It's also sometimes terrifying. You have to be vigilant because it can be dangerous if you don't pay attention or obey the rules. I wouldn't recommend copying this crazy dude:
Common sense also plays a part. I had an accident (my only serious one so far) last December that I felt could have been avoided by common sense. I was biking on H Street, the only street in DC with streetcar tracks installed. It was raining and I was trying to keep up with traffic. I felt uncomfortable being so close to the cars, so I tried to move over, thinking I could bike in the middle of the tracks. My tire didn't like this idea as much as I did, and jammed unfortunately well into the track, causing me to fly off my bike and take a hard fall on my knee.
I was lucky I didn't hurtle into traffic, but my banged-up knee cost me a doctor's visit and lots of pain and annoyance. I still have a scar and don't have much feeling in my kneecap now.
So, like I said, I felt like common sense should have guided me better. But then I read this article on DCist that comments on the frequency of this happening to other bikers. It says, "unless you're riding a mountain bike or a Capital Bikeshare bike, it's bound to happen to everyone."
What a relief! It's not me being an idiot, it's poor planning. There is no option for the biker who doesn't feel comfortable riding in a car lane- the tracks are directly beside the car lane followed by car parking on the other side with no room in between. And not to mention there isn't a single sign warning of potential danger.
I can avoid H Street easily enough, even though I live four blocks from it, but there are plans to build a lot more of these streetcars in the future. City planners can't ignore the fact that they could be making a lot of streets in this city un-bikeable.
According to the DCist article, Councilmember Mary Cheh wants to look into it, which I appreciate. Also, the inital report by the DC Office of Planning does make some suggestions.
- One-way streets can accommodate bicycle lanes on one side of the street and streetcar tracks on the other.
- Bike routes can be designated on streets parallel to streetcar routes.
- Several cities have developed coordinated lane markings for bikes and streetcars that could serve as a model for the District.
Biking is enough of a thrill without the poorly thought-out obstacle courses built into our path. And come on, us bikers need our Sticky Rice.
