I sympathize with cyclists, but this sounds like a complete nightmare. Metro commuters are already so rude, ego centric and lacking in spatial and situational awareness with other large items (or just stand in everyone's way for their own convenience) that this would just make Metro an even worse commuting experience. Not to mention what would happen when Metro inevitably unloads a packed train onto an overcrowded station and you would then need to navigate bikes on and off the train.

I sympathize with cyclists, too. But heck...Metro is having serious door issues now. Imagine the cl*sterf$k around the doors when a cyclist tries to wheel a bike aboard a jam-packed train at rush hour.

The opening statement of this petition is questionable and there's no information here to support it. Unless this bike restriction is resulting in people avoiding the metro altogether and instead choosing to drive during rush hour, this restriction is not increasing urban congestion at all. I do not have any stats on this, but my feeling is that those who would take their bikes on the metro currently ride the metro and walk to their destination. I could be wrong, and if I am, the facts proving me wrong ought to have been in the petition.

I am a cyclist, and existing cyclists do not even abide by the current rules, not have any clue how to get out of the way. I would support reducing the time window when bikes are not allowed, and allowing them at all times when they go against the rush hour flow. This would be most useful because if you are going against the flow, the bus schedule will likely be working against you wherever you get off, and a bike would be very useful. What this means is pretty clear, but I have no confidence Metro would be able to articulate a sensible policy, such as "toward the suburbs in the AM/toward downtown at night" about what this flow is. Alternatively, just you bikeshare. Maybe Metro can work out a transfer to and from bike share deal. Again, that would blow their minds.

My take. http://www.thewashcycle.com/2010/12/cwl-2010-5-reverse-commute-bikes-on-metro.html

Nice thoughts but as anyone else that rides the Orange Line into the city knows that there is no space for people as it is - where exactly are these bikes supposed to go? Sorry but bikes take up a lot more space than a stroller or wheeled luggage. Plus, you dont see a ton of stollers during 6am rush hour. 200 supporters out of what, a few hundred *thousand* people that commute by Metro every day?

They are bikers, bike.

When Metro can fix its escalators and allow trains to stop mid-platform this would potentially work. Till then shrink rush hour to 7-9 and 4-6. With CaBi - there are plenty of options to get to work from a station. I'm a biker and Metro user - but really think in this case the status quo isn't that broken.

As a long-time cyclist and cycling advocate, I say no. There's just no room, and any policy that goes beyond a simple "no bikes between X and Y times" will be too complicated. The point of a bike is to ride it, not take it on Metro.

The problem with allowing bikes on reverse commute trains is that inevitably people would try to bring them on the already-crowded non-reverse trains. Better to nip that in the bud by stopping them at the farebox. And no no no no a thousand times no to bikes on rush hour trains. We're crowded enough already without somebody ramming into us with their hipster prop. If you want to bike, then bike.