On DC's Streets Nothing's Faster Than a Confident Cyclist

That's right. Which is why bicycle couriers, with all the challenges the rise of electronic communications raises, will never go away. DC's traffic is a constant SNAFU. And even without traffic cars aren't legally supposed to go much faster than a bike normally goes anyway.

Bicycles seem to operate in a traffic law limbo of sorts. There are limited dedicated lanes in place. Police almost always look the other way when cyclists break traffic laws. You're technically allowed to ride pretty much everywhere, save the sidewalks of the central business district.

This blog will detail my theory of riding safely on congested city streets, tentatively dubbed ARRBAHER (Assert Riding Rights, But Always Have an Escape Route) and serve as a vehicle for my oft brewing rider's angst.

I've lived in DC for the past 6 years working on and off as a bike courier for WEX. I think I've got good insight for those considering biking more but are concerned about their safety, have doubts about efficiency, or other have obstacles to making the laudable choice of becoming one less car clogging our city's streets (and one less carbon nail in our climate's coffin).