A piece on cycling I would like NoVa drivers to read (Purcellville: real estate, taxi)

[bornindc]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

surely that shows you the cyclists dilemma. Where should a fast cyclist go? You dont think they belong on the road, but rather on the MUP. But you also see why going fast on the MUP is a bad idea (and actually its not only because of conflicts with peds, but because some sharp turns etc on the MUP make it a poor idea, IIRC). (note I am not that fast yet, and so I take the MVT, but havent been on it south of old town in a long time).

Absolutely right, Brooklyn. Either ride excruciatingly slow on the path or be on the parkway.

As a teen I was racing on the Mt. Vernon Trail with another guy one day and coming around a curve there was a whole family blocking the trail. We both set our bikes down and ended up in the woods. Thankfully no one was hurt but lesson learned. I've stayed on the roadway since then. A car driver who's upset about bikes on the parkway south of Old Town (where traffic is incredibly light and there are four lanes, no bike or slow-moving car is going to hold up anyone) is just unwilling to consider that bikes belong on the road anywhere I'd imagine.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by bornindc

Absolutely right, Brooklyn. Either ride excruciatingly slow on the path or be on the parkway.

As a teen I was racing on the Mt. Vernon Trail with another guy one day and coming around a curve there was a whole family blocking the trail. We both set our bikes down and ended up in the woods. Thankfully no one was hurt but lesson learned. I've stayed on the roadway since then. A car driver who's upset about bikes on the parkway south of Old Town (where traffic is incredibly light and there are four lanes, no bike or slow-moving car is going to hold up anyone) is just unwilling to consider that bikes belong on the road anywhere I'd imagine.

It's illegal to ride on the parkway, although I've never seen anyone get pulled over for it. I only do it around the circle to get from my house to the trailhead.

[bornindc]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

It's illegal to ride on the parkway, although I've never seen anyone get pulled over for it. I only do it around the circle to get from my house to the trailhead.

Strange, as there are no signs posted (or at least weren't when I last rode there 4-5 years ago when I lived in Alexandria). I've been on the road there numerous times riding right past Park Police and never had an issue, and I recall seeing other cyclists out there too. Seems like a pretty safe stretch of roadway, certainly safer than Rock Creek Parkway which has a ton of cyclists.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by bornindc

Strange, as there are no signs posted (or at least weren't when I last rode there 4-5 years ago when I lived in Alexandria). I've been on the road there numerous times riding right past Park Police and never had an issue, and I recall seeing other cyclists out there too. Seems like a pretty safe stretch of roadway, certainly safer than Rock Creek Parkway which has a ton of cyclists.

Here's the official line:

http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/parkmgmt/upl...es-on-Road.pdf

There's a no bikes sign at the Mount Vernon end. I'll have to look more closely coming the other way from Old Town. I wouldn't be surprised at some point if they started issuing tickets just as they did a few years back for having dogs off leash at Fort Hunt Park.

I purposely ride a mountain bike so I can easily stay under the 15mph limit on the trail and still get a decent workout.

[bornindc]

Hmm. Seems silly but it's their roadway I guess. I usually came up Fort Hunt, maybe they just didn't have it posted where I would see it. Thanks for the info Cava.

I'm not on the road much now either now that I live by Accotink/Wakefield and almost 1000 acres full of single track!

[CAVA1990]

It probably seems safe because the people doing it are usually serious local road riders. If they legalized it you'd have all kinds of tourists with varying skill levels on there which could cause problems.

[arielmina]

Originally Posted by katyusha25

The only complaint I have about cyclists is when they come on the tiny roads in Middleburg.They ride in the middle of the road and there is never an opportunity to pass them because the roads are so narrow and twisty - you can't pass them when you can't see around the corner. And you're stuck behind them. Stuck.

Worse, is when you're pulling a horse trailer up a hill and you have to stay behind them because you can't see over the hill to pass, but you have to maintain enough speed so you don't start rolling backwards.

Cyclists, you can pull over way easier than I can, so please pull over and let me pass. For the love of Pete.

I am in Round HIll and in the exact same boat with you... expecially Sundays good lord i hate bicylists on Sundays. Hundreds of them, hundreds... it's not just one or two, I have no problem with them, it's the MASSIVE amounts of them in a pack. Truly a safety hazzard.

[jillabean]

My biggest problem with cyclists is that I am terrified they are going to fall off their bikes in front of or next to me and I am going to run them over! But that's some unreasonable fear of mine. I just have this fear of them being next to me and somehow diving under my tires.

The only true "run in" I ever had with a cyclist was when I was rear-ended by a woman on a bike. She was pretty mad at me and had a few choice words, but all I did was stop for a stop sign (and it was a regular, gradual stop--not a short stop). I really don't understand what her problem was--except maybe embarrassment.

But for the most part, most cyclists don't seem to be any better or worse than drivers as far as I can tell. Sure, it's annoying to have to go slow behind them sometimes, but most seem to pull over if they can.

[arielmina]

my favorite cyclist story was at Grand Central Station in NYC... Grand Central, one of the busiest places in the world. We simply opened the door of our cab and a guy speeding by on his bike ran into the door LOL... soooooo funny. Gave me a dirty look and got back on his bike and sped off. I mean, what I've gotta peer out the door to make sure there's no one barreling down on me in their bike before i open the door? OMG that was classic. Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled program...

[katyusha25]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

Thats one of the reasons I havent ventured into rural riding - I don't know if the road you are indicating has a shoulder the cyclist could pull into - simply stopping off road, which it seems you want the cyclist to do, would work mostly for cyclists who are quite comfortable on hills. For me climbing a hill is not necessary compatible with stopping where it will cost me needed momentum. If I MUST, for safety, I will of course, but that will often mean walking the bike to the crest. Note, I myself rarely "take the lane" (except for 25MPH or slower residential streets) and when I do I try to be aware of driver passing options, and of places where I can pull over if necessary.

If by shoulder, you mean the woods, then yes
And not to sound unsympathetic, but I'd rather cost you* your momentum then have my loaded horse trailer roll back down a steep hill because I don't have enough momentum to get up it because I'm stuck behind a cyclist.

*Just talking in general terms here, not at you