Crazy Runner!

[doc]

I ride at 5:15am 3 days a week. Oftentimes there is a runner walking in the bike lane against traffic, i.e. towards me and my paceline. we are usually doing at least 24mph at this juncture. There is a sidewalk in good condition immediately next to the road. The first time she was there we swung out wide not to hit her. Since then we've been holding our line a bit closer but she still won't leave the street. What is the deal? She could get seriously hurt and she can cause a 8-9 bike pile up easily. Why must she walk in the road?

[silver]

Well.......takes off bike helmet and puts on running cap......

concrete is 10% harder than asphalt and when I am running high miles...say a 20 mile long run...that increase in hardness really adds up. I've had two bone stress fractures just from running and so it's important to me.

Also, I don't like running on sidewalks because they are usually broken up and uneven and cause me to trip.

But, I don't feel that these issues would be that important to me if I was only walking. Maybe if this person was doing a run/walk program. And now that have am both a runner and cyclist I would definately step aside to allow the pace line to pass. As you said, that is a bike lane....but I think legally the pedestrian rules.

I'm sure that many people have seen me running and wondered why I wasn't on the sidewalk, so this is why.

[Eden]

As you said, that is a bike lane....but I think legally the pedestrian rules.

Depends on where you are. Our traffic laws state that if there is a sidewalk you can't legally walk down the street (and bicycle lanes are officially street).
On the side of the runners - our laws do say that if there is not a sidewalk that pedestrians are legally supposed to face traffic, so joggers should be running towards you. They should however step off of the road surface when traffic is present - sometimes of course this is not practical/possible so cut them a break.
To tell the truth I don't see large numbers of runners out on the streets here. I think we have enough long paved paths that most distance runners choose to use them rather than use roadways.

[yellow]

Maybe this person is a former SLC resident...in this city many of the bike lanes are signed as shared use for pedestrians and bicycles. I guess I'm used to it so it wouldn't surprise me. I'd say it's 50-50 on who moves first.