Early Sunday morning, I and a thousand other cyclists were on our way to participate in the Crystal Ride in Crystal City. Naturally, this involved a few bikes being on the road. I rolled onto 23rd Street in Crystal City and joined a number of cyclists waiting for the light to change so we could cross Jefferson Davis Highway. There were five to eight cyclists (including children) who were waiting immediately behind a van that was, in turn, waiting to turn right at the light. Pointing at these cyclists was an SUV with a driver who wanted to exit from the parking lot next to the road. Apparently…

This coming Saturday, Arlington will play host to the 14th edition of the Air Force Cycling Classic Clarendon Cup.  This pro cycling race takes place in the heart of Clarendon on a criterium course threaded along Wilson, Washington and Clarendon boulevards.  The tight and twisty circuit is great for spectators, as the entire course is accessible in just a few steps. In fact, it can be enjoyed from the outdoor seating areas of a number of local restaurants (my nod for best views goes to those outside Liberty Tavern). The amateur races start at 8 a.m., the women's elite race starts at 10 a.m., …

When I roll up to a bike rack in Arlington these days, I'm usually pleased to find that there's already a bike there. It's great to see so many people using bikes to get around. Quite often, however, the pleasure turns to dismay as I see that my rackmate has a fair chance of a stolen bike in her future. How do I know? It's locked up with a cable lock. I know, I know. They're light, they're convenient – they're cheaper! Yes. Please stop using them.  Almost every cable lock I've come across is easily cut by a cheap set of bolt-cutters.  While Arlington isn't bike-theft central (like, say, …

Friday will be the D.C. area's Bike to Work Day, with more than 10,000 area residents opting for their bikes as their means of getting to work.  In the hopes of giving hesitant commuters some encouragement to try it out, the sponsors are providing "pit stops" with food, speakers and entertainment.  Arlington will have three pit stops this year: Rosslyn (Rosslyn Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Highway) Ballston (Conte's Bike Shop, 3924 Wilson Blvd) Crystal City (Crystal City Water Park, 1750 Crystal Drive) Rosslyn, traditionally the biggest pit stop in Arlington, will include stunt rider Mike Steidley …

Two cyclists died in the past three days.  I didn't know either of them, but I'm coming to realize that I've taken both deaths personally.  Very.  I'm writing this in the first person because I hope that you'll take it personally, too. The first cyclist – who was identified by police on Tuesday as Fitzgerald Pollard, 44, of Arlington – was a local rider.  He died after colliding with a car on Sunday, near the intersection of Walter Reed Drive and Four Mile Run Drive.  Many cyclists are quite familiar with that intersection, though most pass by the rather steep Walter Reed Drive hill on the …

The recent installation of the Rosslyn Capital Bikeshare stations appears to have invoked a brief round of NIMPSism (Not In My Parking Spot-ism).   It turns out that a few of the bike sharing stations were placed in (former) on-street parking spaces, and this caused great consternation on a minor local political party blog.   It appears that the author – Arlington GOP communications director Jeff Miller - prefers that the public subsidize his favored mode of private transportation instead of public bike sharing.  Because Capital Bikeshare and all things related to it are like catnip to …

Arlington serves as the crossroads for many of the D.C. region’s major multi-user trails.  The Mount Vernon, Custis and Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) trails all join together within Arlington County.  While that’s a very useful addition to the local transportation network, it also creates fantastic recreational choices. The Mount Vernon Trail, which starts in Rosslyn, is much more than the riverfront trail that goes to National Airport.  In fact, it offers cyclists a scenic 18-mile path all the way down to George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate.  This path is almost entirely off-road (…

While cycling can be a very simple pleasure – get on and go – there’s much more to cycling safely in an environment like Arlington.  Understanding the rules of the road, integrating with other traffic on busy roads, and even making it up the hill from Rosslyn – there’s much to learn for the new cyclist.  For the existing cyclist, there’s always more to learn – when it’s appropriate to “take the lane." where to position yourself when riding around a blind corner, or even what “sharrows” indicate.  Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities in Arlington for cyclists to improve their skills …

Arlington is, as has been noted previously, an oasis of bike friendliness when compared to near by jurisdictions (cough, Fairfax, cough).  However, even Arlington sometimes comes up short.   This is the unfortunate case along one of Arlington’s most travelled routes – Ballston to Rosslyn.  As any regular rider knows, there are a few particular spots along that route that demand careful attention for safe passage.   While the details may be mundane, the big picture is important: careful navigation of these intersections is important to the personal safety of any cyclist in the area. The trip …

There are few pleasures like sneaking away from work on an early spring day for a solo spin. Taking in the early warm rays of the year is wonderful enough on its own, but it’s often done while virtually alone on the road. As spring develops, though, those playing hookie will soon be joined by more riders. By the time spring’s well under way, there will be groups of riders all over the place. Where do these people find each other? For cyclists based in Arlington, there’s no shortage of options to connect with others for a ride. Some rides are regularly scheduled bike-shop or club rides. Then …

This past weekend brought out plenty of cyclists who didn’t need mitts, lights, or extra layers. And with predicted temperatures in the 70s this coming weekend, lots of people will be tempted to break out their bikes for a ride down the Mount Vernon Trail or as an easy means to brunch. While winter will almost certainly return for one last stand before spring really arrives, now is a great time to start thinking about getting the bike in shape for another season of riding. Let's start with what “getting the bike in shape” doesn’t mean: pointing a hose nozzle at the bike for a few minutes and …

Over 100 Arlingtonians gathered to watch a film about European cycling practices and discuss their possible application in Arlington. This occurred during a special meeting of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee at the Central Library on Monday night. The event was organized by the committee as part of its efforts to broaden the base of public participation in cycling advocacy in Arlington.  The evening was centered around a 45-minute film produced by a traffic engineer after he attended a travelling conference called the International Scan on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety & Mobility. …

There are more bike racks along Wilson Boulevard. Lanes have been re-striped in more bike-friendly designs. And Arlington’s multi-user trails have seen better maintenance. These recent improvements haven’t happened on their own. Arlington County staffers deserve real credit for working hard on these details that make this a more cycling-friendly place. The truth, however, is that Arlington’s own citizens are the ultimate motivator of these efforts. And any citizen who wants to can have a voice in the process. Cycling advocacy takes many forms in Arlington. First and foremost – there are the …

With booming ridership, Arlington’s Capital Bikeshare operations will be expanding significantly this year. Rosslyn will see the addition of four stations as soon as next month, with a possible total of 20 stations being added along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor by the end of the year.  With corporate sponsorship, that number could rise even higher. Arlington already has over 100 CaBi bikes at 14 stations, but all of those stations are concentrated in Arlington’s Crystal City and Pentagon City neighborhoods. Bike share services work best when they are part of networks of closely located …

“Get off the !@#$%^& road!” “!@#$ you, I have just as much a right to be here as you do.” And so goes a rather sizeable proportion of most on-road cyclist/motorist conversations. It doesn’t accomplish anything, except perhaps raising the blood pressure of those involved and setting the stage for a more aggressive conflict the next time a similar interaction occurs. It’s stupid, pointless, and childish. And I’m guilty of it. On both sides. I’m going to move into the first person for this column, because I think it might be useful to personalize things (in fact, I think personalizing it is key…

Bike Arlington has just released the latest – and much improved – edition of the Arlington County Bike Map.  It catalogs “50 miles of shared-used off-street trails, 31 miles of bike lanes and sharrows, and 78 miles of recommended on-street routes” for cyclists in Arlington.  While cyclists are entitled by law to ride on any public road in Arlington (except for I-66, I-395, and George Washington Parkway), many find that they prefer to take advantage of Arlington’s growing network of bicycle-friendly streets and trails.  This new map makes it easier to do that. Most Arlingtonians have seen the …

Any regular cyclist will tell you that there’s nothing quite like a car blowing by at speed, inches from your shoulder.  It usually happens so fast that many riders don’t even realize what’s happening until it’s over.  Realization often gives way to frustration – even anger – as it becomes clear that the car driver simply couldn’t be bothered to give the cyclist the simple human courtesy of safely passing with enough room.  And now a number of Arlington area state legislators would like to help change that.  Right now, Virginia only requires that drivers give two feet to cyclists that they …

Arlington has – so far – avoided a repeat of last year's epic snowstorms. Until winter is well and truly over, however, local cyclists should be ready to face weather-related challenges. While dressing correctly is an essential part of this preparation, making a few seasonal changes to your bike can greatly improve the experience (and safety) of riding through the winter. The season brings three big challenges – extended darkness, the potential for slick surfaces, and extra debris on the streets. Here’s how to beat all of them: Lights. While we’re on the way to more light in the day, it will …

As many of Arlington’s cyclists were reminded on Tuesday morning, snow and ice can make things far more complicated for the rider on a bike than the driver in a car. With just two points of contact with the ground, a slippery patch doesn’t just threaten the cyclist’s steering – it can take the bike right out from under her. For this reason, clear roads and trails are especially important to cyclists trying to navigate Arlington in the winter.  Unfortunately, the plow truck drivers clearing the streets usually seem as if they don’t think about cyclists at all. Bike lanes are often ignored or…

You might have noticed the small purple signs near the roads and trails along Arlington’s borders, declaring a “Bicycle Friendly Community" with an updated-by-sticker indicating "2003-2011.”   Does that mean everyone on a bike in Arlington gets waved at and passed by cars with room to spare?  And has been since 2003, but won't be after this year?  Not exactly. These signs actually stand as testament to the League of American Bicyclists' recognition of Arlington’s efforts to create a community that respects and encourages bicycle use.  The League started the Bicycle Friendly Community program …