[Raymo853]

@SolarBikeCar 127794 wrote:

Cars don’t like bicyclists on the road either.

However bicycles are allowed on roads except those with special restrictions like limited access highways.

[Raymo853]

@SolarBikeCar 127789 wrote:

Should there be width limits is a good topic to discuss. The elf fits one lane of the trail nicely for the section I use but I have learned I need to exercise caution around these activities:

1) Cyclists who pass traffic going in both directions by slicing down the yellow line. When I see cyclists approaching who might be tempted to pass I pull over so that one wheel is on the adjacent unpaved path to provide half of my lane for aggressive passing.
2) Cyclists who bunch up into a group that is two or three across and meandering slowly across both lanes.
3) Pedestrians who walk three abreast with dogs and take up both lanes.
4) Inline skaters who go really fast down the center line.
5) Race walkers who walk down the center of the trail with arms flailing back and forth.
6) Cyclists who draft inches from my rear tire for miles and won’t pass when given the opportunity. Tailgating to reduce wind resistance and then complaining that one can’t see around an ELF is bogus.

The bad behaviors of runners, walkers, and cyclists does not excuse your bad behavior nor your operating a car on a infrastructure not designed nor designated for cars.

[Raymo853]

@bentbike33 127782 wrote:

Saw ELFman riding east on the W&OD west of Vienna yesterday as I was heading west. At the time I saw him, he appeared to be under the escort of two cyclists wearing chartreuse shells riding two-abreast in front of him. I wondered if perhaps they were taking civil action to keep ELFman at a more normal human-powered speed.:

If I ever see him, I plan such action.

[Raymo853]

As I suspected, I am going to have to cancel this ride. I was hoping the forecast was wrong, but it has been drizzly and raining all day in Suitland so Fort Dupont is going to be too wet.

[Raymo853]

I suspect, the rain yesterday and today is going to make it too wet to hold this ride. I will make the call this afternoon.

[Raymo853]

I do not see just this one guy in his modified ELF car as the big problem. He is a physical threat based on the width, speed, and mass of his car. His self centered attitude and distracted driving techniques compound that threat. Those physical dimensions and personality faults can be matched by many bicycle riders, but not in such a combination. Rod could pull a wide 150 pound trailer, but not at 22.5 mph for two hours. Many riders can hold those speeds for long stretches on the WO&D, but not while using an iPad nor riding a bike 48″ wide. I could easily bulk up to 300 pounds, but would then be struggling to average 12.5 mph, ….

The bigger threat is the future. ELF cars, and their ilk, will get faster, heavier, larger, have expanded ranges, more charging opportunities, and become more common. What will it be like when there are multiple 400 pound ELFS v3.0 and 50 mph Specialized Turbos v3.0 on the WO&D every morning?

[Raymo853]

@Tim Kelley 127423 wrote:

Raymo has been tweeting at them.

https://twitter.com/Raymo853/status/662338494908469248

No reply of course. Now if it was retweeted or refined and retweeted, they might respond.

[Raymo853]

@Vicegrip 127404 wrote:

conclusion.

Conclusion or contusion?

Did a little Google stalking of this guy:
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/edward-myers/11/207/495

I also screen captured a lot of his website, assuming he may be advised to take it down in the future. If he hits someone, hope their counsel will contact me for copies.

I am writing this here so I won’t do it: I so want to go out and find him driving on the WO&D, maybe Wed Nov 11th when I have the day off. Would have fun holding him to a speed of 10 mph over and over.

I hope someone gets him via a GoPro texting, swiping on Tinder, etc on an iPad while driving.

[Raymo853]

@Tim Kelley 127378 wrote:

Let us know if you hear back from your comment on his page!

It appears the comments section has been disabled by the page owner.

[Raymo853]

@83(b) 127327 wrote:

As one of the ebike rule breakers, I’d be okay with this being our preferred approach if it weren’t for the issue of liability in the event of a crash. Here’s my nightmare hypo: I’m riding my ebike from DC over to Crystal City at ~15mph to go to the dentist. Near Gravelly Point I’m approaching a runner and the opposite lane is clear for me to pass. I move over and ring my bell at ~30 feet back and then again at ~10 feet. The runner is wearing headphones, does not hear me, Crazy Ivans, and we collide. We both fall and suffer significant injuries or, worse, one or both of us is killed by a head injury.

Despite the runner having been the proximate cause of the crash, what effect does my being on a (technically) illegal vehicle on the trail have on my potential liability and my ability to recover for my own injuries? The current rules give a motivated insurance defense or plaintiff’s attorney lots of arguments to make against me. E.g., (1) I was on an illegal vehicle and so should be fully/partially faulted; (2) my illegal bike surely moves faster than is safe, making me fully/partially at fault; (2) my illegal ebike is heavier than a normal bike, making everyone’s injuries more severe.

Your scenario is so highly restrictive. Let me give another two:

1. Some one on an e-Bike is in a crash on the WO&D with a non e-bicycle rider. Neither party can be definitely confirmed as being the more at fault. The bicycle would sue based on the e-Bike being on that corridor illegally. The e-Bike’s lawyer will suggest settling for a few 10 thousands dollars since the fight would cost about the same and not have a definite outcome.

2. Some one on an e-Bike is in a crash on the WO&D with a non e-bicycle rider. The bicycle rider admits right after the crash in conversation it was his fault for turning without signalling. He later changes his story. The bicycle would sue based on the e-Bike being on that corridor illegally. The e-Bike’s lawyer will suggest settling for a few 10 thousands dollars since the fight would cost about the same and not have definite outcome.

[Raymo853]

There is an article on the Catholic Herald, about him and his ELF titled “Biking for God’s creation ” I will paste in one quote: “I get a lot of thumbs-up from people while driving down the bike path.”

http://www.catholicherald.com/stories/Biking-for-Gods-creation,29561

[Raymo853]

@Subby 127321 wrote:

Has anyone left a comment on that guy’s page? There is a section for comments on the right-hand nav.

I see there are some showing up. He also has a section and is prompting using a twitter hashtag of #SolarBikeCar Was planning to tweet something about my feelings on this.

[Raymo853]

As said above, this guy is such a jackball. I wish I had not read his website, it just made me mad at how self focused he is. I have never seen him, but am fantasizing about purposely getting in his way over and over again. Especially after watching his video where he follows a rider and does bad passes with not enough of an opening.

I do secretly hope he is uploading his rides to Strava.

Adding my answer to each section:

W&OD Trail – way out there during off hours
Key Bridge sidewalk – no
14th St Bridge path – no way, it is almost too narrow for two way bike traffic
Mount Vernon Trail – no way, way too curvy and bumpy
Anacostia River Tributary Trail System – actually it is wide, flat, great sight lines and so lightly used, might be about the best place to drive it over there, ride it and drive it home, plus the adjacent normal road would allow bikes to go elsewhere.
Penn Ave protected bike lane – no way
1st St NE protected bike lane – no way
Rock Creek Trail – yes, but not inside the gates during weekends/holidays
C&O Canal Towpath – no
average suburban sidewalk – no
average city sidewalk – no

[Raymo853]

On a Tuesday, ugh. Would have loved to demo a new Spearfish and then ride my own 1st gen Spearfish to compare.

[Raymo853]

@Vicegrip 127162 wrote:

True, I don’t cuss at kids ether. I have dealt with plenty of assholes over the years and I found that they are evenly dispersed, come in all shapes, sizes and follow no reliably identifiable dress code. (My Dear Wife even married one)
I ride what would be described as an expensive racy bike and I wear activity appropriate clothing while riding. The author of the article seems to think it is OK to “Yell cuss words at me” simply based on what I look like. His kernel of a message is lost in the noise of his wide dislike of an entire class of cycling.

I have also found that there are plenty of people that disregard or don’t understand the basic rules and manners required of all that use MUPs. Just today my daughter and I watched a wobbly little one swerve right across the trail in falls church and into oncoming cycling traffic. The oncoming expensive type bike ridden by a spandex wearing type slammed the brakes and just made the required aversion maneuver. Kid’s parent acted at best annoyed seemingly clueless of how close her kid came to being hit. Why people think it is OK to bring a 3 year old on a training wheel equipped first bike to learn on the W&OD is beyond me. That is akin to first time behind the wheel on the beltway. I can see why some of the more frequent trail users get a bit short with people after a while. You see the same thing over and over and it looks to me that 99% of it simply a lack of knowing the rules of the road. The guy that yelled at the special needs rider did not know he was special needs. The rider might have simply seen yet another group that was taking their 1/2 in the middle.

More education, more “Dirt”. Less finger pointing, less group blame.

Less finger pointing and then you blame toddlers? Sorry but bringing your toddlers on the wod is ok with me. What is not ok with me is going by toddlers at speed.

If you cannot take the time to slow for toddlers then stay on the roads.

[Author]

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