TrailViewMount

Sometime after 7-11-13 the Legacy Trail in Sarasota added emergency signs painted on the trail at various spots. This was a really great idea by the county. Has anyone else seen these on other paved trails in the U.S.?

genec

Have not seen... it is a great idea.

B. Carfree

Eugene put some thermoplastic ones down on the river bike paths a decade or so ago. Those were fine. They were basically quarter-mile markers with the path name (west, east, north, south; yes, the river turns ninety degrees) and a different color for each segment.

Then, a few years back, some clown in our police department (yes, I know him and he is a clown) decided to put actual signs up with the same information. That would be fine, except these "signs" are solid steel box-beam construction in concrete with very solid, sharp corners and are placed right on the edge of the path. Such a placement would be illegal in California, which recommends a six-foot clear zone at the edge of bike paths and mandates that the entirety of any sign be six feet from the edge of the path.

turbo1889

Considering that usually one of the first questions that dispatch asks you is "Where are you, Where is this happening?" this is probably a very good idea. Since I only ride "good" bike paths (actually MUPs) and normally ride on the road usually I can answer that question with something like "The intersection of Liberty St. and 4th AVE N." or "Hwy ## S. Mile Marker ###". I've only had to have that conversation and explain my location once while using an MUP path and I admit that it was difficult because all I was able to give them initially was "The bike path that goes between (town name) and (town name)" (its built on top of an old narrow gauge rail bed) although after thinking for a moment while continuing explanation of what had/was happening I was able to notice a business sign on one of the nearby buildings I could see in the distance and give them that business name which allowed them to look up its address and pin-point where along the trail I was better, but if that sign hadn't been there then that would have left a lot of miles of trail between those two towns for them to wonder where along the trail.

So, yes, I can certainly see where this could be useful.

(And for those who are wondering what happened it was a vicious dog owner incident a summer ago or so where a group of punks walking the MUP one with a Rottweiler on a leash upon seeing me and some other cyclist I had just passed coming down the trail started visibly conspiring together and then they let the dog off the leash while shouting "Sick Em !!! Sick Em !!! Go !!! Go !!! Go !!! Sick Em !!! Sick Em !!!" and the dog obeyed the commands given to it by its vicious owners. I dealt with the dog and then called the cops.)

no1mad 

We've got mile markers that are comprised of short poles with the number engraved and painted in white.

I do like the concept of actually labeling the trail though. I don't know about painting it directly to the MUP though. I'm thinking maybe a concrete square that is at the edge of the MUP and then the info etched into it and then painted with a contrasting color- preferably with reflective paint to make it easier to see at night.

One potential problem (at least locally for me) is that one MUP connects two towns and it is known by different names within their respective city limits...

Looigi

Optimally, the marking method or signage itself shouldn't comprise a hazard.