Runnerinphilly

I am a runner. I run in the bike lane. I don't take up the whole lane. I don't even take up half the lane. I run as close to the curb as I can get. To the few bikers who have felt the need to yell "get out of my lane" or "get a bike" or whatever other obnoxious comment you yell when you pass by, my response to you is tough ****, get over it. I mean seriously? Are you really that self centered that you can't share the road? Last time I checked, you don't own the road. The bike lane is plenty wide enough for a biker to pass a runner safely. So what is your problem? Here is a news flash....I am not going to stop running in the bike lane, so I suggest you get over it and learn to share the road. If you can't do that then I suggest you find an alternate mode of transportation. At the very least, I hope someone teaches you some manners.

degnaw

Do you run with or against traffic? I often pass runners on shoulders or bike lanes, and I usually try to merge into traffic prior when the shoulder is narrow (this is alot easier when you run with traffic).

alhedges

If there is a sidewalk, pedestrians are required to use it. (Just like bikes are required to use bike lanes if extant). If there isn't a sidewalk, you are required to use the shoulder. If there is neither a shoulder nor a sidewalk, you can use the roadway, but are required to yield to vehicles (including bicycles).

See 75 Pa. Code Sec. 3544

AlmostTrick

Someone never learned the road user pecking order when they were a kid...

Motorist's yell at cyclist's
Cyclist's yell at joggers
Joggers yell at little old ladies in cross walks

So see. Somewhere on knitting forums.com there's probably a poor little old lady posting about you!

billdsd

I don't know where you live but in most places it is illegal for pedestrians to use the bike lane. It is in my state, California:

21966. No pedestrian shall proceed along a bicycle path or lane where there is an adjacent adequate pedestrian facility.

I run 15 miles a week -- none of it in a bike lane.No. It is not. A standard bike lane is 5 feet wide. That's not supposed to include the gutter pan but it usually does. There are also a lot of non-standard bike lanes around here; many as narrow as 3 feet. Are you running on the gutter pan? I'm over 2 feet wide and I have a little bit of wobble. Joggers tend to be about 2 feet wide and also tend to have a bit of wobble to their path. I usually ride around 20mph on a level road. Account for some safe passing distance considering that speed and there really isn't enough space.Maybe you should run on the sidewalks which are made for pedestrians. You're a pedestrian. You belong on the sidewalk. The bike lane is part of the road way. You aren't supposed to be there. In most places you are prohibited by law from being there.

You'll get more improvement in impact if you learn to land on the ball of your foot and absorb impact with your calf muscles. It's really hard on the calves when you first start doing it but it made a big difference for my knees after I got used to it and back then I was running on an asphalt multi-user path. I've also found running on grass to be rather nice.

sggoodri

Although the law does technically require runners to yield to cyclists and other drivers, I don't understand why cyclists would yell at runners. I have to ride outside the bike lane so often due to debris and junction hazards that I'd hardly notice doing it one more time to make room for a runner on the asphalt. It would seem hypocritical to me to expect motorists to treat me well while I ride outside of the bike lane for my own reasons, while I treat pedestrians poorly for traveling outside of the sidewalks.

dougmc

No, the law generally requires pedestrians to not walk or run along the bike lane (or rest of the road) if there's a sidewalk available. I can confirm that Texas also has this law. It's not something about "technically requiring runners to yield to cyclists and drivers" -- it's saying that runners don't belong there if there's a sidewalk.

To be fair, it's rarely enforced -- but the law is there.

As for cyclists yelling at runners, it's probably done for the same reason that anybody yells at somebody else -- it's an attempt to communicate.

dynodonn 

If given enough time and there's an opening in traffic, I'll move out of bike lane and go around the jogger. If I'm trapped in the bike lane by traffic and the jogger is running counterflow, I'll slow way down or stop if necessary but I'll refuse to yield, and so far, every jogger has taken the hint and moved to the sidewalk.

mikeybikes

Ironic, cyclists telling someone else that they don't belong...

It is illegal for peds/joggers to use the roadway, but I don't care. I'll go around them just like any other hazard in the road.

Digital_Cowboy

Shouldn't runners like all other pedestrians be walking/running/jogging against traffic, not with it?

Digital_Cowboy

Are you from Philly? Going by the OP's screenname one would presume that s/he is from Philly.

TheHen

Yes, I get it that joggers are supposed to stay out of the bike lanes. However, I understand why many joggers prefer to run in the bike lanes rather than our crappy sidewalks. I'm generally so pleased to see someone who is, at least temporarily, not in a cage that I couldn't imagine yelling at them. I prefer it when they jog against traffic since then they usually step aside when they see me if it is possible for them to do so and I haven't moved out of the lane yet. One of the really beautiful things about human scale modes of travel is that we can easily bend the right-of-way rules to accommodate each other without much hassle or risk. Besides, when cyclists are nice to joggers, who are mostly motorists, they may pay it back later.

Digital_Cowboy

I agree with you, around here most bike lanes are only about 1 - 2' wide. But knock on wood I haven't come across that many joggers/runners in the bike lanes. The few joggers/runners that I have come across out riding in general have all seemed to be of the "ninja" variety. Don't they realize that just as with us cyclists that it is in their best interest to wear light colored/reflective clothing as well as carrying some sort of light?

If I remember correctly, when I was growing up we were taught that if you're out walking/running after night to wear light colored and/or reflective clothing as well as to carry some sort of light so that vehicle operators can see you.

Digital_Cowboy

Agreed, if someone is running/jogging in the bike lane and there is an opening in traffic I'd be inclined to move into the traffic lane (if I wasn't already there because of debris in the bike lane), but if the bike lane is clear and I am in it I'm not going to yield to them.

The irony here is that probably a lot of those joggers/runners are also motorists and that at least some of them are of the type to yell at cyclists to "get on the sidewalk." So they're the last ones who should be yelling at a cyclist who is in the bike lane while they are out jogging/running.

Also given that as most of know that the bike lanes are usually full of some sort of debris, debris that can cause us to have a flat tire. Why the bloody hell would a jogger/runner want to run in a bike lane that could cause them to trip and fall, or to twist an ankle, or trip and fall and break a leg?!?

alhedges

No - I just looked up Penn. law based on his screen name.

unterhausen

I wouldn't yell at a pedestrian in a bike lane. See no reason for it, just as I see no reason for motorists to open their ignorant yaps. There are a lot of other cyclists that do things that I wish they wouldn't.

there is no mandatory sidepath law for cyclists in Pennsylvania

Scrockern8r

I certainly would NOT yell at you.
Thank goodness you are still here!
Without you, the world would have lost its center, and thus, have nothing to revolve around.

mustang1

I thought a more appropriate title would be "To the Runners who think they own the Bike Lane"

I don't encounter this phenomenon, but I wouldn't shout at any runners who used the lane. And I wouldn't disagree with any cyclists who did shout at the runners either.

Digital_Cowboy

Thank you for looking it up.

xenologer

I've heard joggers say that they run on the street because asphault is softer on knees than sidewalk. personally I think a bike is even better on the knees, but fine, I guess I'll buy that.

I've also heard them say the reason they jog against traffic(scary) is so they can see oncoming vehicles and safely move aside. Now I'd accept that, except in practice they sure don't seem to realize my bike is one of said vehicles.

I'd be happy to share the bike lane if joggers would quit playing 'chicken' with me.

contango 

To motorists who never learned to share as a child

I am a runner. I run in the interstate. I don't take up the whole lane. I don't even take up half the lane. I run as close to the curb as I can get. To the few motorists who have felt the need to yell "get out of my lane" or "get a car" or whatever other obnoxious comment you yell when you pass by, my response to you is tough ****, get over it. I mean seriously? Are you really that self centered that you can't share the road? Last time I checked, you don't own the road. The lane is plenty wide enough for a motorist to pass a runner safely. So what is your problem? Here is a news flash....I am not going to stop running in the interstate , so I suggest you get over it and learn to share the road. If you can't do that then I suggest you find an alternate mode of transportation. At the very least, I hope someone teaches you some manners.

degnaw

Good question. At what speed does one transition from pedestrian to vehicle? I know of many runners who can run 12-14mph over a significant distance, which is as fast as a slow cyclist.

-My only thought is, it's best to run with traffic on a shoulder/bike lane, and against traffic where neither exist.

iconicflux

Spotted this runner in Seattle...

mconlonx

Please vacation in The Netherlands and continue your practice over there.

hshearer

+1 I'm happy to see anyone out being active, and I never have a problem sharing the bike lane with runners.

But I can see why some cyclists get bent out of shape, especially if they aren't comfortable leaving the bike lane. There are roads for cars everywhere, there are sidewalks for pedestrians everywhere. We feel underserved. And then, in the rare occasion where there is a nice bike lane, it somehow gets usurped as bonus parking for cars and as a bonus sidewalk.

It's hard to share your meager portion with someone who already seems to have a lot more than you.