Rage on the Bikeway

[teigyr]

I was procrastinating and reading websites that keep me from doing productive things and came upon this. I notice similar situations on some of our trails though they don't seem as crowded. I thought it was interesting though!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...n_the_bikeway/

[meridian]

"There's a woman who walks a pet llama on a leash". How awesome! I guess it's a good thing they poop more like bunnies than horses

I can definitely see a situation like that end up causing more problems than enjoyment with all that uninhibited traffic flowing around. And cyclists using the same path as pedestrians for time trial practice, EEK!

It's great to see a path like that getting so much action, but it stinks that they aren't able to find ways to make it a little safer for the increase in usage, or the funding to make it wider.

[East Hill]

Oh my! I don't think I've ever seen anything like that on my travels, although I think that the Burke Gilman Trail is possibly that crowded. That fact that the BG runs through Seattle probably contributes to the crowding, just as the Minuteman being so close to Boston doesn't help.

I'll stick to the less travelled paths, or use the roads.

East Hill

[Eden]

"...... And cyclists using the same path and pedestrians for time trial practice, EEK!......

I'm betting that part is an exaggeration..... its the same anywhere on a shared trail. Every different group of users has perceptions about the others and all of them would prefer to have the trail to themselves. I also find it highly unlikely (unless there are pro-teams practicing out there ) that there are really all kinds of people going 30-35mph on bikes unless there's a big hill on the trail and since its a rail trail there's probably not.
Its the same as sharing a road with cars. We want to get certain behaviors from cars. On a path we are the bigger faster party, we should give those same courtesies to the pedestrians. Give the pedestrians space, don't pass dangerously (around corners - into oncoming traffic etc) and if you need to slow down for safety do so. Peds should look before they cross the trail, don't stop and stand in the way or walk so many abreast that no one can pass and expect that they will be passed (don't act all suprised - it is a multi use trail)
Personally I avoid the most crowded MUPs around here.(I never go to Green Lake or Alki and avoid the BG whenever possible) Its not usually worth the hassle.

[Crankin]

The Minuteman is in the suburbs, but a lot of people from Boston use it as a recreational place to ride. It's actually quite close to where I live and I would never go on it; I don't know why anyone riding faster than 12mph would use it because it's just too crowded. A lot of people use it to commute. As far as funding, forget it. It takes about 25 years for trails to come to fruition here, from the time they are proposed. Right now they are working on designing and building another trail that will go through 3.5 miles of Concord. People are just complaining like crazy about what will happen if it's paved, destruction of wildlife (people already mtb on the unused rr bed that it's going to be on), perverts getting on the trail and hurting kids at a nearby school,(you know all of us cyclists are weird) etc. It's unbelievable. Then, the place where it ends in Concord is right at a highway; it will take ten years (maybe more) to approve and build a tunnel that will go under the highway to connect to the section in the next town, which has already approved everything about the trail within its borders. Every town here has its fiefdom and it's kind of unbelievable that the Minuteman even got built! But I think the plans for it started in the early 70s.
Oh, and the time trial thing is NOT an exaggeration.

[gingergin]

I live on the Minuteman Trail and since I started riding last spring it is the only place I've ridden. I'm there 4-5 x a week on my hybrid and I have never had any problems - but it is all I know so I have nothing to compare it to. True - there are some aero-barred speed demons - but I usually see them more during off-hours than peak traffic times, and I actually find them quite inspiring! Lots of walkers and bladers, but you just ride with caution. It is possible to do that and still enjoy! The only thing that really bothers me is little kids whose parents are not paying attention to them. The part about the snapping turtles is true! Bunnies too! I believe that riding on such a busy MUP has made me a better rider. But now I wonder - why am I afraid to ride in street traffic?!?

[Kalidurga]

I believe that riding on such a busy MUP has made me a better rider. But now I wonder - why am I afraid to ride in street traffic?!?

You sound just like me, gingergin. I've been riding MUP's for years now and just take it for granted that there will be oblivious people that I have to maneuver around. It puzzles me to read that people feel MUP's are hazardous. I'd much rather deal with an unleashed dog or head-phoned roller-blader than with a two- or more-ton hulk of metal that could flatten me (though I am gradually getting more comfortable around those hulks of metal). The MUP's I usually ride are more rural than urban, though, so that probably makes a big difference.

I got to dodge a snake on a MUP yesterday. Have yet to see any llamas, though.

[rapid cycler]

Wow, cyclists get a pretty bum rap in this story. Nice to know how others view us, but ouch!

"There are cyclists in full-body spandex suits…"

Seriously, folks, it's the clothes that get us in trouble. Noncyclists are very, very threatened by stretchy fabrics.

Yeesh, you'd think we were pedaling around in Hot Dog on a Stick uniforms. (BTW, does anyone else look at this image and think, Hmm, could be just the upper-body work I need…?)

[7rider]

Don't inline skaters wear spandex? How about joggers and their slit-up-to-there shorts? Yeah...everyone likes to pick on the cyclists.

Back in my cyclist advocacy days, my group (part of MassBike, used to be Bicycle Coalition of Massachusetts) was working for a "Border to Boston" bike path through the north shore from the NH border through a bunch of towns along an old railroad bed, ultimately going on-road (after Danvers, I think) to hook up in Boston. I forget the specifics...it's out there somewhere...but the towns we approached abutting the trail used the Minuteman as an illustration of what they did NOT want....crowds, confrontation (and aparently, thieving cyclists breaking into houses to make off with t.v.'s and such)...and this was 10 years ago. Ultimately, they all signed on in support of the project, but funding, final approval, and the maze of everything else all conspire to move things at a slower than snail's pace. Sad...it probably would take some traffic away from the Minuteman. A victim of it's own success....the use tells you there's a need and a demand.

[Eden]

So I've always maintained that the its more probable that you'll get into an accident on a MUP than on the road..... well I've never (knock wood) been hit by a car, but today I got hit head on by another bike!! Thankfully neither one of us was going very fast. I try to avoid MUP's as much as I can, but to come across from the Humane Society (where I volunteer on Thurday mornings) back to Seattle I have to go over I-90 so a few miles of MUP are unavoidable. Coming across the East Channel Bridge, right near the west end, just as I came around the corner there was someone else, on my side of the path, looking down (I think she was trying to clip in or something). Good thing I was just coasting... I barely had time to hit my brakes and yell (swerving wouldn't have done any good, she had a friend on the right side of the path...) Landed mostly on my messenger bag so no injuries further than a little bruise on my right knee and a bigger one on my pride for wallowing around on my back like a turned over turtle - my right leg was pinned under the bike, my left arm pinned to my side by my messenger bag strap, bag pushed up under right arm so I couldn't reach much with that one.....
Poor lady, I think she was pretty embarrassed, but heck if she's more careful about staying to the right the next time, its a good lesson learned without any too terrible consequences. (and I was riding my rain bike too....)

[rapid cycler]

Glad to hear you're not much the worse for wear. And your bike?

[Eden]

I might have been a little more ruffled if I'd been on my race bike, but I was riding my Ti rain/commuter bike so no harm done.

[rapid cycler]

Whew! Our bikes can't heal themselves like we can!

[Irulan]

Time to recirculate this classic Craig'slist rant on the Minuteman...
(not for the easily offended or humor impaired)

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/bos/70245362.html

[teigyr]

Time to recirculate this classic Craig'slist rant on the Minuteman...
(not for the easily offended or humor impaired)

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/bos/70245362.html

Oh, that made me giggle