BLU ZOOM – drunk driver on CCT

[timo96]

This could easily have been a tragic situation. I presume he drove from Georgetown to the trail closure before backing into a ditch when attempting to turn around.

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[Certifried]

whoah! Did someone call 911?

[timo96]

Park Police showed up and arrested him.

[MCL1981]

Oh. My. God. This moron drove on at water street, up the path, over the canal bridge that says NO MOTOR VEHICLES, over the aqueduct bridge, AND THROUGH THE DAMN TUNNEL!!!

This why we need to not complain about bollards.

[mstone]

@MCL1981 24278 wrote:

Oh. My. God. This moron drove on at water street, up the path, over the canal bridge that says NO MOTOR VEHICLES, over the aqueduct bridge, AND THROUGH THE DAMN TUNNEL!!!

This why we need to not complain about bollards.

1) how often does this happen vs how often people are hurt by bollards?
2) was anyone hurt?
3) perhaps a single bollard at the trail head would be warranted, but that does not imply the necessity for a bollard at each end of every bridge, at trail intersections, at corners, and at any point where the surface is paved
4) in this case, the bollard was behind the wheel

[creadinger]

Wow, some people.

When did this happen? I was on the CCT from Fletcher’s down to Water Street about noon yesterday and there were NPS trucks on the towpath and on the CCT clearing branches. There was also a tree blockage near the Georgetown tunnel, which even this idiot’s cute little Miata wouldn’t have fit through. That probably took an hour or two to clear.

Either way, I think we’re all lucky he owns a cute little Miata because if it was much heavier the bridge over the water treatment plant might not have held up and that would have been bad for everyone.

It’s probably a good thing it was really hot yesterday because otherwise the trail would have been pretty busy.

[timo96]

@creadinger 24285 wrote:

Wow, some people.

When did this happen? I was on the CCT from Fletcher’s down to Water Street about noon yesterday and there were NPS trucks on the towpath and on the CCT clearing branches. There was also a tree blockage near the Georgetown tunnel, which even this idiot’s cute little Miata wouldn’t have fit through. That probably took an hour or two to clear.

Either way, I think we’re all lucky he owns a cute little Miata because if it was much heavier the bridge over the water treatment plant might not have held up and that would have been bad for everyone.

It’s probably a good thing it was really hot yesterday because otherwise the trail would have been pretty busy.

He scared the living [redacted] out of me coming the opposite direction in the Dalecarlia Tunnel around 6:15ish. Cops arrived and made an apparent arrest at around 7:15ish. The trail was plenty packed at that time. It’s a minor miracle no one was hurt or worse by this extremely distasteful human being.
I’m not sure about damage to the water treatment bridge, but it looked pretty clear that a car had driven over it when I biked over it later.

[KLizotte]

@MCL1981 24278 wrote:

Oh. My. God. This moron drove on at water street, up the path, over the canal bridge that says NO MOTOR VEHICLES, over the aqueduct bridge, AND THROUGH THE DAMN TUNNEL!!!

This why we need to not complain about bollards.

If drivers can be this oblivious, doesn’t it make one wonder the wisdom of sharing the the roads with them? Scary.

[DaveK]

So where exactly was the trail closure? He drove from Georgetown, all the way up past the water treatment plant, through the tunnel, and how far?

[SteveTheTech]

I can only hope that this is something that has never happened before but we all know that’s sadly not the case.

If you look at the windshield you can see he has DoD clearance. Looks like an eagle symbol on the left side I’d assume officer of some degree, but I cannot find a definition of the logo online (lol, go figure now I’ve made some sort of list)

Hopefully you were able to make it around the power crew behind this fool without much trouble.

[creadinger]

The wooden staircase in the photo is the only identifying feature.

I think its about 1/4 of the way up to Mass Ave on the straight section after the short flat section with the bends after the tunnel. If you don’t know the trail, I’m sure that is highly confusing.

I’m gonna guess right near mile marker 5.5 on this map.
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[jwfisher3]

The eagle sticker indicates that the DoD sticker for the vehicle was issued to an O-6 (a senior field-grade officer of the rank of Colonel (USAF/USA/USMC) or Captain (Navy/Coast Guard) Making a lot of assumptions, if the vehicle belongs to the driver, and if the driver was under the influence, his career is over. The military has zero tolerance for DUI/DWI, which is as it should be. Enough said.

[timo96]

@creadinger 24300 wrote:

The wooden staircase in the photo is the only identifying feature.

I think its about 1/4 of the way up to Mass Ave on the straight section after the short flat section with the bends after the tunnel. If you don’t know the trail, I’m sure that is highly confusing.

I’m gonna guess right near mile marker 5.5 on this map.
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That’s about right. The trail is (was?) closed just south of Mass Ave b/c there are reportedly (according to PEPCO employee) 4 power lines down between that point and Mass Ave.

So, unless he got on a some other point I don’t know about, he road 5.5 miles up the CCT.

[MCL1981]

I suppose numbnuts could also have entered at Fletcher’s Cove. There is a vehicle access there with no bollards. You would have to drive across the canal bridge, turn left onto the C&O canal, then make a u-turn at the vehicle ramp to the CCT. It would be absolutely impossible to “accidentally” think you were just on a small road.

If you ride your bike into a bollard, that is not the bollard’s fault. I have no sympathy at all. If you are so zoned out that you don’t notice the big yellow bollard, then I’m glad you hit the bollard and not me.

[Certifried]

@jwfisher3 24301 wrote:

The eagle sticker indicates that the DoD sticker for the vehicle was issued to an O-6 (a senior field-grade officer of the rank of Colonel (USAF/USA/USMC) or Captain (Navy/Coast Guard) Making a lot of assumptions, if the vehicle belongs to the driver, and if the driver was under the influence, his career is over. The military has zero tolerance for DUI/DWI, which is as it should be. Enough said.

How can you guys see that? LOL I couldn’t see it well enough to even make out the color of the sticker. Different colors for AD, contractor, etc. The “blu zoom” license plate, however, does have me thinking he’s Air Force (zoomies)

[Author]

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