Goosebumps

I was riding the Custis trail this morning on my way to work, when I heard that familiar "hiss" sound when you run over something that alerts you that your tire is going to be flat in about 15 seconds.

But is story is not about my flat tire, as that is a pretty boring story due the fact that I had an extra tube and all my tools with me. What I found amazing is that I did not have 1, 2, 3 or even 5 people stop to ask if I needed help…I had 11 people stop and ask me if I needed help! Offers rolled in for tubes, CO2 cartridges, to a variety of tools to get me back on the road. It just made me think how uber friendly everyone was out on the trail today.

I read on this forum all the time about how rude many cyclists are, but today I could not have found a better group of cyclists. I was truly blown away by everyone's kindness.

God forbid I was ever stuck somewhere on I-495 in my car…because I know nobody would have stopped to see if I needed help.

GB

DCCommuter

Any time it's 56 degrees on groundhog day, I feel pretty magnanamous too!

derath

I would stop and help you on 495. But then again I live up near the PA line, so the DC mentality has not tainted me so bad.

-D

Guest

Yeah- folks out here are soooooo nice. I stop too!

Last night, I was getting off the 14th Street bridge, and a guy was stopped on the side of the bridge doing... something. I stopped and asked if he was ok. He was so shocked. His voice must have went two octaves higher when he said something like "wow! Thanks for stopping! No, I don't need any help!". I had to laugh. Turns out he was just taking his coat off because it was so hot out here.

That rarely happened in Chicago. Sometimes people would stop, but most of the time, they keep rolling.

Koffee

Marylandnewbie

I don't always stop, but I do always slow down and ask if people need help. Usually the person is all set since most commuters I've come across have tools and tubes and such at the ready. In a few cases I've loaned a pump or fixed some errant panniers. I think every time I've been stopped at least one person has asked if I've needed help.

Koffee -- recently I slowed way down to ask a woman at trailside if she needed help and then repeated myself when she didn't answer. As I pulled up beside her I realized she was on a cellphone.

Guest

Wasn't me.

Koffee

cc_rider

The cyclists around DC are supportive of each other. Not everyone, but enough.

I've been riding this area for 25 years, and I can't count how many times I've seen someone broken down by the roadside or trailside with two or three or more people stopped to help.
Every time I've had a breakdown, or even when I just stop to adjust my gear, I often get someone asking if I need help.
And if someone else looks like they might be in trouble, I slow and ask, and try to help. Everything from use of my multi tool, to helping with a flat, to loaning a cell phone, to driving someone back to their car.

Albino_Litigato

People on the Custis are pretty nice. Is it because we have the shared community of, when going Westbound, having to scale one hill that takes the wind out of you, only to find that, once you've gone back down a bit, you've got to go up an even steeper hill? (I refer to the one as you approach Glebe, going Westbound.)

jimmuter

My Dad lives in Alexandria. I keep meaning to bring my bike up when I visit because of all the great trails to ride. Many years ago when I had grandparents living in Falls Church and McLean, I was struck by the number of options for getting around by foot or bike. I'm guessing the bike culture has been around there long enough for folks to know how to act toward one another. Yours is a great story.

joshdcu

Cool story. (Eleven people?!? -Wow!)

Every time I've had a problem, people have always stopped or slowed to see if things were alright or if I needed anything (I commute from home in DC to work in Old Town Alexandria, mostly on the Mt. Vernon Trail...). As a result, I always try to do the same.

I find that bike commuters here tend to generally look out for each other (contradicting DC's general reputation for unfriendliness, which I've never found to be quite true, anyway...). I guess we all have problems at one time or another, so we know how much it sucks to have a flat or mechanical on the way to work or home.

tulip

Josh, we have the same commute, so you must be the person who passes me (I'm a bit of a slowpoke)--most people are going the other way! See ya next week.

joshdcu

Cool! I don't see a whole lot of people out there going my way, so I'm not sure if I've seen you (maybe we're out there at different times?); but please say 'hi' if you see a guy on a gray Specialized Langster.

tulip

Okay, will do. I'm the slow chick on the Jamis! You might miss me when you zoom by.

joshdcu

Ha ha... I don't know that I'm always zooming (not this morning, at least!), but I'll keep an eye out.

tulip

A few fast folks zoomed by me today. I didn't look to see if they were riding fixies or not. They were all going too fast! I'll get faster by spring, I know I will. And then I can start riding my fast road bike.

joshdcu

Sounds like a plan!