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Bike-Force Trauma

How did the biker go to sleep that night not knowing if the baby or I survived?

I am constantly taking walks on the trail and being passed by speeding bikers who yell at anyone who is in their way. I hope bikers will read this and realize the harm they can cause when they are not being careful on the trail.

-- Jamie Ratner

Bethesda

JamiePeyserRatner@hotmail.com

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Postscript: Jamie Ratner was treated and released from the hospital that night and is feeling better every day. Upon reflection, Ratner, who is a security manager at a District law firm, is, like Mark Rubin, very concerned about safety along the Capital Crescent Trail, which runs from Georgetown to Silver Spring.

Specifically, she suggests no bike racing; speed limits for bikers; increased police patrols; emergency phone boxes; and better signs about right-of-way and passing.

She thinks that any rule forbidding headphones would be unfair, asserting that walkers and runners have an equal right to enjoy the trail. A headphone ban, she says, would be misdirected, because it should be bikers' responsibility to yield to those on foot until a bike lane is specifically designated.


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