collision with a jogger on the MUP
 

So on my ride home last night om chicago's lakefront path I collided with a jogger who turned and ran right into my path without looking right as I was trying to pass him. I gave a "passing on your left" warning, but that was lost on him, as with 99% of jogers on the path, because he was listening to music with earphones. I whacked him pretty hard, but it was a glancing blow thanks to my quick reaction. I was thrown from my bike, but fortunately we were both mostly ok and the bike appears to unscathed as well. the fact that i fell with the bike, instead of trying to brace for the fall, along with falling into a snow bank on the side of the trail, probably saved me from more serious bruises or sprains.

I bet he never again tries to turn around on the trail without looking first. Idiot. If my reflexes hadn't have been faster, I would have hit him straight on and he'd probably be in a world of pain right now. why do so many joggers assume that they can make abrupt u-turns across a multi-use path without looking over their shoulder first? you would NEVER witness such behavior on a road with automobile traffic, but on the lakefront path i see it ALL the freaking time.

A while back a jogger was killed here in Dallas when she did the same thing. Terrible that it happened. Now everyone on the trails is looking before turning and all the bikers are "on you lefting", good thing. I'd bet it'll go back to no one looking or on your lefting in a few months, bad thing.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...156702d91.html

So he was in front of you? Then I'd view it as your fault.

A bright helmet light is a good way to get their attention from behind. Sometimes, though, it just happens without warning. I was drafting someone earlier this year, and the same thing happened to the rider in front. The ped ended up forcing the bike into the embankment, and I rolled by unscathed. I've found that a runner looking at their watch is a sure sign they are about to make a u-turn.

I use my AirZound with joggers for just this reason. they don't hear a bell or "on your left" when they have headphones

An epidemic of MUP obliviots is why I ride on the road.

Horsepucky. If you give ample warning that you're passing, and while you're in mid pass some oblivious headphone zombie decides to pull a no-look u-turn right into you, it's not your fault.

I totally disagree. I view it like a ski slope. The people below you have the right-of-way. On the MUP, then, people in front have the right-of-way over those behind. Yes, joggers (and everyone else) should be cautious at all times, but as you freely admit, warnings are useless when joggers are wearing headphones. Joggers often wear headphones, there's no law against it, so you should be careful and aware of that fact.

I'm not saying the jogger wasn't an idiot, but if I had to allocate blame, it would go to the cyclist (or at least 90% to the cyclist).

My aunt did the same thing (abrupt U-Turn without checking) in her car, another car T-boned her, totaling both.
She was the at-fault party.

So long as OP wasn't going full speed while passing, I'd say the same would apply here. Most mups require cyclists to slow prior to passing to avoid incidents like this.

Really... even if the jogger turned within inches of the cyclist?

The same situation also applies to pedestrians that step in front of motorists... if you step in front of a motorist while giving the motorist no time to react, the motorist is not at fault for hitting you... according to CA law (and common sense).

And of course the same thing also applies to cyclists making sudden movements in front of motorists... Don't do it... check for traffic, signal your intentions, and then make your move safely.

Not trying to instigate things... but by similar analogy,
On a 2 way 2 lane road (one lane each way), if I make U turn while on bike listening to music on headphone (no law against it)... and get hit by car that was behind me... it is the car's fault?
There must be some laws around this things other than what we think are the right answers...

PS) Genec seems to have gotten my answer while I was posting this... Thank you :)

Seriously?

The road next to one of my local MUPs is Freeway... Take a look at the photo below... can you ride 70MPH?

There are no other through roads. You drive, you take the freeway, you bike, you take the path.

I don't think the car analogy makes sense here. Again, I think the ski slope is a better analogy.

But if you're going to use that analogy, keep in mind that the car behind had moved into the opposite lane because he was passing you. So if the hypothetical biker makes a u-turn and sees that the opposite lane is clear, then he should be fine. He's not fine, here, b/c the car/rider behind him had switched lanes on a pass.

It's clear that Joggers should wear helmets then. Jogging seems to be very dangerous.

And bright lime colored clothing and they should have headlights and reflectors and be required to signal before turning... and what about license plates... we can't forget the license plates.

:innocent:

I'd say you have the percent backwards. 90% to jogger, and 10% to the cyclist for not being psychic (For shame, by the way. ;) ). If I randomly u-turned in the middle of the street and got nailed by a car, I would accept complete responsibility for being a moron. The accident was almost completely the joggers fault. Headphones and a blind u-turn? He's lucking Dan reacted so quickly to his idiocy.

Edit: genec, your post cracked me up. :p

:roflmao2:

utter nonsense. i gave warning that i was passing him and i was in the opposing traffic lane when he made an abrupt, sharp 90 degree turn right into my bicycle. the fact that he apologized about a dozen times for not looking first before he turned made it pretty obvious that he was the party at fault.

as for not using MUPs. i would like to ride exclusively in the street, but the lakefront path saves me so much damn time (when i'm not colliding with idiot joggers ;) ). my commute is 15 miles each way, and if i did it all on street, i'd have to ride all the way from downtown chicago to downtown evanston along clark street, which has about 100 traffic lights over the course of that distance. it's all urban and congested THE WHOLE WAY. the 8 miles of uninterrupted lakefront path where i can cruise without traffic lights shaves a whole boatload of time of my ride.

+8.9

Why the heck did he do this? I agree it's almost entirely the jogger's fault.
I think the ski slope analogy fails, because on a ski slope, you don't have a reasonable expectation that people will continue in a straight line.

I agree wih this, they should attach a mirror too!

Legally I don't think either party in this case could make a good claim against the other.

From a safety point of view, the proper thing to do is assume all trail users are just waiting to do the most stupid thing possible at the worst possible time, and plan your counter move in advance.

Aren't pedestrians supposed to be facing oncoming traffic? That's what I was taught in my youth.

now unless you didnt have a light & it was dark and they checked and saw nothing coming, then id say your to blame but i dont think this is the case.

just glad you, your bike, and they are alright. hopefully this will teach them a worthwhile lesson.