Around here there are bike paths and there are bike paths. It depends what the users expect. One of the paths is the main bike path to get from my end of town in to the centre, 10-15 miles with almost no intersections (I love this one ) Some pedestrians use part of it, but mostly this is the cyclists domain and you can safely ride fast here. People are used to a lot of cyclists and do actually check before crossing.

Another one is more chopped up and uses partly sidewalks, crosses quite a few roads and passes a lot of bus stops. There are a lot of pedestrians here, especially getting on or off the bus, and you just have to ride slower. People do not expect cyclists because cyclists don't use it that much.

On a broad bike path I'll swing way over and give peds as much room as I possibly can, but I won't necessarily slow down that much. My point is to demonstrate that bikes need this path too, and there is room for both of us. But this is commuting, and people on their way to work or school, not out smelling the flowers.