Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Virginia > Northern Virginia
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 06-21-2010, 10:27 AM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,248,320 times
Reputation: 6920

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by brooklynborndad View Post
OTOH, I am curious, do drivers really manage 45MPH on the parkway at rush hour (if not going against traffic)?
65 is more like it until you get fairly close to either end.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 06-21-2010, 12:29 PM
 
1,384 posts, read 2,346,359 times
Reputation: 781
Quote:
Originally Posted by brooklynborndad View Post
I'm not a regular bike commuter, and don't bike that fast, but even I have noted the issues on the MVT with turns, tunnels, conflicts with runners and pedestrians. It is NOT a wonderful path for in shape bike commuters, go try most bike websites or forums to get there opinions. And yes, normally cyclists ARE allowed on roads with posted limits of 45MPH. If they can keep up 20MPH or so (IIUC) maintain appropriate vehicular rules of the road, and drivers behave appropriately, it can be relatively safe, and safer than a poorly designed trail, IIUC.

I would guess the main problem for cyclists with the Parkway is that so many drivers go much faster than 45MPH, when conditions allow.

I never said anything about being allowed vs not allowed on a 45 mph road. I ride a bike and a motorcycle and understand that there is an inherent risk associated with both activities when it comes to sharing the road with 4000lb vehicles. I understand the cyclist's battle cry that cars don't own the road, but that doesn't mean crap when you're being scraped off the side by a paramedic.

For me personally, the motorcycle is enough danger on the road. I keep my bike on the trails.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-21-2010, 02:13 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,248,320 times
Reputation: 6920
On roadways where the speed limit is over 35 bikes should be restricted to pathways or bike lanes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-21-2010, 03:10 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,616 posts, read 77,600,575 times
Reputation: 19101
Can someone tell these speeding and spandex-wearing "elite cyclists" to stop being so arrogant? I'm a regular distance runner on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in the Reston/Herndon region, and I'm lucky if 1/3 of these "elite cyclists" WARN before passing, as they are SUPPOSED to do. One day the trail was so congested that I was run off the trail by one of these "elite cyclists" and twisted my ankle (and in typical NoVA "I'm better than you are" fashion nobody stopped to help). I can't tell you the number of near-collisions I've had running along the side of the trail, nor can I rattle off how many times I've been terrified to suddenly feel an object zooming by me mere inches away at 15 miles per hour or greater.

Can a cyclist come onto this thread and explain me what gives you all the "right" to bully runners? It's not our fault we're all relegated to the trail due to the dearth of sidewalks in Reston.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-21-2010, 03:23 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,248,320 times
Reputation: 6920
If they want something uncongested and flat, the elite cyclists should probably drive out to Warrenton and pedal to their hearts delight on 211 from there to Sperryville.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-21-2010, 03:34 PM
 
Location: 5 years in Southern Maryland, USA
845 posts, read 2,830,631 times
Reputation: 541
A well-kept secret: look at a detailed map and you will see two streets called "West Boulevard Drive" and "East Boulevard Drive" running parallel to both sides of the Mount Vernon Trail. I have found these two streets a good, quiet alternative for biking. But, few people are aware of this.

Eisenhower Avenue is another somewhat traffic-free place on Sundays for bicycling.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-21-2010, 06:06 PM
 
66 posts, read 130,959 times
Reputation: 52
I can't believe the anti-cyclist rhetoric on this thread , of course you don't want competition road cyclists on a crowded trail. The solution is to close down the right lane between old town and Mt. Vernon for only bicycles on Sunday so people can get a good ride in. You don't need two lanes for cars going down there. If it is popular close it Saturday as well. 27% of people between 18-24 are obese in this country, we need to encourage fitness, not sitting in a car with a big gulp and twinkie.

Last edited by info781; 06-21-2010 at 07:07 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-21-2010, 06:46 PM
 
Location: Washington, DC
605 posts, read 2,160,307 times
Reputation: 388
Quote:
Originally Posted by CAVA1990 View Post
If they want something uncongested and flat, the elite cyclists should probably drive out to Warrenton and pedal to their hearts delight on 211 from there to Sperryville.
By the way, that is a 55 m.p.h. road with no bike path . Also, the hills impede clear lines to sight to obstacles ahead.

Me thinks your argument is that you'll be darned if you lose time on your drive due to yielding to cyclists.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-21-2010, 07:07 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,248,320 times
Reputation: 6920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. 14th & You View Post
Me thinks your argument is that you'll be darned if you lose time on your drive due to yielding to cyclists.
No I just don't want to run over one or see someone else do so. If you can get the Park Service to go for the suggestion above to close down a lane on weekends (which could probably handle bikes going in both directions), I'd go along with it. Nothing to do with bikes but I'd also like to see King St. closed down to car traffic on the weekend east of Washingon St. to make a pedestrian walk.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Virginia > Northern Virginia
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:46 AM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top