Posts Tagged Tax Dollars Asleep
Dutchess Rail Trail: Access Gate Control
Posted by Ed in Oddities, Recumbent Bicycling on 2019-03-29
Five different agencies can drive through the Dutchess Rail Trail’s Overocker Rd trailhead vehicle gate:
Well, four of them can, because whoever snapped the barely visible small lock around the long-shackle lock (horizontal, to the right) is SOL:
Perhaps they’re from the DC W&WWA?
The last time we rode past the Diddel Rd trailhead, there were zero locks on the (unchained) vehicle gate; evidently somebody forgot to relock the gate on the way out.
Frozen Fire Hydrant
Spotted on a walk around the block:
Hydrant valves attach directly to the water main, far below the frost line, which means the hydrant itself should be dry when it’s not in use; the ice reveals a nasty valve leak. The corroded paint suggests a longstanding leak, but I admit to not noticing anything before now.
I uploaded the picture so I could include the URL in an email to the local fire department. I’ll take a look the next time we walk by to see what’s happened.
It’s definitely not a shapely hydrant!
Dutchess Rail Trail: Maloney Rd Drive-In Entrance
Posted by Ed in Oddities, Recumbent Bicycling on 2018-12-29
Perhaps they should just saw off the bollard in the middle of the entrance and be done with it:
Maloney Trailhead – tire tracks 2018-12-15
Some backstory may be of interest.
Dutchess Rail Trail: Maloney Rd Trailhead Ruts
Posted by Ed in Oddities, Recumbent Bicycling on 2018-12-10
It seems the DCW&WA SUV makes regular trips through the “No Motor Vehicles” bike access:
Maloney Rd Trailhead – 2018-11-07
If it’s not them, then it’s somebody following their example.
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should … but, of course, the ordinary rules apply only to little people, not public servants.
Someone in the bike advocacy apparat once told me I’m the most cynical, bitter person they’d ever met, at least on the subject of getting along with public servants. As I see it, I came by my attitude honestly.
Sharing the Road on Raymond Avenue: Squeeze Play
Posted by Ed in Oddities, Recumbent Bicycling on 2018-10-28
We’re riding home with groceries along Raymond Avenue, approaching the Vassar Main Gate roundabout, and, as is my custom, I’ve been pointing to the middle of the lane for maybe five seconds as I move leftward to take the lane:
Raymond Passing – Approach – 2018-10-04
The driver of HCX-1297 is having none of it:
Raymond Passing – Near Miss – 2018-10-04
The mirror passed maybe a foot away from my shoulder; I’d reeled my arm in as the front fender passed by.
All three traffic circles / roundabouts on Raymond neck the lane down and angle it rightward into the circle, which is supposed to “calm” traffic:
Raymond Passing – Roundabout – 2018-10-04
The design doesn’t allow much flinch room for cyclists and certainly isn’t calming for us.
The NYS engineer who designed the Raymond roundabouts said the whole thing was “standards compliant”, refused to go on a check ride with me to experience what it was like, and told me to detour through the Vassar campus if I felt endangered while sharing the road.
Obviously, NYS DOT personnel do not dogfood their “share the road” bicycle standards by riding bicycles.
Burnett Blvd Signals: Five More Seconds!
Posted by Ed in Photography & Images, Recumbent Bicycling on 2018-10-04
My most recent description of not quite getting killed in front of the NYS DOT Region 8 office evidently did some good. Although I wasn’t informed directly, this happened:
The minimum green time was increased to 10 seconds.
Which is five more seconds more than before, allowing us to get nearly all the way through the intersection before crossing traffic on Rt 55 gets a green light.
As before, the numbers are video frames at 60 fps.
T=0.0 – Burnett signal goes green:
Burnett – New signal timing – 0101 – 2018-09-30
T=2.5 – The trailer ahead of us starts and we’re rolling:
Burnett – New signal timing – 0251 – 2018-09-30
T=8.0 – We reach the Burnett crosswalk. Note the car beside us isn’t making much headway, either:
Burnett – New signal timing – 0581 – 2018-09-30
T=11.93 – Burnett signal goes yellow overhead, so the green phase lasted 12 seconds:
Burnett – New signal timing – 0817 – 2018-09-30
T=16.16 – Rt 55 signal remains red, but will change within a second:
Burnett – New signal timing – 1071 – 2018-09-30
Seen from the rear view camera, the Rt 55 signal went green while we were still in the intersection:
Burnett – New signal timing – 16 s – crossing green – 2018-09-30
You’ll note the cars on Rt 55 behind us weren’t visible three seconds earlier, so, as far as they can tell, we’re running the red.
Fortunately, we’re almost where we need to be:
Burnett – New signal timing – 22 s – traffic – 2018-09-30
The timing still isn’t safe, but after three years, five more seconds counts for a lot!
Brush Clearing
Posted by Ed in Photography & Images, Recumbent Bicycling on 2018-09-30
Some recent brush-clearing along our usual bicycle routes:
The bushes with oval leaves are Blackthorn, of which Wikipedia says “The shrub, with its savage thorns, is traditionally used […] to make a cattle-proof hedge.” They’re commonly found along the untamed border of Rt 376, as well as the rail trail.
It’s more effective than expecting my tax dollars to wake up and get to work …
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