Thursday Afternoon Commute - How can you have a five-foot shoulder on a 55 mph highway and bring your grandchildren with you?

Good afternoon

• A cyclist was hit by a WMATA bus and the driver drove away. The cyclist tried to contact WMATA and were told that there was no way to find out which bus it was and WMATA did not take any responsibility.
• VDOT tries to reroute the Virginia Capitol Trail away from Route 5 to make it more appealing to recreational riders. The locals are not happy. "Concerns included safety and traffic control, loss of property to the trail, and the use of taxpayer money to redesign, build and maintain the trail."
• A student, riding his unicycle to school, was ticketed for riding a bike on the sidewalk. But he argued that a bike is defined as having two or more wheels. 
• Bicycling stamps are available today.

Comments

[Kolohe]

Yeah, I almost got run over by the 32 metrobus Westbound near Eastern Market day before yesterday.

And really, if it's illegal for a bicycle it's illegal for a unicycle. Got stuck behind a unicycle once on the MVT, and their motion takes up more space than a bike and moves faster than a pedistrian

[MM]

I've never ridden hwy 5 through there, but I've driven it many times, including times when cyclists were present...sweet jeeziss I got stressed out just passing cyclists and can't even imagine riding that section. Super narrow, no shoulder, lots of blind corners and dips....and yes, 55mph. And heaven forbid the massive farms and plantations out there had to give up a few hundred square feet of land for a trail that would be a huge draw if it was more easily accessible.

[Shawn]

Aren't all Metrobuses now equipped with cameras inside the bus, to record possible altercations? I know at least some of the 32/36s are, and I can imagine more routes have them.

[Ross Patterson]

WMATA may choose not to help the cyclist identify the driver, but that doesn't remove WMATA's liability for the driver's actions. Instead of focusing on criminal charges against the driver, the cyclist should bring a civil case against WMATA. It might even convince them to identify the driver :-)

[dayglo]

That unicycle kid needs to go to law school - would make a great lawyer.