Belmont Ridge @ W&OD Trail - Bike Rules question

I drove through here yesterday afternoon (southbound) and noticed a LCSO car parked on the right side of the road who must have been observing. There was no accident or any sign of one earlier. I slowed to about 35 and was preparing to step on the brakes as I saw a bike approach from my left, looking to cross the road. However he did what he was supposed to do: stopped fully and dismounted. I continued without stopping, but looked in my rearview mirror to notice the car behind me stop (there was nobody behind THAT car) and wave the cyclists through. Then the car behind me continued on after the cyclists crossed. I was wondering what, if, anything, the LCSO might do as he'd just witnessed me go through, and the guy behind me stop. The LCSO did nothing. Maybe he was just taking notes?

It IS confusing at that spot because the presence of a crosswalk usually means cars must stop because pedestrians have right of way. And once a cyclists dismounts, isn't he a pedestrian?

 

Also, some seem not to be aware that those on the trail have stop signs. They do not have the right of way, the traffic on Belmont Ridge does.

 

I wonder how much of this is exacerbated ever since they put the zig zag line pattern? Makes me wonder if drivers are more confused by why those lines are there in the first place, and not sure whether to stop or keep driving.

 

It also happened quite a bit before the squiggly lines were painted. About 9 years ago we were nearly rear-ended and were barely able to stop when the guy in front of us slammed on his brakes to "let" a bicyclist cross. There have many other near misses over the years, but we rarely use that route anymore as we tend to ride Claiborne out to rt 7 now. Traffic rules, right of way, etc exist to make traffic flow better. When someone does something like come to a stop on a road like that they put a lot of people in danger and make the road more dangerous for everyone, including the bicyclist, not less.

 

Tell that to all the idiots who walk right out, even when there's a no walk sign in front of them and then they get mad at the driver.

 

I have been in contact with LCSO and the park authority who owns the trail. They are both aware of the issue and working on a solution.

The cars on the road have the right of way. Bikes and pedestrians are required to stop. Bicyclists are required to stop and actually have one foot on the ground.

The officer may have been there to ticket bicyclists who did not obey the sign.

There are several places along the trail where other roads cross. These locations you can see Darwin hard at work.

 

Regarding pedestrians and crosswalks:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-924

§ 46.2-924. Drivers to stop for pedestrians; installation of certain signs; penalty.

A. The driver of any vehicle on a highway shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing such highway:

1. At any clearly marked crosswalk, whether at mid-block or at the end of any block;

2. At any regular pedestrian crossing included in the prolongation of the lateral boundary lines of the adjacent sidewalk at the end of a block;

3. At any intersection when the driver is approaching on a highway or street where the legal maximum speed does not exceed 35 miles per hour.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of this section, at intersections or crosswalks where the movement of traffic is being regulated by law-enforcement officers or traffic control devices, the driver shall yield according to the direction of the law-enforcement officer or device.

No pedestrian shall enter or cross an intersection in disregard of approaching traffic.

The drivers of vehicles entering, crossing, or turning at intersections shall change their course, slow down, or stop if necessary to permit pedestrians to cross such intersections safely and expeditiously.

Pedestrians crossing highways at intersections shall at all times have the right-of-way over vehicles making turns into the highways being crossed by the pedestrians.

C. The governing body of Arlington County, Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, the County of Loudoun and any town therein, and the City of Alexandria, may by ordinance provide for the installation and maintenance of highway signs at marked crosswalks specifically requiring operators of motor vehicles, at the locations where such signs are installed, to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing or attempting to cross the highway. Any operator of a motor vehicle who fails at such locations to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians as required by such signs shall be guilty of a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of no less than $100 or more than $500. The Commonwealth Transportation Board shall develop criteria for the design, location, and installation of such signs. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any limited access highway.

(Code 1950, §§ 46-243, 46-244; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-231; 1962, c. 471; 1968, c. 165; 1972, c. 576; 1976, c. 322; 1989, c. 727; 2000, c. 323; 2002, c. 327; 2004, c. 658; 2007, c. 813.)

 

The zigzag pattern is a "test" from VDOT to increase awareness for drivers of a bike trail.

If you are interested, here is a link to the VDOT study (the file was too large to upload):
http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/11-r9.pdf

 

You gotta be kidding me. 94 pages on this! How much did that cost? And they conclude that the zig zags are a good idea and should be included in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. And they say the zig zags are continuing to be maintained.

I filled out there survey and said exactly the oppositve of the preamble findings, I read in this report, seems most here think the same way I do. Someone isn't doing their job, or there is something nefarious going on.

 

Geez, then on page 56, after 55 pages of praising the ZZs, they add this small statement, "Although a majority of survey respondents thought that motorists have the right of way, a large percentage did not. This confusion has the potential to increase the risk of crashes at all locations where the W&OD Trail intersects a roadway."

 

I think the zigzag lines are a great idea; anything that slows down traffic on Belmont Ridge Road, especially in that area (and the Luckstone drive area) is needed. I routinely have cars tailgating me on Belmont Ridge Road because I won't drive more than 5 mph over the speed limit.

 

I had to make a choice on Saturday - the ditch, a cyclist, or the BMW in front of me who came to a complete stop from 50 mph. As much as I would have loved to destroy the BMW in front of me- I had to choose the ditch because the dump truck coming up behind me at over 50 had locked up his brakes and came skidding to a stop right about where I had been sitting. Since I was in the ditch, I avoided being killed. Too bad the idiot in the BMW drove away without a care in the world, while the dump truck driver and I had to pull my truck out of the ditch.
And oh yeah - to the cyclist that would have been road pizza - YOU HAVE THE STOP SIGN- not the road traffic. The dirty, satisfied look you gave me as you rode past could have been smeared all over Belmont Ridge Road, you ***.
Do NOT stop at the bike path! Ever! The dump trucks, and the rest of traffic can not always stop in time. If I ever see you again, Mr. BMW - I am going to turn that car into my own personal demolition derby.

 

It's akin to stopping on the highway for a pedestrian. I think they should erect a sign that says "no stopping allowed" or build a skywalk for the bicyclists. It's very dangerous and drivers who know about it need to keep a safe distance between cars for the very reason the previous poster nearly got killed by a dump truck.

 

True, but when somneone does a panic stop the reaction time for the cars behind plays a huge roll in the distance required to stop. If doing the posted limit, you are traveling about 65 ft per second.

If the idiot in front of you decides to come to a quick stop and even if you are 2 seconds behind him, .5 to 1 second you need to react will most likely put you in his trunk. Trucks obviously need a longer stopping distance.

The BMW simply stopped in the middle of a road. Should everybody slow down or stop at locations where a cross street has a 2 way stop ?

I have had people do this to me as well - I do follow further back, but will lay on my horn the whole way to my stop.

Traffic has the right of way. There are stop signs for the bikes/peds. If a car ran a stop sign at a cross street wouldn't the car be at fault ? Bikes are required to follow the same rules. If they blow the stop sign and someone stops short and causes a chain reaction, they are at fault.

 

:rolleyes3:

 

It's illegal to just come to a complete stop on a road because you want to. Traffic on Belmont Ridge Rd has the right of way. Period. There shouldn't even be a discussion on this. Rules of the road exist for a reason. It helps traffic flow and promotes safety. Stopping on Belmont Ridge to be "nice" is stupid, plain and simple. And, it's hardly nice or considerate to other drivers. As I said previously, the bikers have a stop sign (actually they have TWO). How about being polite and considerate to other drivers?

It doesn't matter if it's a blind corner or not, there is no stop sign for Belmont Ridge.

The squiggly lines are a European thing and are meant for people to pay attention and slow somewhat. NOT STOP.