Starduster
Forum Replies Created
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This has to go somewhere…
Don’t know how “official” this is, the W&OD Trail at the Sparrow Pond repair project…is open again. Outfall chute filled over, freshly paved (love that new asphalt smell), and back in service.
These geese are early adopters.
Henry and I met with Arlington County Board Vice-Chair Takis Karantonis last week. The political process is started. We have allies. Allow us time to work some magic.
An advisory- The signs that came & went last year at the bridge remain a sore point with NVRPA. It’s their trail-we *must* have their consent. Though unrelated, the “Jay Fisette Memorial Trail” paint further down the trail could not have helped our cause. Anything further would be counter productive.
Remember you are loved.
I was *about* to concur concerns about uploading photos. Typed all this and then looked up to the toolbar. The result is below. I will cut the software folks slack for releasing the platform while it was still being configured. Also, photos that were part of our postings in the old format are no longer viewable.
The best news ? I can finally easily view and *actually use* the forum on a cell phone. The old platform was a clunky old thing, decades old, from back when we had CRT monitors and Flying Toasters screen savers.
Welcome to present time.
@mstone 226529 wrote:
Yes, as a driver the number one thing that tells me there’s a bike ahead are yellow pedal reflections moving up and down. I try really hard to see cyclists, but too many presumably have no idea how invisible they are. Small blinkies or low-wattage taillights are basically useless, they get lost in all the other ambient lights. Combine that with a fashion-forward drive to remove all the “ugly reflectors” and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. (Reflectors will generally be brighter than a small light because they’re powered by the car’s own high-wattage headlights rather than what can get squeezed out of a AAA or coin cell.) Have both a taillight and a rear reflector. Good lights aren’t cheap, but still cheaper than a visit to the hospital. “Testing” lights by looking at your bike in the dark is very different than what’s seen by a driver on the road. Clothing color basically doesn’t matter, neither white nor black can be seen relative to something reflective.
I will second the importance of pedal reflectors. I know they are “not cool” and “unfashionable” to some, and it is very difficult to find that feature on high end platform or clipless pedals. Yet that reciprocating motion (from behind) could be a lifesaver. Also, at the low end, they are usually the last reflector to “fall off” on an old run down bike.
I had run white reflective tape on these pedals for years, but thought I should update them to yellow. School bus yellow reflective tape found at Grainger (https://www.grainger.com/product/ORALITE-Reflective-Tape-School-Buses-45TT09). Not as bright as a reflex reflector, but close enough.
At least two manufacturers have gone a step farther and make urban pedals with bright motion sensitive lights. One of our local riders is running a set and loves them.
2nd photo (I cannot include multiple images at this time):