Why cars misjudge a cyclist's speed

[OakLeaf]

This misjudgement of speed is also a problem on bike trails, where parents allow small children to wander across the pavement because, I assume, they figure since it's "only" a bike trail, nobody's moving very quickly. And of course, their prejudice is often confirmed because cyclists have to slow down to avoid their uncontrolled kids.

Oops, is my pet peeve showing?

Yup. Heh.

It's d*mned by the walkers if you do, d*mned by the cars if you don't, but I feel pretty strongly that the place for an adult on a road bicycle is on the road. IMO, the only safe arrangement is that multi-use trails are for children, dogs, walkers, runners, strollers and wheelchairs, with adults on bicycles welcome if they adjust their pace to the traffic around them. Children, dogs and unsteady elderly people can't safely walk in the road, and they need a place to walk.