DC Metro Northeast Thread.
 

This is an exploratory thread to see where DC actually belongs. Whether it be northeast, or Southeast. So, events in the DC Metro, Maryland area should be discussed here, at least as a topic opener. Whichever sticky generates the most traffic will be the forum for DC, whether that be NE or SE.

There is also a poll forthcoming on this sticky. I'll leave the poll running for 30 days.

A few questions for DC-area cyclists:

1. How many of you regularly commute within the District?

2. If you do commute, do you tend to stick to roads with DDOT-provided bike lanes, or stick with the most direct route, regardless of the presence of bikes lanes?

3. If you commute by bike, does your place of employment provide for parking for your bicycle (e.g. racks in the parking structure or in front of office)? Do they allow you to bring your bike into your office or business?

1. How many of you regularly commute within the District?

I've been commuting daily for around four years. Each way is around four miles.

2. If you do commute, do you tend to stick to roads with DDOT-provided bike lanes, or stick with the most direct route, regardless of the presence of bikes lanes?

My commute has a 6 block section of bike lanes. They're nice in theory, but in practice they end up just being additional room for drivers to try and get ahead of other cars, double-park or get a jump on a right-on-red. So in some ways, in my experience, they're more of a hindrance. That said, I think they symbolize the city's intent to make itself more bike-friendly so I support it in the end.

3. If you commute by bike, does your place of employment provide for parking for your bicycle (e.g. racks in the parking structure or in front of office)? Do they allow you to bring your bike into your office or business?

My work (NPR) has a parking garage, which costs money to park in, but it also has a bike rack in the garage part as well as an additional locked room in the garage, with gravity stands, racks and open space to park a bike. It is very convenient and I feel totally confident parking an expensive bike in there without a lock.

Another article on DC in this Northeast forum post: "Hit and run on Capitol Crescent Trail." Granted, the section of the CCT mentioned is in Maryland, but the CCT covers a lot of ground in the District, as well.

Tom I, and many many others, firmly believe that there needs to be a Mid-Atlantic section.

Mid-Atlantic, just like I said in the other thread.

No question that a Mid-Atlantic section would rock. The five most viewed threads in Northeast specifically about Md, DC and Va(!) have received a total of over 125,000 views. (Yes, a thread here in NE section from '05 about Arlington, Va/DC got 2600+ views.)

It should be noted that the vast majority of those views are of a thread about Maryland riders, not about DC. I support the formation of a Mid-Atlantic section, but that's a separate issue. I would not want these stats to be used to support the placement of DC in Northeast. We all know where the most active thread about DC is currently located.

Actually some of you northerers might not know. It's in the Southeast section. Y'all come visit. Take your shoes off, set a spell.

"For years you Yankees have been muttering 'the North will rise again'!" - Granny Clampett

This NE forum is where almost every thread about DC is posted. I feel kind of stupid to have started a thread in SE. Honestly, I had a picture I wanted to share and didn't know where to put it. Hey, by the way, why don't you post a pic of the day in the K street thread when you have new stuff? You take nice pictures. I posted four today, but I try to just post one or less each day...

Are you the DC Rudi that is frequently mentioned in the Fredcast cycling podcast?

Will post pix - great idea, and I've been remiss in uploading for a while now.

Perhaps, yes. ;)

Would like to see a Mid-Atlantic forum.
Doesn't make sense to split the several hundred members in the DC area into two forums.

mid atlantic forum makes sense...it's on other forums i visit.

There seems to be a consensus that a Mid-Atlantic forum should be started and have the current threads in the NE & SE forums migrated over. I am sure that someone within our community would volunteer to be a moderator/admin to watch over things.

If it's so friggin' difficult, call it NE. Sheesh.

This is kind of late, but here goes:
1. I do every day -- from Brookland to Capitol Hill, ~ 4 miles
2. Since a major section has just completed being built, I now take the Metropolitan Branch Trail most of the way. The places from my house to the trail and from the trail to work are all without bike lanes. In general I prefer a street with a bike lane if I don't have to go more than a couple of blocks. But I also factor in road width (I will take a lane if it's really narrow but I prefer to avoid that), traffic volume, and road surface quality.
3. There are racks in front of the (large government) building as well as racks in the garage. I generally park outside (there are lots of police and it's pretty secure) unless the weather is nasty. One of my bikes is a folder which I've taken inside -- never tried this on one of my full-sized bikes but I suspect it's not allowed.

OK, the results are tabulated, and DC is going to be placed in the NE Subforum.

NE:17 votes total
SE: 10 votes total
As Is: 5 votes total

This was the totals of both threads, in SE and NE.