What I've noticed is bikers tend to not slow down when they swerve. Oftentimes they dont signal their intention to swerve. A lot of accidents can be avoided by slowing down.

As for street cars, they're buses without the mobility. I'd say we should prioritize bikes over fancy buses that can only go frontwards and backwards. But, no one asked me and they built the stuff anyway.

Comment by oboe

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:10:56 EDT

at some point cyclist have to realize that not every street is meant for them to ride on

First, I hope Alex is okay. That sucks.

Secondly--and this is not meant as a slam--but the tracks are there. They're not moving anywhere. As long as you're not crossing them at less than, say, less than 45 degrees, there's no problem. In an emergency, you can "hop" your front wheel a few inches. Etc, etc... Some of these same issues present themselves to motorcyclists as well.

Obviously, it's not as straightforward as riding on a street with no tracks, but the crumbling storm drainage grates on Bladensburg Rd present a much more serious threat to riders than the streetcar tracks. I've gone down on the wet pebbly stuff that makes up the sidewalks around the Washington Monument (only once), and my hip looked like I'd been attacked by a cheese-grater.

@Jerome:

At some point, people who don't cycle will have to realize that cyclists have a legal right to ride on streets, and that it's the cyclist's choice.

Comment by Payton

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:09:08 EDT

BTW, here's a link for the "Magnum brand rubber flange filler" [tittering]:
http://www.magnum-usa.com/crossings1.html

As far as I can tell, it's typically used for short sections like acute crossings rather than along the entire length of a track, since it gets mighty expensive.

Comment by AWalkerInTheCity

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:04:30 EDT

Street cars (whatever you think of the H street line in particular) are an important additional mode for urban life.

Double parking is illegal. In DC as elsewhere, IIUC.

Is the solution that unclear? Enforce laws against double parking.

Comment by Critical Chris

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:02:45 EDT

@tom veil... you wrote: "Quite frankly, bicycles and automobiles should not be on H St. We Americans aren't used to thinking this way, but busy commercial corridors and privately-owned vehicles just don't mix." If you could exclude motorists and their cars, and even cyclists and their bicycles, tell us how you would re-plan the street? What would you do with the new space in the streets? If everyone was prohibited from bringing their bicycles onto the street, how would you expect those who live in the peripheral neighborhoods here, (Carver Langston, Trinidad, Rosedale, Kingman Park among others) to access the nearby "commercial corridor" to engage in commerce with the local businesses closest to their own neighborhoods? As you may know millions like to shop with their bicycles, to get things like...oh let's say...groceries back home, and that not all of these peripheral neighborhoods are within what most city planners would consider "walking distance" to Metro rail stations.

Comment by BeyondDC

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:59:21 EDT

In response to its Columbia Pike streetcar plans, Arlington is planning bikeways on the two parallel streets.

We should be careful not to frame streetcars and bikes as antagonists. Streetcars will increase the density of the city and take people out of their cars. Those are things that will benefit cyclists. No one in their right mind would argue that Amsterdam, with its large tram network, is a less friendly place for bikes than, well, frankly *any* American city.

Comment by Payton

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:58:42 EDT

Almost one-third of bike crashes in Toronto are related to streetcar tracks:
http://bikeunion.to/clipping/vancouver-beware-cars-toronto-watch-streetcar-tracks

I agree that parallel routes should work for many bike trips, since the blocks are short. If you have to bike around the tracks, don't be shy about taking the streetcar lane, but always cross the tracks at a minimum 30-degree angle.

I've seen some tracks with a plastic/rubber "gap filler," but only on tracks for heavy and infrequent freight trains, not lighter and frequent streetcars.

Comment by DCBacon

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:49:23 EDT

I came down hard on my elbow after trying to get around a stopped Metrobus and getting the front wheel stuck in the tracks. Much more wary of the tracks now.

Comment by alexbaca

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:47:40 EDT

Hi everyone!

Let me clarify. I rarely ride on H Street NE, using instead—as many of you have told me to do—G, I, or often K. However, my friend and I were deciding where to eat and figured we'd ride on H to observe our options. I know how to ride over tracks to avoid getting stuck in them, but sometimes a hard angle isn't possible when you're swerving around double-parked cars, despite all the attention you might devote to your actions. Is this the fault of the double-parked car or the streetcar track, @Andrew? I probably wouldn't have hit anything if the tracks weren't there to throw me off, and I'm not tremendously upset about this, so it doesn't really matter where you choose to assign blame.

This is not the first time I've gotten stuck in the tracks or the expansion joints by the convention center, but it is the first time I've hit something. And, as @Elle pointed out, if your destination is on H Street, at some point, you will have to ride on it.

@Alex B., I was trying to imagine what could possibly work within the existing parameters. The tracks are already laid. If the city were considering the addition of cycling infrastructure, what would work? Perhaps the street shouldn't be multi-modal, but I think people are going to ride on H, streetcar tracks be damned, because there are destinations there.

@Ben, though I didn't tweet about it, I was wearing a helmet. It wasn't necessary for my protection in this case, as the impact wasn't strong enough to send my head anywhere.

Comment by tom veil

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:46:04 EDT

Quite frankly, bicycles and automobiles should not be on H St. We Americans aren't used to thinking this way, but busy commercial corridors and privately-owned vehicles just don't mix.

Comment by dan reed!

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:43:01 EDT

@KG

Absolutely. Trolley tracks are the bane of bicyclists across West Philadelphia. In fact, I got caught in one last week on Spruce Street when an errant metermaid tried to run me off the road. And you can't always avoid the tracks if that street is where you're going.

The best you can do is to be careful and never ride parallel to the tracks. Sometimes I ride between the tracks and, if I have to cross them, I do so at an angle so my wheels don't get caught. I also have a hybrid bike, so the tires are wider and are less likely to get caught in the tracks. (Ditto for mountain bikes, of course.)

As for H Street . . . it might've been nice if they'd taken out a car lane to make room for two bike lanes (one each direction), and had some kind of reversible or turning lane, or something. Funny how a road that wide can still have so many conflicts.

Comment by Critical Chris

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:42:35 EDT

@Jerome you wrote: "at some point cyclist have to realize that not every street is meant for them to ride on." Which street is that? Surely, you're not referring to H Street Northeast with its flat topography, the CaBi stations along its length, new bike parking improvements in the last few years, its proximity to the Bikestation at Union Station, its proximity (within easy CYCLING distance) to several Metro rail stations, the --all night-- X-2 line and X-9 express bus lines for multi-modal options. So exactly which STREET (not the "limited access" freeways) in DC are you talking about Jerome?

Comment by americancyclo

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:35:23 EDT

I lived and rode in SF for 9 years and only got tripped up by the streetcars twice. Both were my fault. Use G or I for travel, and be careful.

Comment by Critical Chris

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:31:26 EDT

Even worse are the hazards further down the tracks on Benning Road; there are STILL storm drains there that run almost the entire width of the lane that would catch a cyclist's tires even if they were NOT riding close to the streetcar tracks. Previously, there were similar drains on the H Street portion of the streetcar tracks that have been replaced, but there are still some remaining on Benning.

Comment by Ben

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:30:28 EDT

Unfortunate and I hope the cyclist is okay but this once again shows, despite the many comments to the contrary on this blog, why bicyclists should always wear a helmet. Even if you're paying attention, crashes like this can happen.

Comment by Jerome

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:25:28 EDT

at some point cyclist have to realize that not every street is meant for them to ride on

Comment by @SamuelMoore

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:21:46 EDT

I've had this happen to me... it sucks, but was definitely my fault.

I think a cycle track on I would make the most sense, that is IF anything at all should be done.

Comment by KG

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:19:29 EDT

I've lived in two European cities with lots of cyclists and streetcars - as well as Philadelphia, which has streetcar tracks all over West Philly and 12th/13th Streets in Center City. Cyclists in these cities have innately learned - as DC cyclists eventually will - that you've just got to be hyper-alert and not afraid to take the lane with streetcar tracks. (Or find another route).

Other than painting sharrows BETWEEN the tracks or using high-density rubber flange filler (which is a new, unproven technology), there isn't much in terms of infrastructure improvements that can be made to reduce the risks that streetcar tracks pose to cyclists.

So, sadly, I think outreach and education - mixed with some paint and signage - are the best things DDOT can do at the moment.

Comment by Alex B.

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:18:57 EDT

For H Street, the side streets are quite nice to cycle on. I, G, K, etc.

I'd also argue that Alex Baca's dream (cycletrack in the middle) is reversed - the cycle track (in the abstract) should be on the outside, the streetcar tracks should be in the middle. That said, perhaps a cycletrack on H isn't the best priority. Not every street can or should be all things to all modes.

Comment by Andrew

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:18:25 EDT

Is the streetcar track to blame? Or is the double-parked car?

Comment by Elle

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:16:24 EDT

Rayful Edmond,

At some point, if your destination is H Street, you must ride on it.

This is a problem I noticed early on and have been frustrated by constantly. This is a huge oversight in the urge to re-lay streetcar tracks all over town (and country) and short of redesigning tracks so they are narrower, have some sort of covering membrane, or...I don't know -- something! -- there's no real solution.

"Being careful" doesn't necessarily cut it -- particularly in situations like this where a swerve is needed.

Comment by Rayful Edmond

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:13:13 EDT

She should not have been riding on H. Eye St or G St are much easier to navigate.