Leashes, Dogs and elderly Ladies on the Trails

[Deborajen]

For multi-use paths to work, people have to share and be respectful of others. Unfortunately, that's asking an awful lot of some people.

I use our trails regularly. Ours are labeled with signs that say "Bike Path." However, city laws, if you look them up, say that they're for use by bicycles and pedestrians, dogs are allowed, and there is a 10 mph speed limit unless otherwise designated. Our city also has a leash law, but a lot of people think it doesn't apply to them "as long as" (insert excuse here). I use the trails for bicycling, running and walking my dog. It seems pretty obvious to me that with others on the trail, you have to be mindful of their going faster or slower, etc. and work around it, and that a little courtesy (ie., sometimes stepping to the side, or completely off of the path to allow room for others) makes it more pleasant for everyone.

But there are a lot of self-centered jerks who only think about what they get out of it. "Bikes are supposed to yield to pedestrians" (so my kids and I can block the whole path), or bikes that blow past from behind without giving any warning, and runners that wear their stupid earbuds which block out all (or some) of what's going on around them (the "one-budd'ers" think it's o.k. to just shut out "some" - ).

I'd rather use the path because "sharing" the road with cars is a lot more intimidating. If only it were possible to fix stupid -

[Kernyl]

Riding on a bike path is really no different than riding on the road in the sense that you still have to be aware of your surroundings. Just like in the road, you can't assume that anyone is watching out for you, you have to watch for yourself. People's unwillingness/ignorance to "share the path" is no different than people's unwillingness/ignorance to sharing the road. The difference now is that you are the fast traffic, not the cars. That said, the bike path is no place for a cyclist to "train". Consider it a recreational ride and enjoy the scenery.