W&OD at night

[jabberwocky]

I commuted 2005-2010 year round on the W&OD, which necessitated lots of night riding. I was never hassled (and I rode by police at crossings multiple times after dark). I was an obvious commuter though; lights everywhere, messenger bag, etc. Don’t know if that played a part in being left alone.

Safety, I can’t remember ever feeling unsafe.

[jrenaut]

There used to be a guy on here who did some crazy commute from way out in VA (part drive part bike) and I think he arrived in DC around 3 or 4am. He used to mention getting minor hassles from police in Georgetown but I don’t remember him ever mentioning the W&OD.

[creadinger]

@jabberwocky 118048 wrote:

I commuted 2005-2010 year round on the W&OD, which necessitated lots of night riding. I was never hassled (and I rode by police at crossings multiple times after dark). I was an obvious commuter though; lights everywhere, messenger bag, etc. Don’t know if that played a part in being left alone.

Safety, I can’t remember ever feeling unsafe.

Were you out before 5am or after 9pm? I’m thinking I may head out at 2am so it would only be a problem 1-way.

Yeah, safety seems like an excuse for the closing times – It’s really to keep the riff-raff (US) away from the properties of people who live along it.

[reji]

I’ve only ridden the WOD home late (between 11pm and midnight) a few times in the past few years, each time without issue. I was commuting from Arlington to Fairfax and looked like it with lights, panniers, etc. Didn’t see a soul on the trail and it’s truly a glorious ride on a summer evening! I’m a middle-aged female and wasn’t worried about safety, though I was more alert to my surroundings than usual and used both headlights at full power in certain stretches.

On a side note, you may not want to use your headlights attached to your helmet. Your lights will attract lots of flying critters and it’s better to run into them with your torso and not your face.

[creadinger]

@jrenaut 118049 wrote:

There used to be a guy on here who did some crazy commute from way out in VA (part drive part bike) and I think he arrived in DC around 3 or 4am. He used to mention getting minor hassles from police in Georgetown but I don’t remember him ever mentioning the W&OD.

Yeah, I remember that guy! He lived in Front Royal I think. I think he got mugged in Georgetown and they took his work laptop. His commute was insane! I wonder what happened to him?

If I do it I’ll look more like a well-lit commuter than a shady stealth rider who may be up to no good, so I would hope any inquisitive police might leave me alone.

[creadinger]

@reji 118051 wrote:

On a side note, you may not want to use your headlights attached to your helmet. Your lights will attract lots of flying critters and it’s better to run into them with your torso and not your face.

Thanks for the tip, but I’ll be testing a dynamo hub and light, with the light mounted to my fork crown. I should be able to get it at a properly low angle to light up the trail/road and not to blind oncoming people, and will hopefully keep the bugs out of my face.

[jabberwocky]

@creadinger 118050 wrote:

Were you out before 5am or after 9pm? I’m thinking I may head out at 2am so it would only be a problem 1-way.

I was generally home before 9, and certainly not out before 5 if I could help it.

@creadinger 118050 wrote:

Yeah, safety seems like an excuse for the closing times – It’s really to keep the riff-raff (US) away from the properties of people who live along it.

I suspect its mostly a remnant of the W&OD being treated as a park rather than commuting infrastructure. Most parks aren’t open 24/7. Cops probably enjoy it because they have an excuse to get nosy with anyone out after dark, but IME if you’re obviously on your way home and not making trouble they don’t care.

[dkel]

Done my W&OD commute year round for two years, and had no trouble in the dark; it’s quite nice, actually. Of course, this time of year my commute is never dark.

[Tania]

@reji 118051 wrote:

I’m a middle-aged female and wasn’t worried about safety, though I was more alert to my surroundings than usual and used both headlights at full power in certain stretches.

Thank you for chiming in on this, I’ve been wondering about riding home after dark in the winter. (On a side note, want to really piss me off? Make me have to think about stuff like this solely because I’m female and thus considered an easy target.)

[dkel]

@Tania 118060 wrote:

Thank you for chiming in on this, I’ve been wondering about riding home after dark in the winter. (On a side note, want to really piss me off? Make me have to think about stuff like this solely because I’m female and thus considered an easy target.)

I’ve had women tell me they couldn’t ride at night like I do because they’re women. Not being a woman, I can’t really comment on whether women should not feel safe out on the W&OD after dark, but in general, I have wondered if a predator out there would even be able to tell if a cyclist zooming by is a man or woman when it’s really dark, as it can be out in the sticks on the W&OD. I’m not a predator, though, so maybe my mind isn’t diabolical enough to figure these things out.

[jabberwocky]

I’ve commuted long after dark and it never occurred to me to feel unsafe, but I’m a guy, and I know things are a bit different for women. Everyone has their comfort level for what they can tolerate in terms of feeling safe, so I guess its up to each person to check the route and see how sketchy it makes them feel.

We do live in a very safe area overall (the W&OD is located in three of the wealthiest, safest counties in the country) but shit can happen anywhere.

[PotomacCyclist]

@creadinger 118052 wrote:

Yeah, I remember that guy! He lived in Front Royal I think. I think he got mugged in Georgetown and they took his work laptop. His commute was insane! I wonder what happened to him?

If I do it I’ll look more like a well-lit commuter than a shady stealth rider who may be up to no good, so I would hope any inquisitive police might leave me alone.

I think his forum name was CCrew. His profile page says he lives (lived?) in Winchester, VA. I remember him posting about getting mugged in Georgetown too. Then I vaguely remember him posting something about his son and possibly an injury. Soon after, he stopped visiting the forum. His last forum activity was in April 2012. Before that point, he was one of the most frequent posters on the forum, I believe.

I think one of the people who still posts here knows him outside of the forum. Maybe he can at least mention if he’s OK, whether or not he still bikes.

[reji]

@Tania 118060 wrote:

Thank you for chiming in on this, I’ve been wondering about riding home after dark in the winter. (On a side note, want to really piss me off? Make me have to think about stuff like this solely because I’m female and thus considered an easy target.)

I commute in the dark both ways in the winter, usually the 6am hour and the 5pm hour when, in the stretch I ride on the WOD, it’s rare to ride for a minute without seeing another pedestrian/cyclist. The biggest safety concern during those times is those pesky ninja pedestrians.

And I agree with Tania, it really does piss me off that women have to even consider this. I’m perhaps a little more risk-adverse than some since I’ve had a good bit of martial arts training. 😎

I think the WOD is generally safe at any time East of Reston with abundant nearby residences and road crossings. But I’d think twice riding in the middle of night west of Reston since it is less densely populated.

[jrenaut]

@PotomacCyclist 118066 wrote:

I think his forum name was CCrew. His profile page says he lives (lived?) in Winchester, VA. I remember him posting about getting mugged in Georgetown too. Then I vaguely remember him posting something about his son and possibly an injury. Soon after, he stopped visiting the forum. His last forum activity was in April 2012. Before that point, he was one of the most frequent posters on the forum, I believe.

I think one of the people who still posts here knows him outside of the forum. Maybe he can at least mention if he’s OK, whether or not he still bikes.

Yeah, that’s who I was thinking of. I bought a set of fenders from him, seemed like a nice guy. i think he drove in to either Ashburn or Reston, depending on how he was feeling, and biked the rest of the way. Pretty crazy commute regardless. Hope he’s doing well, wherever he is now.

[JimF22003]

@reji 118071 wrote:

The biggest safety concern during those times is those pesky ninja pedestrians.

And ninja deer.

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