My use of the bike paths is seasonal as in the winter they are kept well plowed and are very quiet as there are few cyclists, fewer meat pylons, and fewer balls of fur on string to worry about.

In the summer our cycling population explodes, the meat pylons are everywhere, and there are even more furballs to worry about... we have a serious congestion problem in some areas and one of them is the main bridge across our river.

There are ped / cycle lanes on both sides and one would think this was ideal but the meat pylons move without warning, ignore signal bells, and the biggest risk is inexperienced cyclists who don't seem to understand how to ride in these high density situations.

They pass without warning and will often do this when you are also looking to go around the aforementioned meat pylons... the only reason they overtake me is because I slow down to make sure I have passing space and have come close to taking out these other cyclists.

Oncoming cyclists don't always do this, they ride too fast and pull out to pass without any regard for oncoming cyclists or pass between meat pylons which allows little room for error.

I am safer on the road and as I like to cruise in the low 30's the path is not place for me and the vehicular traffic on the bridge is usually backed up and moving slower than this... but I am much safer in traffic than I am on the bike path.