Missed connection

[vvill]

@rcannon100 81400 wrote:

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.

Yeah I often do.

I really forgot what it was like to have the trails so busy – now I remember why I tend to ride more roads in the summer and more trails in the winter.

[Rockford10]

So, I don’t have a bell, what should I say? “Coming through!” “Wide load!” “Hot pan!”

I have a similar this problem when there are folks on the wrong side of the trail. This was pretty common over the winter – Person on the right, dog on the left and leash in between or just people on the left side. For a while I said “HI!” and a few “On your rights!”, but nothing really seemed to work.

[consularrider]

@bobco85 81406 wrote:

… 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…

I’m actually more concerned about westbound trail users going straight through that intersection and into the park. Twice I’ve nearly been hit there by a cyclist who didn’t slow down and couldn’t see what was coming from his right (may have been the same rider both times :mad:). I’m sure that’s why there is a stop sign there. When I have the time, I like to loop around Bon Air Park (enjoying the roses) and come at the intersection from the east on the southside of I-66. Plus it gives me some added milage.

[Mikey]

@Rockford10 81440 wrote:

So, I don’t have a bell, what should I say? “Coming through!” “Wide load!” “Hot pan!”

I have a similar this problem when there are folks on the wrong side of the trail. This was pretty common over the winter – Person on the right, dog on the left and leash in between or just people on the left side. For a while I said “HI!” and a few “On your rights!”, but nothing really seemed to work.

I yell “Passing!” 9 times out of 10 the pedestrian or other bicyclist just stay in their line and I pass when it is safe. This is really all I am looking for anyway. that other 1 times out of 10 the people turn around and tend to wander across the trail, but I say it early enough and slow down as necessary so it isn’t a problem.

I gave up saying a direction “Left” or “Right” becuase some people just move that way.

[DCAKen]

@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 do this at two locations going southbound on the Rock Creek trail. The first is at the Park Road underpass at Peirce Mill and the other is at the P Street Bridge.

[Steve O]

@bobco85 81406 wrote:

. . .at the blind spot where the Custis passes under I-66 near Westover http://goo.gl/maps/8TbP9

To add to the lexicon of features on the Custis (two sisters, Bridge to Nowhere, etc.), I dub this spot Underpass of Eternal Darkness (in honor of the fact that the lights went out in October 2011 and have not yet been fixed).

[dkel]

@Mikey 81453 wrote:

I yell “Passing!” 9 times out of 10 the pedestrian or other bicyclist just stay in their line and I pass when it is safe. This is really all I am looking for anyway. that other 1 times out of 10 the people turn around and tend to wander across the trail, but I say it early enough and slow down as necessary so it isn’t a problem.

I gave up saying a direction “Left” or “Right” becuase some people just move that way.

This morning rpiretti told me he does the same. Then on our brief ride together, I heard him do it, and it seemed pretty good to me. (He also has a righteous bell. Ask him to ring it for you if you get a chance.)

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Steve O 81495 wrote:

I dub this spot Underpass of Eternal Darkness

Henceforth, this will be the official geographic nomenclature for this location.

[Tim Kelley]

@Steve O 81495 wrote:

To add to the lexicon of features on the Custis (two sisters, Bridge to Nowhere, etc.), I dub this spot Underpass of Eternal Darkness (in honor of the fact that the lights went out in October 2011 and have not yet been fixed).

Did you report it?

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Tim Kelley 81509 wrote:

Did you report it?

If it gets fixed we’d have to come up with a new name. Priorities.

[mstone]

@Rockford10 81440 wrote:

So, I don’t have a bell, what should I say? “Coming through!” “Wide load!” “Hot pan!”

Maybe bike arlington needs to start handing out handlebar bells

[culimerc]

@dkel 81501 wrote:

This morning rpiretti told me he does the same. Then on our brief ride together, I heard him do it, and it seemed pretty good to me. (He also has a righteous bell. Ask him to ring it for you if you get a chance.)

Not much of a talker personally, I’m a bell guy

[americancyclo]

@mstone 81519 wrote:

Maybe bike arlington needs to start handing out handlebar bells

the Crystal City BID had some pretty righteous ones at their last light giveaway. I would love another.

[rpiretti]

@dkel 81501 wrote:

This morning rpiretti told me he does the same. Then on our brief ride together, I heard him do it, and it seemed pretty good to me. (He also has a righteous bell. Ask him to ring it for you if you get a chance.)

Thanks, yeah and I usually add a “thank you” to “passing”. It goes a long way and I’ve had many folks who say thank you back. I judge the situation though, I’ll ring the bell if I feel like it’s needed. Like David said it’s kinda loud so I don’t like ringing it in people’s ears if I can help it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tim Kelley]

@mstone 81519 wrote:

Maybe bike arlington needs to start handing out handlebar bells

We used to give out bells, but never could find a good one that we liked. The kind we had needed a screwdriver to install, and the clamp would only fit thin handle bars. What we really want is a stretchy band for mounting on various sizes bars that can be purchased inexpensively. So far, we’ve been unable to find something that would work.

If anyone has any ideas for a source, we’d be very interested.

[Author]

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