[edobson22207]

@Two Wheels 48149 wrote:

Last night around 10 or so two men tried to mug me at gunpoint on the Custis just before Glebe Road/footbridge over the I-66 westbound offramp. As I topped the last of the two hills, I saw one walking slowly towards me on the far left side, then saw the other on the edge of the path on the right. The one on the left pulled a semiauto handgun. I accelerated as hard as I could, rammed them, stayed upright and fled. Called 911 ASAP. They also mugged another guy. He stopped, they put the gun in his mouth and beat him, broke his collarbone. The police took his report from the hospital.

Be careful out there.

I’m very glad you are okay and the other guy seems stable.

I’ve lived at 15/Utah since 1965 and the recent incidents are most unsettling. I often walk the trail late at night to get fresh air and often because I’m tired of being hassled while on Glebe Road (the main, busy, loud road).

Your account and the police account don’t exactly add up to me; and then all the advice on how to “avoid” that area makes it worse. So I would appreciate some clarity if you have a moment.

I think this is what you are saying: You were traveling westbound on the trail and had just topped the two killer hills (the one after the i-66 garage/deck at W-L; and then, my street, North Utah. So you were on the straight away just before going across the Westbound I-66 Exit for Glebe Road. Is that correct?

The police report says the first incident was at Abingdon & 12th; and the second at 13th & Vermont. But it sounds like your incident was more 13/Vermont. Here is the crime report which gives the times and locations that i’m trying to correlate to your posting: http://news.arlingtonva.us/crime-report:-april-3-2013

I’m really sorry to pose this question, but as a bicyclist, walker and immediate neighbor, I’d like to understand better where it happened.

[edobson22207]

The August 2010 edition of OUTSIDE Magazine has an article on sunscreen called “Sunscreen for every summer sport.”
it is NOT available online. but you could read it in the store and write down the five they recommend.

[edobson22207]

Well we survived the Great Allegheny Passage this past weekend. While it was a bit cooler up there, it was still quite hot.
We did the whole trip from McKeesport to Cumberland. McKeesport to West Newton on Day One; West Newton to Rockwood on Day two; and Rockwood to Cumberland on Sunday.
Observations: Plenty of water, food, civilization. Going thru Ohiopyle State Park there were limited resources. Trail is in excellent condition — good surface, generally wide, large portions in the shade, mile markers going up and down. Most people were NOT wearing helmets — disturbing.
Anyone wants to try it, I’m more than happy to provide advice.

[edobson22207]

Walter Reed & Glebe Road? Seriously? I wouldn’t run that light in my car, with its turbo engine. I suspect the policeman was equally surprised — of all lights to run….

In terms of my behavior… growing up in Arlington I would run lights all the time, because there wasn’t as much traffic. Lights for the cross streets on Fairfax Drive were a nuisance and I would run those. No way today.

The only lights I still run today are the ones on the Custis Trail at Scott Street, 22nd Street and Nash Street — but only after making sure nothing is coming. These lights are all timed too long for the side streets.

[edobson22207]

Congratulations on getting rid of your car. Fantastic.
I saw Arlington Police ticket a bicycle the other day for crossing a funeral procession on Fairfax Drive.
I have run my share of red lights on my bike in a fashion similar to what you describe. But as I’ve aged and as Arlington has become more heavily trafficked I realize that it isn’t a good thing anymore.
Personally, I would pay the fine and consider yourself lucky you didn’t get hit by a car when you ran the red light. If you didn’t see the Police car, what else didn’t you see. Your life is too important to risk.
On this note, I would like to see WABA or others take up the cause of safe bicycling. As we put more and more bikes on the road people have to obey the law.

[edobson22207]

Thanks for the link to your story.
I’m pretty sure we are going to regret the choice of July, but this is what worked best for us.
I biked across southern Baja once in February (100+ the whole way) so I’m ready, I think.
We also are staying at a B&B in which the owner has agreed to come scrape us up wherever we ask so that is our failsafe!!

[edobson22207]

Agreed on the 4MR trail at Glebe. Widen it out. and similarly the turn back behind the apartments is 90 degree. Not sure I want to collect a list of 90 degree turns on our trails.

[edobson22207]

This is a non-issue at this point. ANCC has agreed to this condition. If they are internally upset with the powers that they bestowed on their leaders that is an internal problem. They do have 60 days to challenge the 4.1. I’m glad this access has been provided as it is exciting to have a new way of getting across the 395 barrier.

[edobson22207]

I suffered a mild concussion in a five-bike wreck on this corner in January 1993. The “black ice” of roads and “bridges freeze before roadways” also pertains to wooden boardwalks, as I learned. No one else was injured. I never understood why this was constructed with a 90 degree turn other than to slow people down in case someone was flying down off Roosevelt Bridge.

[Author]

Posts