Great Lakes - Baby strollers

Spring will soon be here, and with it a whole new crop of baby strollers and clueless walkers on the bike paths. Has anyone else had issues with this? I can't ride my bike on the sidewalk - why do people insist on pushing strollers or just wandering aimlessly in groups along a bike path? There are plenty of places to walk, but few places to ride a bike out of traffic. Is there any good way to end this problem?

Is it a bike path or a MUP?

Is there any good way to end this problem?
Beyond the obvious "don't ride on the MUP during high stroller time?"

Yes. Get on the bike path at the crack of dawn to ride. You may encounter the occassional dog walker (leashes are scarier than strollers), but the stoller count is usually nil. As are families out to ride with the kids weaving all over the path.

Riding a MUP (multi-use path, aka 'bike path') during the day when non-riders may be out to enjoy a walk is not a lot of fun for cyclists, unless the cyclist is just out to take it easy. MUPs on a busy weekend are great for recovery rides when taking it slow is needed.

The other option is to ride on the roads. A lot less strollers there.

Don't ride on the bike path much, usually only in winter and with the family.

Dogs, actually the dog owners (I am a dog owner) are the problem. Sign says leash no longer than 6 feet and pick up after your dog. AFAIK neither rule is enforced or followed very often. Spring is worst, dog sh*t from all winter on the path.

A dog gave me a concussion.

I commute on a MUP...because I basically have to. Outside fo that I have little to no use for riding on a MUP.

If you want to avoid Multi-Use traffic on a Multi-Use-Path then ride on the road.

Odds are none of your signs actually call it a "bike path".

Is there any good way to end this problem?

Well, there is the obvious "be part of the solution" and educate them. :rolleyes:

Seriously, while we tend to avoid the MUP's on the weekends, there is one section of our long ride where the traffic on the MUP on a Sunday afternoon is not as bad as the traffic on the roads. So we ride the MUP. On that section there are alot of families with small kids. Most of the parents are pretty good, but occasionally there is the squirrelly kid too far ahead of the parent. My job at that point is to slow down and educate if I expect the kid to grow up and be a responsible MUP-per.

A moderate volume (too loud and you scare 'em) "on your left" works if they're trained; if they start to weave, then you do the "steady, stay on the right side, ride straight, keep it steady" blah, blah chatter as you pass them followed by a "good job"/"keep it up" kudos when you're past. On a weekend, the MUP isn't yours, it is theirs. Expect to drop your speed and take the time to teach.

Odds are none of your signs actually call it a "bike path".

The signs on the path call it a bicycle path. Signs also give the rules for dogs. The trail is part paved, part gravel, part on roads.

be sure you give plenty of warning. i called out "on your left" once to two people taking up the center and right side of the path. The one in the middle actually stepped into the left side of the path :rolleyes: and i ended up going between them.

is a bell or squeaky horn more effective than calling out to them? what about for dogs?

People respond better to bells than they do to "On your left!"

"On your left" confuses 80% of the population into veering right into your path. If I think it's one of those 80% that I'm passing I have two options:

1) If they are steadily in the right side of the path, I'll pass without saying anything.
2) If they are weavers or potential weavers, I'll slow WAY down and let them know I'm passing and say "You're good right where you are......" and then "Thanks" as I pass.

Option 3 is the Homer Simpson "OUTTA MY WAY, JERKASS!!" method, but this should be used with caution and prudence.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/76/181613775_d8cca88eb6.jpg?v=0

Works for me! :D

The classics never go out of style, cyclpsycho.

Awesome.