JeffC

I ride through this area multiple times a week and still have not seen any police enforcement but still something to be on the look out for. The reporter has no personality.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXO8Lo0UaTc

no motor?

I wonder if they're going to start ticketing pedestrians and joggers who don't keep right.

newbeat

It's weird to see my commute on camera.

busted knuckles

bueller? bueller?

crazyed27

Lame reporter.....It has also ben the scene of crimes! You figure???

ch9862

When I used to live there, I'd bypass part of the trail in Falls Church - cross it on West, make a right on Lincoln Ave, and get on it on the other side of Rte 29. It IS weird to see these parts on video .

CCrew

He's obviously a print reporter

I've seen Falls Church cops out on MTB's through that section of trail. Bet they won't be back until spring

TRUMPHENT

I'll bet cyclists blew past the stop signs and gave a motorist or two something to think about. That makes people complain to police departments. The local PD has to make a showcase response. It's how the world works.

newbeat

This made me lol, hit the nail on the head.

jhhall

Ha - very true.

I actually live off Grove and get on the W&OD at that intersection every day. I'm not sure I've ever seen cops on bikes there - but I have seen a few cop cars sitting at that intersection. Not sure if they were looking for cars or bikes though.

CCrew

I think I've seen them a whopping two times. They'll park the car at a cross street and go a couple blocks either way. Lately in the afternoons I've seen patrol cars sitting at the back of the church where the trail crosses Little Falls. I usually stop at that sign since when I come through there's usually a lot of traffic -and that bridge is a PITA, but would be an easy place to nail someone with a ticket.

I looked at that video again... my gawd that reporter has a face best for Radio

jhhall

Good to know about the church hide-out. Yeah, I could see that being a good spot for cops. I agree, I stop at that intersection, cars are moving at a pretty good clip when they hit that area. Plus in the moring there is quite a bit of pedestrian traffic there from the the construction crew walking to the high-rise buildling they're putting up.

CCrew

None of which understand "on your left". At least the english version

JeffC

Hmm, I thought that was a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, not a church but anyway I know where the trail crosses Little Falls and I've never seen FCC police there only a parked Arlington police car there which I think belongs to someone who lives in the area. Yes that bridge is bone jarring. east bound have to stick to the far right, west bound it just stinks.

No doubt that reporter is "Bueller, Bueller?" personified. Falls Church Times is an internet only based paper. The Falls Church News Press is print. A few weeks ago they ran this letter to the editor complaining about cyclists.

https://www.fcnp.com/letters-to-the-e...0-16-2009.html

wheel

Well he nailed it peds don't stop.

Do a dismount and run the bike across and hope back on.

Foofy

I by no means advocate this idea, but have any cyclists ever just ignored the police cyclists on MTBs and outrun them? Wouldn't be difficult if you're using a road bike. Of course then you're likely to get stopped by another cop later on.

crazyed27

On one trail here in St Louis County (Creve Coeur Park) we have park rangers enforcing speed limits on bikes....at their discretion....if they think you are going too fast they will pop you. No radar gun required? Its a shame.

Grillparzer

No one can out run a radio.

crazyed27

Yes you can if you know the area and are smart....been there done that!

jhhall

Ha - very true! Almost makes the situation worse when you call it out. I just go through there super slow.

CCrew

That's two intersections west..

rumrunn6

In my opinion, a cyclist can't win but that doesn't we we should stop trying. For me - I racked up 44 miles on my favorite rail trail (CCRT) in MA. Anyway - whenever I stop at an intersection (when I see cars in their approach) the cars stop to let me go by even though I am the one with the stop sign. This is so annoying because I gave up my speed; momentum & time to let them pass and they totally wasted my physical effort. Then, on 2 other occasions when I didn't see any cars approaching and I didn't stop they blew their horns as they crossed the bikeway even though I was long past it and they had no chance of hitting me. Next time I ride there I can only do the same thing cuz if I stop for the cars that are to far away to be concerned with they will undoubedtly stop for me to pass which is not what the law wants to happen. They wnat us to stop so the cars can pass. The motor vehicle operators are breaking the law in a weirdly counterintuitive way.

mbologna

I ride through there all the time ~ I often roll through the stop signs if there are no cars around. I've never seen police (car or bike) in those areas. It is weird to see the WO&D on a 'crime report'....

akohekohe

So why is it they almost always put the stop sign on the road even when the trail has way more traffic?
By the way, it looks to me like that reporter is doing some kind of psychotropic drug - I'm betting some kind of benzodiazepine ...

JeffC

I think you mean to say they should require the cars on the road to stop rather than the bikes/peds on the trail?
There are a few stop signs in Falls Church where is clearly more traffic at the trail than the street, some places it is the other way.
But usually when you come across a 4 way intersection to keep traffic flowing there are more restrictions on the two directions with less traffic,
that is stop signs or shorter green lights, and fewer restrictions on the more heavily trafficed direction.

I have a mental list going of ten things Falls Church City could do to improve biking--not like they would ever actually do them though, hey I'm a realist.
That point is something to include on the list though.