STRAVA
data from a post work ride.. wanted more miles... wanted to ride faster... wanted to compare my efforts to the efforts of my peers

I was not going ballistic... I was not out "Chasing KOMs"
I was out riding my bike... for exercise... for transportation... for fun... for fitness
I would have like to have seen how my effort measured up to my friends and fellow cyclists
but alas no... someone "flagged" the segments on the Capital Crescent Trail
deeming these areas unsuitable for data comparison


this SUCKS!
so often there is a "do gooder" that disagrees with the behavior of another and they take action to prevent that person from doing their thing
I have read articles about "do gooders" hanging fish hooks from tree branches on the Appalachian Trail
I have read articles and been victim of people putting "flat causing traps" on mountain bike trails
I have seen areas on the multi-use bike trail where people break glass or leave tacks 
does this help? is this right? is this fair?

DOES IT ACHIEVE THE INTENDED GOAL?

and then there is this
not entirely the same... but similar in that it an individual's feeling that an action is unsafe... therefore they see it within their right to try to curb the behavior by removing what they perceive as being dangerous

there have been documented episodes where injuries were caused when people were riding their bike chasing KOMs
I get that... but really... an effort to stop one or two people by ending the fun for all?

the other day I went for a post work bicycle ride... in an effort for some peace of mind I kept my wheels rolling on the separated bicycle paths
I do not mind wrestling with traffic
but really... in these changing times I find that cars are actually less accepting of my bicycle presence then they have been in years past
it is hard to measure, but it seems that Courtland Milloy's article did not help things

so... out of work... traffic was thick
I was pleased to get onto the Mount Vernon Trail a few minutes before Bicycle Rush Hour
crossed the 14th Street Bridge and then pointed south on the Mount Vernon Trail
crossed the boardwalk bridge then turned it around

rode the Mount Vernon Trail to Key Bridge
back to the streets... the congestion... the dangers... the frustrations...
K Street under Whitehurst alone offered enough near misses that I was enjoying the notion of the car free sanctuary of the Capital Crescent Trail

I pedaled hard...  I was not pushing it... not going anywhere near 100 percent
my legs were not burning
I was not gasping for air
my pace was often forced to drop as I encountered areas that were thick with other users

respectful passes of slower trail users
no dangerous passes into head on traffic
tried not to "buzz the tower"
slowed to a near crawl when approaching the unpredictable youth cyclists

it was really an uneventful ride
a pretty standard post work ride
maybe a few miles longer than usual
but it was not like it was a mid week epic
it was just a mid week effort

when I got home I unlocked my house... dragged my bike and my body inside... stripped off my sweat soaked cycling kit.... chugged an excess of water... and I hit pause on Strava
after I caught my breath I went to save my Strava data

after the data finished syncing I did a little glance to see my effort

now mind you... I am not that deep into the data
I like to glance at the map
it is good for me to know my distance and duration
then I like to compare my effort to my peers
mainly a handful of riders from DCMTB

well... I looked at things and I saw that there was no comparison
the Strava "segments" along the Capital Crescent Trail had been "flagged" as areas unsafe for Strava comparisions
WHAT? EXCUSE ME?

but really... I need to read this again... not sure what I said
but the SUPER FAST and the SUPER OBNOXIOUS will continue to ride fast and ride obnoxiously
STRAVA may feed this behavior
but it does not create it

ruining the fun because you THINK it will make things more safe
when really... it just ruins it for everyone

I hope the "flaggers" do not get cloned
these people need to rethink their do gooder attitude
and realize that they are confused
they are not helping things
they are just messing things up

is the use of STRAVA the GREATEST MENACE on the shared multi use bike paths?
what about pace lines?
headphones?
dogs on extendable leashes?
children? those little gifts to the world... what about children?

flagging a segment is lame
I rode before Strava and I will continue to ride with or without Strava
I was enjoying how Strava makes a solitary ride more interesting
coming back from an injury it is nice to see how I am matching up against my friends on the bike
but alas no (yes I type that a great deal)
no... the do gooders are doing their do good thing
telling the kids to get off their lawn

I think Strava needs more than one "flaggette" to "flag a segment"
just because one do gooder thinks that a section should be flagged should not be enough

do gooders rethink your behavior
are you really part of the solution?
or are you just bitter that there are people faster than you?


How Strava is Changing the Way We Ride