Originally posted by wabbit
Well duuhhh.... I mean of course I sow down but you can't guarantee that it will always happen. Somtimes kids on bikes just rush across the path without looking or they just stop or wobble out of the lane- what if I can't stop in time? I worry about it. That's why I generally avoid paths
Well, I guess you should certainly avoid the paths if you can't pass an erratic child safely. Being able to stop in time shouldn't be a concern because if you see a kid wobbling along on the path (or if you see a small child, period) then you shouldn't be passing at much more than a walking pace, because if you don't already know how unpredictable they can be then you'll find out soon enough and should ride accordingly.
I do a lot of riding on the bike paths in my area, about 300 miles in the last couple of months, and I've encountered scores of wobbly kids, dogs on long leashes, people walking three across on the path, oblivious joggers and rollerbladers, you name it... I haven't had a close call yet. I've had to slow down and come to almost a complete stop on countless occasions, and I just crush the pedals that much harder when I get around whomever or whatever is posing an obstacle and just consider it a form of interval training.