arlcxrider
Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
arlcxrider
ParticipantThere are also newish and closely spaced white “flexi” bollards athwart the MVT where the trail transitions from that short section of street north of Alexandria Ave., approx. mile marker 5. Flexi or not, hitting one of those would entail a high suck factor.
As for why NPS installs these things, it’s probably to keep drivers from inattentively wandering onto the trails and boardwalks, like this award-winning driver who made it to Chain Bridge on the C&O towpath before ending up in the drink.
https://wtop.com/dc/2020/05/crash-leaves-vehicle-partially-submerged-in-co-canal-in-dc/
arlcxrider
ParticipantIs there a way to purge the interlopers from the Strava group? I’d like to see what kind of rides other FS participants are doing, rather than randos in S. Florida, or Brazil, etc. Several people currently on the leader board are unlikely FS riders.
September 29, 2020 at 2:49 pm in reply to: GBT/CCT: Purple Line delays set to get longer (2026!?) #1106627arlcxrider
ParticipantSure, but the private contractors claim that the delays (and delay claims) are due to glacially-slow condemnation process, ferocious opposition from deep-pocketed NIMBYs, and seemingly endless litigation. And that can be laid at the feet of “government.”
September 8, 2020 at 3:43 pm in reply to: Va. Court of Appeals tosses reckless driving conviction in fatal crash #1106482arlcxrider
ParticipantThe motorcyclist was struck while waiting to turn left into his own driveway, i.e, not at an intersection.
I’ve become very wary about being stopped in the road on two wheels in similar situations, in places where drivers are not expecting it. I was hit on my motorcycle while waiting to turn left at such an “unusual” location. In retrospect, getting a shot of that “Welcome to Illinois” sign was definitely not worth it. Thankfully I was not hit by a driver traveling 47 mph. The motorcycle was still rideable (barely) but the subframe was bent by the impact, and the tailpiece bodywork was mangled. Driver claimed she “didn’t see me until it was too late.”
August 2, 2020 at 11:21 am in reply to: Long Bridge across the Potomac – Community Wed, 27 Jan 1600-1900 L’Enfant Plaza #1106250arlcxrider
ParticipantPerhaps a better outcome is to scrap this vanity project altogether, and redirect the money toward improving the east and west approaches to the 14th St bridge, and widening the godawful TR ped/bike path.
14th St bridge span is already the best DC/VA river crossing, but the approaches are a mess. That includes the recent half-assed “fix” to the DC side, with its lumpy bumpy pavement and the highway sign supports right in the middle of the path (the football goal-post padding added to the supports is a really nice touch…)
arlcxrider
ParticipantYeah, mornings, when the dew point matches the air temp. I’m still doing 30-35 mile weekday rides after 5 pm, dodging thunderstorms as necessary. Maybe I’m nuts, but I actually prefer hot humid weather, since it’s the only time my growing-older-by-the-day joints consistently feel good. Just stay hydrated.
People get down on the dog days of summer in the DC area, but what’s the alternative: beautiful fall and spring weather, which lasts about five days each? Or is it winter, with seven hours of daylight, cold rain, and nuisance levels of snowfall?
arlcxrider
Participant@Steve O 201800 wrote:
So will there be signage?
If someone is riding along the MVT at night, will they know long before they get to Memorial Bridge that they need to have already detoured? Or will they get to the bridge and have to backtrack? Coming from Roosevelt Island direction makes for a long backtrack.I hope they don’t use the excuse, “People shouldn’t be on the trail then anyway.”
As per the actual NPS pamphlet:
[/FONT][/COLOR]So, it’s OK to use the “closed” trail between 10 pm and 6 am, but only if you’re a “commuter.”
You have to wonder about the Park Service sometimes. The official regulations for the C&O Trail say that audible warning must be given “100 feet” before passing other users. At 15 mph (or 22 feet per second, the NPS’s speed limit) if takes over 4 seconds to cover 100 feet. Dinging the bell or bellowing “on your left” 4-5 seconds before overtaking would not be very effective.
arlcxrider
ParticipantAs of this evening, the potholes in question have been filled. So, the request got into the right hands.
arlcxrider
ParticipantSite below indicates Marshall Drive between N. Meade and VA Rt 110 is “federal.” Presumably NPS handles snow removal as well.
https://transportation.arlingtonva.us/streets/state-roads/
arlcxrider
ParticipantHeh–if they had been paying attention you were their “early warning” device. “Hey, what’s that cyclist doing way over to the left?” KER-THUNK… Oh…
arlcxrider
Participant@SarahBee 201735 wrote:
It’s a doozy and at this location only taking the full lane is remotely safe. Just waiting for an Arlington cop to give me my annual ticket and mansplainy lecture
You could “explain back” to the ACPD that they’re in murky territory jurisdiction-wise on that road.
That’s my normal commute route and I’ve only ever seen JBMHH (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall) cops patrolling there. It is a nasty pothole. Usually not a problem to take the lane, moving downhill at a good clip. Hard for anyone to argue you’re impeding traffic.
arlcxrider
Participant@DrP 201709 wrote:
I read both here and on county notifications about not needing to push the buttons, but I have found that to not always be the case at several locations (while I may be impatient at times, but I have watched them cycle through without ever changing – I even caught the one on Pershing at Jackson cycle back to cross Jackson without ever stopping Pershing). This morning, the walk signal across Orme at Columbia Pike never changed – I just followed what the street light did instead.
My understanding is that only “beg buttons” in areas of high pedestrian activity had been changed, on a case-by-case basis. There was no county-wide re-programming of beg buttons or new policy mandating same.
arlcxrider
Participant@mstone 201416 wrote:
At least we don’t have all the problems this guy has! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McvZ68qlho4
Seriously though, I think his head would literally explode if he had to deal with VDOT.
He should do a piece on the crappy design we’re probably going to get at the bike/ped Long Bridge, with hairpin ramps at both ends…
arlcxrider
ParticipantAnother aspect of this story is that a Twitter vigilante mob went after the wrong guy, after erroneously identifying him from a Strava ride. The cops added to this fiasco by initially posting the wrong date for the incident.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/06/what-its-like-to-get-doxed-for-taking-a-bike-ride.html
arlcxrider
ParticipantNorthern Virginia Regional Parks Authority, d/b/a “NOVA Parks,” has put out a YouTube video on this topic.
-
AuthorPosts