Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Recent W&OD Trail crashes - Update
In the past couple of days we've heard about two crashes on the W&OD Trail in which cyclists were sent to the hospital:Near Little Falls Street - A cyclist and runner ran into each other. Both were seriously injured and are in the hospital. At least one, the cyclist, is in intensive care. Not sure about the date; we think it was around noon on September 28. Update: See the Falls Church Police news release about this incident.
Police Chief Mary Gavin announced the additional deployment of bicycle and motorcycle officers along the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail to promote education and enforcement of park and traffic laws. As one of the region's premier recreational sites, police have seen an increase in shared usage of the trail, from casual walking to commuting via bicycle. The increase in use within the City has created more opportunities for hazards and accidents to occur.
A little after noon this past Sunday, September 29, police responded to just such an incident when a report came in of a crash involving a jogger and a cyclist near the intersection of the trail and Little Falls Street. Initial reports indicate the jogger was attempting to pass walkers on the left and collided with the cyclist traveling in the opposite direction. Both the cyclist and the jogger sustained life-threatening injuries and are currently being treated at local hospitals. An investigation is ongoing to determine the precise cause of the crash.
A little after noon this past Sunday, September 29, police responded to just such an incident when a report came in of a crash involving a jogger and a cyclist near the intersection of the trail and Little Falls Street. Initial reports indicate the jogger was attempting to pass walkers on the left and collided with the cyclist traveling in the opposite direction. Both the cyclist and the jogger sustained life-threatening injuries and are currently being treated at local hospitals. An investigation is ongoing to determine the precise cause of the crash.
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| W&OD Trail at Sterling Blvd |
If you know more about these crashes, please leave a comment.
Labels: bike crash, W and OD Trail
Comments:
Sterling crash: no charges? That's ridiculous. The cyclist's family should press the Loudoun police to pursue this driver. Is there a "FABB" type group in Loudoun? They should also be all over this -- as should the NVRPA since the W&OD trail is involved.
# posted by 
: October 3, 2013 at 4:03 PM
: October 3, 2013 at 4:03 PM
John Hoopes tried to make this comment but was not able to. Are others having problems? If so, please send a note to chairman [at} fabb-bikes.org.
""In some states it's illegal to pass other vehicles stopped at a crosswalk." Yes, in 40+ states it's illegal to pass other vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. In Virginia it even is labelled as reckless driving.
Virginia Code 46.2-858 has a problem in that the present text is so densely written in a topic on railroad crossings, that few in the public or law enforcement understand the pedestrian portion to be of such vital importance for safety. Pedestrians (bicyclists, wheelchair users, children) in a crosswalk can be easily obscured behind a vehicle which stopped for them at a multilane crosswalk and while some pedestrians might be able to spring backward if a driver in another lane zooms by, some cannot.
Uniform Vehicle Code § 11-502 – Pedestrian’s Right of Way in Crosswalks is supported, according to Traffic laws annotated 1979, by 41 states with minor deviations noted there. (http://books.google.com/books?id=f3xPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA173#v=onepage&q&f=false)
The Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) recommended language is:
“Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.”
In 2013 Virginia Delegate Kaye Kory attempted to introduce a plain language revision to the present text of Virginia Code 46.2-858. One hopes there is better luck getting it passed this next legislature."
""In some states it's illegal to pass other vehicles stopped at a crosswalk." Yes, in 40+ states it's illegal to pass other vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. In Virginia it even is labelled as reckless driving.
Virginia Code 46.2-858 has a problem in that the present text is so densely written in a topic on railroad crossings, that few in the public or law enforcement understand the pedestrian portion to be of such vital importance for safety. Pedestrians (bicyclists, wheelchair users, children) in a crosswalk can be easily obscured behind a vehicle which stopped for them at a multilane crosswalk and while some pedestrians might be able to spring backward if a driver in another lane zooms by, some cannot.
Uniform Vehicle Code § 11-502 – Pedestrian’s Right of Way in Crosswalks is supported, according to Traffic laws annotated 1979, by 41 states with minor deviations noted there. (http://books.google.com/books?id=f3xPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA173#v=onepage&q&f=false)
The Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) recommended language is:
“Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.”
In 2013 Virginia Delegate Kaye Kory attempted to introduce a plain language revision to the present text of Virginia Code 46.2-858. One hopes there is better luck getting it passed this next legislature."
NVRPA is working with VDOT to shorten the length of the left-turn lane along Sterling that goes through the crosswalk. (See this link and scroll to the Sterling section: http://www.bikeloudoun.org/blog/changes-coming-key-wod-trail-intersections)
Too bad this crash happened before the project happened.
Too bad this crash happened before the project happened.
# posted by : October 4, 2013 at 5:45 PM
: October 4, 2013 at 5:45 PM
"Initial reports indicate the jogger was attempting to pass walkers on the left and collided with the cyclist traveling in the opposite direction. Both the cyclist and the jogger sustained life-threatening injuries"
That's pretty bad. The police statement strongly suggests that the jogger stepped in front of the cyclist, and that the cyclist must have been moving at quite a speed.
That's pretty bad. The police statement strongly suggests that the jogger stepped in front of the cyclist, and that the cyclist must have been moving at quite a speed.
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