Dear Dr. Gridlock:
As someone who lives off MacArthur Boulevard and near the Clara Barton Parkway, also known as weekend biker central, I greatly prefer bikes on the Clara Barton as long as they stay in one lane over MacArthur Boulevard.
In its upper stretch, from Brickyard to Falls Road, MacArthur is a curvy road with the Old Angler’s Inn, an entrance to the C&O Canal park and numerous streets and driveways entering the road. It is particularly difficult for cars and bicycles to share this street. Everyone is safer with the bikes on the parkway.
David Guskin, Potomac
Good Samaritans
Several travelers wrote with accounts of good and bad experiences aboard Metro. I’ll share them all with you in upcoming columns, but let’s start on a positive note.
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
On my way to work by Metro train during rush hour Sept. 23, I had difficulty exiting the Orange Line car at Metro Center because people from the platform were getting on the train without first allowing passengers to get off.
My left ankle became caught in the train door as it was closing. I fell forward, and my head struck the concrete platform. The cuts on my head were bleeding profusely. My left ankle hurt; my left wrist hurt; I had three cuts on my forehead; my glasses were broken; and I could not get up without assistance.
Although she did not witness my fall, Carol Offutt, a nurse practitioner, came to my aid. She obtained tissues, napkins and wet wipes from passersby and went to work on applying pressure to stop the bleeding. Ms. Offutt stayed with me until the paramedics arrived. Vernon Price, who said he used to work in pediatrics, also stopped to assist me. Both were very efficient at calming me down and helping me to feel better. God bless them!
When a Metro police officer arrived, he remarked how lucky I was because two people stopped to assist me. The officer said that “usually everyone just keeps going.” I am indeed grateful for the assistance of these two good Samaritans and would like to publicly recognize them for stopping to help a stranger in distress.
Susan M. Pierce, Herndon
DG: Pierce said she’s doing fine now, although she did have to spend six hours in a hospital emergency room.
Ask DOT
The U.S. Department of Transportation has invited Dr. Gridlock readers to submit questions to the transportation secretary for his monthly Q&A video called “On the Go With Ray LaHood.” Our deadline is noon Friday.
The department didn’t set any limits on the questions, but the videos run about eight minutes long, and there’s time for just a few answers. So my suggestion is that we submit questions about traffic and transit issues that have local interest but would also be relevant to a national audience.
Please e-mail questions to . I’ll relay your e-mails to the agency.
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