[viennabiker]

@Tim Kelley 80092 wrote:

Contact info here: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?6530-2014-February-Trail-Conditions&p=77608#post77608

Well I guess I should have hunted around a little before posting first!

I sent a message and got the following reply:
“Our property manager and snow removal contractor have been notified of this issue. It should be taken care of moving forward.”

Of course, the next snow (let’s hope) may not come before next winter. So the request may be forgotten by then. But it’s a very welcome reply nonetheless.

[viennabiker]

OK, most of the trails are clear and what wasn’t clear by early afternoon (when I rode TR Bridge-Custis-W and OD to Vienna and found only very isolated small patches of slush) the drizzle will probably remove.

Except.

Lyon Village…they still seem to clear the parking lot by dumping snow on our trail. There was still quite a mound (allowing only one lane) in a somewhat inconvenient place.

Does anybody have any idea whom we might contact to ask them ever so gently not to solve their snow problem by building igloos in our path?

[viennabiker]

@CaseyKane50 59944 wrote:

I also ring my bell with every pass. A wave or a thanks from the person I am passing is a nice confirmation that the trail is for all of us. I try always to say thanks as I pass. It is surprising to me the number of earbud wearers who acknowledge my ring.

My experience–mostly on the W and OD and Custis–is that those wearing earbuds seem to react to a bell but not to a verbal call. I think the bell sound just penetrates the buds better than my baritone.

My experience also–as both a biker and a walker–is that any information other than the bicyclist’s presence is lost. So I just say “passing” when I call verbally. If I say “passing on your left” I’ve had a walker/jogger interpret that as “move to your left.” When I’ve been the walker, I’ve understood why. Basically, I think that the reaction is instinctual–there is a noise from something behind you that seems to be moving fast. And before you figure out the meaning of the words with any precision, that thing has already moved beyond you. I think our ancestors must have been pursued by cyclists who did not call their passes so they did not evolve the ability to interpret much information other than the existence of a mortal threat.

[viennabiker]

@dasgeh 59689 wrote:

How long did you leave it for? How securely was it locked (e.g. quick release seat post? extra lock?)

I’ve used this bike rack at DCA several times, each time for several days. As others have said, there is a sign from the MVT. I didn’t think it was hard to find, but the trail winds a bit through some service areas, under a tunnel, and then into the garage. There have always been some other bikes there. I never saw anything that looked stripped. I’ve used a U and cable lock, but most of the other bikes just seemed to have a cable lock.

Only problem? You arrive just a little bit–well sweaty. (For me it’s about a 13 mile ride.) Not a big issue, but it’s enough that when I go through security, I set off the scanner. Poor TSA guy has to pat me down each time.

But airports are such a hassle, I arrive in a much more relaxed frame of mind for air travel. And that makes it worth it for me.

[viennabiker]

@bobco85 54386 wrote:

From reading all the feedback, I’ll make a compromise:

Whenever I decide to be a Helperton on the trails, I will check to make sure there are no cyclists approaching from behind me or farther ahead before waving a driver on.

You’re not being Helpy Helperton any more, you’re being Solomon the wise. Thank you in advance.

[A true story: I was once in a small town in Minnesota in a line for coffee. When the cashier at the front of the line asked for the next customer, the woman *in front* of me in line turned around to ask me if I minded if she went first.

You’re not from Minnesota by any chance?]

[viennabiker]

@bobco85 54331 wrote:

I understand your point about trails and fully admit I act as a Helperton in some cases. I try to avoid conflicts whenever possible, and I find that sacrificing a couple of seconds for a simple wave-through helps when a driver seems confused as to who has ROW and/or seems annoyed/aggressive. However, I do feel that the people going around me are not being safe by entering the crosswalk with disregard for the situation in front of them even if they are not legally required to stop.

This is not a safe situation, but I’m not sure it’s the people going around you who are the problem here.

I’ve been in this situation a few times and it has almost resulted in me being hit once. Here’s what happens: there is a crossing where either bikes clearly have the right of way (no stop sign, or perhaps bikers have the light) or cars are braking in order to yield to bikers. A group of bikers is waiting to cross (or one is stopped and another one pulling up) and a Helperton biker waves the cars on–and the other bikers, with their eyes on the car and making eye contact with a driver (often waving the bikers through) rather than looking at the Helperton, proceed.

When you wave a car on, you are waving only for yourself, without the knowledge of other bikers who, as I say, may not even be noticing your wave.

So by all means, stop and yield as often as you like. But don’t wave cars into the paths of oncoming cyclists.

[viennabiker]

One strange but welcome aftermath of the storm: somebody removed the plastic barriers near the entrance to Roosevelt Island that cut off the southern end of the parking lot from the trail. Cyclists were forced to make a couple of sharp turns in an area rich with joggers and walkers. The barriers had been there for a couple years, originally placed for some construction work on the island (if I recall) but never removed–until a couple days ago. Now a cyclist can take the whole length of the parking lot. On weekends, things can get a bit crowded in that area with visitors not used to the traffic flow, so it will still be a go-slow zone. But for weekday commuters it is a very welcome change.

[viennabiker]

I rode this afternoon from National Airport to Vienna. The W&OD is now pretty clear, but the Shirlington connector is still closed. There are a few spots where there is a bit of debris (some power line repair work around milepost 2 left some muddy tracks on the trail and the pile of leaves between Brandymore Castle and Sycamore is still there, if a bit drier). But other than those spots, it just looks like the aftermath of a windy day.

[viennabiker]

Rode in on the Custis this morning, starting at the W and OD and ending in Rosslyn. Lots of slippery, wet, leafy patches throughout the route. There are plenty of clear patches as well–just enough to lull you into increasing your speed. Take it easy; there may be a slippery spot right around the next bend. Looks like the major obstacles have been removed (thanks, Arlington!) so that no detours are necessary.

[viennabiker]

This morning I rode from around Milepost 10 (near Cedar Lane) until the Custis turnoff (around Milepost 4) It was pretty clear. As noted by culimerc, there are a lot of leaves immediately west of the I-66 overpass (the hill between Virginia Lane and Gallows). And there is another patch of leaves in Falls Church near Sycamore (at the sharp turn).

Puzzled by mstone’s comment yesterday; the W and OD seems in much better shape than the Custis and did not see a lot of leaves except where noted in this post and my post yesterday. Perhaps mstone is referring to area between Milepost 4 and Shirlington?

[viennabiker]

I rode from Cedar Lane to Old Reston Avenue around noon today. Path was fairly clear except for a large number of twigs, acorns, and the like; here were the only larger issues:
1. Thick cover of leaves between southeastern border of Vienna (1/2 mile west of Cedar) to Park.
2. Thick cover of leaves a bit east of Hunter Mill
3. Tree blocking most of trail about 1/4 mile east of Hunter Mill (you could squeeze by it)
4. Very thick cover of leaves between Sunset Hills and Wiehle Ave

[Author]

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