livedarklions

I just rode on Rhode Island bike paths for the first time this weekend (rode down through Mass. from NH). RI has pedestrians walk on the left side of the MUP and bikes on the right side. It's the first time I've experienced this system and I've got to say I found it vastly superior to having both on the right side of the path. The pedestrians on my side of the path could see me coming and see what I was doing to avoid them. I didn't have to say "on your left" anywhere for 15+ miles and I never startled anyone or had them step out in front of me.

I'm new here, so excuse me if this has been discussed before, but are there other places that do it the RI way? Having seen it in action, and having had to cope with the chaos of bike paths in Mass., it just seems to me it ought to be the system everywhere.

Thoughts?

JonathanGennick 

The most recent two MUPs I've been on didn't have signage to indicate what side to walk on. Walking left felt safer and more convenient, because I could see the cyclists approaching and step to the side to get out of their way.

squirtdad

I have seen it and the pedestrians basically completely ignored the signage (Monterey, Ca)

no motor?

It sounds like a great idea as long as everyone is headed in the same direction, but impractical for the remainder of the times.

caloso

This is what signs on the American River Bike Trail (our local MUP) say, but many pedestrians ignore it.

jimincalif

I agree walking left makes much more sense, especially considering how many MUP users are listening to music with earbuds.

I rarely walk on MUPs, but while visiting family I walked a bit of the Ohio to Erie trail in Loveland OH. I was walking to the left until I saw signs that told pedestrians to walk right. Oh well.

kayakindude

Not sure which path you were on, but in RI the peds are instructed to face the oncoming bicycles aka always walk to your left. Ped and cycle traffic is in both directions. Of course like many MUP's the peds tend to walk where ever they want. My favorites are the 2-3 abreast forcing you to stop and wait for the opposing lane to pass. Because they face the bicycle, they don't realize if a situation develops that could be avoided if they moved to single file.

wphamilton

What do you do when it's too crowded to slow down and pass around them, walking towards you, before they get there? Everyone stop?

CliffordK

Around here, people mostly walk to the right. But, I'll ride through any hole that is available, whether it is to the right, left, or between two pedestrians, usually by saying HELLO, and waiting for a reaction, if there is one,

Yep... I can ride awfully slow, and frequently find myself matching the walking pace of pedestrians when waiting for an opening.

It could become far more complex on crowded bridges, for example (where people tend to loiter), and there is no diving into the bushes to get out of the way.

The truth is, the walking side doesn't really matter as long as the cyclists slow down and use courtesy.

jefnvk

That is pedestrian law most places in the US, so I suspect they just figured it would work well on trails too.

As @squirtdad stated, getting people to follow it is a whole other story. They have bike and pedestrian lanes painted on a pathway near me, people will go wherever they please.

wphamilton

Unless it's really crowded. Not crowded, I don't care when I see people walking left or right, it's all the same to me because the difference, from my perspective, is just a quicker closing speed. Which I can fix by simply slowing down. But if if you're nose to nose with the walkers, and there's also a lot of traffic on your left, there is no biking at walking speed. You're stopped, the walkers are stopped. Maybe the traffic on the left is also stopped. It would be even worse if half the walkers were walking on the right side also.

It seems like it would become an unworkable mess with pedestrians filtering around each other and the bikes trying to force their way through.

livedarklions

I was on the East Bay and the Blackstone River. The pedestrians I saw pretty much all seemed to be obeying the walk opposite direction from bike rule, and it really was easier to fly through without scaring anyone or having to slow to a crawl anywhere. They see me coming and keep on their side. If there were pedestrians going in both directions I would have to wait for a gap to open up, but that's true no matter which system you have. Likewise people not following the rules--there's always someone. But generally, it may have been the fastest and safest MUP riding I've ever done.

rumrunn6

I don't understand ... did you turn around & ride back on the same trail? you still have ppl & bikes on both sides of the trail don't you?

livedarklions

If both sides of the path are occupied by pedestrians, the bicyclist has to wait until a gap opens up. I think pedestrians have the right of way everywhere in the U.S. that I'm aware of.

I don't find this hard to do. I ride fast, but I have good brakes and look far enough ahead to see the jam without having to slam.

rumrunn6

zactly!

kayakindude

Yep Blackstone is a joy...traffic is usually very light. If it's a weekend I try to get on EB before 9am...it quickly becomes a nightmare later in the day. Very common for kids under 5 to be all over the place. It is beautiful though!

rumrunn6

are pedestrians moving back and forth from one side to the other constantly to follow this rule depending on what bikes are approaching? that would be crazy. what bike flow are they supposed to be responding to? it just doesn't make sense. what if bikes are coming toward them from both directions?

livedarklions

No, no! Bikes in the right lane, pedestrians in the left. So when you're riding, the pedestrians in your lane are walking towards you no matter which way you're going on the path.. Your diagram is wrong.

rumrunn6

er, OK, but ... how wide is this trail? that would not work on any of the paved trails I've ever been on ... what if there are 3 abreast walking toward you blocking that "side" entirely? same with two bikes riding side by side

livedarklions

No, the bikes change lanes if the left lane is open to pass. Otherwise, the bike has to wait just like I would if both lanes were filled under any other rule. What I found, though, was that when people were facing you, they'd actually move to open up half the lane because they saw me coming and it was easy to do.

It may be counter-intuitive, but I'm converted having seen it in action--everything went easier when the pedestrians could see me coming.

livedarklions

My experience was that three abreast facing me was more likely to get into line when they saw e coming than when I approach them from behind. The going in the same direction system requires me to constantly announce my presence.

welshTerrier2

My bike club did the Blackstone path this past Saturday. I've never seen it so empty so that isn't really a good test case.

I'm in the process of planning a rail trail and I've been trying to figure out which pedestrian pattern is better. So far, I can't see much difference. You're either passing pedestrians coming toward you by moving left or you're passing pedestrians who are going the same direction you are by remaining right. In the latter case, don't you still need to say "passing on your right"?

The problem I see with the "pedestrians keep right" rule is that most people are more accustomed to walking on the right side. Even this past Saturday, we saw plenty of people using both sides of the path.

One benefit of the people walking towards the cyclists was that they were more likely to step completely off the path as we approached. Bottom line, though, I don't see much difference either way.

CliffordK

It is courteous to announce your passing from behind whether the pedestrians are walking on the right or on the left.

I've had pedestrians on one side of a 20' bike path suddenly dart across the entire path without looking.

I've had an old lady with a walker turn and swing the walker directly into my path.

kayakindude

I just have bad luck because it is rare that they move over, at least on east bay. Never have that issue on the Blackstone. I would also recommend that Cranston bike path, which extends down towards Connecticut.

welshTerrier2

Is that the Washington bike path? Can you provide more details? The Yelp reviews were pretty old but they were mediocre at best. Is there plenty of parking at the Cranston end? Is it well maintained? Good scenery? Places to eat? Crowded on the weekend?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.