[Drewdane]

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[Drewdane]

@DrP 201927 wrote:

Where did all the people come from?
I have been riding on the trails on Sunday mornings at 6:30 or 7am in summers for several years – 6:30am when it plans to be a scorcher. The trails were generally empty until 10am. Last Sunday and today, at 6:30am trails and roads were full of cyclists and pedestrians. Lots of cycling groups of 8 riders or more. And so many cyclists making bad passes – one apologized for miscalculating (I understand this and appreciate the apology), one gave a finger when a startled shout (no cursing) was given for nearly running us off the trail and another gave a dirty look for the same thing, but there were more. So, what can we do about bad passes? Some were dangerous.

Are the crowds this large because no one is going on vacation? COVID has gotten more people exercising outside? More people have decided to change their habits and use the trails? It is great that there are so many people exercising, but how do we get more or wider trails to handle them all?
(roads were full of cars today too – why were so many out at 6:30am on a Sunday? Roads have not been as good as an option for exercise as it was three months ago when people were still being reasonable drivers. Now they seem to be going faster and ignore all, especially traffic signs and signals – one driver paused to let people cross at Old Reston Ave and W&OD but continued despite the red light (it was still a walk signal too!)).

The pandemic appears to have reminded a lot of people that trails exist. Fortunately, things have eased up considerably on “my” section of the W&OD since I wrote the following post in “Near Misses”:

Me: guy whose property backs up against the WOD.

Also me: guy who has stopped using the WOD during the pandemic because it is not only more crowded than he has ever seen, but also because it has been overrun by sociopaths and idiots who clearly couldn’t GAF about even the most basic precepts of social distancing and mask use.

ALSO Also me: guy who has gained fresh understanding of why so many people seem to hate cyclists after observing (and nearly being killed by) recent cyclist behavior on said overcrowded WOD.

[Drewdane]

I love a satisfying resolution!

[Drewdane]

Me: guy whose property backs up against the WOD.

Also me: guy who has stopped using the WOD during the pandemic because it is not only more crowded than he has ever seen, but also because it has been overrun by sociopaths and idiots who clearly couldn’t GAF about even the most basic precepts of social distancing and mask use.

ALSO Also me: guy who has gained fresh understanding of why so many people seem to hate cyclists after observing (and nearly being killed by) recent cyclist behavior on said overcrowded WOD.

[Drewdane]

I’m a cheap Sumbidge, and to me ALL cars are expensive. Or do they mean comparatively expensive?

[Drewdane]

Unfortunate, but understandable. I thought it was odd that I didn’t get an email, but running a search, it appears I totally missed the registration announcement this year. Derp.

Oh well, I don’t like (almost-but-not-quite) pink anyway.

[Drewdane]

@n18 199388 wrote:

Not cycling news, I know, but some might start commuting by bike because of it.

The 3 stations will close from May 25(Memorial day) to September 7th(Labor Day). West Falls Church Station will remain open. No parking at East Falls Church starting March 15(Yesterday), so some are already impacted. Parking is limited on the other stations.

A lady handing out flyers at EFC told me bicycle parking would still be available. I don’t know if that will hold true once the actual station is closed. I hope so, since I’m likely to catch one of the buses from EFC on days I don’t ride all the way in.

[Drewdane]

@Hancockbs 199389 wrote:

Wasn’t me as I haven’t ridden yet today and I almost always call my pass, but there are times that I very slowly catch a rider in front of me and just don’t have enough of a speed advantage to cleanly pass them and move ahead, so I do end up drafting sometimes. What would you prefer me to do in that case?

That’s different, and understandable (though I would ask that you drop back 2-3 feet and maintain a civilized distance). This guy rode my wheel for a good mile or so; he had plenty of opportunity to pass.

[Drewdane]

Pet Peeve #8,092: Ninja drafters. Please. Just don’t. Save it for the Sunday group ride.

Pet Peeve #8,093: Ninja drafters who don’t call their pass once they’ve decided I no longer serve a purpose.

[Drewdane]

There’s no option for “immediately”. :p

[Drewdane]

@consularrider 193675 wrote:

Actually, yes it would. My light is dynamo power and sits just above the front wheel so I’d likely do an endo if I reached down to cover it.

So that guy was definitely just being a dork, then. In my experience at least, dynamo lights tend to be mounted close enough to the ground that the only way they could blind someone would be if they were tilted up (rendering them useless to the cyclist), or the oncoming trail user is a either small child or a “little person” (I think that’s the currently appropriate term).

[Drewdane]

@Hancockbs 192927 wrote:

Despite your objection, I think I’ll continue to use it in the pre-dawn hours to see dimwits like you that have no lights or reflectors. Learn to look away from the light!

Not to defend people who don’t use their own lights and reflectors, but would it kill you to briefly cover your light or swivel it to the side? A light angled to illuminate 25-30 feet ahead is also angled high enough to temporarily blind most oncoming trail users.

[Drewdane]

Garbage, I’m afraid. The striker on mine basically exploded after approximately five commutes.

[Drewdane]

The forecast got it wrong, and now I wish I hadn’t procrastinated with my Fall fender reinstall.

[Drewdane]

Now I’m wondering what shows up if one does a search for “Dutch Reach” on Pornhub…

[Author]

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