Pedestrian Only signs

giff06

Well-Known Member
Whats with the Pedestrian Only signs at parts of the trails here???:( When did this happen?
Ed and Pat Gifford
the Snot Rocket tandem
 

Glenlivet12

Well-Known Member

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mwlikesbikes

Well-Known Member
It's on a section of doctors creek trail.
When leaving the parking lot to the left through the cornfield you head down bridges trail. At the end of the lower cornfield section you can either go right around the small lake or continue straight down the slight hill over the boardwalk onto doctors creek trail. This section until the next intersection is marked pedestrian only.
I noticed the sign on my last wed night ride there in the beginning of october.
 

giff06

Well-Known Member
Thats the spot.I don't understand what they are trying to accomplish. The park is small enough to begin with. Was there a cyclist/pedestrian conflict or did someone get hurt. It cuts out a nice part of the outer loop.
Ed
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Ok I know the area your talking about. I'll try and get some info as to why the change. I agree that the park/trails are too small to eliminate sections. If Pedestrian Only is introduced to Clayton I think it should be newly built loop right off the parking lot...like Hartshorne, the trail right off of Buttermilk.
 

743power

Shop: Bicycle Pro
Shop Keep
I have heard from some customers that somebody had a bad crash on a bike there and that's why it's closed. Not sure if it involved a pedestrian or a horse or if it's even true.
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Ok here is the info.

The bridge/board walk sections on the lower half of Docs Trail are closed to bikes and horses. You can walk your bike over the bridge and continue riding the trail. The bridges have been deemed to slippery for bikes and too narrow for horses.

I told the ranger it is misleading to have a sign on the trail saying pedestrian only. She agreed and is going to pass along my suggestion of a sign saying walk bike over bridge.

This bridge is slippery, I can remember Chris T going down on it several years ago.

The big crash happened 3yrs ago. A horse went off the bridge sideways and could not get back up. Apparently the animal's hoof got wedged under the bridge and it was quite an ordeal to right the horse. I believe horse and biker tried to go over narrow bridge at the same time. Not sure if this is true but the horse going over did happen.

As a reminder always give horses the right of way. When encountering a horse dismount and remain neutral until the animal passes. If you need to get around wait for the rider to give you the green light.
 

giff06

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info Chris. Just to make sure I understand it correctly,the trail is open to all but the bridge by the fields , which a dismount and walk area. I agree it is very confusing the way its posted. Hard still to understand that they are now setting the bridge as unridable due to something that happened 3 years ago, but it is their bat and ball so we play by those rules. We always yeild to horses and slow for pedestrians. Have never had a problem in that respect. See ya out there!
Ed and Pat Gifford
the Snot Rocket tandem
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Yeah, Ed that bridge is a dismount area, the trail is open to biking.

The way it was explained to me is that the bridge is a potential hazard to bikers and horses. I don't think the accident 3yrs ago precipitated the closure.

The ranger did say they were going to try to come up with a long range solution to get traffic across the bridge.

Guess I'm going to have to dismount my xc skis this winter when I hit Clayton:rolleyes:
 

mwlikesbikes

Well-Known Member
So why not just put a "dismount area" sign at the bridge Instead of pedestrian only signs? Retorical question, I know it's just a legal thing. But I guess it's easier for the horse riders so they don't have to backtrack.

BTW Mitch crashed pretty good on that bridge a few years ago. They had to cart him away in the meatwagon.
 

YoBikeLady

Well-Known Member
Yes, I saw those signs yesterday. Definitely tell them to take them down and check their spelling next time. The sign says Pedestrain.
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Yes, I saw those signs yesterday. Definitely tell them to take them down and check their spelling next time. The sign says Pedestrain.

wow.

time for another phone call.

thanks for this info...i don't want people thinking the park system is stoopid.
 

Mitch

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
BTW Mitch crashed pretty good on that bridge a few years ago. They had to cart him away in the meatwagon.

Mike, it was just before the long bridge heading out. It was the short 5' one with some loose derbies on it. It sent me flying off into the big tree that broke my rib and punctured my lung. I had to crawl over the long bridge to get to the ambulance on the corn field.

A-ha, it's Mitch's fault!:p
Now that you mention it Chris I think I'll have my lawyer give the park a call.:hmmm: :D

I do have video of my friend going off the bridge on a wet day. "NO Braking on Bridge" signs are all that's needed.
 

dvizz

Member
The Pedestrain signs are moved to both sides of first bridge approaching from the pond trail. They want bikers to dismount when crossing the bridge since a few people including myself have gone down when the surface gets slick.
 
I haven't been there for quite a while & I was surprised to see the signs this AM when I went there. I thought that the park was already off limits to MTBikers.:confused:
 

fierodoug

New Member
There is still a pedestrian only sign up the trail from the bridges 1/4 mile or so. Very confusing to people and makes no sense.
 

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