Sharing Trail With Walkers-Joggers

['nother]

Part of the problem with the paths (at least in my town) is that they are nearly lawless. There are posted "rules," but legally, they are nothing more than the suggestions of the Parks and Rec director. So legally, walkers can meander to their hearts content. And cyclists can weave around the meandering walkers at 35 mph. Which brings us back to vtjim's point about using common courtesy.

Not disregarding the ideals put forth by vtjim's post, but I think you're wrong about the rules/laws. Around here, anyway, Park Rangers can and will cite the cyclist if they have broken the "rules" (exceeding posted speed limits, unsafe passing, :shiver: collisions, etc.) -- with unconditional right-of-way to pedestrians, *any* problems involving the combination of a cyclist and pedestrian, are by definition the fault of the cyclist.

Nothing to do with morals, common sense, politeness, or the like. That means a pedestrian could *intentionally* step into your path of travel, causing you to strike him, and *YOU* would still be at fault.

I think the park services know this, and are unwilling to change, for the simple reason that it makes enforcement simpler. Incident involving cyclist? Cite cyclist. Next case, please . . .

[Daily Commute]

'nother, I don't doubt you are right about the path near you. In many places, laws are enforceable and enforced on bike paths. But under both Ohio and Columbus law, traffic rules apply to bikes only on roads and on paths reserved for the "exclusive use" of cyclists. And there are no laws giving cops the authority to ticket anyone for violating the bike path rules. (There are, however, enforceable general laws like open container and public indecency, so don’t ride naked while drinking a beer.)

Fortunately, I've never heard of an accident on the bike path. I've heard numerous complaints about near misses, but no actual bike-pedestrian accidents.

Of course, I could always be wrong like 'nother suggests. It would be stupid for someone in Columbus reading this to think, "I'm going to race down the busiest part of the bike path at 35 mph because some anonymous dude on the internet said it was OK."

[iceratt]

Fortunately, I've never heard of an accident on the bike path. I've heard numerous complaints about near misses, but no actual bike-pedestrian accidents.

I believe that we have pedetrian-only paths and bicycle-only paths because of a fatal accident between a biker and a walker during the 90s, when I lived in California. Not only are the paths single user, but unidirectional for the cyclists. My only complaint is that there are too many rollerbladers around our famous lakes.