[rcannon100]

While you are talking with the officer, make a clear glance at their name plate. When they are being abusive, this will sometimes get their attention (its a signal that you will be filing a complaint against them – which you can do – I had one experience like this. The moment I took that clear glance at his name plate, he backed WAY off).

Otherwise, say “yes sir”…. and ignore him. The quicker you leave behind you on the trail, the better (dinks are going to be dinks – aint nothin you can do about it)

Final comment – not recommended – if you REALLY want to press the issue, demand that the police officer write you a citation. That creates a record, you can bring it into court, and you can create a teaching moment. Again, I dont recommend this – although I know some cyclists who have essentially be forced to do this…. and it did apparently work.

[rcannon100]

I am going to send off an email to the two Marriotts in Crystal City

Answer: YELP reviews.

Carrying ID. Nope, dont have to carry. But if you dont present, and the cops want to make an issue of it, they can detain you for a good while.

And finally, yes, its rubbish. I have said this dozens of times. Sorry to bore. We do not impose train laws on trucks. We do not impose plane laws on trains. We do not impose truck laws on cars. Yet magically we impose car laws on bikes.

So what is a stop. For a one ton hunk of steel, that can go from zero to 60 in a few seconds, stop means the wheels stop moving for 3 seconds or whatever. Now this rarely happens, but one of the reasons for this is so that other cars can predict what they are going to do, and who has the right of way. Cause after a car pushes that gas pedal, its through the intersection and any damage can be severe.

What’s a stop for a bike? Is it one ton? Nope. 50 lbs plus the rider. Can it go from zero to 60 in a few seconds. Nope. I can go from zero to 10 in about an hour. Is there difficulty predicting what a bike will do – well not the same way with a car, cause there is no windshield or structure blocking eye contact. So what is there?? There is stopping sufficiently to clearly yield and see clearly both ways down the road – does this require a full stop and wheels not moving for three seconds. Nope. The idea that going really slow, and giving a hard look right and left – does not equal “stop” for a bike – its just silly.

We are the bastard stepchildren on any infrastructure. We are the only “vehicles” required to comply for traffic laws built for an entirely different class of moving vehicle.

[rcannon100]

I don know. There’s the Inner Loop. There’s the outer loop (they aint for recreation – they are for breeding psychosis). And then there is the Arlington Loop. Kinda a good rip.

[rcannon100]

How can I be making inaccurate assumptions? I started the thread.

You are redefining ebikes as something you dont like, and then declaring that you dont like it. I keep trying to steer it back and say, that’s not what we are talking about.

[rcannon100]

You can thank the people who careen down the trail at 30mph

As other people have indicated, that’s not accurate. An ebike is a hybrid between battery assist and human. They are limited to comply with federal standards. An ebike (as opposed to say an electric moped) will go no faster than a regular bicycle. Federal law states that when we are talking ebikes, we are not talking something like a moped:

In conformance with legislation adopted by the U.S. Congress defining this category of electric-power bicycle (15 U.S.C. 2085(b)), CPSC rules stipulate that low speed electric bicycles[24] (to include two- and three-wheel vehicles) are exempt from classification as motor vehicles providing they have fully operable pedals, an electric motor of less than 750W (1 hp), and a top motor-powered speed of less than 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) when operated by a rider weighing 170 pounds.

These are relatively light weight devices that provide assistance. They are hybrids and they still need the other part – the human engine.

Given that the feds have successfully made the distinction, the state and the county could too.

As for them only being used by noobs, not true. I was in NYC recently. I was AMAZED at home many delivery bikes were ebikes. I have seen lots of people use them on Arlington trails. I am seriously considering getting an ebike, because, well, I am almost a senior citizen. I currently have a pulled hamstring. I cannot bike or recover as fast as I use to.

eBikes are a regular occurrence on Arlington trails. You have to know to look for the hubs. I talk to people who have them all the time and they love them. In terms of operation, they operate exactly like a bicycle on the trail and the average person could not even tell that it was an ebike.

[rcannon100]

Commuters aren’t going around the Loop to get to work, rather they’re using chunks of it.

I do. Go down Custis trail in the morning; come back on W&OD in the afternoon. Collapse on couch and eat ice cream in the evening.

This is my favorite Fri Aft ride. Now adding a stop at the Bluemont Disc Golf course.

[rcannon100]

@Tim Kelley 15869 wrote:

Something else to keep in mind–it’s a multi-use trail so we need to be mindful of other users who might be on it as well and not just have it bicycle focused. Pedestrians, rollerbladers, cross country skiers, etc…

Dogs…..

(just saying)

[rcannon100]

+1 “Arlington Loop” (or something that has ‘Arlington’ in it) Kinda proud of the ‘hood.

[rcannon100]

Speaking of labradors and geese…. (I just had to)

When we were young, our first children were a Golden Labrador and a Yellow Labrador. They were great dogs about which epic tales have been written. There is a park in Arlington named after the Golden.
Well, it so happened that it occurred to us to move to NYC.
As we explored the option, we walked our labradors in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
And by walk, of course I mean we walked on the shore while our labradors swam through the lake.

As you know, Brooklyn is residence of many fine Italian families. Some with machine guns.
We came across such a fine Brooklyn resident, and his gang.
A large beautiful white swan, wearing a black leather jacket, with a pack of canadian smokes rolled up in the sleeve.
And his gang of geese.

The swan thought dimly of these posers in his park, came over to my female yellow lab (about 70 lbs)
Towered over the dog with its beautiful wings and neck – and HIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSED
The yellow lab ran across the water, bravely ran behind me, and soon as she was bravely safely behind me, let out an indigent BARK!
(Sing to your self “Brave, Brave Sir Robin! Bravely Ran Away!”)

Now it was my other lab’s turn. His name was Pancho Villa. His summer weight was 110 lbs. His nick name was “The Man.” He did not like having his swim disturbed.
The white swam, wearing that black leather jacket, swaggered over to my labrodor in the way a Brooklyn swan would do, opened its wings and…..
Pancho raised his eye brow. “You Talking to Me??? You Talking to Me?!!”
That swan apologized! It asked if Pancho was having a good swim? If it could get Pancho anything, some fresh Goose perhaps.
And quickly swam away.

We were on the shore rolling in laughter.

Walk lightly, and carry a Labrador!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]805[/ATTACH]

(Most of this store is true)

[rcannon100]

what advice everyone has

Labrador in the front bike basket.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]802[/ATTACH]

[rcannon100]

should there be any concern to our email/password security?

You should be concerned if you use the same password here that you use on other, more important, sites (like your email, your bank, or your work) See http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/passwords-create.aspx Although CMU does not agree on one point. CMU’s research says that long passwords are strong – but that they do not need to be complex. Could be a phrase from a favorite song or poem.

Use different USERIDs and passwords on different accounts – particularly where the accounts are sensitive.

[rcannon100]

[rcannon100]

For that month I change my commuting route so as to avoid the Jefferson Memorial area altogether

Add the lincoln to that mix. Okay, avoid the Jefferson; avoid the Lincoln…. So, coming from Rosslyn to SW DC… go via the Wilson Bridge????

[rcannon100]

I only read the article, didnt watch the vid…. but I gotta say, I think you are over reacting.

This is a transportation infrastructure made for cars and trucks. We do not make cars comply with truck laws. We do not make trucks comply with train laws. We do not make trains comply with plain laws. We do not make vehicles comply with transportation infrastructure laws for an infrastructure not built for them. And yet, miraculously, a 50 lbs bike that has a foot print a fraction of a car, and a maximum speed a fraction of a car – and which can cause damage a fraction of a car – must comply with car laws.

No. I am a rogue cyclists. I dont stop at stop signs in my neighborhood where I can see all ways (of course none of the cars do). I bicycle the wrong way down the road at work – because that is the only way the infrastructure lets me get to work. Yes, I will go through a pointless red light.

When bike infrastructure starts getting built for bikes – when the custis trail is under the transportation dept and not the park dept – then maybe.

[rcannon100]

Yikes.

[Author]

Posts