More Fun on the W & OD

[Vicegrip]

Many streets have center divisions with posts and poles in them and they get hit from time to time. This is has nothing to do with restricting access to non car trails.

to answer Dasgeh’s question. Yes, I am in this area often, all during the year and vairous hours. The reason I think this is a high irritant but not a high safety issue is the way I have observed the illegal cars being driven. (other than the well Duh they are on a MUP part). I have observed cars in this area perhaps 8 times or so but never being driven in an aggressive way. I see far more county or park or line crew trucks on the MUPs. We all ride with the understanding that there are many obstacles in our path and we know conditions change all the time. Service trucks, parked strollers, people, dogs, deer, bunnies, fallen limbs, an almost naked guy sitting on the center line stretching (yes he was and the like are often blocking the path. We ride with this in mind. It is the the fact that cars and trucks are not uncommon on the MUPs that leads me to not foresee a disaster in the making. If a stopped or slow car on the trail is a true direct danger to you you might be riding in an unsafe way. NO, i am not excusing the actions of others I want the cars off my path just as you do. I am only saying in in the course of the day encountering a legally driven car or truck is not unexpected and the illegally driven cars are presenting the same hazzard.

but I digress. If the car can’t fit none of the illegally driven cars will be encountered. Education of the park users is very important but as we all know even educated users find reason that the ruled do not pertain to them right then for their reason.

Far too often I see a need unmet, correction or repair undone by the actions of those seeking the perfect over the good. If we get into a round and round about some side aspect of things the need to find and fix the leak will go unmet. there is likely one or two simple things that will take care of 99% of the issue.

[bobco85]

UPDATE: I received the following response to my e-mail from someone at the Trails department:

Bob,

Thank you for providing information about vehicles on trails near Westover and Bon Air Parks.
Drivers are sometimes given authorization to enter the trail system from Bon Air Park for access to their event at the shelter. Otherwise they should not be on the trail. The photos suggest that the driver(s) were on the trail at night. No authorization would have been granted at that time.

The deteriorated sign at Bon Air should be updated, and some feature should be installed at Westover to deter vehicular access. Work orders 68556 and 68557 have been created for your requests.

Basically, this means that during certain times during the day, people with a reservation at the shelter are authorized to drive from the parking lot of Bon Air Park along this route which uses part of the Custis Trail: https://goo.gl/maps/MkDi4

I would guess that the people who were pictured in TwoWheelsDC’s missed connection had decided to stay late and party a bit more which they were not authorized to do. However, it’s important to note that the T-intersection next to the I-66 underpass will have vehicles driving through it, so trail users will really need to stop at that stop sign and check for traffic (not that they ever shouldn’t).

At Bon Air Park, they will replace the sign regarding authorized vehicle access. I do not know exactly what they will do at Westover, but I would safely assume that a flexpost will be installed with maybe a sign nearby stating “Motorized Vehicles Prohibited.”

I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.

[Vicegrip]

@bobco85 91064 wrote:

UPDATE: I received the following response to my e-mail from someone at the Trails department:

Basically, this means that during certain times during the day, people with a reservation at the shelter are authorized to drive from the parking lot of Bon Air Park along this route which uses part of the Custis Trail: https://goo.gl/maps/MkDi4

I would guess that the people who were pictured in TwoWheelsDC’s missed connection had decided to stay late and party a bit more which they were not authorized to do. However, it’s important to note that the T-intersection next to the I-66 underpass will have vehicles driving through it, so trail users will really need to stop at that stop sign and check for traffic (not that they ever shouldn’t).

At Bon Air Park, they will replace the sign regarding authorized vehicle access. I do not know exactly what they will do at Westover, but I would safely assume that a flexpost will be installed with maybe a sign nearby stating “Motorized Vehicles Prohibited.”

I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.

What? This can’t be. This makes sense and takes the aspects of many users into consideration.

Thank you for making contact and posting the reply.

[vern]

Cars on the trail are obviously a problem, but it happens rarely. The bigger problem, I think, and one I face daily, is cyclists putzing around with their electronic devices while riding, getting distracted, and veering out of their lane into mine. i think we should put our attention on that issue with a bit more energy.

***and right on cue, this very thing happened again this morning, with the veering cyclist suddenly sliding over right in front of me, maybe 50 feet up that path from me. She had one hand on the handlebar, with the other cradling her electronic device, and needless to say, her eyes were glued to the same.

[dasgeh]

@vern 91109 wrote:

Cars on the trail are obviously a problem, but it happens rarely. The bigger problem, I think, and one I face daily, is cyclists putzing around with their electronic devices while riding, getting distracted, and veering out of their lane into mine. i think we should put our attention on that issue with a bit more energy.

***and right on cue, this very thing happened again this morning, with the veering cyclist suddenly sliding over right in front of me, maybe 50 feet up that path from me. She had one hand on the handlebar, with the other cradling her electronic device, and needless to say, her eyes were glued to the same.

Every time I’ve seen this happen in front of me (happens about once a day), I’ve said something (usually “hello” or “good morning/afternoon” etc). Every time the cyclist has looked and gotten control of their bike. So it doesn’t seem like that big of a problem to me.

[Steve O]

@bobco85 91064 wrote:

UPDATE:
Basically, this means that during certain times during the day, people with a reservation at the shelter are authorized to drive from the parking lot of Bon Air Park along this route which uses part of the Custis Trail: https://goo.gl/maps/MkDi4

So what is missing are all sorts of signs that say “Cars with permits only” and then at all of the intersections where a car may turn off the designated route some sort of signs prohibiting them. Or alternatively (or complementarily), clearly marked signs that say “To picnic area” and “To Bon Air Park” along the designated route. Since there are no signs like this whatsoever, it is not entirely surprising that someone who has been there all day and is now leaving may not recall exactly how they got in and take a wrong turn.

Why is putting up some clear directional signs so hard to do? This seems like a no-brainer that should have been implemented decades ago.

[Vicegrip]

@Steve O 91146 wrote:

So what is missing are all sorts of signs that say “Cars with permits only” and then at all of the intersections where a car may turn off the designated route some sort of signs prohibiting them. Or alternatively (or complementarily), clearly marked signs that say “To picnic area” and “To Bon Air Park” along the designated route. Since there are no signs like this whatsoever, it is not entirely surprising that someone who has been there all day and is now leaving may not recall exactly how they got in and take a wrong turn.

Why is putting up some clear directional signs so hard to do? This seems like a no-brainer that should have been implemented decades ago.

perhaps other than the oddity of seeing a car on the path now and then during the BBQ season there has not been an issue?
Has there been any accdents or problems of note above the cars being there which we know know is OK at times?

I would like to see some time and money spent on informational signs at most of the entry points. A simple list of the basic rules of the road. Basic stuff not a 20 paragraph listing of every arcane MUP or state law on the books that mo one will read a shott list of basic people bssed rules that a user might not know. Things like Don’t stop on the trail. Call passes. Look before stooping or turning. Keep right. Short leashes on pets and little kids and yhe like (Well perhaps not the leashed kids part. Is it just me that thinks little kids learning to ride a scoot while on a MUP is like first day of drivers education on the beltway?) Also a statement for all trail users to work to exist with each other. To work together to share the trail.

[PotomacCyclist]

Arlington is planning to build a bike park with a learner’s loop (for kids and adults who are new to cycling) next to the W&OD, on the north side of Columbia Pike at the intersection with the trail. Final approval of the bid should take place this fall. Perhaps the bike park will be ready for next summer. It shouldn’t take too long to build.

“The focus of the project is to install a bike park with a learning loop for beginning riders,” the county’s staff report states. “The park improvements will include site furnishings, sand play area, water bottle filler, bike repair station, plaza space and a paved bicycle path.”

http://www.arlnow.com/2014/07/14/county-may-construct-bike-park-on-columbia-pike/

[Author]

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