Study Reveals Habits, Motivations of Local Bicyclists
The typical bicyclist in Arlington is a wealthy Caucasian male who uses his bike for exercise, recreation and commuting, according to the findings of a recently-released survey.
The survey — conducted by a Richmond-based research firm under contract from Arlington County Commuter Services — probed the demographics, motivations and habits of local bicyclists using a combination of online surveys and in-person surveys conducted on Arlington bike trails.
Among the study’s findings:
- Mean age of respondents is 43
- Median income is $108,000
- 80% are Caucasian
- 64% are male
- 88% are employed full-time
- 35% work in Arlington
- 50% live seven or more miles from work
- 83% bike to work at least a couple of times per week
- 63% commute to work exclusively via bicycle
- 74% have employers that offer assistance, information or facilities that encourage biking to work
- 45% use a bike as their primary mode of transportation
- 89% say exercise and recreation is among the reasons why they choose to bike
- 81% are “satisfied” with local multi-use trails
- 47% of those who started using the county’s BikeArlington services now bicycle more frequently
For more information, see a summary of the findings or a complete presentation of survey results.
Disclosure: Arlington County Commuter Services placed ads for the online survey on ARLnow.com over the summer.
Busy Christmas Day for Arlington Police
Sunday was a busier-than-usual Christmas Day for Arlington County police.
Among the incidents reported: a police cruiser window was smashed, a Courthouse area business was broken into and a gas station was robbed at gunpoint. All three incidents resulted in arrests.
From the ACPD daily crime report:
DOMESTIC ASSAULT AND BATTERY-ARREST, 12/25/11, 5600 block of S. 7th Rd. On December 25 at 1 am, a man assaulted his wife. He was extremely disorderly during arrest and kicked out the window of a police cruiser. Carlos Villatoro, 30, of Arlington, was charged with Felony Destruction of Property, Domestic Assault and Battery, Possession of Marijuana and Curse and Abuse. He was held without bond.
BURGLARY-ARREST, 12/25/11, 2300 block of Wilson Blvd. On December 25 at 7 am, two men were seen breaking into a business. They were apprehended at the scene by police. Mohamed Alim, 19, of Alexandria, and Adil Gour, 19, of Fairfax, were both charged with Burglary. They were held without bond.
ROBBERY-ARREST, 12/25/11, 4100 block of Four Mile Run Dr. On December 25 at 12:15 pm, a man entered a gas station and robbed the cashier of money an cigarettes while brandishing a handgun. The suspect then fled in a while that a second person was driving. Both suspects were apprehended by police. Liban Jama, 23, of Arlington, was charged with Armed Robbery and Use of Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. Earl Brown, 27, of Arlington, was charged with Armed Robbery. They were both held without bond.
Christmas Tree Collection Begins Jan. 3
Arlington County’s official Christmas tree collection period is still one week away.
Christmas trees will be collected from Jan. 3-17 on normal trash collection days. All stands, lights and decorations should be removed, since the trees will be ground into mulch.
“Residents are reminded to place the tree on the curb no later than 6 am on your regular trash collection day,” the county said on its trash collection website. “Residents that do not have curbside recycling service, such as those living in townhouses, apartments, or condominiums, may also bring their Christmas trees to the Solid Waste Bureau during the Christmas tree collection season. Please call 703.228.6570 to schedule an appointment between 8 am – 3 pm, Monday through Friday.”
The Solid Waste Bureau is located at 4300 S. 29th Street.
Follow these safety tips from the Arlington County Fire Department to make sure your tree doesn’t become a fire hazard before your scheduled pickup or drop-off.
Seattle’s Best, California Tortilla Coming to Crystal City
A new coffee shop and a new eatery are coming soon to Crystal City.
Interior construction is underway at a new Seattle’s Best Coffee location at 2450 Crystal Drive. The owners were originally hoping to open the store, which is now hiring, in mid-November. No word yet on when the store is now expected to open.
Also coming soon to Crystal City: a new California Tortilla location. The local Mexican restaurant chain is planning on opening a location on the southern portion of Crystal Drive, according to a source familiar with the plans.
The new California Tortilla — which would join the company’s Courthouse and Reagan National Airport locations in Arlington — will compete with a nearby Chipotle at 2231 Crystal Drive and with the District Taco cart, which makes regular visits to Crystal City.
Morning Poll: Will You Be Making Returns This Week?
Now that Christmas has come and gone, and all the presents have been unwrapped, another holiday tradition is upon us: the rush back to stores to return unwanted or ill-fitting gifts.
The week after Christmas is traditionally a busy one for retailers as they start to take returns (and as shoppers who received gift cards start to cash them in).
Will you be making returns this week?
Morning Notes
Gingrich Doesn’t Make Cut for Va. GOP Ballot — Despite a last-minute push for signatures, Republican presidential candidate Next Gingrich failed to get enough valid signatures to make it on the Republican primary ballot in Virginia. Texas Governor Rick Perry also fell short of making it on the ballot. [Bloomberg]
Dominion Hills Gets Historical Designation — The Virginia Department of Historical Resources has added the Arlington neighborhood of Dominion Hills to its register of historic places. [News Leader]
Cheesetique Now Open — The new Shirlington location of Alexandria-based wine and cheese store Cheesetique is now open. The store opened its doors to the public for the first time on Monday. [Shirlington Village Blog]
Flickr pool photo by Michael T. Ruhl
