Head-on this morning on MVT

[dasgeh]

And at the Custis end of the MVT this morning, a guy in front of me passed another guy in front of him on the downhill into the right-hand, blind curve onto the bridge over the GWMP. If anyone had been coming, there would have been quite a collision.

I think putting up something reminding people not to pass when they can’t see would help, at least with newbs during safetrack

[Supermau]

I know that curve. Definitely a blind one, and potentially very dangerous. I nearly collided with a couple pathletes there a year ago, very early in the morning. They were taking both lanes as I rounded the corner. 😮

[scorchedearth]

@Mariner 140529 wrote:

I was headed south on the MVT just past the Gravelly Point parking area. As I rounded a slight bend, which is a blind curve, there were three cyclists headed NB in close single file, well to their right. Unknown to me, someone else was behind me on my left attempting to overtake. There were shouts, a crash of bikes, and I turned around to see bikes and bodies flying.

At least one rider from the three NB riders was on the ground. I didn’t see blood but I’m sure there was some from hitting the asphalt. The person who caused the collision was profusely apologetic while I screamed at him.

Dude, it is a blind curve. Next to the Parkway. Next to a roadway with no separating barrier. On a trail with nowhere to go. On a blind curve. Your behavior caused some injuries, I don’t know how bad, but could have sent all five of us to the hospital. And all because you wanted to pass.

Location:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.863862,-77.0421732,20z

and here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.864186,-77.0421626,3a,49.4y,204.53h,84.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqcDkuFOHbenZ7s6BzxVWwQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I have video but it doesn’t show the crash. It probably did record my screaming though.

I’ve seen my share of jerks attempting to make passes at that corner. I’m sorry to hear that you had this incident. Hopefully, the riders are OK.

[notinthe18]

@Mariner 140529 wrote:

I was headed south on the MVT just past the Gravelly Point parking area. As I rounded a slight bend, which is a blind curve, there were three cyclists headed NB in close single file, well to their right. Unknown to me, someone else was behind me on my left attempting to overtake. There were shouts, a crash of bikes, and I turned around to see bikes and bodies flying.

At least one rider from the three NB riders was on the ground. I didn’t see blood but I’m sure there was some from hitting the asphalt. The person who caused the collision was profusely apologetic while I screamed at him.

Dude, it is a blind curve. Next to the Parkway. Next to a roadway with no separating barrier. On a trail with nowhere to go. On a blind curve. Your behavior caused some injuries, I don’t know how bad, but could have sent all five of us to the hospital. And all because you wanted to pass.

Location:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.863862,-77.0421732,20z

and here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.864186,-77.0421626,3a,49.4y,204.53h,84.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqcDkuFOHbenZ7s6BzxVWwQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I have video but it doesn’t show the crash. It probably did record my screaming though.

That spot is also dangerous going SB at night because the oncoming headlights can blind you. Not surprised to hear about an accident. I hope everyone is ok.

[KLizotte]

Always a good idea to have a helmet mounted mirror in cases like this. You can keep an eye on the bikers behind you and move to the left to block an unsafe pass.

[Mariner]

@KLizotte 140559 wrote:

Always a good idea to have a helmet mounted mirror in cases like this. You can keep an eye on the bikers behind you and move to the left to block an unsafe pass.

I have a handlebar mirror which unfortunately is a bit too low and needs remounting, but which does provide a good view. However, this all happened so fast with the appearance of the NB riders from around the curve that no move would have been timely enough. And I would not necessarily be comfortable moving towards the center line when a group of three is approaching; more the opposite really, anticipating an overtake move from one of them.

[Steve O]

I think this deserved a call to the police and a police report. Maybe even a citation.
Collision with injuries and possible property damage to one or more bikes. Had a motor vehicle been involved, it would have undoubtedly been reported.

Also, taking a page from Bruce Deming’s book: photos–photos–photos. In fact, your video might be useful in some way, so providing your contact info to the injured rider would be a good idea.

Virtually no bike-on-bike or single-bike crashes are ever reported, so it’s difficult for authorities and public servants to determine where issues may lurk. This sounds like a prime candidate for a reportable incident.

[elbows]

Sorry to hear about this. Drives me insane when people pass at places like that and is part of the reason I’ve started avoiding the MVT in that stretch. Would a “no passing” sign before blind corners help these boneheads? Of all the dumb ways money gets spent in the name of safety, for your safe cycling dollar, the NPS (or Arlington on Custis) could target unsafe passers and issue them citations for a lot greater return that some of the other “safety” campaigns.

[Raymo853]

@Mariner 140529 wrote:

I was headed south on the MVT just past the Gravelly Point parking area. As I rounded a slight bend, which is a blind curve, there were three cyclists headed NB in close single file, well to their right. Unknown to me, someone else was behind me on my left attempting to overtake. There were shouts, a crash of bikes, and I turned around to see bikes and bodies flying.

At least one rider from the three NB riders was on the ground. I didn’t see blood but I’m sure there was some from hitting the asphalt. The person who caused the collision was profusely apologetic while I screamed at him.

Dude, it is a blind curve. Next to the Parkway. Next to a roadway with no separating barrier. On a trail with nowhere to go. On a blind curve. Your behavior caused some injuries, I don’t know how bad, but could have sent all five of us to the hospital. And all because you wanted to pass.

Location:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.863862,-77.0421732,20z

and here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.864186,-77.0421626,3a,49.4y,204.53h,84.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqcDkuFOHbenZ7s6BzxVWwQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I have video but it doesn’t show the crash. It probably did record my screaming though.

Beyond chiding the rider, did you give your information to anyone? You should have to those injured. Maybe if you did not, you should post signs there asking anyone involved to contact you. Any chance you were Strava-ing so you could see who they may have been? The Strava flyby would show them if they were running it as well.

[Mariner]

@Raymo853 140577 wrote:

Beyond chiding the rider, did you give your information to anyone? You should have to those injured. Maybe if you did not, you should post signs there asking anyone involved to contact you. Any chance you were Strava-ing so you could see who they may have been? The Strava flyby would show them if they were running it as well.

I did, but I was not running Strava, which now I will be.

[zapata]

I counted 6 unsafe passes of this nature between 4 mile run and 14th st bridge on the MVT yesterday afternoon while I was biking towards the mall. People seem to be so focused on the “obstacle” in front of them that they forget to pay attention to their surroundings. For some reason I feel more comfortable on a 35 mph road than the MVT sometimes.

[Long_Slow_Distance]

Did the passing rider actually make contact with the NB riders or did the NB collide with themselves? The passing rider definitely used poor judgment, but 3 riders in tight formation with a tail wind can pick up a lot of speed on that stretch – we all have a responsibility to ride safely and maintain a safe distance.

[Terpfan]

On the MVT, there are a few spots that I hate and that’s one of them. The proximity to the GWMP there is ridiculous and makes everything dangerous. Funny part was that that was part of the trail readjustment further south on MVT recently, except that part was already much further from the road and lacked the blind corners (although that turn by the tree was a problem that they did fix). I also hate that first bridge heading south from the spot you mentioned as it’s another blind corner with high speeds and GWMP close. And then I hate the S curve on Daingerfeld Island.

[baiskeli]

Maybe there should be marked “No Passing” zones on trails.

[Tania]

@baiskeli 140602 wrote:

Maybe there should be marked “No Passing” zones on trails.

Although I agree there should be no passing zones, I doubt everyone would adhere to it.

[Author]

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