Originally Posted by
Trakhak
When you run into problems on such paths, you're riding too fast for the conditions.
Repeating myself, for all the good it will do:
The problem is not pedestrians - the problem is the difference in speed between bikes and pedestrians. If you guys happened to be pedestrians and no bike riders, you'd be whining about those damn bike riders that are causing all the problems. And you'd be right.
And people posting here: please stop calling them "bike paths." They're multi-use paths.
I often am a pedestrian on our paths and a slow one as I use a walker! However, that doesn't change the fact that on my paths I see people walking in the bike lanes when there is a designated pedestrian lane nearby. It is illegal under our Veh Code to walk in a bike lane, but they do it anyway. and I see pedestrians walking all in the same direction on both sides of the path and in the middle - leaving very little room for a bike to pass and then they complain we passed too closely. Sure, there are some cyclists who need to slow down but it is NOT all the cyclist's responsibility. In fact, the law in our Veh Code regarding multiuse paths clearly states that pedestrians have the EXACT SAME obligation to behave in a safe and alert manner as cyclists do. But many pedestrians walk around as if they own the path and have unmitigated right of way - which they do NOT. Sharing the path means pedestrians are supposed to be listening for bells, looking around before the veer from a straight line, etc. If you want cyclists to be considerate, then pedestrians need to also be considerate. A lot of the close calls I see on the path when I am out walking are the result of pedestrians being oblivious or walking in the bike lane. People walking need to pay attention, not just cyclists. If you aren't walking in the bike lane, then cyclist speed is not an issue.