Pedestrian death on jogging/bike trail

I keep forgetting to post this. Last month, an elderly woman was killed when struck by a biker as she walked on a park district path in a suburb near me. The biker was an 11-year old, it seems a number of riders were in line and one veered to the left at the last minute and didn't provide enough time for the next rider to get out of the way. The woman was hit, fell and hit her head and died. It looks like the park district is making some changes to have everyone go the same way.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130714/news/707149853/

A serious biker simply shouldn't use the path or pick the right time window. I run in residential areas with several schools with no problem even during the busy morning when parents drive their kids to school, cause I typically run slow. Would I tempo around there during that time? Of cause not. I would go to the track instead.


Bikers should be banned, at least on this site. So are joggers, people who walk/pause during the races. That mean ultra runners too. But pee stops allowed.

Heehee, just stir things up.

This can be a real problem where I am all summer since it really is a pedestrian community.  Generally, the kids on bikes don't know the bike safety rules and the pedestrians don't watch for bikes.  Sad story.

That's really sad.
I've seen and had some near-misses with out-of-control bikers as well.  It's very scary.  I bike along the lake path sometimes, too, and anything can happen suddenly / unexpectedly, of course.  But some of these people fly by dangerously.  I wish there was a way to enforce safe biking.

I'm going to argue the cyclist's side, but in relation to my own area.  I'm sure it's different, but some of my complaints could still hit home in other areas.

The way our trail system is set up (American River [Bike] Trail), it's a 2-"lane" paved trail with dirt shoulders anywhere from 2" to 2' wide, generally more than wide enough for a runner.  Every so often, it's painted on the pavement that runners/joggers/walkers must stay as far left as possible, which usually means the dirt shoulder.  When I run that trail, the only time I refuse to budge off the edge of the pavement is during a tempo run.  But if it's a busy weekend and a peloton of cyclists is approaching, yes, I'll still move, even during a tempo.

Here's what I see EVERY TIME I ride that trail:

1.  Pedestrians on the "wrong" side of the trail, ie the right side.
2.  Many of them are also in the middle of my lane.
3.  Some have dogs on long or no leashes.  I've been bit while riding.
4.  Even other people on bikes (not cyclists - beach cruiser types) will spread 2-3 abreast across THE ENTIRE TRAIL.  

I won't lie, I tend to be a jerk to these people.  I will often call out "bike back," "on your left," etc., if it seems like the person is making some attempt to adhere to the (POSTED) rules of the trail.  But if not, sorry, you're getting buzzed, and you're going to be startled, and you're going to yell at me, and I'm going to yell back.  I know, it's very passive-aggressive, but really...

That said, there's apparently now a group of 3 park rangers with radar guns who have been ticketing cyclists since June.  I haven't seen them yet, but the posted speed limit IS 15mph for bikes, and I guess a number of speedsters have been nabbed.

Mike MacLellan wrote:I'm going to argue the cyclist's side, but in relation to my own area.  I'm sure it's different, but some of my complaints could still hit home in other areas.

The way our trail system is set up (American River [Bike] Trail), it's a 2-"lane" paved trail with dirt shoulders anywhere from 2" to 2' wide, generally more than wide enough for a runner.  Every so often, it's painted on the pavement that runners/joggers/walkers must stay as far left as possible, which usually means the dirt shoulder.  When I run that trail, the only time I refuse to budge off the edge of the pavement is during a tempo run.  But if it's a busy weekend and a peloton of cyclists is approaching, yes, I'll still move, even during a tempo.

Here's what I see EVERY TIME I ride that trail:

1.  Pedestrians on the "wrong" side of the trail, ie the right side.
2.  Many of them are also in the middle of my lane.
3.  Some have dogs on long or no leashes.  I've been bit while riding.
4.  Even other people on bikes (not cyclists - beach cruiser types) will spread 2-3 abreast across THE ENTIRE TRAIL.  

I won't lie, I tend to be a jerk to these people.  I will often call out "bike back," "on your left," etc., if it seems like the person is making some attempt to adhere to the (POSTED) rules of the trail.  But if not, sorry, you're getting buzzed, and you're going to be startled, and you're going to yell at me, and I'm going to yell back.  I know, it's very passive-aggressive, but really...

That said, there's apparently now a group of 3 park rangers with radar guns who have been ticketing cyclists since June.  I haven't seen them yet, but the posted speed limit IS 15mph for bikes, and I guess a number of speedsters have been nabbed.

Wow...A speed limit for bikes?!?!  I know that none of the trails that I run on have those.  Every once in a while you will get a very competitive cyclist out on a training ride fly by at 20-25 mph.  As for me, I always move over into the gravel when I pass cyclists, especially two abreast no matter if I am running an LSD or a speed run.

Don't be a dick.  Tell them all you're coming and they'll likely move (the runners anyway).  This has pissed me off even more as a runner since I started riding.  There's no excuse, especially when you're cruising along at 15-20 mph, to not let somebody know you're about to pass them.

mul21 wrote:Don't be a dick.  Tell them all you're coming and they'll likely move (the runners anyway).  This has pissed me off even more as a runner since I started riding.  There's no excuse, especially when you're cruising along at 15-20 mph, to not let somebody know you're about to pass them.

Funny thing is, with people using iPods/iPhones/etc. for music, no one hears.  I have yelled to people from ~100m, 100ft, 10ft, "BIKE BACK!" with ZERO response.

Mike MacLellan wrote:

mul21 wrote:Don't be a dick.  Tell them all you're coming and they'll likely move (the runners anyway).  This has pissed me off even more as a runner since I started riding.  There's no excuse, especially when you're cruising along at 15-20 mph, to not let somebody know you're about to pass them.

Funny thing is, with people using iPods/iPhones/etc. for music, no one hears.  I have yelled to people from ~100m, 100ft, 10ft, "BIKE BACK!" with ZERO response.

 Then that's on them and they deserve to get buzzed.  I have music on but intentionally keep it low enough so I can hear bikers coming up on me and 90% of the time they don't say a damn thing, so I sarcastically say thanks or yell "On your left" at them.