Sorry to hear that. A nice trail is a community assett and benefits everybody. I hate to hear that a few idiots are making it dangerous.

I have one like that where i live. All the trails are limestone except for a single 3 - 4 mile stretch that is paved. Even though it is filled with kids, strollers, dogs, inline skaters and bicycles, there are a few who try threading the needle at 25mph. Last week somebody saw me loading my dropbar road bike onto my car and he yelled at me for riding it on the trail. He figured anybody with a road bike was one of the idiots.

Dog walkers are the worst IMO. I've seen walkers have a loose leash and THEY walk on one side and the dog walks all the way on the other. IF and WHEN they move I pucker up wondering if the dog will jump out at me (or something else, a bird?) when I pass and clothes line me.

I am constantly surprised at how many walkers / runners insist on walking on the left, despite signs stating keep to the right and a painted line down the middle of the trail. One time this summer this women who've I've passed many times still insisted on walking on the left, a LARGE (maybe 12) group of walkers came up past her and she stood FURTHER to the left in the grass looking aghast and pouting at everyone who was "obviously walking on the wrong side" - I passed the whole group on our left as no one was even there. I can't imagine how she thinks SHE is in the "right" (left) and EVERYONE else is wrong. Amazing.

My wife and I have seen the same thing with people walking against the traffic flow on the SRT. So one day I asked a woman why she walked on that side of the trail. She responded that she had been "bumped" one day by a biker flying don the trail. He passed her without warning her and was too close to her. So now she wants to see what is coming at her and if she needs to step off the paved portion of the trail to avoid being hit. A few years ago we saw an elderly woman in Fairmont Park who had been hit by a speeding bike rider. Broke her arm. Never stopped. We had previously seen this elderly woman every day on the trail. Always a pleasant smile and a hello. After she was hit we never saw her again on the trail.

I spent 37 years in dangerous chemical plants. Extensive twice a year safety training classes. The utter disregard for trail safety by some people amaze me. They have no idea how much injury can be caused by a stupid act on the MUP's. Or roads for that matter.

I've suspected that's the reason on the rare occasions I've seen it on my routes. Normally it's not crowded and it makes no difference to me - I go around them the same as if they were facing the other way and at I figure least they see me. If it was crowded and the other side blocked I'm not sure how that will work; I guess they'll step off the path or everyone stop but I've personally never had that happen. Except with a larger group taking up the whole path of course.

The woman walking on the "wrong" side of the MUP is using the road rules. On the road, walkers, joggers, and runners are supposed to go against vehicular traffic, not with traffic. Obviously motor vehicles will not be on the MUP and the MUP has different rules. Like Whiteknight, I can see some of her thinking, not agree with, but she may not want a bike, be leisure or faster, coming up from behind her where she can not see the cyclist approaching. Cyclists have a responsibility to share the path just as everyone else.

I ride a MUP almost daily. The good thing about this MUP is that the main loop is a one-way path and there is plenty of room on it to pass safely on the left. During the week, it's pretty empty and there is seldom any problems with other users. On the weekends, it's extremely crowded and it becomes a different story. The service roads leading to the main loop are two-way traffic and for the most part everyone respects that and stays on their side of the road. Except for the park rangers and certain service vehicles, there are no vehicles allowed on the service roads once you leave the parking area. On the weekends, it's not until the group rides get on the main loop that most of the problems start. Many of the groups don't announce themselves when passing you and don't slow down for anything or anybody. They have, and will, push people over and into one another just to maintain their pace. They have been reported on many times but other than talking to them, there isn't much the rangers can do. I have just learned to recognize who they are and what they drive and if I see several of them or their vehicles together in the parking lot, I know to stay to the right and double check when overtaking another person or rider. It's part of "Life on a MUP."

Riders alone or maybe just two generally are civil. It is when you get a whole group your get the group mentality. And yes this is especially true of younger riders. They have had very little disipline in their lives.

Yeah, I suspect people are using the "road rules" of walking against traffic, but to constantly get moved over by OTHER WALKERS let alone bikes should tell people to stay to the right.

I've gotten criticized for ringing by incredibell at people, even shouted down "Yeah, yeah I hear you, you got plenty of room", my intentions are not to get them to move over but to let them know I am passing, seems that people just zone out and don't hear a voice but the bell gets their attention. I don't know how many times I've passed people without using it - they may be on the very right edge of the trail, me to the very left edge going around with several feet of room and I frighten them, one dude actually jumped right into me. I often use it if I suspect someone approaching me doesn't see me, I've had people - riders even - who I'd swear were looking right at me either startle and weave towards me or just mindlessly pull in front of me. I swear some people just have a death wish. Regardless it's dangerous out there, MUPS or not so be careful.

I ride on the road and I find it unbelievable how many walkers/joggers I encounter walking with traffic and I'm approaching from behind. I usually say loud enough, "good morning" or "good afternoon" to let them know that I'm approaching...I even say "On your left or passing on your left" every once in a while.

Maybe she's from England.

Ohhhh...that was YOU! Sorry about that.