Riding with Loppers. Should I?

[DebW]

On my commute to work, there are a couple places where a long vine hangs down into the right shoulder area of the road where I'm riding. There is another place on a moderately busy road there a young tree is bent over into the bike lane. I have to move left to avoid these obstacles. It's never been a problem yet, but it could if traffic is heavy and the cars won't let me move over. Being strangled by a vine while cycling doesn't seem like a good way to go. I'm considering cycling with my loppers and a folding saw one day and removing these obstacle from the street. I do trail maintenance, so I've got the tools (some 13 inch 14 oz loppers). What do you all think? Should I go do it, call the town and ask them to (and wait months), should I be sneaky and do it after dark? I assume no one would object to cutting the vines (just one very long strand) but the tree might be different.

[Veronica]

I'd call the town. They might surprise you.

V.

[Geonz]

Call the town first. It lets them know that somebody actually notices that stuff.

Then give 'em a week and head out with the loppers.

I'm going to do the same thing with a broom... just gotta find the right pfhone humber... I want to rig up a big deck broom on my Racer, set up likea snowplow, but dont' have the skill or the tools. Our town's been known to get out within 2 days. YOu never know. (However, we'er not east cost...)

[mimitabby]

i have already been down my commute road with rose cutters to cut the blackberry vines.. they've grown more vines already since then.
Seattle is infested with these blackberries; if i waited for the city to do it...
well, they won't. They won't even cut down sick dangerous trees..
IMPOWER YOURSELF.

[Bicyclette]

I'd do what Geonz said - call the town and if they don't do anything - do it yourself!


Pat

[tulip]

If you lived in DC, I'd say lop away! They wouldn't get around to it anytime soon.

However, seeing as you live in Wayland...(I used to live in Newton), I think they have the resources--financial and personnel--to respond to a request for a trim.

If not, however, I'd lop.

[bikerHen]

My daughter and I pass an older "angry" man, on an old bike, ripping out overgrown branches and such along the sidewalk with his bare hands and loppers. :eek: He was leaving piles of brush in his wake. A few days later we were on the same road and someone, I assume the City, had cleaned it all up. So go for it! Just be careful riding your bike with all thoses sharp tools.:D bikerhen

[KnottedYet]

I've often fantasized about bringing my pruners on rides to get the blackberry vines that encroach on the rideable edges.

Obviously I need to get out more... ;)

[DebW]

I've often fantasized about bringing my pruners on rides to get the blackberry vines that encroach on the rideable edges.

Obviously I need to get out more... ;)

Well, if you have fantasies like that, volunteer to be a trail maintainer. Cutting blowdowns is very satisfying work. There are volunteer groups that maintain hiking trails. Don't know about biking trails, but I imagine that some off-road bike trails would need the same kind of care.

[Tuckervill]

Can you just bend the tree back and hook it around something else? Can you pull the vine down by hand?

That'd be my first approach, then I'd call the city, then I'd get the loppers.

Karen