Breakfast links: Bike hate and Smart Growth love
Weekend car-nage
A taxi hit two pedestrians while they were in a crosswalk on the Mall, and three other pedestrians were hit around DC (DCist) … A possibly drunk SUV driver hit and killed a cyclist in Germantown (WashCycle) … A 19-year-old cyclist was killed in New Mexico while on a cross-country ride to fight cancer. (Politics Daily via WashCycle)
Bike lanes and you
Today’s “Daily Gripe” asks DDOT to stripe the R Street bike lane all the way through the intersection with Rhode Island Avenue (Post) … Some cars parked in the Pennsylvania Avenue lanes over the weekend. (TheWashCycle)
Trite, indeed
Jaime Fearer wrote, “If all trite anti-biker notions vomited into an editorial, this would be that piece. Michael Johnson says DC has added new residents and offices but “a stubborn refusal to accommodate the additional traffic.” Um, where would you like to “accommodate” it, exactly? Unfortunately, one cyclist was rude to his daughter after an incident whose details we don’t know, but it sounds like she almost hit him. (Examiner) Update: TheWashCycle, naturally, has a thorough rebuttal. (Tip: Jaime Fearer)
Best McCartney column ever
Bob McCartney articulates the case for Smart Growth at Tysons, White Flint, Shady Grove, Greenbelt, New Carrollton, and the Green Line in DC, and assuages those who want single-family homes that it’s not a war on houses, but Til Hazel still isn’t happy. And thanks for the help on the Virginia WMATA funding. (Post)
Dr. G to Metro: “Fix something”
Dr. Gridlock might be reacting to our criticism of the Post’s negativity on Metro when he suggests Metro find some things to fix, maybe escalators or air conditioning, to start rebuilding rider confidence. (Post)
Fight over Clarendon outdoor seating
The local homeowners’ association and civic association are opposing outdoor seating for a new American Flatbread in Clarendon. The restaurant is responding by emailing customers and running an online petition. Anyone have some impartial knowledge of the issue? (ARLnow, Gavin) (Tip: Gavin)
MoCo employees not sharing
Montgomery County is terminating its car sharing program for county employees to check out Enterprise hybrids. “Critics” say it failed because the County wouldn’t reduce its number of fleet vehicles. (Brian Hughes/Examiner)