You are here"Bollards" at the Capital, aka. anti-cycling devices?
"Bollards" at the Capital, aka. anti-cycling devices?
I was planning on taking the day off today due to my wife's birthday and all (happy birthday baby), but since she's crashed out and it's 2:21am technically it's a new day, I figured I'd get this news out while it was hot and no one was injured (hopefully)...
I received the following message a few hours ago. I'm going to have to bike around the capital tomorrow to check it out myself but this sounds rather disconcerting:
Hey,
I usually pass through the capitol grounds on my daily route. Today I noticed all of the barriers and tape were gone from the north entrance. As I passed through, three troopers stepped out and waved me down. I knew I hadn't done anything wrong and they were smiling. It was kinda' weird.
Anyway, one of them asked me to warn my cycling friends about the new 'bollards' in the driveways. They are the new steel columns that raise up and down as a gate. When they are down they look like miniature manhole covers. Apparently there is a risk to us and to pedestrians of those things shooting up if you run over them. He said they are recommending all bicycle traffic enter the grounds via the sidewalks rather than the driveways.
I told him that would probably be a problem since we actively avoid riding on sidewalks, especially in a pedestrian dense area like the capitol. He basically (and politely) said whatever, just don't run over the metal parts. They could quickly turn you into an involuntary stuntman.
I thought this info might be worth passing on. Good job with the blog. I love it.
Thanks,
Josh
"Involuntary stuntman"?!? That sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. For the majority of the street leading to the capital we're not legally allowed to ride on the sidewalk, yet once we hit the capital we're magically supposed to know to merge with pedestrian traffic and enter the capital grounds through the pedestrian gates? Something seems wrong with this picture. More so, something seems incredibly unsafe with their implementation of this defense mechanism.
I'm certain the installation of these "bollards" is in the name of national security, but I can't help but wonder if it's in some part a reaction to the mass of cyclists that typically descends on the capital lawn once a month. Why on earth would they want to keep cyclists out otherwise?
Update: Desmond just posted a link to this video, showing what a bollard can do to a car:
Imagine accidentally hitting one of these on a bike!
Lots more news and crazy letters from the ATXBS mailbox tomorrow, but I'm done for tonight. I got a new bike today, got my drink on, did lots of ridiculous riding, only a minimal amount of crashing, and as of one minute from now I've got to get up in 4 hours and do it again. Buenas noches y'all.
P.S. Moonlight cruise in less than 48 hours. See you there!
I never even noticed these weapons off ass destruction before. I ride through the cap daily. Fuck if I want one of them "blasting off" while I'm riding over though. The idea of an accidental stuntman sounds horrifying.
I ride through there every day and have seen the signs. Though, you can clearly see where the bollards are in the ground as you approach, so as long as you're paying attention you should be fine and there is plenty of room to ride between. I have not had a trooper stop me to inform me yet though, maybe some of them are hoping for some sadistic laughs as unsuspecting cyclists become instant acrobats.
Also, the signs say the bollards will go active beginning November 17.
Those have been up for a while now...at least on the south end of the capitol. I've ridden over and around them many times. I don't understand whey they don't just leave them in the "UP" position. It's not like there is a lot of traffic through the capitol. The majority of times I've been through there the bollards are down. Seems like they would stop more cars if they were up.
... as bikes would just go around them. Yes, there's the potential to hurt a cyclist, but it's not likely. (But yow, I'll bet that SUV was f'd up!) If they wanted to keep the cyclists out, a gate would be much more effective. Or a burly man with a badge and a gun. Or some drainage grates aligned in the right direction. Or put a bar on top of the bollards that rises up with it. When they're down, cars drive over it, but when it's up, it stops bikes and pedestrians from crossing between them. (And greatly increases the chance of an involuntary stunt, of course.)
Hopefully there's some pretty serious warnings about them at the capitol, stuff that the cars won't miss. And hopefully they don't just say `warning, bollard!' (as I'd never heard of a bollard before yesterday.) I'm thinking warning signs, big yellow warnings painted on the concrete ...
In any event, I doubt the people at the capitol really care about the cyclists that descend there every month. They generally behave themselves and move out of the way when asked. And it is a landmark, a tourist destination -- you're SUPPOSED to loiter there!
I was the one who sent in that e-mail. The trooper was very clear on letting me know that we are welcome there on our bikes. He was just trying to warn about the new security so no one gets hurt.
~~
The best substitute for good manners is fast reflexes.
here's a youtube video of them in action, seeing what these can do to a car gave me pause. i hope they don't actually raise up that fast, you'd be effed if you rode over one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_Cw0QJU8ro