Another reason for riding in the road

On our way to a workout class this morning we happened across this police cruiser and motorcycle completely blocking the trail along Wiehle Ave at Sunset Hills Rd in Reston. The traffic signal was out and the police were directing traffic.

When one of the officers approached the car we asked if it would be possible to park somewhere other than in the center of the trail. If you're familiar with this location, there's a large parking lot adjacent to the trail, to the right of the car. There's also a grassy strip to the right where he could have parked to leave part of the trail passable. His answer was "No!"

There's no excuse for this behavior. It's disrespectful and inconsiderate of pedestrians and cyclists and anyone else wanting to use that trail. This is a busy intersection and one of the highest ped/bike crash locations in the county. The Wiehle Ave Metro station is under construction a block away. If we think bicycling and walking are legitimate modes, then we should treat them with the same respect we give other modes.