JimF22003

Public service announcement to casual walkers, joggers, strollers, and other assorted MUP denizens: welcome to our world.

You should be aware that there are certain practices that are likely to merit disapproval.

If you walk four abreast blocking the trail, we will frown at you as we pass. If you let your dog cross into our path you may be rewarded with a "tsk tsk" to you as we slow to remind you to control your animal. If your child's bike, complete with training wheels, slowly drifts into our lane, don't be surprised if we react with concern and alarm, or even give you a glance that could be interpreted as disappointment with the level of your parenting skills.

In the case of severe transgressions, it may even be possible that we will fail to acknowledge you as you wave and say "hi", or we will give a frosty nod as if to say, "Good day to you sir. I say, good day!"

TNoodles

I respectfully disagree. We are all in the same world. That you refer to a Multi Use Path, it is just that: for multiple purposes and we as cyclists are ambassadors for our sport when we are among the rest of the "world." Moreover, from a purely practical point of view, who do you think these people are? They are the same people who when they leave the MUP hop into their SUV with their dogs and their jogging shoes and their kids and their kid's bikes. And we expect them to respect us and look out for our safety and cut us a break when the tables are turned and now we are in "their" world of motorized traffic on the roads, and there they are bigger and faster and more dangerous than we. So, when I am on a MUP I try, not always successfully, to slow down, to be friendly, and hope against hope that when these folks get back in their car they will carry with them a positive feeling towards cyclists.

(I would also note that if you really are trying to communicate with them, I doubt many of them are reading this forum.)

Simoni

I wonder if Jim thinks that MUP users that walk baby strollers or jog, or walk their dogs read this forum. If they do, then MUP riders can hope the rest of the world mends it's ways. Rapidly.

Comin' through!!!

Nickshu

It's called a "road" bike for a reason....It's not a "bike trail" bike. IMHO, bike trails are MADE for people who walk 4 abreast, kids learning to ride, rollerbladers with a wide stance, jogging strollers, etc. Trails are not made for road cyclists going 22mph. Just my $0.02.

Trsnrtr

I agree. My local MUP is an excellent way to climb out of a river valley where I live and I use it all Winter. But since a few weeks ago, it's been the best used "park" in the area. The way that I see it, I'm the hazard here, not them, so I'm back to alternate roads until late Fall. That's just the way that it is.

merlinextraligh

I'd basically agree. However, there are some trails, given their design,and usage that it's quite safe to ride 22mph.

Most of the time, for most of the trail, you can ride 20mph with no issue on the Jax/Baldwin trail.

You just have to realize that when there are other users, you need to slow down and be prepared for them to do randomly stupid, unpredictable things. If you can't or won't accomodate walkers,kids, roller bladers, erratic people on beach cruisers, etc. You need to stay off the MUP for everyone's safety.

StanSeven

JimF,

Since you're from No Va, I assume you are riding on the W&OD, Custis, or Mt Vernon trail. EXcept for the W&OD from Ashburn and out, none of those trails should be ridden fast on a bike. They all have walkers, joggers, skaters and children on trikes. Expect them to do the things you mentioned since it's a multi-use trail.

My advise is ride these trails slowly and carefully and enjoy the scenery. When you want to go fast, get off the trail. They all have lots of roads that essentially parallel the trails away from the other users.

Hickeydog

I think it depends on the trial. Where I live, there's a MUP that basically goes through my back yard. It was a railroad bed that was converted into a MUP, so it's nice and strait. I have no problem riding on that trail because it is strait. I can see people fffffffaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr ahead of me and I can observe their walking/riding/jogging/dog control style for a few minutes before I need to pass them. Plus, the trail goes right by school, so it's handy to be able to get on the MUP and ride at 22 mph the whole way without having to stop.

chipcom 

Except nice weekend afternoons, when it's wall-to-wall with the clueless. Then it's good for practicing your low speed bike handling skills.

I love the looks I get from some of the peds who congregate and have a conversation right in the middle of the path...when I say 'excuse me' and they notice me track-standing behind them.

Dagamon

Where are these roads?

sfcrossrider

There is a MUP that is also a bike lane in SF. Most cyclists keep the speeds in the safe, and sane range and still run into the problem the OP mentioned. When I walk on said MUP I try to be mindful of the many bikes passing and have never had a finger wag, or a frown.

Phantoj

I thought the OP was making an attempt at humor, rather than an attempt at trolling.

I was amused (but I didn't LOL).

wfrogge

I frown on roadies that ride on MUPs...... HTFU and get on the road

pagliaci

For part of my commute, a MUP is a necessary evil. My tactic is to blow by those ahead as quickly as possible to give them little time to sway, swerve, stop or whatever. I'm safer when they are behind me. Yelling "On your left" or ringing a bell is an invitation to a sudden move on their part- not good.

This may sound rude but it has worked for me for years without an accident.

aicabsolut

In a similar vein, I get really irritated by people in said vehicles (or sports cars, or trucks, or whatever) yell at me when I ride near the shoulder, but in the traffic lane, on a road that contains a separate "bike lane" (sometimes next to the traffic lane, sometimes separated by a median of grass, but it's only on the south-bound side of the road, not normal bike lanes). This path is marked bicycles only. However, it is in practice a MUP, full of walkers, strollers, long dog leashes, glass, gravel, sand, tree branches, and bike path bikes. In other words, if I'm just cooling down or bonking or suffering or chatting with friends at 15mph, I will ride on some parts of the path. If I'm going closer to 20mph or above, I'm with the cars. And I get yelled at.

There are plenty of bike lanes in the area that are only occupied by bikes (and various threatening shrapnel for racing tires and large drain grates...). I will use those except to avoid the hazards. Cars are friendly, even when I move into the lane. They are not at all friendly in the first area. That makes me less likely to be friendly to those on a MUP, but it should be evident from the above that I have come to avoid them, even at off-peak times.

FixdGearHead

Ride your road bike on the...road.

jccaclimber

They call the long strait road next to the bike path the Interstate where I'm from, unless he means the river on the other side of it. I have however been places with empty access roads next to the bike paths.

SushiJoe

I was going to say exactly that.
When I ride on trails [only when I have to], I give everyone else the right away since I'm the one out of place.

JimF22003

I knew my humor was dry, but I didn't think it was that dry...

Camilo

You lacked emphasis, otherwise they would have got it. e.g.

"Good day to you sir, I say GOOD DAY!"

PS: one of the funnier posts in a while. I think the thread title should have clued most of us in. What's next, "We're going to purse our lips at you!" ? Or, in a Clouseau voice: "Weer goeing tew faert en yeuor generrall derekseon!"

Patriot

get a bell.

Nachoman

I think MUP should exclude walkers, joggers, roller skaters, children, animals and well anyone not on a bike.

Patriot

haha, i assume you're being sarcastic.

On a serious note. This whole thread kind of defeats the purpose of what it was intended for, doesn't it?

ie. MUP = Multi-Use Path.


There are those who believe bikes should only be allowed on a MUP, because they inhibit road traffic, and slow down our precious economy.

Then, there are those who believe bikes should removed from MUP's, because they are too dangerous to the pedestrians, and should be only allowed on roads.

I've found we as cyclists really don't have much position to be whining about where we get to ride, as we are allowed to ride just about anywhere.

One shouldn't ruin our broad terrain by complaining about everyone else.

th1nk

I'm pretty sure by whining about it you can make them behave. Also, being a dick to people helps too. Really: it really helps them to see your perspective.

NOTE: SEE AVATAR FOR CURRENT MOOD

DataJunkie

I thought it was hilarious. Do you enjoy British humor much?