Missed connection

[dasgeh]

@baiskeli 81328 wrote:

News Release
For Immediate Release

Hey, news crew shooting that perfect shot of the Capitol from the bike lane on Pennsylvania Avenue: I’m headed toward you.

-30-

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5073[/ATTACH]

Seems like a great opportunity for a photo bomb…

[83b]

@baiskeli 81328 wrote:

News Release
For Immediate Release

Hey, news crew shooting that perfect shot of the Capitol from the bike lane on Pennsylvania Avenue: I’m headed toward you.

-30-

If someone wants to perch thousands of dollars worth of audio/visual gear on an unattended tripod illegally in the middle of a travel lane, I think they’re more than welcome to do so. I’ll also have no sympathy when the inevitable happens.

One night in late February, when it was pitch black during my evening commute, I had a gigantic tripod and camera appear suddenly in the East Capitol St bike lane beside the Folger (where they’re always running the unlicensed valet for events). The owners were trying to stay warm in their car nearby as they shot the Capitol (a timelapse or something?). They sure jumped out quickly when I skidded to a stop in front of their gear though! Still, they were surprisingly receptive to my pointing out what a horrible idea that was.

[brendan]

@Geoff 81306 wrote:

I had to think about this. I was doing what I always do at that point, attack the hill for all I’m worth. If he thought he could pass and couldn’t pull it off, I figured that was his concern. But I can see that (a) he probably thought I was being a prideful jerk who simply didn’t want to let him by, and (b) the situation was potentially unsafe. Side by side on a hill? What if someone flying down towards us had come a little too close to our lane? Results would have been ugly. Should I have backed down? Should he have backed down (sooner)? Don’t know.

Yes, he should have backed down, but sometimes you gotta take one for the team.

Esp since the western sister has a bit of a blind downhill start for riders heading east! Aka a bit of a blind uphill finish for those heading west.

Had to hit the brakes hard to a full stop (luckily had only started accelerating down) coming around that curve when faced with a cyclist slow-passing wide, fully in the opposite lane. Monday, I think.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Geoff 81315 wrote:

To be honest, I’m not always sure I call out my own passes loud enough to be heard.

Me too. Or I call them too loud and get a bad look.

[mstone]

bell…

[Fast Friendly Guy]

lifeguard whistle…

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@baiskeli 81328 wrote:

News Release
For Immediate Release

Hey, news crew shooting that perfect shot of the Capitol from the bike lane on Pennsylvania Avenue: I’m headed toward you.

Just ride on up and get in the picture! You coulda been on TV!

[GB]

@brendan 81351 wrote:

Esp since the western sister has a bit of a blind downhill start for riders heading east! Aka a bit of a blind uphill finish for those heading west.

Does anyone else call/ring bell when going around a blind turn? I do ~30% of the time, I can’t say it has caused me to avoid a collision yet, but I imagine it will one day.

[brendan]

@GB 81385 wrote:

Does anyone else call/ring bell when going around a blind turn? I do ~30% of the time, I can’t say it has caused me to avoid a collision yet, but I imagine it will one day.

I usually ring my bell twice before/when heading under the bridge just west of brandymore castle…especially when heading east, since I’ve encountered folks loitering just east of the blind-ish exit there.

B

[mstone]

@GB 81385 wrote:

Does anyone else call/ring bell when going around a blind turn? I do ~30% of the time, I can’t say it has caused me to avoid a collision yet, but I imagine it will one day.

Yes

[rpiretti]

Two days into this spring weather and I’ve had two verbal altercations. Went the whole winter w/o one issue. Hmm.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Arlingtonrider]

@GB 81385 wrote:

Does anyone else call/ring bell when going around a blind turn?.

I always ring the bell at blind turns and before entering narrow tunnels. It’s instinctive now.

[rcannon100]

I always ring in the underpass on the WOD under Carlin Springs. Many a time I emerge from the blind underpass, having rung the bell, to see a jogger leaping right – who clearly had been intending to cheat the corner and I would have hit head on.

Ringing bell in blind passages good.

[consularrider]

@GB 81385 wrote:

Does anyone else call/ring bell when going around a blind turn? I do ~30% of the time, I can’t say it has caused me to avoid a collision yet, but I imagine it will one day.

About half the time I’ll give a triple ring heading west under Carlin Springs Rd on the W&OD, especially if the trail is very busy. That’s one of the few places I regularly encounter other trail users cutting the corner. More people cut the corner on the W&OD at the right angle turn between Brandymore Castle and the East Falls Church basketball court, but most of the year they are visible through the trees.

[bobco85]

@GB 81385 wrote:

Does anyone else call/ring bell when going around a blind turn? I do ~30% of the time, I can’t say it has caused me to avoid a collision yet, but I imagine it will one day.

I try to either slow down a lot or ring my bell when approaching a blind turn. If there are mirrors (Custis near Glebe, MVT just north of Old Town), I can usually see if there are any people coming.

I almost had a collision last year on the MVT at this spot http://goo.gl/maps/IeAGn when the SB person took their turn (they had the inside curve) way too wide when I was going NB. I have also had minor issues (times where you just want to say, “You’re lucky no one was there!”) at the blind spot where the Custis passes under I-66 near Westover http://goo.gl/maps/8TbP9 with WB people who swing wide without stopping and with EB people who cut the corner sharply.

That said, I’m equally vigilant whether I’m in the inside or outside direction on the trail for people either cutting corners or swinging wide.

[Author]

Posts