Lawn Mowers on MVT

[ozmeister1984]

Well long story short I was coming down a hill southbound right before I pass under the bridge by the airport crossings on the MVT and they were mowing the grass at 630 PM. One of the lawnmower operators turned right in front of me without looking. I had to slam on my brakes but got no traction on the pavement due to all the grass and my road tires. Fortunately, I was able to avoid falling and my rear tire hit his blade shield blowing out my tires, and yes his blades were still going at the time. I’m fine and would like to thank the gentleman who loaned me his CO2 cartridge after mine was depleted.

I’m just bothered that they were mowing the grass during rush hour. The trails were packed today, there were tourists and children alike. Had I been less experienced on my bike or one of those children this carelessness could have ended up with injury or even worse. I am used to cars doing this in DC, but do not expect it on a trail. I have call in the with NPS to report this and have already written them as well.

Just thought I would leave this rant here.

Thanks again to the folks that stopped and offered me a hand.

Topic

[KelOnWheels]

Oh jeez! You came through there shortly after I did, sounds like. So glad you didn’t get hurt! Those mower dudes were seriously honey badgering – the one I passed was taking up the whole northbound side of the path and blowing grass everywhere. Most mower guys I pass usually are courteous enough to shut the blades off when people are going by.

[Terpfan]

@KelOnWheels 29703 wrote:

Oh jeez! You came through there shortly after I did, sounds like. So glad you didn’t get hurt! Those mower dudes were seriously honey badgering – the one I passed was taking up the whole northbound side of the path and blowing grass everywhere. Most mower guys I pass usually are courteous enough to shut the blades off when people are going by.

I was about to say I also usually find they’re courteous in shutting off the blades or moving off the path when they see me. Then again, from their perspectives, I wouldn’t want to challenge a big guy on a bike while operating a piece of heavy machinery with spinning blades because it could any which way. Hopefully it’s an errant mower person and they take heed of it for the sake of all of us next time. Lucky it turned out as it did.

[dasgeh]

Mowers terrify me because, while most I’ve encounter have been great, a non-negligent few have been HORRIBLE. And they’re operating very dangerous, very LOUD machinery, so yelling to let them know I’m there usually doesn’t work. Definitely worth writing NPS (MWAA? whoever is in charge there) to let them know how dangerous that situation is. There very easily could have been a parent + child walking down the trail and mowers who don’t look are extremely dangerous to everyone (and powers that be are more sympathetic to the parent + kid argument).

[DaveK]

It’s NPS – they were doing landscape maintenance all along my route in down the Mall this morning. Must be lawn mowing day.

[ozmeister1984]

I have usually found that they keep and eye out for people on the trail and usually pull to the side and shut of the blades, but maybe it is a new guy.

[ozmeister1984]

@dasgeh 29776 wrote:

There very easily could have been a parent + child walking down the trail and mowers who don’t look are extremely dangerous to everyone (and powers that be are more sympathetic to the parent + kid argument).

That’s the argument that I used. I figured it has more pull than a fit 28 year old.

[dasgeh]

There must be something in the water… I was biking along the Mall, headed West along Madison Drive, crossing 14th Street NW. A construction street-sweeper was headed South on 14th, sweeping up around the construction site that’s on the NW corner of Madison and 14th. Despite the fact that I had green and that I was, well, there, the street sweeper turned right from 14th to Madison. I had time to slow to avoid any collison, but given the type of vehicle, I had to stop, mid-intersection to let the dust settle. When the light in my direction turned yellow, I headed into the dust.

Ridiculous, because the guy could have just paused for a second, followed the law and avoided the situation. Ugh.

[Author]

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