Annie Li

Riding on the road after getting off work， and suddenly, I noticed a group of pedestrians up ahead. I immediately slowed down and rang my bell to alert them of my presence. However, the pedestrians seemed distracted and didn't make way for me to pass.

I politely asked again, "Excuse me, would it be possible for you to let me pass?". Unfortunately, the pedestrians still didn't respond or move aside.

Without cursing， I just got off my bike, gently pushed it alongside me, and walked past the pedestrians.

Is it okay for me to do this? What are some etiquette guidelines for sharing bike paths or trails with pedestrians？

zandoval 

This actually happened to me only I was one of the pedestrians! Ta tell ya the truth I can't hear worth a ship. Just ask my wife. Anyway I was completely shocked when I turned and the guy was walking his bike around me. I said sorry and he said none needed. I also said nice bike as he rode off...

Velo Mule

There's a guy on YouTube shorts that I believe may be a bike messenger. He posts videos' about his rides through Manhattan and the encounters that he has with people that usually are NOT following the rules of the road. While he may be right, cursing them out may not be the best way to go in my opinion. Although, being pleasant would make boring videos.

As both a pedestrian and a cyclist on Multi-Use Paths, I appreciated when a cyclist is erring on the side of caution.

Keep on keepin' on @Annie Li .

jadmt

next time try squirting them with your water bottle and see if that gets their attention....

XxHaimBondxX

When bells and oral warnings do not work, I usually just yell MOVEEEEEE!!!! and that seems to do the trick.

blacknbluebikes 

got that bot smell...

margoC

I do that, dismount and walk. But there aren't MUP's or bike lanes where I live, or very few. The sidewalks aren't very crowded either. Now the downtown area is different, but I haven't biked there much, that's soon to change.

Alan K

It my city, bicyclists can use sidewalks with caution and as long as they do not interfere with pedestrians’ usage of the sidewalk. In other words, they do have priority over bicyclist, especially if it is crowded. Bicyclists under such circumstances should walk their bicycle and once they get off the bicycle, they have same right as a pedestrian, no less or more.
To illustrate this point, on a crosswalk that marked with lines, a pedestrian may cross the street at will (smart ones who value their lives, do pay attention to traffic), and cars stop for them. If as bicyclist, you pull the same stunt, you get a ticket. A bicyclist, while riding, must follow all the same traffic rule that are applicable to all vehicles… except they are not legally permitted on highway lanes, even if you can ride like Speedy Gonzales.
Yelling and cursing in Manhattan is a different story… even if they weren’t riding bicycle, they will find some other reason to insult others, it’s a culture thing.

awac

I must admit if I am out walking with my wife and small dogs on a footpath and a cyclist comes hammering along and is not polite it makes me very angry especially when my small (really small Chihuahuas) could so easily be hurt (then my wife would hurt the cyclist, nothing matters more to her!). My hearing is not great either I have had some near misses as well. A footpath is a footpath, be polite if you shouldn’t be on it, it is the least you can do or you might get a stick shoved in the spokes….

Alan K

While I quite agree about being polite but stick thing is a bit excessive and the situation might escalate where bicyclist may end up kicking field goal on your Chihuahua. 😉

awac

Is this rider Jeff with one F….lol. Metaphoric stick of course unless said Chihuahua was in all actually run over or part of a conversion kick (to use a grown ups real sport terminology lol), in which case said stick would be placed in accommodating receptacle of assailant, on cycle or off cycle. So thank you for pointing out my error, damaging the bicycle wheel is excessive since a wheel is a thing of beauty
.

jadmt

Spokane has a great paved river trail and the trail is clearly marked to separate bike from traffic from foot traffic...I made the mistake once of stepping into the biking lane when over taken a slower walker....man did I get chewed out by a homeless person who was camped along the trail...he told me to get the F out of the bike lane....and he was just sitting in his camp lol...

Alan K

We have had some similarly bold campers in our town in recent years. 😜

Alan K

Speaking of bike-friendly novel traffic concepts, has anyone encountered something like this:

https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/we...rely-survived/

Seems a bit wild to me!

I think it is bad for everyone.

gpp

Here in Portugal many bike paths are next to our famous cobblestone sidewalks so the result is pedestrians prefer to walk on the bike paths. According to the rules they are not allowed to. I do understand their preference since the sidewalks are so terrible most of the times so I just let them know I am behind them with a ring of the bell. If they pay no attention I overpass them (not sure if this is the right expression) using the sidewalk or the road, and then come back into the bike lane.

But I only use bike for leisure, if it was a daily commute to and from work maybe I would become more upset.

Aubergine 

Not everyone can hear. No rider should ever assume that calling out or bells will alert someone in front. IMO the rider who is overtaking ALWAYS has the responsibility to pass safely. If that means walking the bike, so be it. (I am deaf btw, so this is something that I'm pretty familiar with. I use a mirror and check behind frequently, but I still get surprised at times.)

Bald Paul

Obviously, the public official that came up with that concept has never ridden a bicycle - or driven a vehicle, for that matter.
I would avoid those "bike lanes" like the plague.

Ralphinca

When I come up to a pedestrian on a bike path, I yell “passing on the left!”

More often than not, THEY move left — so I pass them on the right.

People are silly. LOL