restlessswind

My normally uneventful commute along a 12 mile stretch of MUP was quite interesting...and scary. First, I approached a pair of riders taking up the whole path. I dinged my bell, and again, and continuously. Still not moving out of the way. I zapped my AirZound, and they were finally compliant. LOL. Then I overtook a bike and he grabbed onto my tail and was drafting. RUDE! I was zig-zagging and slowing down, speeding up, but this jerk kept on my tail. I felt not only uncomfortable, but unsafe. As soon as I had a ramp to the levee, I took it. Then, further along, I almost ran into a pair of riders stopped on the path. Why? They were watching a fire started on the path's shoulder. I continued and saw another fire, and another. I called 911. There were 6 fires started by an angry derelict. Fortunately, the wind was calm, but now the wind is 20+ mph. Good thing the FD caught it in time.

Notso_fastLane

I don't get why people get so upset about other riders in their draft, but the rest is a bit crazy.

No one can draft off my velomobile.

Ross520

It's a safety issue...

lostronin

You should turn this into a screenplay for a movie.

restlessswind

It's called personal space. No different than tailgating in a car. If he wanted to draft, then ask me. I don't understand rudeness!

Cyclist753

Drafting without asking is rude. You could have just stopped. If that doesn't work then 'hook' 'em a little later! Extreme- yes but a good way to rid yourself from a weirdo. It finally rained here thank goodness!

caloso

Wow. Where were these fires?

restlessswind

Right behind CalExpo

badger1

What is an "MUV"?

restlessswind

Typo...MUP

caloso

Nice job on calling the FD. With this wind, that could have been bad.

restlessswind

I know. fortunately, the wind was fairly calm at the time. It was picking up about 20 minutes later. Although, the idiot that did this is still out there and could do a do-over

badger1

Thought so, but wanted to be clear; thanks.

canklecat

IOW, just another day on the MUP.

They're all like that. Always have been.

Sure, some days are better than others. But any unregulated shared resource eventually devolves to the condition described as the tragedy of the commons.

BobbyG

I have caled in two MUP fires in 27 years, both 2 years ago, and near homeless camps. I also ride with an AirZound. But I've never picked up a wheel-sucker. Either I'm too fast...or (more likely) too slow.

But seriously...If you hadn't called in the fires, it could have been much worse. Good job.

smullen

If the other rider physically grabbed onto him or his bike I get why he didn't like it.

livedarklions

I think the fires tend to take this out of the ordinary just a wee bit.

Otherwise, the passing and drafting issues are hardly call for bemoaning the devolution of the MUP. A lot of us are really operating at speeds at or above the paths' design capacity, so what we're experiencing as delays really aren't inefficiencies when considered from the standpoint of users as a whole. "Drafting", for example, isn't really a problem if you're going 15 mph or less, but I ride a lot faster than that on a MUP. When I do notice someone drafting me, I warn them that it's ok, but they better be prepared to drastically slow down suddenly when it comes time to pass pedestrians and the like. I make sure they know I'm not giving them any warning before hitting the brakes.

I grew up in a world with almost no MUPs. No question in my mind that we're all better off for their being there.

m3tal070

Sounds like a crazy ride for sure! Good job on being vigilant.

joelcool

Sorry, no words I can say on this forum in response to that.
I saw a coyote on the trail this morning - less than 10' from me, and had a bit of a race with a female rider. No drafting was involved (but I would not have cared if she had drafted me). It was a fun commute, but not as exciting as yours.

indyfabz

Did you wave at the derelict?

REDMASTA

mad MUP fury trail.

canklecat

True. Fires, catastrophes and Mad Max tribal rampages are a bit out of the ordinary for most MUPs, although I've heard folks in some parts of the country say that's more or less normal.

The worst I can recall on a local MUP was a machete murder in Dallas a few years ago. Horrible tragedy. Homeless guy with serious psych disorders, off his meds, attacked a jogger. Then the victim's wife committed suicide. But it really was an isolated incident, not indicative of the MUPs in the Metroplex. We've had reports of sexual harassment along the MUP in Fort Worth, and some eccentric behaviors like nude joggers. But it's not disproportionate to the city as a whole.

I've been riding and/or bike commuting since the 1970s and encountered my first MUP and bike lanes in San Diego way back when. That stuff about congestion from sharing with clueless pedestrians and joggers absorbed in their own worlds, or wheelsuckers.... that all goes way back. It is what it is, no point complaining about it.

I don't care if someone drafts off me, as long as they're reasonably cautious. A full bike length seems reasonable for strangers. It's just dumb to draft within inches of a cyclist you don't know, unless you're certain he/she is highly skilled and will call out hazards or anticipated movements. Heck, I don't even draft some folks I do know because they're fast but reckless.

Back in the 1970s-'80s we saw at least as many roller bladers as joggers. I'm not sure why there aren't more roller bladers here -- I've seen only a few along the Trinity Trails in the Fort Worth area. Just gotta give the newbs more room because they take up the whole narrow sidewalk rocking side to side. Skateboarders usually prefer other urban terrain, like BMXers, so I seldom see them on the MUP. The motorized wheeled doodads are a little more common on the MUP, but I don't see many of those either.

I mostly use the MUP as a way to get from point to point if there's no alternative, or it shaves off a few miles. Otherwise I prefer the streets. But I ride at walking or jogging speed on the MUP if there's anyone else around. I never expect anyone else to yield to me. It should be the other way 'round. I appreciate courtesy from drivers when I'm on the street, so I show the same to slower moving ambulatory folks, and to folks in wheelchairs and walkers on the MUP.

I've hidden most Strava segments that are along the MUP so there's no temptation to hunt PRs or muppet KOMs. [/QUOTE]

mcours2006

Drafting off of stranger is a dicey business to begin with. I wouldn't do it, but I guess some people figure it's worth the risk to save a few watts. Drafting on a MUP, an even dicier business, is something I probably wouldn't do even with friends. There are just too many potential hazards.

As for the fires...

restlessswind

I'm not afraid to say in here that if a cyclist drafts off of me without asking, introducing himself, or otherwise, it's a violation of social norms, creepy, a safety hazard, a liability issue, and just plain rude behavior. I consider myself to be a pacifist, but I will defend myself. I will also next time not be so patient with an uninvited wheelsucker.

Notso_fastLane

I guess the few times I've drafted or had others draft off me, there was always at least a bike length or so, so I've never worried about it. If you're talking someone following inches of your tail, I might get a bit upset by that as well, but I would probably just slow until they went by me.