Clyde1820

Wrong way on a one way (against the flow of traffic, irrespective of how many lanes in which directions). Gets calls to the police line, to deal with a deliberate wrong-way situation.

Around my area, many of the in-town roads are fairly narrow. Not designed for the width of an 18-wheeler; think more of a larger minivan. Bikes are lawfully approved for the right-most lane, in a given direction. Not pedestrians, walkers, skaters, the newer mini-electric type vehicles. I've stopped dead center in my own lane to await the passing or ejection of oncoming wrong-way folks. Most have gotten right out of the lane and onto the sidewalk where they belonged. A couple of flipped me the 'bird' and epithets ... while forced to do the same 'dance' with the next car, then the next, until they finally got a clue and exited the lane for the sidewalk.

I won't play the game. I'll stop if I see them there, and I'll await their exit. If they commit assault and battery upon me, I'll deal with that the moment it occurs (whatever's needed to halt it immediately). If they simply show their low-integrity, low-intelligence levels ... that's on them. I'll let the police deal with such people. (Fines for deliberate wanton creation of dangerous situations are rather steep, as is jail time.)

Doesn't happen often. Most people simply aren't that stupid.

Now, jaywalking blindly, in the dark, without visible clothing, without visible lighting or reflective gear, without a clue ... well, that happens constantly. Plenty of people get run over and die, in my area, due to such lunacy. A much bigger problem than people knowingly walking the wrong way down a lane of oncoming traffic.

livedarklions

So it's ok to make a sexist comment as long as it's shallow? Nice try. You can claim that wasn't your intent, but the "equal pay rally" crack pretty much clinched it.

I notice you can't really explain what the "shocked and surprised" reaction was. Let me guess--there really wasn't one, they just moved.

livedarklions

Wow, you're like Gandhi or something! Such bravery in the face of joggers!

I don't know about you, but my riding time is too valuable to waste over stuff this petty.

CyclingFever

In my experiences it's only been middle aged women blocking the path. Sorry that upsets you.

Edit: Actually not sorry.

livedarklions

/ignore

I'm sure I won't be the last.

Clyde1820

Nice.

No, it's simply a matter of not generally being certain there's a safe spot in the crowded next lane, when such situations arise. Space gets tight, around these parts, and in the downtown district (where I was describing) betting wrong in such a situation can easily get one killed.

Hardly a question of your "bravery" euphemism. It's simple safe riding, not jerking aside to avoid two or three walkers/joggers oblivious to oncoming traffic, and ensuring I'm going as slowly as possible at the moment such idiots get close enough to hit.

Why not cease the snotty quips and allow the discussion to flow? Much better for everyone, and the discussion. Nicer, all the way around.

HarborBandS

I don't think it's a cultural difference.

I lived in the City of Chicago for over a decade, and used to bike to work on occasion from North Side neighborhoods to River North (the busy area northwest of Chicago's "Loop" and adjacent to the Magnificent Mile). I've never seen the behavior the OP is describing. Granted, I never wanted to bike in to the Loop itself, and pedestrians could be considerably more aggressive there--where they are walking to and from the major commuter rail stations, etc.

Now I'm in the burbs near one of the original "Rail Trails" in the United States, the Illinois Prairie Path, and even though it is heavily used and frequently crowded, joggers and pedestrians are always cordial and move if you ring your bell or say a simple "on your left".

livedarklions

It's about safety? Because in the same post, you basically admitted you were risking someone getting into a physical confrontation with you. Got to tell you, if I was a cyclist behind you and now had not only to negotiate around the walker, but around you as you wait out your little stand-off, I would not be grateful for your intervention here. Basically, you're making the problem worse in the name of improving it.

livedarklions

Every time I see one of these "pedestrians are so awful" threads, it looks to me like a few people extrapolating way too much from a couple of incidents. It's very much like the ignorant blowhard driver railing on about lawless bicyclists.

Clyde1820

Incorrect.

Stopping before a blocked lane's occupants isn't deliberate risking of a confrontation. It's refusal to jet out into the neighboring lane that's occupied already with cars going much faster than I, and having little to nowhere to go.

You can disregard such conditions and make up some other scenario if you prefer, but then that'll be a different scenario. And different choices would be available.

But in a lane that's got a couple of people (or even a small group) deliberately disregarding traffic conditions and laws, in a situation as I described, there aren't many choices. Sure, IF there happened to be nearly no traffic and an easy "out" into the neighboring lane, only a fool would refuse to take that option. That's not the scenario I've described.

t_e_r_r_y

i don't have a whole lot to add to this discussion, other than a link to an article about how running/walking in the street can actually be illegal in your area, so it's for sure worth checking into. as the article states, it's not like cops are out ticketing runners/walkers who are in the streets, but if an incident occurs, you can be held liable.

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a2...g-in-the-road/

that said, i run in the road all the time. also, i don't run against traffic - i never realized that was a thing. is it supposed to be safer?

cb400bill

Let's knock off the back and forth bickering.

CyclingFever

Ostrich puts head in sand.

CyclingFever

Poster must of had a traumatic experience on a path once.

Siu Blue Wind

And you continue to post as such. Why?

downhillmaster

Lighten up Francis. The original comment in question did not appear to be sexist and your outraged response warranted the equal pay joke in response.
You keep on patrolling the interwebs though in your battle against social injustice

Skipjacks

FALSE!!

All surfaces are equally undesirably to run on.

I hate running.

CyclingFever

It's not that deep on my end. We good.

wphamilton

Yes, you can see the cars coming and dodge if you need to, and you don't have to keep looking over your shoulder for right-turning cars at every intersection. But I do it too because I like to take my regular loop clockwise.

I'm only in the road on stretches where the sidewalk disappears, but the fact is regardless of sidewalk ordinances runners sometimes prefer the street and it's just another traffic factor to deal with. I don't check whether there's a sidewalk when I'm driving - or cycling - and think to myself "there could be a runner here with no sidewalk". I just deal with it when it comes up.

t_e_r_r_y

oh weird. on the off chance that a car comes flying onto the shoulder where i'm running, i don't think i'm going to have much luck dodging it. still, it's something to consider

rebel1916

Speeds in what is literally called "road running" are substantially higher than in trail and cross country. In part for this reason.

Siu Blue Wind

Nope.

Perhaps it would benefit you to go over the forum guidelines that you agreed to when you signed up here.

Happy Feet

Not that it matters to the point in question but I find I trail run much faster than road running. However, I do run further on roads than trails.

To the topic:

I just try to have a forgiving heart when it comes to people on the road. Few are trying to intentionally screw me over and most are only trying to be happy like I am. There are just too many people all trying to use the same surfaces for varying objectives. A few years ago I simply decided it's not my job to correct the world anymore and I'm a lot happier because of it.
Also, as a driver, cyclist, walker and runner.. its hard to know which group I'm supposed to be mad at.

downhillmaster

This.
I have logged a lot of miles running and cycling. On the roads, sidewalks, and trails.
It’s all good.

burnthesheep

Tell that to Eliud. Have you seen "Breaking 2" ? He's not exactly running on pristine blacktop back in Kenya when he does the training runs with his big group that leaves his house.

The runners I see running in the middle of the blacktop risking life/limb aren't going at a pace to even qualify as "running" versus jogging or a "trot".

I think they might be able to hold 10:00/mi for a minute or two. Maybe it's because they have crap form and are so out of shape they can't even get their feet from shuffling.

The fastest runners I've seen local to me use the public trail behind the house, the other long shaded public trail across town, or the local high school track after-hours. Definitely sub-3 pace runners for a marathon and folks who could BQ. Mind you, I don't care one bit if they run the blacktop in the neighborhood or wherever.........just GTFO the bike lanes.

Shoot, I came across a guy in the hilly gravel part of the state park while out riding that was running probably an 8:00/mi pace while juggling. Pretty sure he was that world record Guinness juggling runner guy training for the local off-road marathon race. He was doing quite fine.