On multi-use trails I personally believe if you're going faster than someone else it's your responsibility to figure out the passing maneuver and it's your fault if there's any collision. If I see walkers with ipods I slow to nearly their speed and pass very casually.
Exactly! I use "passing on your left" and a bell that I use to warn others from 30 yards back, then again at 10'ish. As I am passing I will let the person know how many of us in the group as some are fooled into thinking one rider, "4 of us, thank you!" I find most, even non cyclists know what the bell and verbal means but some don't. That is where you have to be smart enough to make corrections. Some riders look down between their legs when I ring the bell. Some have told me that they heard the bell and thought something had fallen off their bike. This is from a few cyclists I have encountered. So knowing even a rider can be fooled, I have to know non cyclists may be fooled as well so I take extreme caution while passing non cyclists, children, skaters, stroller, and kids!
I recently did a 71 mile ride with 3 other riders that really don't ride trails much. Many other users, 71 miles, not one accident, close call or mishap. Unfamiliar trail to me and you can bet we slowed and took extra caution around kids, strollers, skaters etc. Anyone who thinks a collision is unavoidable is foolish.
This was posted in a ride report by one of the riders on a cycling forum. One can impress other riders by using common sense, keeping the eyes open, paying attention and being a smart rider.
There are experienced riders and there are foolish riders. I love these types of comments coming from other experienced riders:
There were a lot of people on SGRT today. There were bicyclists, rollerblades, runners, dog walkers and wondering soles. So riding with this group was good because they make verbal calls, use hand signals and realize conditions forming up as you ride that can setup for a problem and adjust for it so as not let it become a problem. That is experience. And Mr. Beanz uses a bell on his bike.
Stats from the ride. You can see 30 mph max speed. Run cursor over the timing chart, lots of 19-24 mph speeds. Then the speed drops down to 2 mph at certain points. More than likely where we encountered kids and families making our way by safely knowing how unpredictable they are.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/150595312