Monday Morning Commute - Launch Day

Good morning. If you aren't doing anything a little after 1:00pm today, you can watch my satellite launch over on NASA TV.  Blogging might be light for awhile. 

• See, even without the three foot law it's hard to pass without inadvertently crossing the yellow line.
• Developers broke ground on Fenwick Station in Silver Spring. The building will back up to the future Capital Crescent Trail extension (should the Purple Line ever be funded) and will include a Capital Bikeshare station. Until the Purple Line work ends, it will also include a temporary walking and biking trail that will ultimately connect to the planned Capital Crescent Trail.
• The Cafritz-Riverdale Park-Trolley Trail project continues to make changes. 
• Stop by the public hearing for Washington Boulevard bridge over Jefferson Davis Highway rehab project between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at the VDOT Arlington Area Headquarters, 1426 Columbia Pike in Arlington.
• FABB's Bruce Wright responds to the LTTE complaining about DC's new priority on safe streets that provide space for everyone. 
• The Broadneck Trail's first phase will be delayed until summer because of utility relocation problems.
• Tales from the Sharrow's Brian McEntee has a family history with bicycling. 
• A discussion of police enforcement of events they didn't see. 
• Update on progress of bike-safety bills in Virginia. 
• CaBi serves as an example of how going big can often succeed where going small (SmartBike) did not. [Lesson for high speed rail?]
• Part of Chris Dorner's rambling manifesto: "Cyclist, I have no problem sharing the road with you. But, at least go the fucking speed limit posted or get off the road!!! That is a feasible request. Livestrong you fraudulent assholes."
• Wisoncon Avenue's road diet was meant to slow down traffic, which it did, and now people are unhappy. Is it easier to bike?
• Pedicabs in Reston.

Comments

[Purple Eagle]

As an Environmental Science teacher, let me with you good luck with the launch . . knowing how important the new Landsat will be for studying global change!

[craigsquirrel]

LOL, ...at least go the f***n speed limit? Gee, I thought posted speed limits were the speeds NOT to be exceeded. Not the MINIMUM speed required to travel at.
His rant is quite telling actually. Hmmm, next time I get involved in the "cyclists are scufflaws because they sometimes go through stop signs/lights" discussion I will be sure inquire whether the author (or the driving public as a whole) ever exceeds the legal posted speed limit in their car. Afterall, that would amount to breaking the law making almost all automobile drivers scufflaws just like (much more than) us ;)

[twk]

Congratulations on the successful launch. I know it is a very exciting time and big relief when you get off the ground. I got 20 months until mine (MMS) goes.

[Jonathan Krall]

@Wash, congrats on the launch. I'm very glad that Landsat continues.

@twk, I'm looking forward to whatever comes out of MMS. Unlike you and Wash, I don't have a satellite or spacecraft of my own, much less four, so I make do with data from everyone else's. Right now I'm working with measurements from the now-defunct IMAGE satellite.

@craigs, The myth that cyclists should not be allowed on the road unless they can ride at the speed limit is one I used to see a lot in on-line comments. It seems to have died down in the past few years, only to be replaced by other myths (such as that cyclists don't pay for roadway upkeep or that bicycles are as much of a danger to the public as cars and therefore should have license plates).

[Purple Eagle]

I was stopped by a police officer once (Park Police, I think) who told me I needed to be keeping up with the speed of traffic in order to ride in a lane (as opposed to on a shoulder). This was only a couple of years ago.

[Crikey7]

We will not be satisfied until cyclists break the exact same laws as drivers.

[SJE]

Next time we hear about scofflaws on bikes, you can't get much more "scofflaw" than triple homicides. I expect AAA to have some article about how the war on cars drove him insane.

[contrarian]

How could you even read Chris Dorner's "Manifesto" long enough to get to the part about cyclists? I couldn't get past the first paragraph.

[Michael H.]

Makes sense that someone like Chris Dorner would be a rabid bike hater. While not all bike haters are as off the deep end as he is, it does reveal the uninformed bias that the bike haters have.

There used to be more comments on various websites about how cyclists are a dangerous menace on the roads and trails. But then others pointed out that car drivers kill 32,000 Americans a year. Cyclists, maybe 1 or 2 a year nationwide, if even that many.