sinjun

This evening at my local mtb trail a female jogger ran into my handle bars, she said she was sorry. I would have rode wide but I thought she would step aside. In all the years I've been riding joggers have always stepped to the side, and yielded to the biker. She could get herself hurt not yielding. Or am I in the wrong and bikers should yield to joggers?

texaspandj

Hikers and runners yield to bikers. In areas where horses are allowed, bikers yield to horses.

NYMXer

I bet she was wearing ear pods.... and never "heard" you coming

prathmann

That's certainly not what I've heard and read, nor what's on the signage on many trails:

Also seems more reasonable for the faster cyclist to be responsible for staying out of the way of a slower moving hiker. But in practice it works best for everyone to cooperate in avoiding collisions and to act predictably so you don't startle other trail users.

texaspandj

Wow! Very similar sign at the entrance to our trail with the exception of hikers/runners yield to bikers. Simply switch the hiker and biker. I actually was hoping to post our sign but couldn't find it on google. However here's a link to our trail. I'm fortunate to live only a couple of blocks from it. However I don't mountain bike, used to just run on the river trail portion. The real riders take the racing and difficult rated course and generally stay off the river trail.
Cameron Park, Trail Map - Parks & Recreation - City of Waco, Texas

gear64

This is how I was indoctrinated.

lubes17319

Bikes yield to all other trail users; descending users yield to ascending users.
It's always been this way.

In the majority of cases hikers/runners do step aside & let bikers pass, but only do so if they give you the OK.

hankaye

Howdy All;

Kinda goes back to the days of Marine Navigation, Up stream yields to downstream,
power yields to sail. The object with the better maneuvering abilities yields to the
less maneuverable.

hank

corrado33

As mentioned above, bikers yield to everybody. We're the fastest and also the most dangerous trail users. I count myself lucky if a hiker yields to me when I'm headed up the hill and they're headed down.

rfmarotti

This sounds like you ran into a pedestrian.

hig4s

I have always thought on multi-use bikes yield to everything, but the link to the waco trail page definitely says hikers and joggers yield to bikers. I wonder if it is the difference in how they became multi-use? ie: bike specific trails where foot traffic is now allowed vs hiking trails where bikes are now allowed.

rm -rf

I'd never heard of this, but a google image search "trail rules yield to bicycles" does find one example of walker yield to bike. All the other examples are bike yield to everything.

Typical:

The one example.
On Getty Images, for sale! This is badly designed for a quick understanding at a glance, aside from being a bad idea. It reads like "Hikers above bikes, and above horses" !!

CliffordK

Don't ride in a fashion that you expect other trail users to dive into the bushes to get out of your way, and always expect the unexpected.

I don't do the MTB thing, but I frequently hit the MUPS. I always slow down around pedestrians, and give them a wide berth.

Legal requirements aside, it would be common courtesy for a hiker to step aside and let a biker past, but trail conditions vary so it isn't always possible, perhaps there is a family with youngsters. Maybe you aren't seen or heard for some reason. Just plan to be able to stop if needed.

Darth Lefty 

We have signs like those around here, but actual experience is that peds yield to bikes and once in a long while you might see a horse

sinjun

I was back riding the trail again tonight and made a note to check all signage. Horses and pets are not allowed and their is no mention of who yields to who. As a matter of fact of all the trails I've ridden in the area I have never seen a sign like above.

rfmarotti

I often see horses on the N side of Lake Natoma on the weekends. If they are right at the intersection with the ARBT I yield. If they're a little off or more, I don't slow down.

Salubrious

Local posting is unimportant. Always yield to pedestrians.

osco53

When on two way trails where runners can be found I have my 'Ride Bell' activated,,they can hear me coming.
Had one group pull off the twisty trail three times because they thought I was about to 'Pop Out' of the trees, LoL
When we all met up at the picnic tables they told me it was loud and very effective.

I cannot Imagine hitting or being hit by a runner no matter what way the traffic is going..
If they do not hear me and I am behind them I slow down and make my presence known...
If we are 'Head on' politeness has always worked..
Runners are not allowed on Intermediate or advanced trails, where I ride, basically all one way bike trails are off limits to foot traffic.
All flat two way green level easy trails have decent two way visibility,,If not smart riders slow down a little so they wont run down mom and the kids

unterhausen

I expect pedestrians to change course at the last second and run into me. I never pass a pedestrian at speed, wouldn't be prudent

marcw

If coming from behind, how do you get a joggers attention with out startling them? Last few times I came behind a jogger i tried "excuse me", rustle some leaves so they hear me or make some other noise. What else to let them know without startling them?

I have a bell, but i think bells are annoying and just as bad as excuse me.

rm -rf

"Good morning" works, and I try not to wait until I'm only 1-2 seconds from passing.

I often pull both brake levers partway and let them go, and repeat a couple of times. It makes a clacking sound that's not too loud. I'd like to get a bell, to use when I'm quite far away, so the walkers have plenty of time to react.

texaspandj

Although our sign says otherwise I agree. When out on the road cyclist are expected to abide by the same rules and laws as motorist, so why not on the trail? More to the point, pedestrians have the right of way, so yield to pedestrians.

marcw

A reason I do not like a bells is that it is not directional. When i am a walker and hear a bell, I can not pinpoint the direction as easy as a voice so I need to look where the noise came from and then react. This is why i like "on your left/right" but my original issue is not to startle the jogger.