Office of Planning director Harriet Tregoning is one of the most stalwart bike commuters in District government, making the trip from her Columbia Heights rowhouse to 1100 4th Street SW most days on a foldable Brompton bike, wearing a helmet and sensible shoes. So far, she’s gone without major incident, except for catching her wheels in some of the metal ruts that run down 9th Street.

But accidents happen to the safest of cyclists, and one struck around 9:00 a.m. this morning as she was heading south around Mt. Vernon Square, in the form of a Maryland driver who sideswiped her while running a red light on Massachusetts Avenue.

“She was shaken up and very apologetic,” Tregoning says. She flagged down a police officer, but decided not to press charges. “I basically told her, never run a red light in the District again!”

Tregoning ended up unscathed, but her bike came out of the altercation much the worse for wear. Fortunately, she was right near BicycleSpace at 5th and I Street NW, which happens to be the only place in D.C. that handles Bromptons. They gave her a loaner bike—-a prudent choice for a bike shop in D.C.—-and she rode right on into the office.

Even more of a case for making the Office of Planning’s vision for Mt. Vernon Square a reality!