Police Encouraging Safety at Capital Crescent Trail

WASHINGTON - After two serious collisions in the last month involving bicyclists and pedestrians on the Capital Crescent Trail, police are taking to the trail to talk safety.

Officers from the Maryland National Capital Park Police were on the Bethesda stretch of the 11-mile rail trail Friday handing out safety tips.

Sgt. Lauryn McNeill brought along the badly damaged helmet she was wearing when she fell off a horse traveling five miles an hour.

"You go faster than five miles an hour on your bike, don't you?" she asked a teen bike rider. "Don't you think you'd be better off with a helmet?"

The young rider agreed and continued down the trail riding his bike in flip flops.

McNeill also stopped a young mom pushing a toddler on a tricycle down the trail.

"There are much safer places to teach your child to ride a bike," McNeill said. "It's just too busy out here."

The speed limit on the trail was posted at 15 miles per hour two years ago out of safety concerns, but some bikers still travel faster than that.

"It's almost like they resent having walkers out here," said Barbara Appleby.

In the last month, one cyclist has ended up in intensive care after colliding with another biker. A pedestrian was also hospitalized after turning into the past of the bicyclist.

"We see it all out here," said Lt. Josh Allen of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue. "From busted ankles to heat exhaustion."

They have a six-wheel all-terrain vehicle available to cart people off the trail and to the nearest emergency vehicle. It's important to tell them the closest mile marker post so they can find you.

"And be prepared with an extra bottle of water, a cell phone and the necessary safety gear to be on the trail," Allen said.

An avid bicyclist has a bit of advice for walkers and joggers.

"Take the earphones out of your ears so you can hear someone coming up behind you," Carl Hanlon said. "And look where you're going before you make a U-turn on the trail. That's how accidents happen."

The Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail has a website filled many safety tips at www.cctrail.org/CCT_Safety.htm