johngwheeler

I've just started a mixture of commuting and leisure riding, much of which is on shared pedestrian/cycle paths. One thing I immediately noticed is that there are lots of pedestrians wearing headphone or who are otherwise blissfully unaware of bikes sharing the same paths.

In Australia a bell is mandatory, but the reaction to the bell is often unpredictable, particularly for larger groups who are occupying both lanes. Instead of keeping to left, to allow me to pass on the right (we drive on the left in Oz), a group of 2 or more will often go left *and* right.

Of course, those wearing headphones don't hear the bell at all, and will often stray into the right-hand lane or some other deviation to their course.

What is the best way to safely handle this behaviour without completely coming to a stop? I generally slow down a fair bit, and consider an avoidance path to avoid collision, but sometimes there is nowhere to go (e.g. Crossing a bridge).

I have had to stop completely on occasion for groups who are completely unaware of my presence despite the bell. I don't like to shout, and always thank people for moving aside.

Any suggestions? Is this something we just have to live with as the price of not having to share the road with cars?

locolobo13 

I slow and say something like, "Excuse me" "Coming thru" or "On your left". Then "Thanks" as I pass. I try to speak loudly enough to be heard but keep a polite tone. You have to watch 'em. As you said they break both directions. It's an instinctive ducking from sudden danger when they didn't realize you were there.

I just figure multi-use paths are going to be slow. But sometimes they are the best path available.

DunderXIII

Buy a AirZound

ptempel

Ride on the road? I sometimes avoid the Hudson Greenway here in Manhattan on nice days because of heavy ped, rollerblade, runner, bike, etc traffic there.

alan s 

Followed by "Get off the BIKE path."

PatrickGSR94

Yep, your choices are either slow down and deal with it, or ride on the road. At least on the road it's highly unlikely that anything will be slower than you to hinder your progress. But I'm also aware of the level of harassment that Australian motorists tend to dish out towards cyclists. All I can say is good luck!

PatrickGSR94

missed the part about SHARED path, did you? There is no paths I know of that are set aside exclusively for bicycles.

Kindaslow

Slow and give them a lot of space.

mcours2006

During busy times I'd avoid the path altogether. Unless you can't ride on the road for safety reasons the frustration of trying navigate through the crowded path is not worth it to me.

Trevtassie

I got a squeaky Dinosaur horn, sometimes they look around to see what the weird noise is...

alan s 

OMG. I hope you are joking (as I was), but in case you are not, here are two:

Abe_Froman

My reaction depends on how much of the path they're taking, and how oblivious it seems they are. If it's one person towards the edge of the path, and nobody else constricting flow, I'll keep up the speed, move to the opposite side of the path and blow past without warning.

2 people side by side, or a person with a dog, or kids etc...anyone that might be a bit more unpredictable or uses more than what a single person might use...I slow down to a speed I could stop if they did something wierd, get over as far as I can, and go past without warning, aside from maybe a 'hello/good afternoon' as I go by.

Multiple people, no way to get by without risking danger...then I slow down, and say 'excuse me', or 'on your left.'

IMO, if there is an obvious, safe path, there is no reason to announce your presence before you get there. It just causes confusion and increases the likelihood of unexpected movement.

PatrickGSR94

Pedestrians are always going to use a path even if it has bike symbols on it. Get over it. Motorists sometimes don't like us cyclists in "their" lane even though traffic lanes are for all road users. They just have to get over it.

mcours2006

I could be mistaken, but I think when the OP used the term shared path he/she meant MUP's. Yes, pedestrians should not be on bike lanes as they are part of a large road. I've encountered this a few times downtown, and yes, I've been tempted to yell for the to get off the road.

MUP's, on the other hand, pedestrians have the right of way. I'm sure I'm more of an annoyance to them than they are to me when I zip through there at 30 km/h, well above the 25 km/h posted speed limit.

PatrickGSR94

How reckless of you. People say they have a problem with e-bikes on MUP's, when really any fast rider who ignores speed limits and other path users are the real problem.

alan s 

Scratching head.

PatrickGSR94

Sorry it's too complicated for you.

FBinNY 

I simply remind myself not to judge or resent pedestrians. Like me, they simply want to enjoy the day and get wherever their going.

So the basic rules of the road apply. First come first served, and the passing vehicle is responsible for doing so safely.

Depending on the situation, I'll either announce myself as fair warning, or not, and do what's needed to pass safely. That usually means lower speeds when near or among pedestrians, and I accept it as part of the game. If a given path is generally crowded enough to be annoying, I find a less crowded place to ride.

PatrickGSR94

This, exactly.

mcours2006

Tongue in cheek, of course. I am very careful when riding on MUP's, and would only go full throttle when there are no pedestrians on there, and even then always cautious around corners.

PatrickGSR94

Very good then.

alan s 

I'm sure you are correct. However, using an air horn on a MUP is inappropriate, as is yelling at pedestrians to get off the bike path. The humor was apparently not picked up by some. The pics provided illustrate that there are in fact paths dedicated exclusively to bicycles, which was not the OP's original point, but is provided as a counterpoint to another poster's apparent lack of knowledge, feigned or not.

DunderXIII

I was kidding about the airzound btw, hence the smiley If you encounter pedestrians blocking the path on a bridge, its most effective to just shove them off the bridge.

alan s 

Also, the picture with the arrow aimed directly at a row of bollards is, in and of itself, rather humorous, do you not agree?

Explaining humorous things is tiring, and sucks the humor right out of it.

alan s 

Without the smiley face, I never would have guessed. I agree wholeheartedly with your second point.