As smug as some cyclists (ahem, mirror check) can be when it comes to the advantages of cycling over driving, cyclists and drivers still share many of the same challenges. In Arlington, parking can sometimes be among them. Even as the weather cools, racks at every Metro station in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor remain at or near capacity on a daily basis. Fortunately, it’s not terribly hard for cyclists to create their own “overflow parking” out of nearby signs and public racks along the street. It’s hit and miss along the rest of the corridor. In busy areas like Rosslyn and Clarendon, lots of…

You might have wondered what happened on your way up the Rosslyn hill on the Custis Trail last week. You were pedaling along and quietly passed a fellow commuter slowly spinning his way home. Not 10 seconds after you’ve passed him (and nine seconds after you’ve forgotten him), he blows by you, stomping in the biggest gear he has, passing you in a fury of power and dangling work ID cards.  While you may not have appreciated it at the time, you just encountered one of Arlington’s many “pathletes.” Not quite ready to join the regular lunchtime peloton at Hains Point, and without the time for 50-…

One of the area's largest group rides departs from Ballston every Tuesday evening. At its summer height, there are well over 200 riders who show up for the 17-mile loop through northern Arlington's hills. It's fantastic to see so many cyclists out using our roads.  The ride generally goes quite well. While it starts out as a mass, it quickly breaks up into smaller groups of similarly skilled cyclists. The faster riders off the front get in a great workout. The slower riders in the back get a bit of social time with fellow cyclists. Those in the middle get to enjoy the torture of deciding …

A couple of weeks ago, I noted one of the concerns brought to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) forum was the need for more family-friendly bike shops. This, along with all the families at this past weekend's Arlington Fun Ride, has me thinking about Arlington’s general friendliness for cycling families, and whether we’ve done enough. At the WABA forum, the person who brought up family friendliness explained that she was disappointed she couldn’t find a shop in Arlington that stocked Bakfiets-style bikes. These bikes have room in front for one or two seated children, and often …

We’re well into the season of ever-shortening days. Commuters who enjoyed an easy ride home in summer’s sunshine are now rolling home at dusk. Soon, they will be commuting almost entirely in the dark. This means it’s time for Arlington cyclists to prepare to meet the added challenges of being seen while riding through the fall and winter seasons. Lights are cheaper and better than they’ve ever been. If you’re used to riding with an old incandescent light powered by a handful of AA batteries – get to a bike store. Even cheap LED lights in silicone cases (like these) are bright and small. This …

Arlington cyclists met Tuesday night to identify and discuss what they thought should happen to improve Arlington's cycling environment. Some focused on particular infrastructure challenges while others took aim at larger cultural issues like driver education, availability of resources for family biking, and better communication among the advocates themselves. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association, or WABA, hosted the discussion as part of a series of meetings around the D.C. region. WABA intends for these meetings to help shape their advocacy priorities for the coming years.  Any meeting…

On Sept. 20, 2010, I and many other people rode the first wave of Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) bikes from the Washington Navy Yard to their home docking stations around the region. While I was convinced the bikeshare program was a good idea that would improve local transportation, I – and most of us, I think – really had no idea that it would turn out to be so popular. They’re all over the district, carrying commuters from Mount Pleasant, tourists along the National Mall, and errand-runners all over the place. So where are they in Arlington? Well, they’re certainly in Crystal City. The initial …

Monday night, the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee held a site visit at the intersection of Lynn Street and Lee Highway, perhaps the busiest car-pedestrian-bike intersection in Arlington. Members of the public, along with representatives from the Arlington County Police Department and Arlington County staff, discussed the safety challenges of crossing the intersection, which Patch Editor Jason Spencer reported on here. In the course of the discussion, it became clear that the Arlington County Police Department takes a different view of what it means to have the "right of way" in a …

Anyone living in Arlington is used to the mishmash of jurisdictions and overlapping authorities that exist in the Washington metro area. While these boundaries usually fade into the background, they can very much influence how we live. In Arlington, the matter of who controls our streets has a big impact. Arlington County has committed itself to making streets here "complete streets" – that is, making sure streets serve not only drivers, but also pedestrians and cyclists. This often involves making sure sidewalks are always available, that signal timing offers enough time for non-motorized …

This spring’s BikeDC gave many cyclists a rare chance to ride on local roads normally closed to bikes. But while many quite enjoyed the thrill of speeding down the George Washington Parkway, it wasn’t everyone’s kind of ride. Now, there’s an organized ride for those who want to take things a little slower while avoiding the streets and enjoying the tree cover of Arlington's trails. The Phoenix Bikes Arlington Fun Ride ($10 for an individual, $20 per family) is a community bike ride scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. Marshals will help guide riders along a 17-mile route through …

Tuesday’s earthquake, despite causing very little actual damage, ended up closing many area agencies and businesses. This resulted in a flood of workers headed home early. Who got there first? Cyclists. Sure, there’s not a little bit of cyclist-side smugness in that statement. In fact, if you looked online yesterday, there was a whole lot of smug. Putting aside that mockery is, indeed, often the best way to deal with our fears, the certainty of cyclists about the reliability of their transportation home in the case of an emergency is well-founded. Traveling by bike in the Washington area …

At the outset, let’s be clear – there is no law against riding on the sidewalk in Arlington. This is good, as the sidewalk is certainly where some riders belong – say, small children still unsteady on their bike. And there are others. There’s one rider often seen along Wilson Boulevard who has a remarkable ability to ride a fully loaded bike at what can’t be more than 3 mph. Tops. She’s probably best being on the sidewalk, too. Most riders, however, should not – from a practical perspective – ride on the sidewalks. First, there’s usually a significant speed differential between bike traffic …

As an initial matter, let’s review what a bike lane is – it’s “that portion of a roadway designated by signs and/or pavement markings for the preferential use of bicycles, electric power-assisted bicycles, and mopeds.” Seriously, that’s the law in Virginia.   Yet some folks in Arlington have very curious ideas about the proper use of our bike lanes. Some drivers have developed a habit of pretending that bike lanes are turning lanes, for instance. Yes, a car may have to cross a bike lane to turn right. No, a driver should not cruise along - half in the lane, half out - before making the turn. …

Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) just released the results of the public feedback sessions it held earlier this summer in conjunction with Arlington County. There appears to be a general consensus in favor of most of the original proposed stations, with just a few locations drawing any negative feedback. The preferences Arlingtonians expressed through this process will help finalize the locations where CaBi hopes to place new stations later this year. The public input process for the coming Rosslyn-Ballston corridor CaBi stations was much broader than the initial efforts that resulted in the first …

As everyone in Arlington knows, we didn't have to wait for August to reach scorching temperatures this summer. Last week's record heat saw lots of people taking refuge indoors, opting for the chill of air conditioning over the blaze of the sun. While that may be a good choice for some, many Arlingtonians could still be found out cycling on the streets and trails, refusing to surrender to the weather. Want to be part of the "No Surrender" group next time the heat comes? Here's how to do it safely: 1) Drink up. Drink before, during and after any ride. Recommended intake in normal temperatures …

People ride bikes for a lot of different reasons. Some do it just for fun, others to save money, and still more for fitness. What's often overlooked, however, is just how quick and convenient it is for local trips. In the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, it's often the quickest way to get around, door-to-door.  While speeds on area roads are generally low, cars still have something of an advantage, especially coming up from Rosslyn. But traveling by bike lets you skip the most time consuming part of any trip in the Rosslyn-Ballston area – dealing with parking. Instead of joining the masses of cars …

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 …