Hello,
If the weather forecast looks good in April I%26#39;d like to bring my bike. Is DC a bike friendly town? I%26#39;m staying in between Dupont %26amp; Foggy Bottom metro stops and I%26#39;m wondering if I can just bike to explore Georgetown, the Mall, Tidal basin, etc. if the weather permits instead of taking metro.
Are there lanes for cyclists on normal streets (ex. New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, etc.)? Is it common to see people biking on the major streets around this area? Is the area hilly?
Also, is bike theft a major problem in this area even w/ U-lock? Thank you so much for your help.
Biking around DC %26amp; Is bike theft a prominent problem in DC?There won%26#39;t be bike lanes, there will be a lot of traffic, and most drivers won%26#39;t be watching for you--so be alert and wear your helmet.
And, yes, bike theft is rampant. I wouldn%26#39;t recommend bringing a really good bike.
That said, there are plenty of places to bike off the main roads, and a bike can be a good way to see the monuments.
Biking around DC %26amp; Is bike theft a prominent problem in DC?There are not a lot of cyclists on the street. And many that are there are bike messengers and you do not want to emulate their recklessness. Some streets have bike lanes, but they are more for bicycle commuters and will not help a tourist very much. DC is not very hilly, though there are a few. And it is illegal to ride on the sidewalk in a big area of downtown, but not on The Mall.
I ride my bike back and forth to work all the time. I live in Dupont/Logan and work at Metro Center.
More and more Washingtonians are riding their bikes to work now. Sometimes in the moring when driving around Thomas Circle I can see up to 14 of us on the circle at one time
I must admit I have had bikes stolen. In fact, last time I was ';bike jacked';. Two local kids stopped me and asked me very politely ';Excuse me sir, where is 14 and Church?';
When I stopped they beat me with a baseball bat across the chest, knocked me over and took my bike. So, if you are out riding in DC, don%26#39;t stop to answer any questions.
Except for the central Business District (you can find on-line) you are allowed to bike on the side walks.
You can even take your bike on the subways here between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and after 7p.m. You could take your bike way uptown and ride back into town via Rock Creek Parkway. It has very nice bike trails and the trail is very pretty.
You could even ride to Old Town Alexandria and then take the train back, or vice versa.
Also, you can bring your bike on our city buses now. Each bus has a bike rack at the front of the bus.
DC is a very easy bike town.
thank you so much for the ';do not stop'; tip :) i got my bikes stolen too before so i feel your pain. i hope you didn%26#39;t suffer too much.
I%26#39;m certain I%26#39;ve seen bike lanes on some streets.
Biking is a great way to get around the city. Its still a city though with alot of traffic. Its great for the mall and rock creek park and georgetown. Google where the bike lanes are to make your life easier. And yea get a U-lock and cable to go through your tires. My bike was stolen right out of dupont circle because of an apparently crappy u-lock.
Make sure that your U-lock is an up-to-date one (skinny key), not the older Kryptonites that can be popped with a Bic pen (round key).
Component theft isn%26#39;t as crazy as it is in Manhattan, but I%26#39;d advise a cable with the U lock if you have quick release tires.
You are best advised to park your bike in as public a space as you can. Near the door of large apartment buildings works well, as there%26#39;s always a lot of foot traffic of people who may actually care.
But at one time, WMATA required cyclists to pass a test, or go through some kind of process, before they got a permit to take their bikes on board Metro trains. Is this still the case ??
Not according to Metro%26#39;s website:
wmata.com/getting_around/鈥uidelines.cfm
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