raceboy

Easing up a little on the throttle will be a big help, fellow cyclists.

Call for Bike Ban Near LA River After Woman Critically Hurt When Struck by Cyclist | NBC Southern California

AdvXtrm

Busy bike paths and walkers are a mix for trouble. If this is indeed a "Bike" path, then let it be just that, walkers should stay clear. Either that or a walking specific expansion of some sort needs to be put into place.

People are jerks, including many that ride bikes on these trails. They will have total disregard for the lives of others; that's just life on planet earth. Is this fact really "news" to anybody?

TakingMyTime

Practicing safe biking is always important. I do believe one should be cautious when approaching pedestrians but at the same time I have seen plenty of pedestrians all of a sudden make a sharp turn into bicycle traffic without looking. I've seen and experienced more than my share of close calls even while riding slow.

hsuehhwa

I'm sickened reading the news. We can blame the pedestrians all day...


BUT
1. Most of the "multiuse" paths have a speed limit and some clearly indicate pedestrians have right of way.
2. On a bike path, we should give pedestrians "enough" clearance when passing them, just as the "3-ft" motorists should give cyclists. If the bike path is too narrow to give such a clearance, we should just slow down.


If one wants to race his/her road bike, do it on a parallel surface streets. Leave the pedestrians/casual/family riders on the bike path alone.

JMH714

I don't get why pedestrians decided to take bike trail. I can understand jogging, rollblading, and biking, but don't get why walkers need the path. They got plenty of places to walk on - I mean, sidewalks are everywhere. And we, cyclists, need continually path to keep pedal all the time. I might be selfish, but that's how I see.

I have seen some people decided to stop in the middle of path and chatting.

calamarichris

People are indeed jerks. Like me for example: Instead of slowing and passing the above types, I usually spool it up a few more mph and brush pass as closely as I dare, just to inject a little adrenaline into the day of an oblivious person walking three abreast in the bike lane.

HBCruiser1

Indeed, just like the truckers do to us on the streets!

calamarichris

If we're riding three abreast or taking-a-lane, we've got it coming.

indyfabz

Because it's a multi-use path, not a bike trail. I am sure some pedestrians find it pleasant not to have to take sidewalks with street crossings, which present dangers. All users showing courtesy and concerns for all other users is the way to minimize risks.

JMH714

Well, it's actually bike path. They even marked bike icon on the ground with direction arrow.



People could use the sidewalk just across the street.


There is no cycling-only trail anywhere (besides Velodrome) - that I know of. We need similar with Izu Cycling Sports Center (Japan) which there's a 5km track that is strictly for cycling only and open to public. That would be nice!

indyfabz

From the article:


"'When the bike path first opened up, there were constantly ambulances here, because bicyclists were running over pedestrians,'" cyclist Sasha Binder said. 'It's a huge problem here.'"


"The stretch of the LA River sits next to a residential neighborhood and is shared between cyclists and pedestrians."


"Markings alerting cyclists of a pedestrian were put on the path two years ago, but the path’s narrow width and the speed of some cyclists have continued to cause collisions"

trailangel

It's the LA Greenway/Bike Trail
The Los Angeles River Trail (Greenway/Bike Path) : National Recreation Trail Database
They start out calling it a bike path, and then peds and skaters get on it, and then becomes a MUP.
Interesting link... says you can fish in the LA river. Only thing you are going to catch is hepatitis and a diaper or two.
That part of the path is right up next to residences, so people just walk out onto the path to look (smell) at the mighty LA river....and along comes you cranking away on a silent, well oiled machine and BAM.

tinrobot

Kind of a moot point for the next six months. They're closing the bike path on weekdays so they can do "invasive species removal". Six months to pull up some plants.

Combined with the freeway construction on the north end, the trail is almost 50% closed. I hope they don't do the giant sandbags again....

TrojanHorse

Surely you picked up on the irony... "when the bike path first opened up"

American Euchre

MUP's are at best flawed, and at worst a failure. Riders and pedestrians must be segregated. Just as they are on sidewalks and roads.

trailangel

HA! They are going to pull some weeds, eh? For 6 months? Sounds like good government work. I could get it done for 1/4 the price.
They have really fouled up the bike trail by Griffith Park.. and I don't see an end in sight.

furiousferret

MUPs just don't work, bikes are just too dangerous to pedestrians and even with a speed limit the bikes just come up too fast.

My BIGGEST issue with 'MUPS' is the funding is always specifically for bike infrastructure, then the local politicians morph it into a MUP.

AdvXtrm

It's not really safe for bicyclist either for the same reason. Collisions can just as damaging or even deadly for those on the bike.

Tycho Brahe 

Every time I see a cyclist tucked in with time-trail bars on a MUP, I want to bash in their head. One of the reasons why I cycle solo is that our sport attracts too many idiots. That said, many pedestrians are clueless as well. Try biking on the dedicated bike path on the Brooklyn Bridge without stopping.

I rarely go on that path since I do not like to cycle on flats, but I occasionally do it since the scenery is "nice" and I like the Spoke Cafe. But I would never go fast. Too many Strava segments on this path.

The path is nice (as you can get near downtown). I would walk on it if I lived close by. However, I have seen many runners that tick me off in Griffith Park. There is a section south of the Autry with a large compressed dirt path for runners and walkers. Still the runners want to run in the narrow shoulder with the cyclist. Why? And these entitled idiots want the cyclist to move to their left, into traffic, despite the cyclist going in the correct direction.

The government actually sub-contracted out to a private firm. Even if they accepted the lowest bid, it still will be massively overpriced. The previous company that did the exact same work did not close the trail.

trek3700

Wait, they want to ban bikes from the bike path. How ironic is that. How about we ban walkers/runners from the bike path. Much easier.

Elvo

You can go "fast" on like 80% of the trail, it only gets super sketchy on the part near riverside drive with all the walkers and tree roots

marquhar

Similar thing happened in Irvine in 2007 on the San Diego Creek trail behind Bethel Church:
Woman dies after being hit by bicycle - The Orange County Register

It was mentioned on BF here:
https://www.bikeforums.net/6542594-post94.html

Around 2010-2012 I was riding the above trail 10x month. I regularly noticed some riders queued up, with special backpack radios as the trail approached the Church. I just took for granted that City of Irvine was silently crusading against roadies by doing traffic calming and trying to slow us down.
I started to exit the trail and use the street.

CB HI

I love how pedestrians get on BIKE PATHs, roam all across its width and then demand that the cyclist be banned.

If only pedestrians would do the same on Highways and demand motor vehicles be banned.

JMH714

It's unfortunately situation for that lady. But that path by the church is really small - enough space for just two bikes. This is why I'm trying to say pedestrians or walkers should have stick to sidewalk instead of bike path.

I finally rode Santiago Creek trail for over a month (been riding at San Diego Creek trail), I kept seeing many signs saying "BIKE PATH" all over places - except Hart Park to Santiago Park.

alicestrong