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Mr Wells will have his hands full, but making M street more pedestrian/bike/public transit friendly vs single driver car friendly is not only doable, payable but we all will look back in 10 years and be so thankful it was done now. At worst case they can easily tear out $300,000 in improvements if the idea is not popular--I mean really that is pocket change and amounts like that are wasted in DC all the time.

This is doable and it needs to be done!

Not related to M St. SE/SW, but I just read in the W. Post that dedicated bike lanes will be added to the middle of Pennsylvania Ave. between the White House and the Capitol. The project is on the fast-track so we should see these new lanes in about a month according to Jim Sebastian, DDOT's bike coordinator. Pretty cool!

If the author had bothered to report the Complete street "SW community" event accurrately and without prejudice one would have first noted that the woman you describe as "angry" was actually the elected First District Ward Six Rep for the South West Neighborhood Assmebly Grace E. Daughtridge.

Second the mic was not working properly and the ANC Commissioner that spoke prior could not be heard and again he was complaining about the great loss of parking for SW DC residents with recent addition of meters and worries that SW residents are having their already limited parking further taken away. I spoke loudly into the mic so that my constituients wishes could be heard clearly and effectively.

Third the SWNA was not even informed completely about this meeting and we were given only two days notice by DC councilman Wells.

Fourth this Complete street community meeting did not represent the SW community as a whole for most in our SW Community did not know that there was even a meeting and furthermore most who were in attendance, other than the elected officials and their employees, did not even live in SWDC 20024.

In fact the demographics did not even reflect the majority of Washington DC residents who live in SWDC at all.

Additionally this complete street meeting was also held at 6pm which is next to impossible for working Americans to attend.

I tried to make the meeting from Howard University Hospital and took 9th street where I did not see one cyclist using the bike lane at rush hour at 6pm no less. Not until I reached West Minister Church on 'I' street did I see a cyclist who was none other than David Sobelsohn another one of our ANC Commissioners who fought hard to ensure SW neighbors without vehicles would be able to purchase groceries while SAFEWAY was closed and moving to new digs on Fourth. Note he did tell the SW residents just to ride their bikes nor to take metro and even complained himself of the great distance he would have to ride his bike to get his groceries and he is a single male.

Now about the very false and inacurrate claim that I do not like cyclists. I worked in bike shops in Colorado for several years and raced mountain bikes NORBA. I have been on trails that most only dream about riding. I also own three bikes and I am a native Washingtonian.

About the claim that only half of Washiongtonians drive cars in Washington DC...You would have be a real local to to know the simple fact that many do not register their automobiles in Washington DC and use addresses in Maryland and Virginia to avoid the great expense of DC insurance.

There are many that live and work here but are from some place else too and they retain their license plates from other states even Canada. Again one needs to check out all the differing license plates that are not registered in Washington DC and many of whom park in private parking to avoid tickets and street parking all together. In fact one of my SW private parking lots have many residents cars with out of town tags that have been living and working in Washington DC for years.

I was not being sarcastic either when I told the crowd of strangers in my neighborhood at the SW community meeting congratulations for being able to carry a family of groceries: a gallon of milk, orange juice, water, cereal, meat, a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, laundry detergent, bleach, toilet paper, greens, tomatoes, potatoes...You know the basics for a family. I meant it for that is quite a task for which the Councilman Tommy Wells claimed also he does and can not wait for the photos and video.

Most are not able to carry family sized groceries on a bike.

Ridding children on your bike to school is irresponsible and dangerous no matter. Cars have seat belt laws and more laws pertaining to car seats for children under five and even a certain weight and height for the simple reason of safety. Remember the young woman crushed to death by the dump truck in her bike lane and it was not the fault of the truck driver? One is endangering children when ridding them on a bike to drop them off at school no matter.

So who do these bikes lanes serve exactly since our SW DC community is primarily single family units?

Have any of you met the "Sassy Seniors" at Green Leaf Recreation Center in SW? If you had, you would know that these real SW neighborhood seniors are exercising in chairs to be fit and are not on bikes. 50 year olds are not "true" seniors and most over 65 are not riding bikes commuting to and from work nor picking up groceries on a bike in SWDC below the SW freeway.

Biking is a great sport however, it is not an adequate alternative for the average commuter. Riding a bike is not for every one what so ever. Bike lanes do not service the entire community but only a limited few.

During snow storms, rain, and bad weather bikes are not a good alternative either.

Bike theft is a chronic problem and has been reported in the City Paper that bikes are stolen from the nation's Capitol bikes stands and sold on Craig's list within minutes of the theft. Bike parts are taken from bikes too. The seat, the pedals, the wheels, the brakes, the cables, and walking home with that bike frame or with out your bike is not fun and the bike shop will be more than happy to sell you a new bike and parts over and over again. Just like a car replacing stolen bikes and bike parts is expensive.

This story fails on some many levels and illustrates well the author's lack of basic knowledge about Washington D.C. and the fact that this Complete Street "community " meeting did not envolve the SW Community.

The majority attending the meeting I noted did not ride a bike to this meeting.

one would have first noted that the woman you describe as "angry" was actually the elected First District Ward Six Rep for the South West Neighborhood Assmebly[sic] Grace E. Daughtridge.

I don't see how this changes things, but I'll update the post accordingly

Second the mic was not working properly

It was. I've spent a lot of time around mics. You have to hold it closer to your mouth than you think. People think they can hold it several inches away because that's what people do on TV, but those are expensive mics.

I spoke loudly into the mic so that my constituients[sic] wishes could be heard clearly and effectively.

Loud was not why I sensed "anger". Perhaps I perceived it wrong. No one else disputed it though. If you weren't angry, you put off that vibe in my opinion.

Third the SWNA was not even informed completely about this meeting and we were given only two days notice by DC councilman Wells.

He posted about it on his blog five days beforehand, and I heard about it the day before that. What would you have done with more time?

Fourth this Complete street community meeting did not represent the SW community...most who were in attendance, other than the elected officials and their employees, did not even live in SWDC 20024.

M also crosses into SE

most in our SW Community did not know that there was even a meeting

Didn't SWNA do anything to inform them? You had two days.

In fact the demographics did not even reflect the majority of Washington DC residents who live in SWDC at all.

This is a common problem with community meetings. It skews toward the young and the older (but not the truly elderly) because they don't have kids at home. It skews towards home owners. It is not a cross-section.

Additionally this complete street meeting was also held at 6pm which is next to impossible for working Americans to attend.

Were the people who were there unemployed or foreign?

I tried to make the meeting from Howard University Hospital and took 9th street where I did not see one cyclist using the bike lane at rush hour at 6pm no less. Not until I reached West Minister Church on 'I' street did I see a cyclist

Something like 7% of the vehicles on the roads of DC are bicycles. That you did not see one, does not make that untrue. It's like baby pigeons - just because you don't see them, doesn't mean they don't exist.

...who was none other than David Sobelsohn another one of our ANC Commissioners who fought hard to ensure SW neighbors without vehicles would be able to purchase groceries while SAFEWAY was closed and moving to new digs on Fourth. Note he did tell the SW residents just to ride their bikes nor to take metro and even complained himself of the great distance he would have to ride his bike to get his groceries and he is a single male.

I don't know why I didn't mention this.

Now about the very false and inacurrate[sic] claim that I do not like cyclists.

You may like cyclists, but that was not the impression you gave off.

I am a native Washingtonian.

And your vote counts no more than anyone else's. I'm sorry but being a native Washingtonian or having lived in the neighborhood for 30 years or whatever stuff people pull out like that at meetings is completely inconsequential. Do you think you're more important because you live in the place you were born? If not, why is this statement pertinent?

About the claim that only half of Washiongtonians[sic] drive cars in Washington DC...You would have be a real local to to know the simple fact that many do not register their automobiles in Washington DC and use addresses in Maryland and Virginia to avoid the great expense of DC insurance.

Ah, I see where the native Washingtonian comes in to play. I love how you "have to be a local to know" on one hand, and it's a "simple fact" on the other. But if it's a simple fact, the Texas Transportation Institute is filled with idiots because they missed it. In 2000 they noted that 33% of DC residents use transit, 12% Walk, 2% bike and 4% Work from home. 62% of household own at least one car.

In fact one of my SW private parking lots have many residents cars with out of town tags that have been living and working in Washington DC for years.

Screw those people (and the people who register our of state to pay cheaper insurance). Unless they're one of the classes that are allowed to keep out of state license plates on their car, they're criminals.

I was not being sarcastic either when I told the crowd of strangers in my neighborhood at the SW community meeting congratulations for being able to carry a family of groceries:

Again, it sounded sarcastic

Most are not able to carry family sized groceries on a bike.

Most? I don't know. Many? Yes. Replace "able" for "willing" and it's a more accurate statement.

Ridding[sic] children on your bike to school is irresponsible and dangerous no matter.

Poppycock

Remember the young woman crushed to death by the dump truck in her bike lane and it was not the fault of the truck driver?

No. I remember the young woman crushed to death by the dump truck in her bike lane and it was the fault of the truck driver. What does this have to do with biking kids to school?

One is endangering children when ridding[sic] them on a bike to drop them off at school no matter.

Poppycock

So who do these bikes lanes serve exactly since our SW DC community is primarily single family units?

People like David Sobelsohn another one of your ANC Commissioners.

most over 65 are not riding bikes commuting to and from work nor picking up groceries on a bike in SWDC below the SW freeway.

I don't know the statistics on those over 65. But I do know that some bike. And many, many walk. And one purpose of this project was to add a small median to M that would make it easier for pedestrians to cross.

Biking is a great sport however,

True, but we're not talking about sport, we're talking about transportation.

it is not an adequate alternative for the average commuter.

Poppycock

Riding a bike is not for every one what so ever[sic]. Bike lanes do not service the entire community but only a limited few.

Would you care for me to list all of the things the District does that does not service the entire community? But bike lanes do service the entire community in that there are free-rider benefits. When one of your neighbors bikes to work, they free up parking, reduce congestion, reduce pollution, improve health, reduce C02 emissions. In short when David Sobelsohn bikes, you win.

And many of those people bike because they can't afford a car. Biking is very cheap. It is much more egalitarian than driving frankly. If anything is elitist, it's highways (or maybe airports)

During snow storms, rain, and bad weather bikes are not a good alternative either.

Neither are flip flops, but many people own them and use them. If there are even 10 days a year when weather makes biking impossible I'd be shocked. And on most of those days, driving is a bad idea too.

Bike theft is a chronic problem...

Bike theft is not a reason to not build bike lanes. It is a reason to crack down on bike theft.

This story fails on some[sic] many levels....

It's hard to argue with that

and illustrates well the author's lack of basic knowledge about Washington D.C.

I'm willing to go head to head with you in a DC Knowledge-off any day of the week. I, for example, know how to spell 'Washingtonian.'

The majority attending the meeting I noted did not ride a bike to this meeting.

They would have, had there been bike lanes on M Street.

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