Walkers..
 

I've noticed a lot of people are walking in the bike lanes, not regular people walking from place to place, but individuals walking for recreation/fitness. What is up with this? They're always walking on the "wrong" side of the road, and will even walk in the bike lane when there is a sidewalk. Last weekend, I passed a guy walking on the wrong side of the road and rather than get on the sidewalk, he walked into the street so I could pass him on the right!

Also, why do they carry around huge sticks? They're walking on pavement. Maybe I'm naive, but are they that afraid of getting mugged or something? Out of shape girl, older man or woman + big stick is not going to scare off a determined mugger. It seems mace or a tazer, or anything but a big stick would be more effective.

There's a guy who walks around the neighborhood at night wearing a reflective vest and carrying a large stick with reflective tape on it! He creeps me out. I don't know. The guy just looks like he's a few cards short of a full deck. I'm sure I look strange in full kit on a bike to some, but a reflective vest on the SIDEWALK?! Maybe it just frustrates me that a person's outlook on life is so bleak that they think 1) being near the street = death by car and 2) being out in public alone REQUIRES a large stick to beat off other humans.

Are there walker Freds? Or are all walkers just Freds?

I've yet to see a jogger or a runner do any of these things, but I don't ride in areas where they're usually found.

Who cares? Let them walk. Asphalt is easier on your joints than a concrete sidewalk. Walkers are supposed to be walking against traffic, not with it. Some people like walking with sticks. It gets their arms some work and helps them if they tend to be unsteady.

By the way, lousy attempt at a trolling. Next.

Says who? True for runners too? In my area we have tons of runners and they don't seem to care which side of the road they run on.

I've been told since I was alittle kid that walking goes against traffic, and biking goes with traffic. Dunno about any real legal source... but "momma always said..."

I think the sticks are just for effect....all the poseur walkers carry them. You see the fancy cargo shorts and the pocket teeshirts a lot too.

I was genuinely looking for answers to these questions, not trolling. If I wanted to troll, I'd start a thread about helmets or carbon fiber frames cracking. Thanks for the answer regarding walking in the street. If you noticed I put the word "wrong" in quotes the first time I used it, because I am well aware of the fact that walkers/runners are supposed to walk that direction.

I really doubt anyone carries a 4-5' long stick to work out one arm at a time. People carry around small weights for that. If you need a stick to walk on paved roads for balance, you should not be walking alone. Maybe I'm crazy though. A walking stick for trails is perfectly normal.

I wonder if walkers judge each other by their gear the way cyclists do. Is carrying around a scrap piece of wood or tree limb akin to riding a beater bike? Do they sell aluminum walking sticks? Carbon fiber? Is the brand of your fanny pack important? Do fully kitted out walkers ever wave to a walker who doesn't carry a stick, fanny pack, or HRM? Are there debates raging on walking forums regarding the use of MP3 players, or even worse, helmets? Are there walking forums? Do they post pictures of their tennis shoes next to white garage doors?

I highly doubt anyone is looking at these walkers and thinking anything..that is except for you. Seriously, let it go.

Acually about.com has a walking expert section with forum and tips. They have "Top Ten Mistakes that Walkers Make"

One of the more serious mistakes is "chicken winging" that old walkers bugaboo where folks bend their arms and swing too vigorously.

To correct this..."As they come forward, your hands should not cross the center line and should come up no further than your breasts.

This arm motion will give power to your walk. Your feet generally move only as fast as your arms.

This motion lets you concentrate on power from your rear leg without wasting motion in front of your body."

That's sound advice.

Walkers walk towards traffic in so as not to get rear ended, it should be the same for runners. I just use the sidewalk when I run though.

Yep. Not the word I would have used, but sure.

I can't believe that you actually think that the primary reason they carry the sticks is for personal protection. Do you think old people with canes primarily use them for protection too?

At least your post was entertaining.:D

If you're genuinely looking for answers, why ask the question in a bike forum? Why not lurk on a walkers forum or maybe google it? Granted, there are probably a few walkers on this board, but you can probably find better answers at a more appropriate resource on the internet. Hard to believe, but bikeforums.net isn't the whole of the internet.

BTW, good troll. This post is evidence that you got me.:p

Just because he is on the sidewalk when you see him does not mean he never crosses a street.

I've seen guys walking dogs with sticks or even a golf club. The ones I've seen seem to have it for protection as they were carrying it. Now the question arises protection from what? Actually at least for a guy it can be pretty effective. Unless you look like a big score most muggers will wait for an easier target.

But the ones I see creep me out too.

Now what really gets me is I see people walking (easy walk, not race or even pace walking) in the street in front of my house, yet I often see people cycling on the sidewalk.

I asked here, because the thing that pushed my curiosity over the edge was seeing a walker walking in the bike lane despite the wide sidewalk right next to it that ran the entire length of the road. Things obstructing the bicycle lane just piss me off to no end.

I still think the sticks are for protection. I've not seen one use one for balance and I don't remember seeing walkers use them in my old neighborhood, where things seem slightly safer.

You mean there are other sites on the internet? I thought bikeforums.net, sheldonbrown.com and all of the free amateur porn sites were it!

Well, those are the important ones.:D

In Virginia and Maryland, it's required by law if they're walking or running on the road. But if there is a sidewalk the law says they have to use it. Never seen anyone ticketed for violating it.


The big walking sticks are for jamming into the front wheels of passing bikes, so be careful out there. :p

How are they holding these sticks?

And I already answered why they are in the street. Asphalt is easier on your joints than concrete.

Regarding the reflective vest on the sidewalk, I use one when I walk my dogs in the evening. Both dogs are wearing reflective collars with a blinky attached. Even so, I will have at least three drivers a week that "don't see me" in the crosswalk, at a stop sign. This is on a 30 - 40 MPH residential access road, which has sidewalks and class one bicycle lanes. Before going to the vest, I was having several close calls every night.

What's with all the threads here lately that are anti-pedestrian? I think it is great that people are out walking and exercising in various ways. I also think it is great that some of these people are wearing reflective gear so that they don't get hit by cars or bicycles.

As for the direction they are walking, according to the law in MANY places walkers (and joggers, and runners, and any pedestrians) are supposed to walk facing traffic. Cyclists are supposed to ride with traffic. If this is news to any of you, it might be a good idea to have a browse through your local laws ... some of the information might come as quite a surprise to you.
http://text.alis.gov.ab.ca/welcometo...sportation.asp

If pedestrians bother you so much, get off the sidewalks, get off the MUPs, get off the so-called bike lanes, and ride on the road. Even better, ride on roads in the country. There are very few pedestrians out there!

There are a lot of joggers out here in suburban Chicago that run against the flow of traffic on sidestreets, about 3 feet away from empty sidewalks.

Who cares. They are out exercising for gods sake. Plus, they are not in a car. I have better things to get pissy about.

That's because sidewalks are the worst place to run. It's like asking for a knee injury. Even the slope of the road is important to take care of your knees. That's why you may see runners trying to get close to the middle of the road when possible.

Around these parts, walkers have completely over-run all the MUPs on weekends. They walk 2, 3 and 4 abreast, and get all pissy if you ask them to stay to the right.

There's some phenomenon going on -- like how gays pioneer cool neighborhoods, clean them up, and then everyone else moves in -- fitness walkers must think that if it's safe for bikes and bladers, it's safe for them, or something. So they walk where the bikes ride.

Yet another thing to advance the lycra is gay stereotype. :roflmao:

The sticks are for protection from dogs.

If Xris is so curious about the walkers, how about turning around and talking to them. I doubt they'd mind the company as long as it was civil. Ask THEM why they are using a walking stick, etc. We ride bikes, we're not the ones to ask.

Oh great. It's bad enough I don't pedal correctly, now I don't even walk properly! :p

One of my hi vis reflective vests was found at Target on the discount rack. The package said it was for walking.