Actually crashes I've seen at this intersection have to do with both the angle and the slipperyness of the newly installed RR ties. I have often felt my tire loose traction when those ties are wet and if your angle is less than perpendicular to start with a little slip is all it could take to send your front tire into the void between the tracks and the rail.
One key to crossing that intersection safely is to get into the traffic lane at Williamson instead of proceeding from Wislon (the little street behind the Gateway Mall) and then merging with traffic. It seems like a small point, but that's all it takes to get the proper crossing angle. Steve > > From: Robin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 2005/11/16 Wed AM 09:27:51 CST > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Bikies] railroad tracks > > Short of filling the entire grooves with packed sand, traction is not > the problem. It is about angulation. Unless you swing out and cross > perpendicular, you are asking for it. If you ride and cross tracks you > should have learned this lesson. > > Is this the same intersection where Liz Was of the infamous > QwaDigs/XeroxSutra collective had her bike vs. rail accident back in > the 80s? She took the railroad to court. I never heard the verdict. > Course she's gone now so I can't even ask her. > > Todays ride was brutal. Oh yeah! We live in an area that has winter sometimes. > > R. > > On 11/16/05, Steve Drake <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I watched a rider go down at that spot this morning, too. Luckily both > > rider and bike were in working order after a couple of minutes. I've gone > > down myself in that spot. > > > > I am going to drop a note to the traffic dept. and see what it would take > > to get one of those sand barrels placed at the intersection. > > > > Steve > > > > > > > > From: john wagnitz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Date: 2005/11/16 Wed AM 08:54:37 CST > > > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > > > Subject: [Bikies] railroad tracks > > > > > > Well I saw the first casualty of the winter this morning on my commute > > > it...young woman westbound trying to cross the railroad tracks at > > > Blair/Williamson turning into E. Wilson St. and went right down on her > > > face. I felt so bad for her and offered to help as traffic waited for > > > her to get up and out of the way. She had a nasty nose bleed. > > > > > > I wonder how many people have their last bicycle commute end at those > > > tracks? > > > > > > I don't know if signs would help to warn people or if it's just a > > > matter of experience.....fortunately I got mine out of the way when I was > > > about 12, never forgot.... > > > > > > Anybody ever talk about putting some type of warning sign up at this > > > crossing? > > > > > > John W. > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. > > > > > > > Stephano > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Bikies mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Bikies mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > > > > > > > > > -- > The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
