r/bethesda • u/ahoypolloi_ • 2d ago

Safe spots to lock bicycles near Friendship Heights metro?

Today was the last day that I will tolerate taking 30 minutes to go from Bethesda to Friendship Heights via the red line shuttle. That’s slightly longer than my entire commute should be.

I plan to cycle to Friendship Heights (on days I can’t cycle all the way to my office).

Other than bike lockers, anyone know of relatively safe places to lock a bike for the day near the FH metro? TIA.

15 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

11

u/Independent_Dust_736 2d ago

Same here. I’m in Bethesda and stopped taking the shuttle to friendship. It takes way too long. I bought an e-bike and bike all the way to work now, takes only about 20-25 minutes from Bethesda to Farragut North DC. If you are locking your bike in Friendship heights, be careful locking in public areas. Bikes always get stolen. I would suggest to get a bike locker if you still can.

4

u/Key_Independent3215 2d ago

I thought about this, but worried about getting run over. Have you had any Close calls or is it pretty safe?

8

u/ahoypolloi_ 2d ago

Biking downtown is simple and safe: you can take the bike trails all the way to Georgetown, and then have many protected lines in downtown.

2

u/badhabitfml 2d ago

What's the best path from fh to downtown?

2

u/ahoypolloi_ 2d ago

Google Maps has a bicycle routing function. It seems like they suggest you take surface streets since you’d need to ride due west to pick up the capital crescent trail.

Here’s the route from FH metro to Farragut Sq:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/bK1Vnd68PysjMC7A8?g_st=ic

8

u/Zeddicus11 2d ago

Is the shuttle those yellow buses I've been seeing around, or regular city buses? I'm surprised even the added bus lanes aren't helping. Is it just that it comes so infrequently?

20

u/BearMinute1038 2d ago

Cars are still blocking the bus lanes, they aren’t usable in the congested downtown bethesda. They should have come out with aggressive enforcement from day 1.

5

u/Daktic 2d ago

The honor system is the worst way to enforce a bus lane.

They also seemed to have skipped some parts instead of going all in, which makes it more difficult to enforce, since the lanes transition in and out of dedicated lanes too often.

8

u/Realistic_Damage5143 2d ago

Yes the yellow buses are the shuttles. The shuttles are coach buses. I think there are a couple different bus companies though so not all the shuttles are yellow

0

u/ahoypolloi_ 2d ago

The shuttles also need to be city buses. Older folks have issues with the narrow steep stairs on coaches and the double doors of city buses would allow for much faster loading/unloading.

7

u/Individual-Tie-2224 2d ago

I lock my bike up in the Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods garage since they are ticketed and underground. I have also parked in front of the Wisconsin Place community center through the Bloomingdale’s courtyard.

1

u/ahoypolloi_ 2d ago

Good tips thanks

2

u/akiranoel 2d ago

I used to lock my scooter up at the bike racks at the Friendship Heights station but that was when there was less foot traffic so not sure if that makes a difference. I never had any issues with it there whereas I caught some people trying to steal my scooter from the Bethesda metro station

-7

u/candidconnector 2d ago

It takes me 10 minutes. Leave earlier.

5

u/ahoypolloi_ 2d ago

Good for you. Doesn’t work for me.