FABB Blog

Recently, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association partnered with Collective Action for Safe Spaces (CASS) in the District to give cyclists a safe place to vent and discuss harassment prevention and empowerment strategies, said Nelle Pierson, WABA’s coordinator of outreach programs.

“A lot of women start biking because it is empowering, but also because they can just get away from a situation,” said Zosia Sztykowski, 28, of Columbia Heights, the lead outreach coordinator for CASS, a grassroots organization dedicated to building awareness and ending sexual assault and harassment on the streets. The organization produces a blog that curates women’s experiences with street harassment. “A lot of people think street harassment happens just to them and that they’re alone,” she said.

Sztykowski said there are several methods to engage the harasser, including employing a response such as: “Stop harassing people. I don’t like it. No one likes it. Show some respect.”

Bystanders can help by confronting or distracting the perpetrator or seeking help from law enforcement on the victim’s behalf. Often, bystanders avoid getting involved because they worry that they have misread the situation, think someone else will step in to help or believe that the target attracted the negative attention due to some fault of his or her own, according to Strange.

Our route to Tysons is one used by many bike commuters riding into Tysons from Vienna and Oakton. From the W&OD Trail in Vienna there are various routes that come together at the entry to Tysons on Old Courthouse Rd. The pinch point is headed uphill past Freedom Hill Park where the road is narrow, a place where many cyclists are harassed by impatient motorists. At Gosnell we headed L toward Route 7. 

After dropping rack cards at the shop we headed back on Gosnell up a long incline toward Old Courthouse. This is where the harassment began. First two snot-nosed kids on screaming mopeds honked their high-pitched horns and buzzed us within a foot or so. As they passed they motioned as if we should be on the sidewalk. That got our attention. 

Shortly afterward a red Jeep came up behind us very close and revved his engine. He continued to do that to the Old Courthouse intersection even though he could easily have passed us.

This type of harassment happens on a regular basis. When we complain to the police we are told there's nothing they can do, even when we have a tag number and description of the motorist. 

This week we've heard about two other similar incidents; both cyclists had video evidence and reported to the incidents to the police, and both were basically ignored by the police. Maybe Delegate Comstock, who cast deciding votes in the defeat of two measures that would benefit cyclists in these situations, the following too close bill and the due care bill, should try riding along with these cyclists for a day or two to get a feel for what we encounter on a regular basis. Maybe that would change her mind.

There are several roads in the greater Tysons/Merrifield area where cyclists have frequent conflicts with motorists. These are usually narrow or very busy commuter routes. Examples include the above two sections of Old Courthouse Rd and Gosnell Rd. Others include Idylwood Rd near Idyl Lane and Gallows Rd at the I-66 bridge. These roads need better accommodations for cyclists. A start would be placement of Shared Lane Markings and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs.

I want to pack the courtroom with cyclists. As the victim of a crime, I am able to present a "Victim Impact Statement" to the judge. You better believe that I intend to bring up the fact that I am a cyclist first and foremost, and that this whole saga began when a driver decided to literally push around a cyclist with his motor vehicle. It was just a matter of luck that this cyclist also happens to be a police officer as well. It is Not Okay for drivers to bully cyclists on our streets. His actions were not only irresponsible, but CRIMINAL. He didn't "accidentally" hit me--he made a conscious decision to hit a human being with a 2-ton vehicle. That is assault. These sorts of things have to STOP.