Yep, sounds about right. Sorry to hear it but MUPs are all but useless for cycling when there are a bunch of foot-traffic people wandering about since they tend to be, as a rule, oblivious to their surroundings. This is a universal, immutable fact of nature. Trying to change this behavior is like bailing out the ocean with a teaspoooooon...
You were right to find a better location to ride.