Reodoc

Hi All, thanks for reading! I will look to keep this short.

If anyone is familiar with the Jersey Shore, you know there are many people out exercising in the AM.

I was heading north and getting up closer to Brick Twp. area. On this stretch of road there is a bike lane AND running lane that sit right next to each other. Obeying the traffic laws and general safety, you will always see each other approaching.

Anyway, two runners were spanned the width of the bike lane and running lane. I made a gesture for them to slide into their designated lane and they kept course, I slowed down, the runner in the bike lane would have hit me if I didn't swerve. In turn, I hit the curb and slid down along the pavement. I have road burn down my leg and right forearm. As many of our concerns are... the bike appeared to be okay. However, the two runners knew they knocked me over and continued to run.

Is there some sort of tension between runners and cyclists? I tend to be as courteous as possible when riding as I have more to lose being on the bike. Anyone have similar experiences?

Cheers.

baron von trail 

Sounds like you ran across a jerk. Sad to say, the world is full of them.

genec

Yup, there are a few about... and the one lesson they failed to learn in kindergarten was "to share."

The other lesson was courtesy... which some folks see as a weakness... giving way to others... is beneath them.

Chris0516

He has a secret invitation to jerkdom, has an office in the town hall that says 'village idiot', and got first prize in the competition 'a** for brains'.

TenSpeedV2

I don't think I would have moved. That is just me, and maybe that in itself is a jerk move, but if the lanes are clearly marked, and they were approaching you in your lane, then they know better. I am definitely not going to crash into a curb to avoid a runner in the bike lane.

Reodoc

I suppose you are correct and truthfully it was my first reaction to try and avoid impact. Which also makes me think, what if I didn't move and we collided? Getting hit by a bike head on cannot feel good even if I slowed down to about 12 mph. I'm not sure what his plan was. All I know is it's pretty cruel to look back at someone you clearly injured, laying clipped into his bike, on the road and not even ask if they're okay. Clear intentions there...

gear64

+1. Same if not clearly marked delineation of usage, but there's a yellow line and he's going wrong direction. Other cyclist pairs/groups abuse the yellow line here more than any other group. Expecting others to pinch far right in the right of way vs pinching themselves side by side or falling back to single line. They think they have some right to an imaginary third lane.

Chris0516

I would have moved, too. But, I would have gotten out of the bike lane, and 'taken the lane', in the regular travel lane.

howsteepisit

You would have never been on the bike lane Mr. "I always take the lane"

bhchdh 

When in this situation I have stopped and made the runners avoid the collision.

texaspandj

That's what I would have done.
Fwiw I run and cycle. I know of no fued between the two. However, since in most situations cyclist are expected to abide by vehicle laws perhaps the runner (being a pedestrian) feels he has the right of way.

Reodoc

Do you think the runners thought I should have been in the road with the cars? I've never felt that way when there is a clearly marked bike lane. The running lane is however the lane closest to cars. I felt as if they should be swapped.

Chris0516

Motorists'need to see consistency. To get an idea of what a cyclist is going to do. Taking the lane is the best way to do that. A motorist doesn't need to see ambiguity.

Jarrett2

Same here. Would have come to a complete stop in the bike lanes and waited for them to get over to go around me. Then pedal off.

bulldog1935

I've had runners intentionally step in front of me and force me to panic stop.

prathmann

What street were you on? I haven't seen any 'running lanes' on the street pavement, but there are some 'protected bike lanes' with a buffer zone between the bike lane and the regular traffic lane. I prefer to merge into the regular traffic lane when there are approaching joggers and try to do so well in advance so there isn't any confusion about who will head to which side.

Reodoc

Totally makes sense now, not that it's any more justifiable. I always see runners in that "buffer lane". I mistook it as a running lane as the "arrows" looked as if they were pointing in that direction. So, instead they were simply running in the buffer and bicycle lane lol.

TenSpeedV2

With this said, out of curiosity, do you take the lane on a road where there is a dedicated bike lane?

canklecat

I always expect this on the MUP. Most joggers/walkers are either deaf from ear plugs, or if they're in pairs they're oblivious to anyone other than themselves and their own conversation. So I always prepare to slow down and stop if necessary.

If I rode faster than my usual 12 mph average I might consider a louder bell or horn to signal from a reasonable distance. But I rarely bother with ringing my bell or even announcing "Bike passing on your left/right/middle". Either they don't hear it, or they jump out of their skin with fright because they're hypnotized by whatever's playing through their earplugs.

genec

Honestly, I think you really hit the nail on the head... it is a clearly marked lane... own it! Let the runner figure it out... maybe then they will reconcile "sharing" in their heads...

Chris0516

Yes, Even before Thomas Palermo was killed by the drunk bishop while in a bike lane(https://www.google.com/#q=thomas+palermo). I have been hit a number of times, 'hugging the curb' for whatever reason. So, I don't trust them.

baron von trail 

I probably would have stopped instead of trying to squeeze by like the op. But, I certainly would not have been happy about it. Probably would have given the guy a piece of my mind even before stopping, "Get the **** out of the way *******!" comes to mind.

genec

This is one of those rare incidents in which I might have gone a bit bonkers... even to the point of stopping a bit sideways to cut off the runner in a WTF kinda move. I mean, clearly marked lanes.... com'on.

FXjohn

not worth stopping over. I would have just swerved and missed him by inches

KD5NRH

One word; clothesline.

I mean, really, if they haven't even evolved enough to work a bicycle, why aren't they kept in some sort of safe confinement?