Brian Ratliff

I don't get it. I always assumed if, on a path, I was coming up behind someone while on my bike, it is my duty to wait until 1) the pedestrian is warned and knows I am passing, and 2) it is clear to pass. Is the OP trying to pass dog walkers at speed?

noisebeam

Me too. One of the pleasures of riding on such a shared path is caring for other users in excess of the way you want to be treated by others on the path or road.

Al

Roughstuff

TA DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! thanks FM, you raised my opinion of the human race---and specifically the cycling community subsector of it----by about 500% percent with your comment, which I patiently lurked and waited for.

Cyclists have to practice what they preach and adjust their speed, behavior, and level of courtesy to conditions prevailing on the Bike path or MUP or whatever.

It is hypocritical in the extreme for cyclists to demand all kinds of accomadation from traffic on the roadway while railing against pedestrian behavior on bike paths, and local news media always have a field day pointing this out.

roughstuff

2manybikes

No the OP is not doing that. But millions of riders are. I've been watching riders do it for decades.There is no way to stop them. But you could see them coming from behind without turning around, if you are smart enough. If not, it is up to someone else to keep you safe. Do you trust them totally? All of them?

People should do this, they should do that, blah blah blah. Of course they should- duh ! It does not change the reality of what really happens. The responsibilty of any overtaking vehicle is to pass safely and not hit what they are approaching always. Millions of people ignore this every day. You can't stop people you don't even know from doing it. Period.
You can control only what you do. If you use a mirror when walking where bikes are passing you can make your life easier and safer. And safer for people doing the wrong thing by passing too fast or too close.
I stopped walking the dog where there are bikes. But I did do it, and just like a bike, or a car, a rear view mirror can make things safer.
Would you drive a car in traffic without a rear view mirror? If you ride your bike in traffic without a mirror get one now. You should always know what's around you, especially in traffic. Have you walked an active dog with anything passing from behind? Like a bike that makes no noise. It's like having the stereo up, not hearing cars, driving and having no mirror, while someone in the back seat could randomly open the back door as a car goes by.

Some bikes when not coasting on a smooth surface are almost silent. Ambient noise can easily overpower the bike noise, in some places.

There is only one person you can count on to help you right now.........that's you.

littlewaywelt

absolutely ridiculous.

Pedestrians have right of way with or without a dog.
Pedestrians have no right of way obligation to know what's going on behind them.
If they have a dog on a leash it's your responsibility to come up slowly on them and use a bell or your voice so they can get the dog on the side of the path and you can pass.

Hair

No need for mirrors. This works every single time: Slow the **** down and say "I am about to pass you on your right/left".

It is the "slow the **** down" part that makes it work. Pass safely, and no one needs mirrors. Hell, consider getting off your bike and just walking by. You can do that.

Nanny state = bad. Fewer laws = good. Smarter people = probably not going to happen.

Flying Merkel

You're right. I'm seeing signs posted specifying a 6' leash. The whole problem is enforcement.


As far as the faster vehicle having the right of way, I hope none of us gets ridden down Cossack-style by an impatient horse rider. And spare us the CCW stuff. A gun is to safety as training wheels are to bike riding; usually counterproductive. In my 40+ years of cycling in all kinds of setting from inner city to rural farm country the number of dog attacks stands at zero. A policy of avoidance seems to have paid off. Not as interesting or exciting to talk about as all the brave & terrible things I'd do in a hypothetical situation, but it does have the advantage of actually working.

2manybikes

All of those things are true of course, It goes without saying. It should also be clear that who ever is right has nothing to do with anything. Millions of people do all of this wrong every day. Rights don't keep people from doing things wrong. Read the thread. Almost everything you said was "absolutely ridiculous". It's not relevant. Who's responsible, has nothing to do with a mirror being a safety improvement or not being an improvment.

BTW It's a dual responsibility both the pedestrian can not swerve in front of a bike and the bike can't go too close or too fast. Everyone is resposible for not having an accident. But it does not matter.

BTW my state has designated bike paths where the bikes have the right of way over pedestrians. Pedestrians should walk facing traffic just like the road and give way to bikes.
Many states have MUP Mulit Use Paths where things are totally different. It's different on the sidewalk, here it's legal to ride on the sidewalk. Then pedestrians have the right of way and there are all sorts of rules for bikes on the sidewalk.

Local rules do not apply to the global problems.It's different all over the world.

Having a rear view mirror when walking with traffic coming from behind is a great idea. Especially if you are distracted by walking a dog. Obviously you have not tried it.



Good point.
Apparently on the internet most people totally miss that concept as applied to everything. Everyone is concerned with who has rights.

cyclehen

I walk and ride frequently on a MUP, and am grateful for an audible warning when being passed. Locally, we generally acknowledge we've heard with "thanks". Just this weekend I was almost hit twice while on my bike by cyclists trying to pass me without warning at very high speeds while I slowed to pass a pedestrian-- and I always check behind me before passing. Sometimes line-of-sight just isn't that good. Pedestrians have right-of-way over bicyclists, and those overtaking bear the responsibility for doing whatever is necessary to pass-- on the left only-- safely. I am amazed how these simple rules (that are posted on the trail I ride) are often ignored by the cyclists who one would think should know best. If you want to ride fast and are annoyed with these simple rules, you should find a road to ride on and stay off MUPs.

cudak888 

Doesn't work. I slowed down quite a bit (on a reasonably well-traveled road, not even an MUP) recently to pass a father and his son ahead of me, pulled over as far to the left as possible to compensate for their 6 foot weaving, and politely called out "on your left." I was greeted with an explosion of vehement attitude and mostly incomprehensible profanity from both father and son. All I could make out was some form of discontent with the phrase "on your left."

Kept on my way, didn't say a word. Some folks will thank you for O.Y.L., some folks will never be satisfied. If they're not satisfied, just keep on riding.

-Kurt

RubenX 

Depends... take for example the rules of my local MUP (picture attached). Then you see a dog walker with a 14ft leash: The dog usually wont keep on the right, won't travel in a predictable way and either the dog or the leash will be an obstruction. Some dogs and owners are not very nice and owners never clean after their frikn dogs. And all that is without mentioning the IPOD.