[Lou]

They’d closed the trail under George Mason Drive when I (and several other cyclists) were there at 8am this morning. That’s a tricky crossing, especially when traffic’s heavy. I think it’s clear that safety isn’t a priority as far as this work goes, but still, forcing large numbers of cyclists up off the trail to try and get across a busy road like that during the rush hour doesn’t make any sense to me.

[Lou]

+1 for Magicshine – I love mine and it completely changed the way drivers treat me.

Also, agree with what others have said about lights and reflectors at different heights (helmet, arms, … ) – and it gives you some back-up if one of your main light fails because you forgot to charge the battery. And a class 2 hi-viz vest (cheaper and better than most of the specialist cycling ones – try eBay). It sounds like overkill and you’ll look like a dork, but really, really, never underestimate how much drivers are not seeing you. I’ve found the trails are usually well-enough lit, but it depends where you are, and last year the lights on the W&OD near the Route 66 crossing in Arlington were out for several weeks so the Magicshine came in useful there too.

[Author]

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