DanB
Forum Replies Created
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@mstone 119636 wrote:
Yes, don’t be that guy who can’t slow down for the kids.
Don’t worry. I know what it’s like to bike with kids on the trail.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]9067[/ATTACH]
Did anyone else stop for the Rail to Trail Conservancy survey along the W&OD yesterday (Thursday)? They were located just east of the Custis Trail junction.
The questions were easy enough: riding from … , riding to … , estimated travel time, how many times a week, alternate mode of transportation if not on trail, health, age, etc.
Bonus: they were giving away Camelbak Eddy bite valve water bottles to anyone who participated–which go for over $10 on Amazon. Score!
@Steve O 119787 wrote:
I was doing so well until I got to this rule.
My equipment is full of these devices (pedals, handlebars, axles, frame, rack, etc., etc.)!
@kwarkentien 119773 wrote:
Disagree. There’s culpability on both parties if neither called the pass (not the case in the present instance as GovernorSilver did call his pass but failed to look). It’s just like if you were driving and pulled out in the left lane while failing to signal and, more importantly, failing to look to see if there was traffic coming up behind you in that lane. You would in all likelihood be found at fault for an accident in that case. The rules on the bike trail are pretty analogous to what you would do on the road in a car. If you wouldn’t do it in the car, don’t do it on the bike.
Is passing on the trail more like passing on a four-lane road or a two-lane road? If it’s more like a two-lane road, then I’m not necessarily going to look behind me if I feel I’m going at a reasonable speed. Am I going with traffic at 10, 15 or 20 mph?
At some point the comparison with passing in a car falls apart, because the difference in speeds is much more pronounced on the trail. If I know I’m faster than most people on the trail (i.e. don’t get passed much–not saying that’s the case with me) wouldn’t I want to ride especially defensively, if only for self-preservation? Signalling passes at high speeds becomes problematic though, because you have to be so loud to give a 2-3 second warning. I just don’t see that happening. The best thing seems to be slowing down if you see more than one group up ahead. (I know, I know, braking is such a drag!)
In a perfect world I’d suggest that people who want to go over 20 mph should take the surface roads, but there just aren’t safe, direct routes for commuting out there other than the trails. Ah, well.
Enough rambling for today!
Thanks for everyone’s constructive advice!
@Emm 119612 wrote:
You may be a little hopeful on timing–I’d add on another ~15-20 minutes each way to account for lights and crossing roads. According to Strava, it took me an hour to go the 14 miles between Vienna and Green Lizard in Herndon, even though I was averaging 17.2 mph. That’s 10 min longer than it should have. Over a longer distance, it adds up even more. For my 70-80 mile weekend rides I usually add in an extra 40 min to an hour for being stopped at lights/slowing down to cross roads/swerving around little kids, plus a smoothie stop at Green Lizard. It gets much easier past Herndon, but there are still a few crossings that slow you down.
Fortunately, no one will be waiting for me and worrying.
