s/o Cyclists in Rock Creek Park vs Pedestrians

[Anonymous]

What are the rules about pedestrians and cyclists in Rock Creek Park. I like to take my 3 year old on walks on the paved trails in Rock Creek park (by the Old Saw Mill), but have given it up due to us being almost run over by speeding cyclists coming around sharp turns or speeding up behind us. The final straw was a bike with an attached kid extension bike that grazed me when it flew around a bridge onto the curving sidewalk. My husband (who is a cyclist and runner) thinks that I should be hyper vigilant about constantly policing my 3 year old to make sure he walks a straight line and moves constantly out of the way for any runners. I am not sure why people can't safely go around us. We don't even try to walk on the closed weekend roads in Rock Creek because of the bikers who go so fast around pedestrians.

[Anonymous]

"Slow traffic to right." and "Don't dart out in front of someone."

I agree with your husband. He also has a cyclist's and runner's perspective.

[Anonymous]

I'm sympathetic to the bikers on the closed roads on the weekend - after all, it's a place where they can really get a workout in. We try to keep our little one closest to the curb if we walk the streets.

However, there are plenty of trails in RC that are not accessible to bikers and have few runners. Seek those out - the paved ones...I have mixed emotions..probably not great for bikers to be going 100 mph on those, and runners should be able to see a kid wandering ahead and make concessions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Slow traffic to right." and "Don't dart out in front of someone."

I agree with your husband. He also has a cyclist's and runner's perspective.

So essentially what you are saying is that young children should not be in the parks, since they can't be trusted to not "dart out".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Slow traffic to right." and "Don't dart out in front of someone."

I agree with your husband. He also has a cyclist's and runner's perspective.

So essentially what you are saying is that young children should not be in the parks, since they can't be trusted to not "dart out".

Even if a cyclist is going slow a darting child is a danger to everyone, including themselves. These trails are for everyone and if your kid isn't trustworthy then it's not the ace for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Slow traffic to right." and "Don't dart out in front of someone."

I agree with your husband. He also has a cyclist's and runner's perspective.

So essentially what you are saying is that young children should not be in the parks, since they can't be trusted to not "dart out".

My children can be trusted not to dart out. If yours can't then I wouldn't bring them on a path heavily used by cyclists and runners.

[Anonymous]

My great aunt was killed last month by a cyclist who struck her while she walked on a mixed use path. Very sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Slow traffic to right." and "Don't dart out in front of someone."

I agree with your husband. He also has a cyclist's and runner's perspective.

So essentially what you are saying is that young children should not be in the parks, since they can't be trusted to not "dart out".

If you have a young child who darts out, it's probably best to stay off trails used by a lot of people who move faster than the pace of a small child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Slow traffic to right." and "Don't dart out in front of someone."

I agree with your husband. He also has a cyclist's and runner's perspective.

So essentially what you are saying is that young children should not be in the parks, since they can't be trusted to not "dart out".

If you have a young child who darts out, it's probably best to stay off trails used by a lot of people who move faster than the pace of a small child.

+1. Children can walk and run around in the grass too. A bike is only going to be on the sidewalk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the rules about pedestrians and cyclists in Rock Creek Park. I like to take my 3 year old on walks on the paved trails in Rock Creek park (by the Old Saw Mill), but have given it up due to us being almost run over by speeding cyclists coming around sharp turns or speeding up behind us. The final straw was a bike with an attached kid extension bike that grazed me when it flew around a bridge onto the curving sidewalk. My husband (who is a cyclist and runner) thinks that I should be hyper vigilant about constantly policing my 3 year old to make sure he walks a straight line and moves constantly out of the way for any runners. I am not sure why people can't safely go around us. We don't even try to walk on the closed weekend roads in Rock Creek because of the bikers who go so fast around pedestrians.

Do you mean Peirce Mill? (Sorry, don't know what the Old Saw Mill is, and google isn't helping)

That's a mixed used trail and pedestrians have the right of way. The part that goes under Tilden, cyclists are supposed to get off and walk. Runners most certainly don't have the right to run you over -- both runners and cyclists can go around you.

[Anonymous]

I'm a bicyclist, but I'm sick of spandex-clad lawyers speeding like they're in the friggin' Tour de France.

[Anonymous]

I'm a bicyclist, but I'm sick of spandex-clad lawyers speeding like they're in the friggin' Tour de France.

Amen.

Dressing like Greg LeMond does not give you the right of way. And if you're on a non-closed public road taking up an entire lane, you are not riding in a peloton. You're riding in a pack of jerks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My great aunt was killed last month by a cyclist who struck her while she walked on a mixed use path. Very sad.

How awful! I am sorry.

[Anonymous]

I faced this situation when DS was 3. It's pretty clear that the safest place for your kid -- and, incidentally, the most civil decision for other trail users --- is the grassy area that is 6 steps away from the trail. The flat grassy area that abuts the entirety of the asphalt trail around Peirce Mill. Ask yourself: why does little Asher need to be stepping on asphalt rather than the flat, even ground next to it? He doesn't. If anything, the "off-road" path is more interesting to a child that age.

That is, if the 3 yr old is walking. If, rather, the 3 year old is on some sort of "bike" or something like this http://www.skuut.com , then you really need to be on the sidewalk/alley near your house. Not on a mixed use trail where the posted speed limit is 15 mph. You know this, or you ought to know it.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to recommend Sligo Creek Trail, smaller, fewer pedestrians and cyclists. Lots of playgrounds too.