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Do walkers hate bike riders?

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Do walkers hate bike riders?

Old 06-14-09, 02:14 PM
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Do walkers hate bike riders?

After having to share a bike / walk trial with many people today I started to wonder if walkers get annoyed by us. Dragging my kids behind me I take up a considerable amount of room on the path, and I always slow down and move over as much as I can. But I did notice a few expressions that didn't come off as friendly. This held especially true for the "Dog walkers" that were forced to reel in their pooch.

Just curious if you guys have even gotten the same vibe.

Also since I am on the topic of people disliking bikers, why do so many motorist also hate the share the road? I am always respectful and move well over to give bikers room but have always noticed people going out of their way to get super close or act as ignorant as possible?

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Old 06-14-09, 02:48 PM
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Motorists hate to share probably because a combination of lack of speed and the occasional stop blower. Walkers probably don't like us because we are 'faster' than them and silent, and constitute some danger. Now, most of us are probably fine, but there are those that form a petelon and turn the MUP into their personal Alps trial. I hate them too. For some reason the MUPs tend to go near residential areas by design, so I suppose the walkers adopt them in their heads as 'theirs'. I don't stop to take a dump on the trail, or jump at another rider or walker, so i really don't know what issues they would have with a biker.
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Old 06-14-09, 02:59 PM
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The only two actual created trails that I ride (excluding my trespassing on the golf course) is the Cape La Croix trail in Cape Girardeau, MO and the Tunnel Hill Trail in Southern Illinois. I do notice your exact behaviors on the city trail in Cape, especially the dog walkers. And of course, they are taking up the full width of the trail between themselves and the pooch and yet they look at me with a look of disdain that says "you should not be allowed on here with your "vehicle".

The Tunnel Hill trail, is a much wider trail and I usually do not experience anything be the best behavior out of all the participants. Except for one time when I was coming back down the trail and met a woman who was training for some big race and she had her entourage with her, timing and taking pics and cheerleading or something. Anyway, as I approached I was told to stop and pull over to "allow" her to pass I didn't budge. I was way over on my side of a trail that is probably 10ft wide at a minimum. Man, they were creating ice cubes with their eyes as I passed by.

btw....I see you are Lake St. Louis. If you ever get a chance to get south, look me up and we can do a Tunnel Hill Trail ride. I am always looking folk to introduce to this beautiful gem.
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Old 06-14-09, 03:38 PM
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Well, I would hazard a guess and say the walkers get annoyed with cyclists because a some of us don't pay attention where we're going, stop signs, call "on yer left," etc. This thread reminded me of last year when I was teaching my youngest about "onyerleft" in one of the state parks. We were passing a couple of peds and he called it out. While calling it out we were passed by a couple of people on mountain bikes, who didn't. Basically, they passed us when we were passing peds. This was on a MUP, with lines and speed limits. They then blew off a stop sign up ahead, with heavy vehicle traffic. I'm betting if the cop who was chewing out a driver for ignoring his orders wasn't busy, he probably would've liked to have talked to them. Seriously, blow off a stop sign with a cop sitting there??

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Old 06-14-09, 03:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Aleforge
After having to share a bike / walk trial with many people today I started to wonder if walkers get annoyed by us. Dragging my kids behind me I take up a considerable amount of room on the path, and I always slow down and move over as much as I can. But I did notice a few expressions that didn't come off as friendly. This held especially true for the "Dog walkers" that were forced to reel in their pooch.

Just curious if you guys have even gotten the same vibe.

Also since I am on the topic of people disliking bikers, why do so many motorist also hate the share the road? I am always respectful and move well over to give bikers room but have always noticed people going out of their way to get super close or act as ignorant as possible?

The ones that get me are the meat pylons, this is usually either a older male or small child, who like to stand in the middle of the path, and nobody should dare to pass them, it's like they have staked a claim on that portion of the path. Of course it's usually at a point where going off the path to go around them isn't easy, like a gateway or where there are stands of trees on both sides or the middle of a bridge. Man do you get a dirty look if you pass them, even very slowly. People can be weird sometimes.
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Old 06-14-09, 03:53 PM
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Meat pylons? LOL
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Old 06-14-09, 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Wogsterca
People can be weird sometimes.
People are strange.

Yep. And then there is the soccer mom who has her little immaculate conception with her and thinks that everyone else is as infatuated as she is by how adorable he is zig zagging all over the MUP.
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Old 06-14-09, 03:57 PM
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Originally Posted by petflunky
Meat pylons? LOL
+1 for meat pylons.

I admire wogsterca's cynical views. Makes me all warm and fuzzy
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Old 06-14-09, 04:00 PM
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There is nothing "immaculate" about their conception. Unless the 2 bottles of wine make the memory a little foggy. "Precious snowflake" is the proper term (I have 2 of them).
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Old 06-14-09, 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by jboyd
If you ever get a chance to get south, look me up and we can do a Tunnel Hill Trail ride. I am always looking folk to introduce to this beautiful gem.
I just looked that trail up and it looks awesome, very scenic! How hilly is it? I would love to take you up on that offer, especially towards the end of summer / early fall once we get in a touch better shape.

I'm glad everyone else has noticed it as well, I figured I was just being over paranoid. Hehe, Meat Pylon, I ran into one of those last week, older gentleman didn't feel like moving aside... ugh. I wouldn't care if I wasn't pulling my kids but its tough with the trailer to hop off the trail usually to go around.
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Old 06-14-09, 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Aleforge
I just looked that trail up and it looks awesome, very scenic! How hilly is it? I would love to take you up on that offer, especially towards the end of summer / early fall once we get in a touch better shape.
Not hilly at all. It is a Rail Trail so the grades are very low. The 10 miles up to the tunnel from Vienna is a very slight incline, at maybe 250ft over the 10 miles, so no big deal, and the treat that you get on the return trip on the decline is the best.

Look me up. I work from home and go anytime.

Jay
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Old 06-14-09, 05:36 PM
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I know when I walk and take pictures on the espanade in Portland, I get irritated with the cyclist that don't slow down, and do buzz the walkers. People just have to remember that patience is a learned skill and not something there born with.
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Old 06-14-09, 05:44 PM
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Originally Posted by jboyd
+1 for meat pylons.

I admire wogsterca's cynical views. Makes me all warm and fuzzy
Me, cynical, your kidding, right

The problem with the MUP really, is that few users know how they are supposed to act. If your on a street, there are specific rules and regulations, that are rather specific and well known. The Martin Goodman Trail in Toronto, has large signs that provide the rules of that trail, basically the rules are to keep right except for passing, only pass when the opposite lane of the trail is clear. If you must stop, get off the trail. Cyclists seem to follow this pretty closely, joggers/runners maybe 75%, the rest can be found just about anywhere on the trail, but usually will move into the proper lane if you ring your bell. Lanes are about 1.5m wide and there is a green and blue stripe down the middle. It's about the closest you can find to a no motor vehicle highway.

Few MUPs though have posted rules, so people do not generally act in a caring and sharing manner. Rules like on the Martin Goodman would be a good start, however it means that trails would need to be wider and require lane markings.
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Old 06-14-09, 06:10 PM
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Locally it's not the pedestrians that give us trouble (the MUP is new enough that there's not a lot of pedestrians on it yet), it's the various construction and lawncare contractors that like to drive and park their mowers/trucks/bobcats/whatever on the MUP while they go about their appointed duties.

I try not to get bitter about stuff but it's irritating to have to go off-roading twice a week when it's "mowing day." The stares and offhand grumbles we've gotten as we go past raise my blood pressure.

How dare us... wanting to actually make use of the trail they are being paid to maintain.
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Old 06-14-09, 06:57 PM
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Most of the MUP's in my experience have people walking side by side. Somehow we are all supposed to wait behind them and pass on the opposite side (joggers included), or veer off into the grass and pass on the right. I don't know why they seem oblivious to the fact that they are taking up the whole path .
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Old 06-14-09, 09:05 PM
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The MUP where I ride has a line dividing it. One side is for wheels, and one side is for feet. The wheel people are all supposed to go one direction, while the feet people are allowed to go either direction. The biggest problem I have is that the feet people seem to think that the whole path is theirs.
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Old 06-14-09, 09:28 PM
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I laughed Sat, a couple was walking up the MUP, and helpfully pointing us cyclists to the right, while walking side by side and taking up most of the MUP.

I only spoke once to a dog walker who's off-leash dog jumped out in front of me, and even then only said "He's gonna get hit".
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Old 06-14-09, 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Alathea
Walkers probably don't like us because we are 'faster' than them and silent, and constitute some danger. Now, most of us are probably fine, but there are those that form a petelon and turn the MUP into their personal Alps trial. I hate them too. .
My office backs onto a riverfront MUT that runs 10 or 12 miles. I used to jog it at lunch, but now I'm more inclined to ride. Even so, when I'm king, bikes are going to be banned, except for kids. I'm just tired of jerkoff cyclists blowing past children and old ladies in walkers at 25mph, and tired of them seeing how close they can come to people who are obviously casual cyclists, just out to see the river. There are three or four bike/pedestrian crashes a year out there, and they're invariably caused by some jackass cyclist going three times as fast as traffic.
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Old 06-15-09, 05:50 AM
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Reminds me of "Petition to Remove Bicycles from Hilton Head Island's Bicycle Pathways".

The big problem is peds walking on the wrong side of the pathway, as all pathway traffic should keep to the right, and keeping single file. Both are local ordinance regarding pathway traffic on HHI.
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Old 06-15-09, 06:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Velo Dog
My office backs onto a riverfront MUP that runs 10 or 12 miles. I used to jog it at lunch, but now I'm more inclined to ride. Even so, when I'm king, bikes are going to be banned, except for kids. I'm just tired of jerkoff cyclists blowing past children and old ladies in walkers at 25mph, and tired of them seeing how close they can come to people who are obviously casual cyclists, just out to see the river. There are three or four bike/pedestrian crashes a year out there, and they're invariably caused by some jackass cyclist going three times as fast as traffic.

One of those TrialthGeeks actually killed a lady on our MUP here some years ago, so I can see your point, but it seems a bit extreme to ban bikes because of a few jerks. These guys (they always seem to be male) never call out or use a bell (added weight y'know) on the trail.
Annoying as it can be, I always slow down when approaching peds & dogs so that everyone will survive the collision if it happens.
No doubt that many folks seem wholly oblivious to the hazards of MUP walking, but I really don't want to hit any of 'em.
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Old 06-15-09, 07:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Velo Dog
My office backs onto a riverfront MUT that runs 10 or 12 miles. I used to jog it at lunch, but now I'm more inclined to ride. Even so, when I'm king, bikes are going to be banned, except for kids. I'm just tired of jerkoff cyclists blowing past children and old ladies in walkers at 25mph, and tired of them seeing how close they can come to people who are obviously casual cyclists, just out to see the river. There are three or four bike/pedestrian crashes a year out there, and they're invariably caused by some jackass cyclist going three times as fast as traffic.
Haha, yeah - a couple collisions per year, better ban cyclists from the bike path!
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Old 06-15-09, 07:21 AM
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Last year, I almost got clotheslined by some lady walking her dog. On the right side (of direction I am going) there is a retaining wall and it creates a bad blind corner as it is at the bottom of a small decline from the at grade crossing. She decided to hold the wall up while on the phone while her pooch used the sign post on the other side of the path. I saw her, didn't see Fido or the leash (black and extending kind, I hate those; how are they legal????) until she tried to yank the dog to her side of the path which didn't work. Luckily, the leash went under me.

Since that event, I try to avoid that MUP as much as I can when not commuting.
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Old 06-15-09, 07:41 AM
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The problem is that ped traffic and bike traffic don't mix any better than bikes and cars do. The local MUP's here are divided with bikes and one side and peds on the other. The problem is that they are all two trails, and neither side is wide enough to pass someone on. So everyone ignores the marked sides because it is impossible to follow them. MUP's are great for kids on bikes, leisurely riders, walkers and joggers, and that is about it. Please don't get me started on the idiot that invented the retractable dog leash. Dogs should be permantly banned from all MUP's!
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Old 06-15-09, 07:47 AM
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I have a dog, and I would never take him on a MUP. I also noticed dog crap in the middle of the pavement I had to dodge, very annoying. Plus the dog owner mentality is really disgusting. I need to find a more bike oriented place to ride with my family out here.
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Old 06-15-09, 08:24 AM
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Dog owners seem to be the worst here. They like to unleash Rover and let him run free. Usually after I tell them to leash their dogs they get Rover under control.

The trail rules are clearly posted at both trailheads and in the parking lot at the midway point. Basically you just have to keep to the right, pass on the left and keep your dog on a short leash. You don't have to belong to MENSA to understand the rules.

Bikes don't have as much right to the trail as walkers do. Everyone shows some common courtesy and obeys the rules and it works out well.

Of course that doesn't always happen.
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