I've seen the end result of more than one cyclist take out the back window and trash all the body panels on the back of a car... A 160lb cyclist time trialing at full gas, head down, will do that kind of damage...
What do you guys think of people who jog in bike lanes?
- Thread starter burtonator
- Start date
I used to do that, but when I was walking on the same path that I usually bike on, I realized how surprising and unsettling it would be for a cyclist to squeeze by me there at high speed. Like when you pass someone, you know what you're doing and that you're not going to hit them, but for that person they get a real shock everytime. Now I slow right down. Still no bell though.
recently got a bit of a telling off for not having a bell to ring when passing a walker on a path used for cyclists and pedestrians thought my fulcrum 7s were loud enough for anyone to hear ,i always slow down to a crawl when encountering anyone especialy if theres children .... spose it s a good idea to have a bell when u think about it /img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon14.gif
That's why I stay on the roads; just too much damn traffic on the paths. But it sounds like you did everything right, how 'bout them Lance wannabes that scream down them paths...That's just asking for an accident.
I just have to mention that is is not, however, the recommendation on multi-use paths where you ARE the traffic. This is a huge pet-peeve of mine. It's so dangerous to run/walk against traffic in that situation especially since so many of these paths have blind curves that regular streets don't have. All you are doing are lessening the time that a bike has to react to you because you are moving TOWARDS them. Traveling against traffic on a path is not like running or walking against traffic on the sidewalk or the shoulder. It would actually be equivalent to running towards cars in their own lanes and you wouldn't do that would you?
I just have to mention that is is not, however, the recommendation on multi-use paths where you ARE the traffic. This is a huge pet-peeve of mine. It's so dangerous to run/walk against traffic in that situation especially since so many of these paths have blind curves that regular streets don't have. All you are doing are lessening the time that a bike has to react to you because you are moving TOWARDS them. Traveling against traffic on a path is not like running or walking against traffic on the sidewalk or the shoulder. It would actually be equivalent to running towards cars in their own lanes and you wouldn't do that would you?
I agree with you on this, but how can it be avoided? We're talking about a narrow path as a cyclist you will see joggers and others going in all directions. There's just no way, without law enforcement, to get everyone in the mindset of using these paths with road-like rules. It's basically a free-for-all, despite there being certain rules established, such as speed limits... How many cyclists break that "law".
That's why I stay away from those paths; I feel safer in the road. And I never donate money to these organizations, such as the east coast greenway...because it's just not a viable transportation route.
Yes, it is a free-for-all but if everyone would move in the correct direction on the correct side of the path, then it's just down to a matter of courtesy. As a fast moving cyclist, we should realize that passing too close and too fast is rude and dangerous. We should realize that these types of paths cannot be treated like the open road, but with some courtesy, can be traveled relatively quickly in order to get to the open road we can be sprinting on. I've been buzzed as a walker and as a follow cyclist and while I don't like it, I also realize that if I hold my line, I will not be hit. As a cyclist, I've never come close to hitting anyone who was holding their line and moving away from me. So when I walk on these types of paths, I stay to the right, hold my line, and only an idiot should hit me.
I guess I'm an idealist that way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by burtonator .
I'm both a runner and a cyclist... and I HATE people that run in the bike lane. ESPECIALLY when there's a whole dedicated path for you to run on.
AAAAGH!! I'm with ya!!! I FARKIN HATE PEOPLE JOGGING on the road; bike lane or not!!!!!!!!!! It's one of my pet peeves; easily in my top ten.
As if it ain't it bloody hard enough for me trying not to get hit by a cars while I'm riding, hugging the few inches on the side of the road; the last thing I need is to have to start swerving around unpredictable joggers who have no legal right to be there
Firstly, I'm in Melbourne, Australia, which, for those who don't know, is a reasonably densely built-up metropolis, with a smidge under 4 million people. We have no snow, almost all of our roads are sealed, and we have a jazillion bazillion miles of footpaths ("sidewalk", for the Yanks) which are perfectly good for running on. I used to jog almost every day before my knee stopped me about 15 years ago, so I'm not 'anti-jogger'.
Secondly, having read some of the posts on this thread, I'm not sure if a 'bike lane' is the same thing in the U.S. as it is here; it seems as though some of you are talking about what we refer to as 'bike paths', which are off the road. Below is a pic of a typical bike lane in Oz, which is obviously a designated section on the road, meant ONLY for bikes; not cars, parked cars, rollerbladers. skateboarders, pedestrians or JOGGERS!!
It's illegal here for joggers to be on 'non-country' roads, because they are essentially pedestrians on the bloody road. So, they're not allowed to be there, which is 'case closed', as far as I'm concerned. What I'm talking about here are people jogging on reasonably busy, suburban and inner-city roads, so it's really farkin dangerous. As I suggested, there's no reason for them to be on the side of the road (bike lane or not), because we've got great 'sidewalks' to run on. If they really need the slightly smoother asphalt, they can do it on quiet side streets.
That's not all: the joggers I see on the road don't always go the 'correct way' (against traffic), so they don't always see me coming to get out of my way. Also, they also sometimes do it at night, on dimley-lit roads, obviously wearing no lights or nothin'! I've actually nearly hit a couple of them.
I reckon they jog on the road, mostly just to pose! One of the main roads I see them on is one that runs along Melbourne's bayside beaches, so there are a lot of beach-goers to flex their pecs in front of. Wankers.
No joke, it pisses me off so much that I've been snapping photos of them to send to the local coppers.
Would any of you seriously consider jogging on this bike lane, next to the "lots of" cars, when there's a perfectly good sidewalk over to the left?
This is the scenario I'm facing.
Originally Posted by burtonator .
I'm both a runner and a cyclist... and I HATE people that run in the bike lane. ESPECIALLY when there's a whole dedicated path for you to run on.
AAAAGH!! I'm with ya!!! I FARKIN HATE PEOPLE JOGGING on the road; bike lane or not!!!!!!!!!! It's one of my pet peeves; easily in my top ten.
As if it ain't it bloody hard enough for me trying not to get hit by a cars while I'm riding, hugging the few inches on the side of the road; the last thing I need is to have to start swerving around unpredictable joggers who have no legal right to be thereFirstly, I'm in Melbourne, Australia, which, for those who don't know, is a reasonably densely built-up metropolis, with a smidge under 4 million people. We have no snow, almost all of our roads are sealed, and we have a jazillion bazillion miles of footpaths ("sidewalk", for the Yanks) which are perfectly good for running on. I used to jog almost every day before my knee stopped me about 15 years ago, so I'm not 'anti-jogger'.
Secondly, having read some of the posts on this thread, I'm not sure if a 'bike lane' is the same thing in the U.S. as it is here; it seems as though some of you are talking about what we refer to as 'bike paths', which are off the road. Below is a pic of a typical bike lane in Oz, which is obviously a designated section on the road, meant ONLY for bikes; not cars, parked cars, rollerbladers. skateboarders, pedestrians or JOGGERS!!
It's illegal here for joggers to be on 'non-country' roads, because they are essentially pedestrians on the bloody road. So, they're not allowed to be there, which is 'case closed', as far as I'm concerned. What I'm talking about here are people jogging on reasonably busy, suburban and inner-city roads, so it's really farkin dangerous. As I suggested, there's no reason for them to be on the side of the road (bike lane or not), because we've got great 'sidewalks' to run on. If they really need the slightly smoother asphalt, they can do it on quiet side streets.
That's not all: the joggers I see on the road don't always go the 'correct way' (against traffic), so they don't always see me coming to get out of my way. Also, they also sometimes do it at night, on dimley-lit roads, obviously wearing no lights or nothin'! I've actually nearly hit a couple of them.
I reckon they jog on the road, mostly just to pose! One of the main roads I see them on is one that runs along Melbourne's bayside beaches, so there are a lot of beach-goers to flex their pecs in front of. Wankers.
No joke, it pisses me off so much that I've been snapping photos of them to send to the local coppers.
Would any of you seriously consider jogging on this bike lane, next to the "lots of" cars, when there's a perfectly good sidewalk over to the left?
This is the scenario I'm facing.
I think there should be a law that allows cyclists to tazer runners that hog bike lanes... Not the full on police strength tazer - a half power version you can zap them on the back of the knees with.
My trusty SKS full sized frame pump used to be used as a "dog kosh" back in England - maybe an alternate use may be found if I ever see Seb Coe out for a jog.
My trusty SKS full sized frame pump used to be used as a "dog kosh" back in England - maybe an alternate use may be found if I ever see Seb Coe out for a jog.
Ok - so my wife is a jogger and I bike. Here in WA, there is an abundance of bike lanes as well as converted/dedicated walking/running/biking trails that are paved (Sammamish River Trail, Burke Gilman trail runs for over 26 uninterrupted miles from East Lake Washington to Seattle). These trails have a set of rules - pass on the left after announcing or using a bell. Walk on the right. Check behind you before U-turns. Etc. For the most part, it works.
Back in Maryland my wife ended up with stress fractures as a result of there being no dedicated running/walking routes. Running in general causes incredible stress - but couple that with having to run down curbs, on badly maintained sidewalks, etc.
So, I guess what I am saying is run a mile in their shoes. (I wouldn't really do this - running sucks, but that's just me). Just let them know ("passing on your left") your approaching/passing them and you'll find that most will move over when they can.
Back in Maryland my wife ended up with stress fractures as a result of there being no dedicated running/walking routes. Running in general causes incredible stress - but couple that with having to run down curbs, on badly maintained sidewalks, etc.
So, I guess what I am saying is run a mile in their shoes. (I wouldn't really do this - running sucks, but that's just me). Just let them know ("passing on your left") your approaching/passing them and you'll find that most will move over when they can.
The only time I am bothered by this is when there is a perfectly good sidewalk to use. Now I do understand that sometimes, if it's a beautiful day, there may be lots of "traffic" on the sidewalk (casual walkers, parents with strollers, etc.) and in that case I understand wanting to run in the bike lane. But we have very few bike lanes and where we do, the auto traffic is pretty high. Sometimes I feel extremely vulnerable in the bike lane. Having to pass by going into the car lanes can be a harrowing experience. If people had some sense, this is not a big deal.
I don't run any more (it's been a long, long time, and I don't know if my knees could take it now), but I would run in the road over a sidewalk any day. Sidewalks have too many changes in height--either curbs or ramps at intersections, not to mention it puts you closer to yards where there could be other obstructions (kids, their toys, dogs, etc.). Those changes in height suck--it's easy to turn an ankle or over-extend a knee, it just messes with your stride.
Jason
Jason
I agree with you except for the fact that in this day and age, I NEVER see a runner that doesn't have headphones in. fortunately here in NYC runners don't run on the streets, they pretty much make it a point to go to central park to run but even within the park there is a running lane and a bikeing lane as well as the actual road for cars. some hours cars are banned from the park so the cyclists take over the car lanes but I never understand why runners insist on running in th ebike lane. The issue of sidewalk being bad on your joints is irrellevent because both lanes are on paved streets.
When i see people running in the bike lane in central park, I make it a point to buzz them as close as possible. When i see them running in the street, throughout the city, not as big of a deal. I'm not a runner but I'm a personal trainer and I know that concrete sidewalks are BRUTAL to run on. there is a noticeable difference between running on a paved asphalt street and poured concrete sidewalks.
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