# 9/3 am 11 minutes



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Miss M and I find the Capital Crescent Trail so busy now days that we just don't enjoy riding on it. In fact all the MUTs in easy reach of downtown DC are at least this busy.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

It seems safer in the morning but it is still crazy busy. This is 11 minutes and I by no means caught all the users.


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

Wow that would be more than a weeks worth people in Norman. Nice pictures.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*9/3 pm 12 minutes*

Of course the evening commute is where it gets scary crazy.

Racerboys and racerwannabes mixin with rookie commuters, joggers, fishermen, kids on training wheels. Riding no hands, on the cell phone, swooping in and out of clusters of other riders and some whacko photographer on the side of the trail.

It is carnage in the making I'm telling you.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Once again I didn't get anything like all the trail users.

On one hand it is real good to see everyone out there. On the other hand we remember when the trails were nearly empty (and felt a whole lot safer).

I don't what the answer is to all this cycling congestion but I do know that we can't wait till the first snowfall or maybe it it finally time to start paddling to work :thumbsup:


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I'll give you a dollar if you do your commute in a speedo and then stop to take pictures. I bet the expressions on the riders faces would be classic.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*One word.*



bigbill said:


> I'll give you a dollar if you do your commute in a speedo and then stop to take pictures. I bet the expressions on the riders faces would be classic.


Mosquitoes.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

I'll be really impressed if you snap a wreck...


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

Neat idea. I'd have to sit for a few months to get that many riders.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*You know......*



YuriB said:


> Neat idea. I'd have to sit for a few months to get that many riders.


Now that I think about it; not a one of all those riders waved.


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

Pretty cool idea again- don`t know where you come up with them. It`s interresting to see how much variety is out there pedaling around.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Lot of ill-fitted bikes out there!


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

FatTireFred said:


> I'll be really impressed if you snap a wreck...


As much as we try to avoid the MUTs we come across nasty accidents every so often, seems a bit too cruel to snap pix of folks in pain.....


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

philippec said:


> Lot of ill-fitted bikes out there!


Ain't it the truth. Also there were a lot of really big (and heavy looking) backpacks. 

Most of the folks in this thread have at least an 8 mile commute (one way). I figure if they keep commuting they will get all that weight off their backs and butts, raise their saddles and bend their arms.

Or not, really I don't care all that much anymore. I just want to get home safely.

Lately riding in traffic seems safer than the DC MUTs.....


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

MB1 said:


> Now that I think about it; not a one of all those riders waved.


I'm guessing you didn't wave either


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## JohnnyTooBad (Apr 5, 2004)

Did you wave to any of them?

BAM!


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## AllezCat (Jun 2, 2006)

MB1 Have you been to Portland, OR to see the pile of people on the MUTs? I was there for a business trip earlier this spring and was shocked at velocity of the flow of humanity. Stay safe out there! Somehow it seems safer to deal with busses and trucks...you can hear them coming....


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

Does that one person know that they seem to be going in the wrong direction?

This photo grouping would make an interesting poster, quite interesting as a study in itself.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

MB1 said:


> As much as we try to avoid the MUTs we come across nasty accidents every so often, seems a bit too cruel to snap pix of folks in pain.....




no, not the aftermath... in progress


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Soon DC will need one of those automated bike parking towere like Japan.


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## CommuterDawg (May 15, 2007)

I know you are close to an urban center...but on my commute in northern california, in the east bay burbs, there were very few people on bikes on the MUT during my commute this morning. I am sure it pales in comparison to what it is like in San Francisco BUT you would think that with the beautiful weather we have, the extensive MUT system throughout the east bay, and the cost of gas that there would be more people riding bikes on the MUTS. I noticed a bump in number the past year but nothing like what you have in DC. I just don't get it


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

CommuterDawg said:


> I know you are close to an urban center...but on my commute in northern california, in the east bay burbs, there were very few people on bikes on the MUT during my commute this morning. I am sure it pales in comparison to what it is like in San Francisco BUT you would think that with the beautiful weather we have, the extensive MUT system throughout the east bay, and the cost of gas that there would be more people riding bikes on the MUTS. I noticed a bump in number the past year but nothing like what you have in DC. I just don't get it


Here in DC the infrastructure and support for bicycle commuting has been in place for many years AND there is a small confined area where the great bulk of jobs are. Traffic is so bad and the metro so crowded that in addition to saving all sorts of money on transportation costs a cyclist is likely to save a good bit of time. The increased cost of gas this year is just the latest tripping point where the number of bicycle commuters skyrocketed.

The first time we noted a huge jump in the number of bike commuters was right after September 11th-bike commuters had no real problems getting home when the city was evacuated (I think that caught a lot of folks attention). The next big jump in new riders was when gas prices escalated after Katrina. Still, nothing compares with the increase this year.

Likely most of the folks in these posts won't be commuting after daylight savings time ends and/or things turn wet and cold (but they are quite likely to hop back on their bikes next spring). Still, the number of full time winter commuters is growing every year.

Good thing we are closing in on retirement. :thumbsup:


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Dawg, I think the problem is awareness that the trails and structure even exist. I have friends who move to the Bay Area, Portland, etc. and first thing I ask them is if they are going to get a bike and they always say they aren't sure if there are any trails. 

I don't have anything. It sux . All freeway between me and work, but a 50mph on most of it. Like that makes me feel any better .


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

"Now that I think about it; not a one of all those riders waved. "

But were they all wearing helmets? Any ipods?


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## the_dude (Jun 25, 2004)

MB1 said:


> Mosquitoes.



don't be so down on yourself, mb. i'm sure it's bigger than that!


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## the_dude (Jun 25, 2004)

what's going on with the blond girl in the blue shorts' right leg? is she a horse?


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## biknben (Jan 28, 2004)

the_dude said:


> what's going on with the blond girl in the blue shorts' right leg? is she a horse?


I noticed that too among other things about her. :blush2: I guess it's just the top of the knee but is certain looks strange.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

biknben said:


> I noticed that too among other things about her. :blush2: I guess it's just the top of the knee but is certain looks strange.


Figure her knee was at the edge of a fairly wide angle lens combined with forward movement and distortion is bound to happen.


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## jaimeS (Nov 18, 2005)

*I've come to one conclusion after viewing this....*

fully grown adults look so silly on 26" wheels.

p.s. and is it just me, or are the majority of the bikes too small for their riders?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

jaimeS said:


> fully ...and is it just me, or are the majority of the bikes too small for their riders?


You are just seeing a lot of distortion because of the wide angle lens I was shooting with. I was shooting with a 28mm lens (50mm is "Normal") at head height. As the distance from the lens increases the apperant size of objects is greatly reduced so folks heads and torsos look about normal but their bikes, wheels and legs are distorted.

I needed the wide angle as I was standing just off a fairly narrow trail-notice how big the folks look who are moving from our left to right as compared to the folks moving from our right to left and how small people look on the dirt trail in the middle of the frame. All due to the distortion of shooting with a fairly wide lens.......

Of course the other thing the wide angle lens does is make the riders look much further apart than they actually are.


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