Shared use paths.

[exbfb]

I'm not even sure that the path I was on earlier, is a shared use path.
Let's assume, however that it is. It's full of walkers all the time and I'm a reasonable sort of bloke.
There's room for all of us, the path's got lots of bicycles painted on it, it might be a dedicated cycle path, but I'm reasonable enought to assume the pedestrians have a right to be there, I'm a pedestrian too.

Out for my evening trundle earlier on, lots of people walking in the same direction as me. No problem, I'll slow down until you decided to break of your conversation and allow me past. No worries, it's all leisure after all.

However......

I eventually met some people coming the other way.
Mother, two teenagers and a dog.
I want to be a good citizen and stay away from the dog, which is on a leash and cause as little friction as possible.
I'll go right to the other side away from the dog, it seem to make sense. The two teenagers, being teenagers continued moshing along with the dog, three abreast whilst the mother spoke on the phone.
I saw this situation early, worked out what to do and moved decisively to one side away from the dog.

The above, all in the hope that the responsible adult would work out that her contribution to the compromise was to marshall her troops into something slighlty less than THE FULL F**ING WIDTH OF THE PATH !!

You've probably guessed by now, that this didn't happen, she just kept talking on the phone, meanwhile I'm starting to do the "where do you want me to go" gestures with my hand.
I'm really struggling to avoid being rude, or god forbid, sexist here, but the stupid 'person' completely failed to get the point here and just ploughed along with here troupe full width.

Thankfully, the two kids actually took charge of the situation here and manouvered their mother to safety, maybe they're used to this sort of nonsense when they're out with her.

As I said, all I really need is a tiny little bit of space in such a situation, how hard can it be ?

Maybe I'm wrong, and that all those bike painted on the tarmac mean "there'll be no bikes here, oh no. None of that sort of thing."

 

[davefb]

brrrring brrrrring ?

when I was commuting via an 'off road' bit, i'd meat some clowns with dogs on leads,,, maybe about 20%.... most had half a brain to just make sure fido was on the same side as them.... and yep , idiots gabbing and expecting you to bunny hop them or something...

 

[corshamjim]

I simply expect that sometimes my journey down the 300 yards or so of shared use path will take quite a while. Mercifully along most of mine, there's the option to go off on to the grass and overtake that way.

 

[Red Light]

Thankfully, the two kids actually took charge of the situation here and manouvered their mother to safety, maybe they're used to this sort of nonsense when they're out with her.

As I said, all I really need is a tiny little bit of space in such a situation, how hard can it be ?

In those sorts of situations I will just stop and stand there astride of the bike leaving it up to them as to whether they want to walk into a stationary bike or divert round it. They've never yet failed to divert. But the cycle signs on the cycle path means cyclists are allowed. It does not mean non-cyclists are not allowed so whether we like it or not they have a perfect right to be on the bike path.

 

[exbfb]

In those sorts of situations I will just stop and stand there astride of the bike leaving it up to them as to whether they want to walk into a stationary bike or divert round it. They've never yet failed to divert. But the cycle signs on the cycle path means cyclists are allowed. It does not mean non-cyclists are not allowed so whether we like it or not they have a perfect right to be on the bike path.

Which I am perfectly happy with.
It's a path after all. I think it's very very sociable to have people walking and people cycling all together and happily co existing.
It's a shame that the minute you get on a bike, some people afford you less space than had you been on foot.

 

[FreewheelingUK]

As I said, all I really need is a tiny little bit of space in such a situation, how hard can it be ?

Maybe I'm wrong, and that all those bike painted on the tarmac mean "there'll be no bikes here, oh no. None of that sort of thing."

There are just some people in this world who seem to have no awareness of their surroundings. Cycle paths can be absolute obstacle courses at times. I've had situations where I've come across a pedestrian, slowed down to a crawl, waited, rang my bell twice, proceeded to overtake, and they've stepped close to my path and was surprised to find me there! One gentleman's reaction was to shout at me and say "haven't you got a bell?". I stopped and recounted my actions to him politely. I think I did well to restrain myself from my first thought which was to yell back "haven't you got a hearing aid?".

Some pedestrians are on the lookout for bikes and will step out of the way early. Some need a little coaxing with a bell. Other people are oblivious to the world around them and nothing short of a foghorn will get them to notice your presence!. Maybe I should be grateful that they're not driving a car at the time! I think the best strategy is to go slowly and unless you've made eye contact, always assume they are likely to step out in front of you at any moment.

it might be a dedicated cycle path, but I'm reasonable enought to assume the pedestrians have a right to be there, I'm a pedestrian too.

Not only do they have a right to be there, they almost certainly have priority. IANAL but I believe this makes it very hard to prove they were at fault in the event of an accident. There are rare occasions where cycles and pedestrians have equal priority on cycle paths, but they're rare.

 

[G-Zero]

....... whilst the mother spoke on the phone.

For me, that could be the answer to the problem.

Some people can't even walk and talk and concentrate on their surroundings, never mind letting them loose on the roads alongside us

 

[blockend]

City pavements are not wide enough, generally speaking, to sustain ambling territorial groups. They bring out the same barely controlled rage in me as a pedestrian that some motorists experience behind two or three abreast cyclists.

It may be their right to promenade at 1/4mph while pausing at random points for no conceivable reason in a close formation that would embarrass The Tiller Girls but they're the equivalent of a combine harvester on a ten mile lane if you want a quick sandwich or trip to the bank.
Most of the shared use paths that come to mind are lightly populated by walkers and are de facto cycle lanes with a pedestrian option. I use them if they give respite from a dual carriageway and don't contain strollers, kids, dogs or anyone else unfamiliar with the meaning of paint.

 

[exbfb]

The patch in question is firmly in the country.
Well, semi rural on the periphery of a new town, but you get my point. It's not an urban setting.
It's not tricky at all, if you engage brain.
Clearly too much of a request for some.

 

[Red Light]

The patch in question is firmly in the country.
Well, semi rural on the periphery of a new town, but you get my point. It's not an urban setting.
It's not tricky at all, if you engage brain.
Clearly too much of a request for some.

Why should you have to engage your brain for a leisurely stroll in the countryside? I get annoyed by drivers who want to treat country lanes as race tracks and those out enjoying the countryside as an impediment to their progress. I cycle in the countryside to relax not to cycle like in town with the constant checking for other traffic and what its doing.

 

[exbfb]

Why should you have to engage your brain for a leisurely stroll in the countryside? I get annoyed by drivers who want to treat country lanes as race tracks and those out enjoying the countryside as an impediment to their progress. I cycle in the countryside to relax not to cycle like in town with the constant checking for other traffic and what its doing.

If you saw my average speed, you would soon understand I'm not a speed merchant.
I would however like to not have to completely dismount because someone was sufficiently rude to completely block the road (Maybe 4m-5m wide).

As I said, a bikes width for a few seconds is all I want, don't need any more than that.

 

[abo]

Just do what that Bristolian youtube camwarrior with the ebike does: mow them down...

 

[Cosmicned]

Shared use paths are essentially a cop out by local councils so they'll meet their 'Green' cycle quota or whatever meaningless statistical bolleaux they gerrymander... (sorry do i sound cynical...? ;-) But having no choice but to use a shared path for nearly half of my 5 mile commute, it never ceases to amaze me how some (not all) peds have zero awareness of their surroundings... despite my over 6 foot Satsuma tinted visual presence, loud coughing, polite bell dinging & the occasional "...OI!!!..." they & their dogs on 'infinite extending leads' have led to many a close call... and most annoyingly- lost momentum on a long drag uphill... (sigh)

 

[2Loose]

The situation the OP found themselves in is exactly the reason that I have a very untrendy bell still attached to my bars.

The ding ding seems to wake people up in a way that posturing or calling out does not manage.

 

[MontyVeda]

buying a bell is one of the most useful accessories I've bought... it does take the pain out of shared use paths, but not all the time. One never knows if the meandering ped is wearing a hearing aid with a low battery.

I remember a friend of a friend years ago complaining about cyclists on the cycle track (as if they shouldn't be there)... she claimed that she, her partner and two children simply couldn't enjoy the path because of the cyclists. After asking what the problem was, seeing as there's one side for peds and one for cyclists, she replied that the half for pedestrians wasn't wide enough for all four of them to walk side by side. I pointed out that it's the same width as most pavements and asked if they take up part of the road when walking 'side by side' on the pavement, and does she get equally irate when cars start beeping at them?

all I can say is she was the type who didn't like being quizzed and we haven't spoken since.