Riding on the Sidewalk

I made this blog, in part, to offer suggestions to people new to or thinking about biking in DC as a primary mode of transportation. DC attracts a lot of transplants and interns. If you are one of these people, biking is a great way to see and familiarize oneself with a beautiful city. However, I'd like to offer a couple tips.

Suggestion #1: Stay off the Sidewalk.

Ahh, the sidewalk. The comforting pavement of the pedestrian. Seemingly innocuous, the sidewalk actually begins to hate you as soon as you step onto a bike. While the flows of traffic in the street may seem daunting, sidewalks and crosswalks are even worse. It's even illegal to be on the sidewalk downtown (golden triangle area) but I've never seen it be enforced. Pedestrians + vehicles backing up/parking/exiting parking structures at rapid speed + irregular pavement = bad news for you. While all these are hazards, the worst part is navigating a crosswalk.

I have had contact with cars three times in the past year. Two of them were in a crosswalk. Cars in the right lane of traffic routinely pull right into the crosswalk with their eyes on oncoming vehicles to their left. You don't want to be in the crosswalk when this happens. In fact, cars pull into the crosswalk all the time. You never know where exactly a vehicle is going to stop.

The reason crosswalks are so dangerous for bikers is that (1) drivers are generally NOT looking for them and (2) bikes move much faster than pedestrians.

I was hit and knocked down by a van in a crosswalk by a driver attempting to make a left turn in April this year. I had a walk signal and was leisurely pedaling through the crosswalk, when he rolled right through me.

While I had the legal right of way, I made two crucial mistakes here that left me on the pavement.

1. Riding on the sidewalk.
2. Failure to make eye-contact with the driver.

In situations of ambiguity, always try to make eye contact with the driver. This will let you know whether the driver sees you. Eye contact is a great method of opening a line of communication with a driver and getting a good idea of what the hell they're doing.

Suggestion #2: Beware Maryland/Virginia plates while biking in DC.

DC is a city full of people that have no idea how to drive in DC. The wonderful sprawling suburbs of Montgomery, Howard, and PG counties in Maryland raise and nourish thousands of drivers that often find themselves driving through the district with no idea of what they're doing or where they are going. These people generally are often entirely overwhelmed when driving in DC from the one-ways, cramped lanes, high pedestrian density, and complicated street layout. Accustomed to the spacious and well designed roads of Montgomery County's suburbs, they are often frustrated by the slower pace of traffic in DC and tend to accelerate/brake/change lanes erratically. This population are the major offenders in terms of stopping in the middle of crosswalks at lights. In many areas of Montgomery County and other exurbs, pedestrians are much rarer and the sanctity of the crosswalk is routinely violated.

Therefore, be aware of the drivers around you. Maryland/Virginia drivers often suck at driving in the city, so give them some berth. Especially when pulling up next to one at a red light- you never know if they may suddenly try to make a turn as the light changes right through you. Remember: Eye contact!

Here is a great site for understanding common hazards for cyclists in the city. Check out "Collision Type #3: The Crosswalk Slam" for more detailed information on why you should stay off the sidewalk.

Oh, and don't be put off if a driver goes by you and yells "GET ON THE SIDEWALK!". They just as routinely yell "FAGGOT!!". Ignore them. God sends these people to hell. They are generally the worst of the MD/VA drivers and are entirely unaware of DC's biking laws.

You have equal rights to the road.