UsedToBeFaster

I have been riding my local MUP.

Most people ride or walk with head phones so crashes will 'be inevitable.

So what happens when it does. Is it like a car crash? Exchange numbers? Decide whose at fault? Or does everyone just pay for your own property and medical damage.
3

bampilot06

Call your friend that would help you bury a body, and never speak of it again.

noodle soup

It's the same as on the road. The person that caused the wreck, usually flees the scene if they are able, and there are no witnesses.

Litespud

this isn’t like a fender bender. A bike hits a pedestrian, there’s a fair chance that someone will be calling an ambulance. And if there are significant damages, it could get legally messy. Road usage is prescribed by endless laws to supposedly help to define drivers’ rights, obligations, protections and culpability in the event of a collision, but even then, assigning blame can be complex. I don’t know if there are “laws” per se that apply to MUPs, or just guidelines, so assigning legal culpability could be a nightmare. My own personal solution is to avoid MUPs like the plague.

noodle soup

+1

The only times I'll use them is for commuting after dark, or a slow cool down after a ride.

Iride01 

It's pretty much anything can happen. Surprisingly a lot of untested waters here. As other's have said, many of the persons responsible for damage and injury leave never to be ID'd adequately to bring charges against. Sad.

If you want to be sure about protecting your assets..... (take that any way you want). Talk with your insurance agent and make sure you are fully protected both as injured party and liable party.

Clyde1820

One of the reasons why I ride fairly sedately along multi-use, multi-occupant paths. Far safer, all the way around. And not just from the liability standpoint. Isn't the best exercise, but then there are other places for getting a tougher workout.

The MUPs are for cross-town travel, around my neck of the woods, and plenty of people use them. They've as much right to be there as I do. I simply ride as though they're likely to do any damned thing at any moment, usually without warning. Which is normally how it turns out. A strike on a pedestrian at 10mph won't often result in much damage, by comparison to much faster closing speeds. Dogs and leashes, though ... that's a whole different problem, and pokey speeds aren't hardly sufficient to avoid a nasty spill.

Definitely consider appropriate insurance coverage for liability and damage. As others have suggested above, particularly if you've got assets someone can come after in such an event.


Myself, I've crashed once (years ago), when disregarding head-in-clouds behaviors of others in and around MUPs. Of course, I was doing >25mph or so. Lost grip, smacked the concrete, and dealt with a bad case of road rash. No strike (bike on pedestrian), so no lawsuit. But, messy medical issue for several months. Took years for the scars to disappear (which they finally did). And so, I go "easy" on MUPs around others. Works well for me.

flangehead

I understand the original post is questioning the legal aspects.

However, I think it is important to point out that the consequences can be deadly.

This is a sobering read: https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-...83145720231210

The most important thing is to avoid a crash in the first place. You may pass pedestrians fast 1000, 10000 times and nothing happens. But when it does, it can be bad.

I find I need the same level of situational awareness and attention on the area MUP as I do when on the road. Part and parcel of cycling.

GlennR

The only ones that come out ahead are the lawyers.

Rides4Beer

Keep in mind, that even if the pedestrian is wearing headphones, it is still your responsibility, as the faster person/vehicle that is passing, to pass safely. If that means slowing down, even to a walking pace, or even, *gasp*, coming to a stop, then that's what you have to do. If I want to go fast, I keep it on the road, if I'm on the MUP, it's an easy ride and I'm always prepared to slow down and/or stop, and pass safely.

colnago62

You can get tickets for speeding on mups around here. I suppose, it is a civil matter if you are talking about compensation.

Iride01 

We don't need to tell you that anyone traveling the same general direction in front of you has privilege over you, do we? You need to approach them so that you can avoid any stupid thing they might do. Only once you are safely in front of them do you gain privilege over them.

Ogsarg

Only inevitable due to people being reckless and irresponsible.

Jasper Storm

Only bike on MUPs when there is light pedestrian traffic. That guarantees your safety, as shown here:

sanmateoclimber

I have a great local MUP along a reservoir that I used to incorporate into my rides all the time pre-COVID. The pandemic situation forced me to break the habit, and I don't think I'll be going back. Every once in a while a pedestrian would do something unpredictable, and suddenly I would have far less control of the situation then I really ought to. Once a runner was doing a hard sprint interval up ahead of me, then very suddenly stopped sprinting and took a few steps across the path laterally just as I was overtaking him. I shouted and banked wide, and he did a cartoony windmill-arms-at-the-edge-of-the-cliff maneuver, and we avoided a very bad day for both of us. If the timing had been a little different, I would've nailed him without any chance to react to his abrupt move. Eventually, a scenario like this would have resulted in a ****show that I can just avoid entirely by keeping to the roads.

Erzulis Boat 

I ride through a University campus on one of my routes. I think my body count is 4 so far.

I now ride slowly through, keep my head on a swivel, and dodge the missiles.

After the impact, I just keep my cool, ask if they are Ok, breathe a sigh of relief when they say "yes", and go along my way.

ETA- One of the encounters happened this way. A young woman (student) was coming towards me, in her lane, she made eye contact, then just came straight at me. Poor thing hits me head on, and falls over. I managed to stay upright in a trackstand. Target fixation on her part is the most likely explanation.

JPChap

Must have been mesmerized by the guads.

Goldrush

I find most all trail users wearing earbuds can still hear my bell. If they do not acknowledge my bell then I'm extra cautious.

MattTheHat 

Or, just be careful. The guy in the video looks like he's going too fast. He/she got lucky.

I was on a short section of MUP this morning getting home from a longer road ride. Had to cross under an expressway. A guy walking a small dog was moving rather aimlessly. So I thinks to myself: "Self, that guy is not to be trusted." So I call out "coming around." And I slow WAY down. As I get closer, he walks right into my path. Because I anticipated the problem and had slowed down, I was able to come to a complete stop. He says "You need to call out when you pass." When I told him I just did, he said "I didn't hear a thing." I then politely suggested he might want to get his ears checked.

Less than two miles away I almost hit a doberman that was running off leash. I'd seen a couple of wet paw prints about 100 feet further up the MUP, but didn't see anyone. As I go to pass a runner, the dog jumps out from behind the bushes. He had a leash alright...she was just letting him run dragging it along. Again, because I'd anticipated the problem, I was able to stop.

I couldn't wait to get back on the road. People really aren't too smart on the MUP.

MattTheHat 

I've read that story before...it's sad. Small kids would seem to be particularly vulnerable on the MUP.

I was riding a MUP one morning about four months ago when a MUP warrior flew past me. Full lycra...not that there's anything wrong with that. And he was a BIG guy. Probably 6'4" and I don't know, maybe 265 pounds. I was putting along as slowly as I could stay moving, waiting to safely pass a family riding with their little girl on a bike with training wheels. This guy came around us all, barked "ON YOUR LEFT." And he literally almost ran over the little girl. I guess he was barking at me and didn't see what or who was ahead of me. He did the right thing and veered to the left a went down HARD. If he would have hit her, it would have been very, very bad.

Being "multi-use" families with kids have every right to be out there without being run over by MUP Warriors.

Iride01 

What a coincidence. On my ride earlier today I saw a older couple waking on the trail. Newbs for certain. Probably from a car that stopped at the rest area along the Natchez Trace that parallels much of the trail I ride frequently. All I saw were the two people walking as if they were a boat with no rudder. About 100 feet away I hollered out "bike back" Then the hilarity began. Two english bulldogs trailing leashes came from out of the bushes, both dragging a leash. And the couple were all over the place trying to coral their dogs. I watched from a safe distance. <grin>.

BoraxKid

If you saw the sprinter up ahead, why didn't you slow down as you approached? It seems like you made things worse by not respecting other trail users.

WhyFi

I hope that you did the right thing and mocked him while he was down.

Sorry. I really dislike pathletes.

BoraxKid

If they don't acknowledge my bell, I give 'em the buzzing they deserve. If I hit 'em, so what? Don't stand on the tracks when the train's comin' through!

randallr

Wow, flangehead, thank you so much for that pressreader link. That gave me a lot to think about.