Leebo

I'm planning on pedaling on some of the RI bikepaths during my summer tour. The nice map I got from the RI DOT states, " Ride right. walkers keep left" I'm supposed to run them over? All the bike paths in MA, walkers/ slower users far right, bikers pass left of them. OK not run them over, but seem confusing to me. More reading says" Cyclists pass left, pedestrians walk on left facing the bicyclists" So, I'm guessing it will be the same setup as MA, walkers far outside but they will be looking at me. Anyone have experience pedaling with this setup?

Matariki

I've seen some MUPs that are "divided" for types of users. Pedestrians stay on one side and cyclists/skaters stay on the other. The idea is to keep pedestrians out of the "fast lane" for safety. In practice, pedestrians walk anywhere they want and cyclists get angry because "their lane" is subject to frequent infringement. The best MUPs I've ridden have no lines and everyone seems to know how to handle the mixed use.

CrankyOne

We have quite a few MUPs. As the numbers of users have increased there's been a bit of a concerted effort to tell EVERYBODY to keep right / move right. This can be uncomfortable for people walking but it does greatly reduce congestion and conflicts. People are encouraged to walk/ride two or three abreast but to be considerate of others and quickly move right to let others in either direction get by. Dogs are ALWAYS to be kept to the right of the path.

Bells have also been pushed instead of 'on your left' and this has helped. There is some debate about giving a single ding when passing someone. My personal take is if there are few users then we'll ding the few people we pass since they are less likely to be expecting us. When there are quite a few people I don't bother as it's much less necessary unless someone isn't moving right.

CrankyOne

That is not a MUP but a bikeway and a walkway. A MUP is all users sharing the same paved space (and a MUT is all users sharing the same unpaved space).

Leebo

In this case, walkers will be trying to keep left, they are facing the bikers.

FBinNY 

The walk left is a carry over from rural road thinking, whereby pedestrians are assumed to be safer facing traffic, whereby they may dive for cover if about to be hit. This thinking may be why many new cyclist feel safer riding against traffic.

While I agree that pedestrians walking facing traffic makes sense on roads, I'm not sure it has the same benefits on MUPs, though IME it often does seem easier to have those I approach facing me and seeing me at a greater distance.

For me as a cyclist, it barely matters which way a pedestrian to my right (his right if going the same way, his left if facing me), since at 3mph or so, his speed isn't a factor. OTOH- by walking left, pedestrian can see me coming and it spares us both the "on the left" and "bicycle behind you" nonsense. So it makes sense on paper, but the problem is that it's not well understood and so can create confusion.

I'm solidly agnostic on the question, probably because IME pedestrians will be walking right, left and center anyway.

If I could have any single rule followed it would be "keep your children and leashed dogs, between you and the path's nearest edge". But of course, there's no hope of that.

Chris516

Call the RI DOT about this 'discrepancy'.

skycomag

I ride all of the bikeways in r.I.
an the walker are all over the paths on the right and the left , they ignore the rules, and there been times they on both sides at the same time while I was passing. beware of dog owner many time they let the dog off lead.
when I pass I use my bell or buzzer to warn them and there been many times they won't move.
the also says walkers are suppose to walk if 2 side by side, I seen many people violate this rule many times, blocking the path.
I guess since there no way to police the rules of the path, people are going to do want they want.

just be careful and watch out for the walkers.

rgver

In my MUP experience people will be vaguely wandering and riding how the hell they want, adjust accordingly

dynodonn 

Why I avoid our local trails and MUPs, and stick to the streets and roadways. As much as I dislike riding with motorists, from my past experiences, they are far more predictable.

2manybikes

R.I. does not have MUP's. I used to get confused on Mass. MUPs.

My understanding of the neighboring states MUPs is that everyone walks rides etc on the right all the time.
Our first bikepath was built before the neighboring states had MUPs. It was modeled after the road. On the road pedestrians walk on the left facing traffic, and if it gets too crowded they can step to their left off the road. On the road bikes go the same direction as the cars on the right. The first bike path maps actually had wording something like "bikes have right of way" but I can't remember exactly. I think this caused too many bikes to be obnoxious and to go blasting around. The current bike path maps don't have this. There is a dual responsibility, bikes need to go slow around pedestrians and pass safely, and, walkers should not block bikes. When the pedestrians walk on the left they can see the bikes coming. If they walk on the right, many bikes are quiet and you can't hear them coming.

One day the bike paths in R.I. will join Mass. MUPs, and probably Conn. too. Then different rules will then join together for a big mess. You can get a state bike path map at some of the bike shops or download if from BIKE RI. There are only a few maps left, the state says they did not have enough money to print more. The largest bike club in R.I. payed for the last printing. There are still some at the bike shop on the east bay bike path in Warren.

The bottom line is that most walkers, cyclists, skaters, dog walkers, stroller walkers, etc. don't know the rules. They don't care to learn them either. Neither do the MUP users in Conn. or Mass. There are signs in R.I. on posts and painted on the ground telling the peds to walk on the left facing traffic at many of the main road crossings. No one notices them.

So just go slow around other users, give an audible warning early and pass with care. That's all you can do. The road is for higher speed or training. I've been using the paths since 1994 to start and finish many of my rides just because of where I live. The river keeps me from being able to go west directly. The East Bay Bike Path goes north and south along the water. The least traffic on the paths is during the week during the day.

Hokiedad4

Dogs can't read so the rule is effectively useless. Here the rule is bikes yield to pedestrians and horses.

2manybikes

Dog owners are required to have the dogs on a leash. The owners can read. The rule is effectively useless anyway.

Chris516

Ditto!!!

njkayaker

Err. No.

Honestly, you won't have an issue with it if you are patient, pay attention, and are courteous.

Being aware of the law is fine, but you might find that the actual pedestrians are doing something else.

Pobble.808

I recently sent away for and received a copy of the Guide to Cycling in the Ocean State map, very impressive but dated 20111-2012. Now I'm wondering if there have been any changes to the bike path system since then. Based on what I've seen on the web (RI DOT site etc) it seems like not, but then again how recent is that info?

baron von trail 

As a walker, I prefer walking on the Left. As a cyclist, I prefer walkers be on the right. Reasoning: walking on the left lets me see the cyclists approaching. Clearly an advantage. Cycling behind a walker who is doing 4mph in the same direction I am cycling is better than cycling toward a walker coming directly at me at that speed. Another clear advantage.

2manybikes

That is the last printing, the state says they ran out of money. There have been some changes. The Washington Secondary path is longer and better condition. The same for the William C. O'Neill path at the eastern end. The only changes are just that some of them are longer. Nothing you really need a map for.
Off of the East Bay Bike Path, Colt state park in Bristol, has some new paths.

If you can, Go to Martha's Vineyard island in Massachusetts and ride around the island, there is a good bike path map on the internet some where. Leave the car behind and just take the bike over on the ferry. Go on a week day to prevent huge crowds on the paths.

Pobble.808

Thanks for the updates and the suggestions. As it happens, I've already done some riding on the Vineyard (very nice indeed) and my car is 5,000 miles away, so I'm gonna take the train down from Boston and put all my chips on RI this time

Pobble.808

Update - I rode the East Bay Bike Path last week, and indeed pedestrians were mostly walking on the left, cyclists keeping right. It worked fine, very little need for "on your left!" etc. It was a weekday and I got the impression that a lot of the walkers might be regulars who understand the principle. On weekends you might get a more random selection of pedestrians (and cyclists?) who don't pay that much attention to what's going on around them.

By the way I liked the path a lot, well maintained with some nice scenery. I hope to check out some of the other paths near Providence in the future.

2manybikes

Exactly right, the weekends can be jammed with people in the nice weather.

genec

Well of course they are.... there are curbs, lines and signs that all indicate to motorists where they should be properly placed on the road... where as MUPs rarely even have lines, much less signs... and even more rare are curbs. Motorists are even guided by signs telling them that there are signs ahead (stop ahead) and by signs telling them rules they should know (Turning traffic must yield to crossing pedestrians). There are even guidance signs for motorists telling them to keep to the right of center islands...

MUPs on the other hand tend to not be marked or divided, rarely have speed limits and certainly do not tell the users things like "stop ahead," or even have stop signs. So is it any wonder that MUP users seem so "undisciplined?"

2manybikes

R.I. has bike paths, not MUP's. There are stop signs at road crossings, lane striping, signs on the ground showing lane usage for bikes and walkers, even traffic lights at major road crossings. Some places have fences and a gravel path parrallel to the bike path for horses.

It does not really matter to most people. The local motorists are so used to bikes flying through stop signs that they stop and let them go. It's the only safe way to handle it.

genec

Wow, nice paths... we have very little like that here. We have paths, but they are not as you describe. And even if they are "bike paths," people walk on them as if they are MUPs.

2manybikes

Yeah, same here,walkers and bikes all over the place, in all directions. The other day someone stopped me at a road crossing and asked for directions to the Carousel. I told them to turn around and look at the big sign behind them pointing the way! ???