More cyclists out there than last year?

[FFX_Hinterlands]

Out here in Western Fairfax County I'm seeing many more cyclists at this time of the year compared to last year. Last year I barely saw two or three cyclists after Nov 1st. Now I wait behind several cyclists at each road crossing on the W&OD. We don't have bike counts in FFX, which is problematic, but I'm seeing more cyclists for sure.

Can anyone support my observations elsewhere in Fairfax County?

Thanks,

Tom

[vvill]

I can't really because a) I've only begun commuting really regularly this year b) the difference between 0 and 1 or 1 and 2 is not really that statistically significant.

I'm really happy though when I see someone on my commute north of the Custis (on the Custis itself there's plenty). There was someone in a bright yellow jacket going up N Kensington St the other day a couple hundred yards in front of me and I really wanted to say hi to them.

[eminva]

I go from Vienna east on the W&OD almost daily, and have been commuting this way semi-regularly for four years. I think the volume of commuters is increasing, especially our fair weather friends. Even now that it is dark, late and cold when I go home, I normally see half a dozen others from the county line on, whereas it used to be rare to see one.

As for the town of Vienna itself, it is hard to say if more people are biking around to do errands and such. It hasn't caught on quite so well as in downtown DC or other places. I would love to see that change over the next few years.

Liz

[RESTONTODC]

I agree. I'm seeing the volume of cyclists is increasing every year as well as other trailer users such as joggers and dog walkers in the morning. Since Metro is planning to increase their fares next year, we definitely will see more bike commuters.

I wish the governments builds more trails in Western Fairfax County. There are so many roads without shoulder or bike path.

[pfunkallstar]

I go from Vienna east on the W&OD almost daily, and have been commuting this way semi-regularly for four years. I think the volume of commuters is increasing, especially our fair weather friends. Even now that it is dark, late and cold when I go home, I normally see half a dozen others from the county line on, whereas it used to be rare to see one.

As for the town of Vienna itself, it is hard to say if more people are biking around to do errands and such. It hasn't caught on quite so well as in downtown DC or other places. I would love to see that change over the next few years.

Liz

I have also been riding the Custis/W&OD pretty much every day for the last five years and it is really hard to say if numbers are increasing. When it is warm out I would say that there are a few more bicyclists out, but nowadays numbers seem to be dropping off pretty quickly. The one thing I have noticed as of late is that there aren't too many people out there doing more than 15mph or so consistently. Maybe the weather is slowing people down?

[FFX_Hinterlands]

The one thing I have noticed as of late is that there aren't too many people out there doing more than 15mph or so consistently. Maybe the weather is slowing people down?

I would think that the fast fair-weather non-commuters bring up the average speed during "nice" weather. It's easy to go fast when you're riding skinny tires on a carbon bike carrying absolutely nothing. I on the other hand have fat tires, a laptop, a thermos full of coffee, my lunch, tools, tube, lights... you get the idea. I would just a be a dutch-bike blur to a rider passing me at 18 mph.

[Justin Antos]

It's the other side of town, but I've been commuting down East Capitol St. daily for almost 3 years now, and I'm definitely sensing an uptick. This summer was particularly busy, and then especially as it's gotten colder the past 6 weeks or so, a lot of people are persisting through the cold.

In years past, morning temps in the upper 30s would usually mean I'd have the bike lane to myself, but alot of folks are still out there this year.

[mstone]

I wish the governments builds more trails in Western Fairfax County. There are so many roads without shoulder or bike path.

My wish is that they'd maintain/finish the ones they've already got. They've repaved route 50 near my house at least 3 times in the last 10 years, but there are crazy gaps in the MUP alongside it. I don't think they've repaved the FFX Co Pkwy MUP since it was built. My favorite is Stringfellow Road--there's a nasty, bumpy, treerooty trail that simply ends about 200 feet from the FFX Co Pkwy and its trail, where there's a whole button-activated pedestrian crosswalk to nowhere.

[Greenbelt]

My frame of reference is limited, since I've only been seriously commuting a little over a year. But on the east side of DC, from Capitol Hill into NE DC and out into Prince George's county, it seems to me like a dramatic increase is happening. I felt like I was the only one out on two wheels a year ago at this time -- now there's quite a bit of company on the roads and trails. Capitol Hill seems to be a booming bike area. The MBT isn't crowded, but there's almost always another rider in sight ahead and behind. The Arundel Road/Varnum/Allison Street cut through from DC to Hyattsville seems pretty active lately. I'm seeing far more well-let, brightly colored "serious looking" commuters than last year.

[americancyclo]

there aren't too many people out there doing more than 15mph or so consistently. Maybe the weather is slowing people down?

you looking for some fast folks to ride with? I haven't seen the 'lawyer express' that usually goes from just inside the beltway to K St. in quite a while, either, now that you mention it.