Spring's arrived, and, as someone who walks and hikes a lot (great exercise) I've checked out Arlington's sidewalks and trails over the past week. Bad news. Bicyclists, scooter riders, skateboarders are taking over what are supposed to be sidewalks and trails designed for pedestrians.
NO ONE in ANY responsible position in Arlington Government is even MENTIONING multi-modal safety. Big Thumbs Down to County Board Member Libby Garvey, who's a long-time bicycle advocate and who's also on the Board of Phoenix Bikes with a number of other local VIPs.
Arlington's trails are VERY dangerous for walkers and hikers because of high speed bike riders. Advice: Stay off the trails.
Arlington streets in urbanized areas are also dangerous because large numbers of bikers and scooter riders use the sidewalks, even when they can use dedicated bike lanes. I'm seeing 4-abreast family bike rides on sidewalks in neighborhoods like mine, Westover Village with no concern about pedestrians whatsoever by the bikesters.
Obvious to me that County Government can't do enough for owners / riders / renters of personal transportation vehicles.
Another reason to dump the so-called Progressives from the County Board.
Terri, Westover
29 comments:
We need a separate path for walkers. The trails are dangerous as it is now.
If you walk, hike, run...stay off the trails.
I have repeatedly heard from ACPD Officers the "the County is tying our hands regarding bicycle enforcement'. So who is or are tying ACPD's hands? Libby Garvey? Mark Schwartz? Who? Whom?
Libby Garvey can't do enough for Arlington's Bikester Cult in memory of her late husband and Founding Member of Arlington's Bikester Cult.
If there were a separate path for hikers the bikesters would use it.
How did we reach the point where families routinely ride bicycles 4-abreast on crowded sidewalks? I don't want to think about what this County's going to be like in 5 years.
National Public Radio had a feature about the hazards of electric scooters on DC sidewalks yesterday, April 6th. Response from the companies who own and operate the scooters in DC is we're working with riders on scooter safety blah blah.
Same parents who ride bicycles with their kids 4 abreast on sidewalks on weekends talk on cellphones while driving their kids to school weekdays. Agree the County's going to be an expensive mess in 5 years.
What about the Media? According to the NPR report about scooters in DC sidewalks there are many scooter-related injuries that require visits to the ER but none of that's reported by the Media.
"Walkable Communities" is another Smart Growth Charade like "Affordable Housing" and "Car Free Diet" and "Urban Village".
Bicyclists have become a Cult...like Motorcycles are a Cult. But at least motorcycle owners are licensed, motorcycles are registered with DMV, and motorcycle owners have liability insurance. Motorcycle owners are also required to obey traffic regulations and ordinances.
Local Media would rather chase ambulances than promote 2-wheeled vehicle safety.
Board of Directors of Phoenix Bikes is loaded with local VIPs who do nothing and say nothing about bicycle safety.
It's not just parents who bicycle recklessly on weekends and drive while texting weekdays. It's many many other adults.
This weekend I saw about a dozen children who looked to be 8 to 12 years old riding electric scooters on sidewalks in Westover.
If I'm hit by a scooter being ridden on the sidewalk I'm going to sue the County, the scooter manufacturer, the scooter company that rented the scooter, and the scooter rider.
When was the referendum about approving electric scooters in Arlington?
Libby Garvey is a total F****** Loser and Wackocrat. Wants to totally ban firearms from Arlington while allowing her Bikester Buds to terrorize the County with their bicycles.
I blame those who are primarily responsible - Arlington County Police Department.
How many visits to the ER have scooter riders generated over the past 6 months?
ACPD refuses to ticket scofflaws. If someone smells burning marijuana in a apartment building ACPD is on the scene in minutes.
I am seeing parents riding Bird scooters with their 6,7,8 year old children. How safe is that?
How about saying something about Arlington's crumbling streets and sidewalks?
Livability? What livability? County's already an expensive mess.
Latest - Electric Bikeshare bicycles had brake problems, removed from service.
ACPD does not apparently care about the worst scofflaw behavior by pedestrians, bicyclists, scooter riders, and skateboarders.
What happened to the County's street and road repaving program?
What happened? The Bicycle Cult needs the trails widened.
How about a warning posting telling everyone to stay at home / work from home on Bike To Work Day, on May 17th?
Post a Comment