Speaking of accidents….
07-04-22, 08:28 AM
#26
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I just remembered that dislike speed bump almost as much. I was riding on an access road for parking spots for condos. It is long and hase 3 speed bumps.
Typically I go around them because this road is good for 20+mph. I neglected to see one on one ride. The hit caused my left hand to slip off the ergo. The wheel went left from the weight on the right side and I did a face plant. I was a bit woozy when I got up. Difficult to keep my balance. One of the witnesses took me home. I was going to keep riding but it was too much. Concussion? Maybe. It was one of those belly flop kind of landing, no rolling.
I often wonder what firemen think of them in terms of trying to get to a fire quickly. Fire trucks are heavy and don't really have much suspension designed for speed bumps.
Typically I go around them because this road is good for 20+mph. I neglected to see one on one ride. The hit caused my left hand to slip off the ergo. The wheel went left from the weight on the right side and I did a face plant. I was a bit woozy when I got up. Difficult to keep my balance. One of the witnesses took me home. I was going to keep riding but it was too much. Concussion? Maybe. It was one of those belly flop kind of landing, no rolling.
I often wonder what firemen think of them in terms of trying to get to a fire quickly. Fire trucks are heavy and don't really have much suspension designed for speed bumps.
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07-05-22, 06:58 PM
#27
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They do, and I’ve seen them on aero bars, 25 mph or more, “making friends” on the paths. I always hope for that squirrel to dart out.
Grant’s Trail in St. Louis, especially past parks and the Clydesdale barns of A-Busch, almost too crowded for cycling.
The So. Illinois Madison County Trail system generally has a mix close to settlements, but open spaces where you can pick it up. The crossings at farm lanes are easy until the corn gets high. The bollards are modern, plentiful, and well marked. I think that’s all they can do. There are miles and miles of shade, rabbits, deer, chipmunks, etc. Small towns are spaced out for ice, water, etc. In all cases, caution and courtesy make it great, but that is unfortunately not the rule. The speed limit signs have just gone up, 15 mph.
We ran right at that for 65 miles on the 4th, 55 on the 2nd, with plenty of great people as we prefer the courtesy and caution approach. We stop a lot, for families, especially, and always whoop it up fir the little kids on bikes.
Last summer, on one of the hottest days of the year, we did 150 miles at 18 mph on a training ride for a double century. There were few people and we stayed out in the open.
There is often a classic car show at the trailhead, bonus!
Grant’s Trail in St. Louis, especially past parks and the Clydesdale barns of A-Busch, almost too crowded for cycling.
The So. Illinois Madison County Trail system generally has a mix close to settlements, but open spaces where you can pick it up. The crossings at farm lanes are easy until the corn gets high. The bollards are modern, plentiful, and well marked. I think that’s all they can do. There are miles and miles of shade, rabbits, deer, chipmunks, etc. Small towns are spaced out for ice, water, etc. In all cases, caution and courtesy make it great, but that is unfortunately not the rule. The speed limit signs have just gone up, 15 mph.
We ran right at that for 65 miles on the 4th, 55 on the 2nd, with plenty of great people as we prefer the courtesy and caution approach. We stop a lot, for families, especially, and always whoop it up fir the little kids on bikes.
Last summer, on one of the hottest days of the year, we did 150 miles at 18 mph on a training ride for a double century. There were few people and we stayed out in the open.
There is often a classic car show at the trailhead, bonus!
07-05-22, 07:01 PM
#28
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I dislike them too. I use to commute, minimum 11 miles one way, on the Mt Vernon trail that is next to the George Washingtin Pkwy. Park Police patrolled as it is a Federal road. The bollards are at road crossings. The MUP is the only way to ride on the Pkwy as bicycles are not allowed on the road. The curb is the lane marker. The Pkwy is more of a major commute road even though it is marked with 40 max MPH where the drivers totally ignore the speed limit with up to 60 mph. Park Service tickets are always paid in full!
Those intersections are a problem on weekends because next to the MUP is the Potomac River and lots of recreational parks. People coming the opposite way often go across the line to go around the bollard leaving no room for you. Sometimes they are indecisive about which side they are going to go around. Add earbuds to the mix and ....
They should not be steel or wood but flexible plastic that will bend in both directions. I know it is easier for a vehicle to run over it, but that is the point. The safety of the pedestrian should be taken into account. It is a Multi Use Path, not a sidewalk.
The speed limit of the MUP is 15mph. With tree roots and other challenge, pace lines do not make sense. Speed is not a good thing on a MUP with others.
Those intersections are a problem on weekends because next to the MUP is the Potomac River and lots of recreational parks. People coming the opposite way often go across the line to go around the bollard leaving no room for you. Sometimes they are indecisive about which side they are going to go around. Add earbuds to the mix and ....
They should not be steel or wood but flexible plastic that will bend in both directions. I know it is easier for a vehicle to run over it, but that is the point. The safety of the pedestrian should be taken into account. It is a Multi Use Path, not a sidewalk.
The speed limit of the MUP is 15mph. With tree roots and other challenge, pace lines do not make sense. Speed is not a good thing on a MUP with others.
I’ve ridden that, Old Town, Alexandria to Mt. Vernon, I think.
07-06-22, 04:21 AM
#29
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I have had two accidents on that MUP. They were related to wet leaves on bridges. Don't know of a serious head-on though.
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07-06-22, 08:06 AM
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Just found out some other friends/acquaintances did a group ride this weekend: 1 broken hip, 1 police/cyclist conflict, 2-3 heat exhaustions and one minor heat stroke. Rough sport!
07-06-22, 08:37 AM
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I've warned a few riders, that they oughta slow down in congested areas, but they're on some kind of mission, it seems. 🙄
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07-06-22, 10:32 AM
#32
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I only have to deal with a couple of bollardy things...these are set to slow people, bikes, electric skate boards, etc down on a narrow section that goes under a bridge and has a blind corner. I am always sure I am going to hit one, even slow
pass thoughts on for the injured pair, I saw xrays on a face book group of the one who had the ball of the femur broken and hip replacement.
what amazes me is that a pedal strike, even hard could break the Emonda in half, any more details on failure mechanism
and Mups are the place where I am at highest alert for unpredictable behavior from kids, dogs, people, geese and the over all situationally unaware
pass thoughts on for the injured pair, I saw xrays on a face book group of the one who had the ball of the femur broken and hip replacement.
what amazes me is that a pedal strike, even hard could break the Emonda in half, any more details on failure mechanism
and Mups are the place where I am at highest alert for unpredictable behavior from kids, dogs, people, geese and the over all situationally unaware
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07-06-22, 02:55 PM
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I had an off, where I got pinched into the gutter during a turn, and put my right foot down square on top of the curb; The bike lifted up a little bit, and then I got absolutely body-slammed on to the sidewalk. I know carbon-framed bikes don't hold up real well under side impacts like that. I got away with no damage, other than the railroad tracks the 53t chewed up the back of my right shoe, ankle and calf.
07-06-22, 08:16 PM
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Our MUPs have a bollard at each end of every bridge, whether or not a car could conceivably get on that section of trail. A month ago, while on a Critical Mass ride, an 11-year-old kid in the middle of our middling-size pack hit one; lucky for him we were going about 4mph and he wasn't hurt. I think he got distracted at the wrong moment.
07-07-22, 02:06 PM
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[QUOTE=bamboobike4;22564829]Wasn’t a BF member seriously hurt in a head-on on that parkway?
I think that forum member was Fuji Otaku some years back. The accident was on an MUP in Maryland. Last year I saw 2 accidents in the same spot on the W&OD in Herndon VA. In both cases a roadie was going fast past a park, and a clueless pedestrian stepped onto the trail causing the cyclist to crash to avoid hitting the pedestrian. One of these was a 6 year old kid — the cyclist was hammering away on a carbon Specialized and terrorized the poor kid by yelling at him. The kid said he was sorry. The other cyclist hit the asphalt to avoid hitting an idiot listening to AirPods. I had to make a quick ride to the Dairy Queen to get ice to ice down the cyclist’s nose.
I think that forum member was Fuji Otaku some years back. The accident was on an MUP in Maryland. Last year I saw 2 accidents in the same spot on the W&OD in Herndon VA. In both cases a roadie was going fast past a park, and a clueless pedestrian stepped onto the trail causing the cyclist to crash to avoid hitting the pedestrian. One of these was a 6 year old kid — the cyclist was hammering away on a carbon Specialized and terrorized the poor kid by yelling at him. The kid said he was sorry. The other cyclist hit the asphalt to avoid hitting an idiot listening to AirPods. I had to make a quick ride to the Dairy Queen to get ice to ice down the cyclist’s nose.
07-07-22, 06:52 PM
#36
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I never gave much thought to the barriers placed on MUPs to prevent cars, 4-wheelers, etc, other than to avoid them. I only (before yesterday) knew 2 who’d hit them, both were OK and very much aware of them. My groups call them out constantly as part of the routine, etiquette, etc.
Yesterday, my huge group of three did our 57 and beat the rain. One of my other groups got caught in the rain, affecting their vision, requiring their concentration, and so the callout priority suffered. Up ahead was barrier. As such, the leader didn’t call it, #2 narrowly missed it, and #3 caught just the pedal.
That pedal strike broke the 2022 Emonda in half, instant folder. No broken bones. Helmet cracked. Of course, the #4 was up and over, and as often occurs, more injured, but released under concussion protocol, contusions, lacerations. Helmet destroyed.
The combination of low visibility, lack of callout, and the accordion at choke points was injurious.
(The sad irony is that part of this group was mowed down from behind 6 weeks ago at a stoplight, with one still out from having her hip snapped off in the socket. Her partner had the pedal strike, so they are down $15,000 in bikes and $100,000+ in meds in 6 weeks. This is one reason for more path riding.)
I somehow think the injury to #3 may have been worse on steel, without the frame snap, but I don’t know. Maybe that’s the only C&V angle.
So, your experiences with paths, barriers, etc?
And what are your thoughts on hitting a barrier with just a pedal on a steel bike?
Yesterday, my huge group of three did our 57 and beat the rain. One of my other groups got caught in the rain, affecting their vision, requiring their concentration, and so the callout priority suffered. Up ahead was barrier. As such, the leader didn’t call it, #2 narrowly missed it, and #3 caught just the pedal.
That pedal strike broke the 2022 Emonda in half, instant folder. No broken bones. Helmet cracked. Of course, the #4 was up and over, and as often occurs, more injured, but released under concussion protocol, contusions, lacerations. Helmet destroyed.
The combination of low visibility, lack of callout, and the accordion at choke points was injurious.
(The sad irony is that part of this group was mowed down from behind 6 weeks ago at a stoplight, with one still out from having her hip snapped off in the socket. Her partner had the pedal strike, so they are down $15,000 in bikes and $100,000+ in meds in 6 weeks. This is one reason for more path riding.)
I somehow think the injury to #3 may have been worse on steel, without the frame snap, but I don’t know. Maybe that’s the only C&V angle.
So, your experiences with paths, barriers, etc?
And what are your thoughts on hitting a barrier with just a pedal on a steel bike?
07-07-22, 08:11 PM
#37
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A few years ago I caught a pedal at speed on a speed bump( I was hitting it at an angle, for the speed factor). I went down in whiplash mode--my hips first and my head last. It broke my helmet in two places. I got up and rode home. This was in a tiny Mexican village. A local guy who saw it all happen was amazed I got up. I guess he didn't know about helmets.
