NotAsFat

I ALWAYS yield the path to peds, even if it means taking to the grass. My beef with the ped was that he was taking up so much of the trail that the other cyclist felt he had to go to the grass on "my" side of the trail.

The trail I was using (Tulsa Riverpark East) is simply not adequate for the traffic it carries. I'm done with it. I'm also done supporting funding for "maintenance", park "improvements", etc. Let the jungle reclaim it. I don't care anymore. I WILL be riding on the road, from now on.

solveg

Wow. This just happened to someone else and they both ended up in the hospital!

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...50#post4994350

n4zou

Only cyclists know what "on your left" means so don’t even say it to anyone else. When approaching walkers taking up the entire path I simply ease up behind them and match their speed. I enjoy their reaction when they "discover" me. Most do what happened with you. Scared and moving in all different directions. I just say, "excuse me" and move on with a big grin.
On another note I've found playing a cheap transistor radio tuned to my favorite radio station with the audio at a moderately loud level to be very effective for moving Ped's out of the way. None of them are startled and always turn to see where the radio noise is coming from. Consequently they move out of the way safely.

stapfam

I have tried everything to move walkers-joggers-and even other bikers out of the way on the Mups. The best is a bell. Carry it in your pocket and throw it at them.

Tonight I found a perfect way that works. Just about to call out to a walker that I was coming up behind him and I swallowed a Fly. Big Coughing fit and at the first cough- He jumped out of the way- and looked behind. Tried it again later on other walkers and it works. Fortunately- without swallowing a fly on the subsequent warning coughs.

Digital Gee

If you have the right voice, you can say...

This is God speaking. You can either move over or join me for a review of your life. Your choice!

stapfam

Considering the Bikini Babes you meet on your rides- I am surprised you can even think- let alone say anything to get them to move.

bobkat

Go early and I have a fairly loud "freddy" bell that I use freely calling out "passing on you left, etc." i notice a lot of fast bikers on MUP's don't have bells or any means of warning people. Maybe too nerdy or Fredlike, but until they make exclusive bike paths I'll sure have one and use it. Doesn't always work when people have their MP3's or cell phones epoxy'd to their ears, but pretty good most times.

snavebob

I remember the first time I heard someone say that before I started cycling and my first reaction was to stop and turn around instead of moving over. I like the idea of a radio. There's a guy who regularly rides a MUP here who carries a large boom box in a BOB while riding. Everyone knows he's around because you can hear him about an eigth of a mile away.

DnvrFox

Just say "passing." At least in the US of A, almost all passing is done on the left, and they automatically move right.

"On your left" requires several mental processes for someone to understand

1. Which side is left, particularly for someone dyslexic,

2. OK, I now know which side is left, but what am I supposed to do? and

3. Maybe I should move right - oops, too late, the bicycle already passed me,

and could also legitimately be thought of as a request to move left by an unknowing pedestrian or neophyte bicyclist. - That once happend to a bicyclist in front of me .

johnnyb

add what DnvrFox said. Most of ours are multi-use. Only ones I can think of are downtown on the Cherry Creek Bike Path just before you get to Confluence Park where the pedestrian path is on one side of the creek and the bike path on the other. Still you will find pedestrians on the bike side who are new to the area or simply oblivious to the clear marking on the path. In the metro area there are hundreds of miles of trails but they are clearly multi-use and state that peds have right of way and caution bikes to go slowly so you speed at your own risk. Take it on the road for personal best stuff.

BlazingPedals

OK, nobody else asked, but I will.

"we head-on with a combined speed of well over 20 mph"

Does that mean each of you were going well over 10 mph? Just exactly what constitutes high speed?

Camilo

+1

I also just yell out "PASSING" as I'm approaching because nobody either hears or understands "on your left". And like you, almost without exception, the pedestrians turn to look, figure out what they should do, and then fairly randomly, move either right or left. If there is more than one, I will bet every time that they will go to both sides and will win a majority of those bets. I therefore slow to just about their speed before I get to them, then yell, then wait until they clear the path before pedaling very cautiously past. I always say thank you.

MUPs are open to everyone and we shouldn't expect pedestrians and slow poke riders to do their thing in a regimented way. If they're out for a liesurely walk, of course they're going to be walking abreast. If they're walking their dog, of course the dog will be taking up some of the trail. Who wants to walk their dog at perfect heel all the time? If it's a family with kids, of course the kids will be all over the place - they're kids! What fun would it be for the family if the parents were constantly keeping their kids totally in line.

We have to accept this and just deal with it.

Anyone who doesn't ride at a speed that is safe to do this sort of passing on an MUP is an idiot and is asking for trouble of their own making imho.

NotAsFat

I don't know how fast he was going. Even with last second panic braking on my part, I'm pretty sure I was going about 15 mph. I don't think he was going that fast. Combined speed was probably in the mid to high 20s, but less than 30.

NotAsFat

It's not the slow poke riders that bother me. Most of them have their heads at least partially out of their @$$es. It's the idiot peds, particularly those with dogs. The dog walking peds should be at the edge of the path, and their dogs should be OFF of the path. I don't care how much leash the owner uses, as long as none of the leash blocks the path.

As far as "accepting" the state of affairs on MUPs, I don't accept it. It's not acceptable. I ride for recreation (that's fun, for those of you in Rio Linda). The style of riding you describe (which I agree is necessary on MUPs) is not fun. I'm riding elsewhere, from now on. The parks dept. can let the MUPs rot, as far as I'm concerned.

stonecrd

If you are going to ride MUPs just get use to the fact that the peds believe that paths are solely for them and don't really even think about the cyclist. Getting a bell is required (or an air horn) but even then you have be careful I have seen people move to the left, move to the right and split down the middle. I also at times think the best solution is just to go by them with no notice since the reaction will occur after you pass but that scares people and they get a bit mad about it. People need to be trained that a MUP is like riding on any road stay to the right to allow faster traffic to pass. Won't happen though

DnvrFox

It happens around here. Truly, we have regular weekday walkers that are excellently trained. And, I almost always get a "thank you" after using my bell. Weekends are a bit different, as you also get the non-regular folks out on the MUPs.

And when I walk, I greatly appreciate bicyclists letting me know of their approach. The bicycle is the original stealth weapon, and having one whiz by with no warning makes my heart rate jump up real fast.

NotAsFat

We do, too. If all our peds obeyed the "rules", there wouldn't be a problem. It's the noobs and the just plain jerks that ruin it for me. Heck, I could live with the ignorant noobs (ignorance is correctable), but the jerks can have my MUPs. They've taken the fun out of them.

BluesDawg

These kinds of stories about life on the MUPs reinforce my insistence that as we (the advocacy groups I am involved in) work for facilities like paths and trails for walkers and casual cycling, we must also push for better accomodations for cyclists on the roads with the cars.

bobkat

Good point Denver. From now on I'll just yell "passing" and a "thanks" when they move over and smile! And adjust your speed to the amount of other traffic and time of day.

deraltekluge

The path I've ridden a lot runs around a lake in a city park. There's a line painted down the middle of the path and many signs saying that wheels (bikes and skates) are to use the outer half, and go counterclockwise around the lake, and feet are to use the inner half and can go either direction. The wheel people generally follow the rules (there seems to be a correlation between following the rules and wearing helmets)...but the walkers are everywhere!

badger1

Gheeeesh! Get over it; you're right, of course, re. people walking dogs, etc. etc. etc. but WHAT do you expect on a(n) MUP???? As I said above, if you (really are) "smokin' along" and setting "personal bests" blah, blah, take it on the ROAD (as in, 'road bike', (wanabee) 'roadie', etc.).

zonatandem

Personal best accident on a MUP!?
If you want to do a personal best, get on the road!

Terex

The OP is obviously clueless.

Camilo

If you were going that fast AFTER SEEING THE PEDESTRIAN, you made a very dumb decision. You need to slow down to a safe speed when you encounter pedestrians, no matter how much you wish it weren't so.

But you've learned your lesson, so 'nuff said.

NotAsFat

Had you bothered to read my OP, or even the thread title, you would have known that I plan to do exactly that, from now on.