Occasionally I ride on paths like that as long as they don't have too many intersections (if they do, forget it - I'm taking the road). I haven't had any problems, but that's because there is no chance in hell I'd ride into any of those intersections full speed unless there is good visibility and I see no traffic around.

The bit about the truck running over the guy's head is ridiculous. What's amazing is that it seems to me (from a couple of other threads) that some people accepted it without questioning and went on to sing praises to bicycle helmets. That kind of furthers my convictions that there is a religious cult of bike helmets and that it's becoming the state religion of many countries... with prosecution of those who do not subscribe to the belief.