Rockville sign. Photo by M.V.Jantzen.

A new low

A driver hit a teenager in a Rockville crosswalk, then started yelling at him as he lay bleeding on the ground. (Gazette, Ben)  

New bus bunching watchdog

A new blog, Metrobus Exposed, documents times where Metrobus isn’t running to the promised frequency by posting screen captures from Nextbus.  (Michael P) Perhaps it would be even more useful to also post some maps that show bunching.  (Tip: Michael P)  

Obama park?

DC recently opened a park at 14th and Girard. Annoyed at ininformed commenters on some blogs, Words of Witte posted a paper about the area’s history, arguing that it was much more than just a place for drug activity in the past. (Stephen Miller) … New Columbia Heights suggested we need a better name, and Jim Graham obliged, recommending “Barack Hussein Obama Park.” (DC Wire)  (Tip: Stephen Miller)  

Dangerous or uninformed?

North Chevy Chase and Town of Chevy Chase residents feud about the impact of possible Purple Line BRT on Jones Bridge Road. Those from North Chevy Chase fear it would worsen traffic and endanger the children at North Chevy Chase Elementary School. Pat Burda of the Town of Chevy Chase dismisses them as uninformed. (Gazette)  

If all spending were that dumb, we’d all agree to cut it

Adam Voiland reveals even more reasons why nobody is using the House of Representatives bike sharing system. We already knew it’s only on the House side, but in addition, staffers have to walk to Longworth to get a key every time and can’t borrow the bikes overnight. Unfortunately, this stupid system is giving some anti-bike Congressmen ammunition to belittle bike funding. (DC Bicycle Transportation Examiner)  

Portland to copy us

Portland may be the bike mecca, but they have no bike sharing system. They’re looking into following in DC’s footsteps and creating one. (Next American City, Jaime)  (Tip: Jaime)  

Boo for ghostboxes

The AP looks at many of the eyesores left behind by closed big-box retail. Unlike the sites profiled in Jamie Fearer’s piece, most abandoned properties are not located in a place that would make it financially viable to invest in reuse of the building and land, and just languish as “ghostboxes.” (MSNBC via Kunstler, Cavan)  (Tip: Cavan)