Gaylin was crossing at the notorious trail crosswalk between Arlington and Hillandale Roads in Bethesda, when he was struck by a Mercedes Benz driven by a Bethesda resident, Nils Carl Axel Rudelius, 78. Police are investigating the cause of the crash. No one has been declared at fault yet, but it is believed that Gaylin was in the area of the crosswalk.
I would say most drivers actually stop at this crossing. Even if there's no one coming across or waiting, I still come to a stop to make sure, and I would recommend anyone else do the same. You occasionally see a knucklehead blast across without checking for pedestrians or cyclists.
It's a really bad setup. Let's remember this facility was designed for a train originally, and it would have been the driver who would have faced dire consequences for not checking both directions in those days. The trail is too close to the Arlington Road signal to install another stoplight. Perhaps there is a warning light that could be motion-activated as someone approaches.
Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.
Reader-submitted photo
Old people shouldn't drive.
ReplyDeleteI ride the CCT on weekends, and only early in the morning to avoid congestion on the trail (thanks again, Council members). I always slow down at that intersection to make sure no cars are coming, and if cars are approaching, I make sure that they are slowing to a stop before I proceed across on my bike. I don't care if there is a stop sign at that intersection - if you get hit by a car while riding a bike, you are going to end up dead or with a life-altering injury. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteVery sad for the cyclist. I am very cautious at this crossing, especially since going south on Little falls, cars have no visual/sight line of folks coming out of the trail. Cyclists have a stop sign, but I have NEVER seen a cyclist stop before entering the crosswalk. This was such a problem at the Kenwood crossing, that there is now a four way stop for cyclists and cars. And still, I see so many cyclists just blow through. This scares me for them, and for the car drivers, too. When I bike, I consider the street signs apply to me, and that cars will never see me.
ReplyDeleteAt least that's one less subscriber for Bethesda Magazine. Look on the bright side Dyer. Your market share increases with each death in the community!
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 8:46, this is absurd. There are no stop signs for vehicle traffic, but there ARE stop signs for trail traffic. Why should I stop my vehicle when no one is in the crosswalk? Where is state law does it say that I should? There are plenty of laws about stopping your bike or person at a stop sign, even in the presence of a crosswalk. By your own admission, you've just demonstrated why drivers DESPISE bikes on roadways. It will be interested to see the results of the police investigation tun understand if this poor gentleman stopped for the stop sign.
ReplyDelete99% of the time I've had no problems with drivers stopping at that crossing, but one time I had to yank my girlfriend out of the way as a car went speeding through while several cars were stopped in the other lane. It only takes one asshole to kill you.
ReplyDeleteThat said, there's no point in jumping to conclusions about who is at fault here.
Anon @ 10:04, Check the photo that accompanies Dyer's report - I believe it shows a sign warning drivers to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk, and I assume this also applies to bikers, though I could be mistaken. As best I can recall, there are no longer stop signs for trail traffic at that intersection, though there may have been in the past. That is part of the problem -who has the right of way is unclear, partly because the rules have been changed more than once. I don't know why you are angry at me - I said I am cautious, and I am not one of those bikers who blow through that intersection without looking, because I use common sense. Direct your anger at the government officials who won't post a stop sign for trail users because they want to appear friendly to bikers and runners. Indeed, the rules on the use of the trail are also unclear, resulting in a free for all.
ReplyDeleteThis is a tragedy but I agree with 8:48 that bicyclists never, in my experience, stop at a stop sign. This is a problem with crossings all over the area. I understand that it's a pain to stop and then have to regain your speed, but it sounds much better than risking your life with so many distracted drivers around.
ReplyDeleteOld person driving a German car. Checking the headlines of all the old people running their BMWs and Mercedes into store fronts and other stationary objects it is pretty easy to deduce what happened.
ReplyDelete@11:18: Pedestrians and cyclists have responsibilities as well, and their right to the crosswalk is not as absolute as the signs imply. Notably, "A pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield." This obligation is reinforced for trail users by the presence of stop signs at each edge of the trail. It's unclear what happened here, but it's important to remember that everyone has a duty of care.
ReplyDelete@8:46: You are violating the law every time you cross this intersection. You have the stop sign, not the cars. A proper stop means that your wheels stop moving. You could end up dead or with a life-altering injury and liability for damage to the driver's car and liability for the driver's pain and suffering. You need to stop at the stop signs. Under the Maryland Boulevard Rule, drivers are allowed to assume that you will stop for signs and obey all other traffic laws. "A favored driver may assume that others will obey the law and he need not anticipate their violation of the law. However, the favored driver may not proceed in complete disregard of obvious danger."
Is there a sign telling cyclists to dismount their bike when they cross there?
ReplyDeleteBicycles are effectively vehicles (and classified as such when on the roadway, at least) and there's a stop sign there for trail users. I guess we'll wait for the report to see if the cyclist stopped for it.
@9:19: Cyclists are not required to dismount to avail themselves of the crosswalk, and they are considered pedestrians while in the crosswalk regardless of whether they dismount. They have all of the rights and responsibilities of pedestrians. That means cyclists need to obey the stop sign and make sure it is safe to cross before doing so. And even though there is not a stop sign in the median, cyclists and pedestrians must make sure it is safe to continue crossing before doing so.
ReplyDelete3:18: I agree - one of the most annoying things is when I conscientiously stop at that crossing, and then some clown blasts across on a bike without even checking both directions to make sure it's safe, never slowing at all. People like me will have already stopped, but not everyone is going to do that every time he tears across Little Falls Parkway. It's crazy to take a chance. My advice to everybody - in cars or on bikes - is to be ready to stop at that crossing. It's not worth what happened to this guy.
ReplyDelete@3:18 So a cyclist can fly through a crosswalk at 25mph, as fast as the cars on the road that crosses it, because they are considered a pedestrian? Doesn't seem like that would give drivers enough time to react.
ReplyDeleteI noticed when the local news was reporting on this story that the bicyclists were not stopping before proceeding across, not even slowing a bit, as has been my experience there in the past.
ReplyDelete@9:47: Not what the other commenter said. A cyclist must stop at the stop sign and make sure it is safe to enter the roadway on Little Falls before doing so.
ReplyDelete@10:49: This area is ripe for focused enforcement, and now that there's been a fatality, no one should be surprised to see police out there on nice days.
"Robert Dyer" + "conscientiously" in the same sentence? LOL
ReplyDelete