Speed bumps installed on W&OD in Vienna!

[RESTONTODC]

I think these rumble strips is danger for new bike riders and children if they don’t have both hands on their handle bar.

They should install these rumble strips on the ROAD for cars instead of the trail.

Since the school started, I see many drivers speed up when they see me waiting at the Cedar lane stop sign instead of slowing down.

[Dirt]

I haven’t seen them, but since I’m contemplating some new speed skates for off-season training, I am pretty sure the most basic of rumblestrips are quite possibly the kiss of death for anyone rolling on 8 wheels. Even 110mm wheels don’t roll over rumblestrips well without a really good sense of balance.

[JimK]

Agreed that Cedar Lane is a busy road. However, I cross it at rush hour both in the morning and afternoon and don’t really have a problem: usually, after I get to the stop sign, the first or second car approaching the intersection stops to let me cross. Drivers at the Park Street crossing also tend to be very considerate.

[Amalitza]

@jnva 31351 wrote:

And how are you supposed to rollerblade over these things?

huh. The IHRT has rumble strips (with accompanying bollards) at all the intersections (on the trail, not on the roads, naturally). I never gave them too much thought, probably because they’ve always been there. I find them somewhat annoying, (and to be honest, probably the idea of as much as the reality of them) but had never considered them dangerous (the rumble strips, I mean– the bollards I have another opinion about). But I don’t rollerblade — now that’s been pointed out, I can definitely see how that would be a problem. Come to think of it, I have never seen a roller blader out there…

(spell check wants me to say “roller bladder”, which I guess I have never seen either)

[Dirt]

@jnva 31351 wrote:

And how are you supposed to rollerblade over these things?

There is a good technique for this. The problem with rumble strips or rough surface in general is that it slows the skates significantly, without slowing your body… It thus throws your weight forward. The key to rolling over stuff like that involves making yourself more stable from front to rear…. that means moving one skate a little in front of you and one skate a bit behind you. It helps to have a bit of momentum. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the rumble strips are supposed to help prevent…. momentum. If they’re placed far enough back, it won’t be a problem. If they are close to the intersection, that is a bigger issue. I’ll give it a try when I head out there on skates in a few weeks.

[Tim Kelley]

So after several emails back and forth I have a contact at NVPRA who said that the rumble strips were replaced as part of the repaving project.

If you’d like to share your opinions on the safety on the strips, which I would encourage you to do so, you can pass along your thoughts with Dan Iglhaut:

Dan Iglhaut
Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
5400 Ox Road
Fairfax Station, VA 22039
DIGLHAUT@nvrpa.org
703-359-4628
http://www.nvrpa.org

[consularrider]

@Tim Kelley 31415 wrote:

… a contact at NVPRA who said that the rumble strips were replaced as part of the repaving project.

…

Interesting the use of the work “replaced.” If they were there before, they were so worn that no one felt a difference as they rode over.

[jnva]

I didn’t want to stop in the rain to take a picture but I’ll get some tomorrow morning. I never noticed that all of the road crossings in falls church have rumble strips, but they are a single layer of paint. The one at cedar are like 50 layers of paint. Its silly.

[eminva]

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I saw a jogger trip on it as I was getting ready to take the photo. It’s that bad.

Liz

[vvill]

Looks almost snowplough-removable.

[jnva]

Looks harmless from a distance

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but not up close:

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[consularrider]

@vvill 31501 wrote:

Looks almost snowplough-removable.

What is this thing, “snowplough”? I ain’t ne’er seen one on that thar section of the W&OD. Be ye offerin’?

[GuyContinental]

@consularrider 31503 wrote:

What is this thing, “snowplough”? I ain’t ne’er seen one on that thar section of the W&OD. Be ye offerin’?

That’s the spirit matey- just attach a sharp-jawed wench to yer bow and charge through the drifts o’ white stuff.

[jabberwocky]

I’m having trouble figuring out why someone thought those were a good idea. Bikes are not cars. They (mostly) don’t have suspensions. Placing them in a location where cyclists will be braking is especially stupid, as braking cyclists have their weight forward to start, making it easier for a sudden bump to toss them over the bars.

And thats not getting into rollerblades (and skateboards), which I’ve seen on this section numerous times. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[dbb]

@consularrider 31503 wrote:

What is this thing, “snowplough”? I ain’t ne’er seen one on that thar section of the W&OD. Be ye offerin’?

Refering to my Australian -American dictionary: Snowplough – A blade affixed to a vehicle to push snow to the side of a roadway. See snowplow.

[Author]

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