Cyclist Friends... An Unsolicited Tip

I know what you mean. I used to do a few tris here and there, so I rode a few times a week for many years. So I'm sympathetic. But, I live on an urban path where guys like to form up in a mini-peloton and try to go 30mph....weaving around walkers, runners, dogs, little kids, etc. They aren't doing themselves any favors. Too fast for conditions and pissing everyone else off.

I've never met any cyclists who "hate" on walkers or runners. And I don't know why they would throw a fuss about them wearing earphones, because most cyclists also wear them. What's annoying is when runners run in the bike lane and don't move for cyclists (Unless there is nowhere else for them to go - i.e. no sidewalk, etc.). I personally try to give runners and cyclists the right-of-way, and I obey any traffic laws that a car is required to.

Ole Timer wrote:

I know what you mean. I used to do a few tris here and there, so I rode a few times a week for many years. So I'm sympathetic. But, I live on an urban path where guys like to form up in a mini-peloton and try to go 30mph....weaving around walkers, runners, dogs, little kids, etc. They aren't doing themselves any favors. Too fast for conditions and pissing everyone else off.

I get your beef, but that is not even what I am saying. I mean, I get the whole trying-to-train thing. I am talking about the overt attacks on pedestrians coming from the vocal cycling "lobby." I have seen two editorials from pro-cycling groups (as in, groups that want more legislative changes in favor of cyclists) that have attacked pedestrians.

I am just not sure what they are trying to accomplish with this. I think more bike-friendly laws would be a GOOD thing. I want more bike lanes and harsher penalties for drivers who disregard cyclists' rights, but I don't think they are going to get these things by attacking runners and walkers.

To your point - which is a good one - they also need to be respectful when training (and so do we).

nark wrote:

I've never met any cyclists who "hate" on walkers or runners. And I don't know why they would throw a fuss about them wearing earphones, because most cyclists also wear them. What's annoying is when runners run in the bike lane and don't move for cyclists (Unless there is nowhere else for them to go - i.e. no sidewalk, etc.). I personally try to give runners and cyclists the right-of-way, and I obey any traffic laws that a car is required to.

Let me go find some of the editorials that I am talking about. Most of the other stuff is comprised of tweets and facebook posts which I obviously won't/cannot share. I guess I have just noticed a change in tone over the past few months and it seemed like an odd shift.

Funny. I've noticed the same thing. Cyclists around here (an older nice neighborhood with direct access to several really great parks) run stop signs, yell at runners/pedestrians, ride waaaay too fast on the paths. I've been hit on the trails by mountain bikers going too fast. I've almost been hit on several occasions by bikers running stop signs. A new pedestrian bridge opened up across a river near here and sure enough they had to threaten to ban cyclists from it because they were riding across in big packs at full speed, yelling at children and families out enjoying the bridge.

I complain to a cycling friend of mine about this and his response was now you know how it feels to ride a bike on the road. Great. Cars make life miserable for cyclists. Cyclists make life miserable for cars. Now cyclists are making life miserable for pedestrians.

Former so-so bike racer here...don't ride much anymore, no time. 45 min I can do a decent run, riding just too time intensive...

Anyway. I get really irked by bikers that use paved trails to do their riding. If you are riding more than 10-15 mph, you belong on a road, sorry. Most real riders know this, its usually hacks that are blazing down the paved footpath at 20 mph.

OP, you need to understand these are not real cyclists. Real cyclists don't ride places where pedestrians are an issue. What you are talking about are posers who ride bikes.

It's like someone who doesn't know jack about running thinking someone who runs 3 miles 3 times a week is a legitimate runner.

You're right. When I've been hit on the trails its always the overweight middle-aged guy. I see plenty of fast guys doing easy rides on the trails and they're great. But they're just riding the trails on easy days and not out to prove anything.

It's a food chain thing....drivers yell at cyclists because they can get away and cyclist yell at pedestrians because they can get away. pedestrians don't have anyone to yell at.

knockknock wrote:

pedestrians don't have anyone to yell at.

Well... runners yell at fatties.

You're generalizing cyclists- just like some people put runners and hobby joggers into the same category. There's a huge difference between the two. Hell there's a big difference between intermediate cyclists and elite's.

I bike between 120-140 miles a week and you are totally correct. Cyclist have no business on paths. It's dangerous and makes no sense. Stick to the roads.

Many people walking, running, riding with earbuds and being oblivious to those around them are a real problem and that problem is much worse when there are velocity differences between users of the road/trail/path. Since those that are going slower are without visual clues, that typically means that runners and walkers create the most problems on multi-use trails.

cylist real madrid wrote:

OP, you need to understand these are not real cyclists. Real cyclists don't ride places where pedestrians are an issue. What you are talking about are posers who ride bikes.

It's like someone who doesn't know jack about running thinking someone who runs 3 miles 3 times a week is a legitimate runner.

This. When I think "cyclist" I think competitive to serious elite cyclist. 99% of those guys have mad respect for people and the laws of the road, because for some it is there job to present cycling as a professional sport. We used to throw down on riders who ran lights/stop-signs during group rides. Not only does that make you more likely to get hurt, but you can hurt others too.

I'd like to see the examples from cycling lobbyists... it doesn't make sense that they would act that way.

Runners should be shamed for wearing earbuds. Runners get hit by bikes often and it's 100% the runners fault. They are coming up behind so fast, yelling out and thinking that the runner is just going to continue going straight. Next thing they know the runner makes a sudden movement into the bike path(unkonwingly).

Some lady got killed in dallas because she was wearing earbuds and didn't hear the cyclist coming up behind her.

I run on a trail and know to jump off when I hear the first thing that sounds like a bike. They are always very curteous letting me know how many other bikes are coming behind them.

Ear buds just don't have a place on paths/trails, especially well trafficked one, regardless of the user. Period. It creates a dangerous situation for everyone involved by hindering communication that is necessary to keep ALL users safe on paths/trails. It's becoming an increasing problem out here in Boulder on our trails.

For my hill runs, I would run on this narrow, mountain single-track trail that was always relatively crowded. Tons of people would run or hike with their earbuds in (usually loud enough for me to hear from 5+ ft away)... and they'd get scared when I went running past. Some people would get pissed off at me because I scared them... if they weren't wearing their stupid earbuds they wouldn't have been scared! They scare themselves.

I regularly both run and bike on a path that is well trafficked by locals. I have seen irritating and unsafe actions by both bikers and pedestrians.

There have been a few recent deaths on these trails by bikers who fell and hit their heads, two who didn't have helmets on (stupid), so careless actions can have terrible consequences. Other posters mentioned bikers who don't want to ride at a safe speed or even bother stopping at the roadways (do they really think they have the right of way even though they have the stop sign?) Back a few years ago my kid was learning to drive and some biking fool comes flying out into the road from the trail and my kid had to break hard to avoid hitting the idiot. These trails are not for high speed training, find a country road. Also, I have had to yell at bikers when running who ride within inches of me with no warning even though I was on the far right to my side of the trail. Bikers often don't realize that you often can't hear them approaching from behind even when the pedestrian is not wearing headphones.

Pedestrians also need to be aware that they don't have a right to walk two or three across, esp if they are encroaching on to the left of the path. They often are so deep in their conversations that they are not paying attention to their surroundings. Last week I had to stop and walk my bike off to the side of the trail to get around a group of walkers even after I announced I was coming up behind a group of seniors (rang my bike bell twice too). Good thing I wasn't flying and coming around a curve. I'm sorry, but put your hearing aids in people!

Cyclists are a royal pain on paved paths, a menace and a danger and many of them are very obnoxious about it. These paths are made for runners, walkers, and cyclists. They all need to share the paths. The cyclists can ride in many, many places relatively safely, so they need to share the rare paths that runners have to actually go hard.