s/o Cyclists in Rock Creek Park vs Pedestrians

[Anonymous]

I'm not a crazy bicyclist (nor am I fast), but 3 year olds on bikes with training wheels are the worst on the bike trails. They just aren't safe. I saw a collision two weeks ago with a toddler that ran into the wrong side of the W&OD. The toddler wasn't hit, but the bicyclist was injured as he skidded off into a tree. And the toddler's mom couldn't do anything because there was a baby strapped to the back of her bike too. Gah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a cyclist, and also a walker.

1. All people should stay on the right side of any trail while moving, unless they are passing. Darting across the trail is dangerous - and users who cannot be trusted not to should not be on the trail. Walking on grass is probably the best option in that case.

2. That said, there is no obligation on the part of pedestrians (or slow cyclists) to stay to the far right - when I am passing someone, it is MY obligation to cross to the left side of the trail to pass (just like passing a bike, when I am driving) If there is no room to do so because of oncoming trail users, or if a blind curve makes that dangerous, it is my obligation to not pass. Even if that means I must slow to walking speed. If you are a cyclist and cannot deal with slowing to walking speed on such occasions, you need to avoid such locations. That, BTW, is one reason riding on streets is and must be legal even where there are parallel trails.


3. I call "on your left" at cyclists and runners. Pedestrians I assume may not know what it means, so I usually ring my bell, or call "passing on your left" or "bike passing" or, if I am riding slowly, "excuse me" just as I would if I were walking and passing them. I try to say thank you after passing.

+1,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a crazy bicyclist (nor am I fast), but 3 year olds on bikes with training wheels are the worst on the bike trails. They just aren't safe. I saw a collision two weeks ago with a toddler that ran into the wrong side of the W&OD. The toddler wasn't hit, but the bicyclist was injured as he skidded off into a tree. And the toddler's mom couldn't do anything because there was a baby strapped to the back of her bike too. Gah.

Small children with training wheels do wobble all over the place, but with a bike you can always get off and walk it. There's no excuse for hitting a kid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a crazy bicyclist (nor am I fast), but 3 year olds on bikes with training wheels are the worst on the bike trails. They just aren't safe. I saw a collision two weeks ago with a toddler that ran into the wrong side of the W&OD. The toddler wasn't hit, but the bicyclist was injured as he skidded off into a tree. And the toddler's mom couldn't do anything because there was a baby strapped to the back of her bike too. Gah.

Small children with training wheels do wobble all over the place, but with a bike you can always get off and walk it. There's no excuse for hitting a kid!

The cyclist mentioned by the PP did not hit the kid. The swerved off the trail and hit a tree.

I should not have to slow to walking speed, let alone dismount, when there is room to pass on the left side of the trail. If you cannot keep your 3YO on the correct side of the trail (that is part of learning to ride) then you need to find somewhere else to teach them to bike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a crazy bicyclist (nor am I fast), but 3 year olds on bikes with training wheels are the worst on the bike trails. They just aren't safe. I saw a collision two weeks ago with a toddler that ran into the wrong side of the W&OD. The toddler wasn't hit, but the bicyclist was injured as he skidded off into a tree. And the toddler's mom couldn't do anything because there was a baby strapped to the back of her bike too. Gah.

Small children with training wheels do wobble all over the place, but with a bike you can always get off and walk it. There's no excuse for hitting a kid!

The cyclist mentioned by the PP did not hit the kid. The swerved off the trail and hit a tree.

I should not have to slow to walking speed, let alone dismount, when there is room to pass on the left side of the trail. If you cannot keep your 3YO on the correct side of the trail (that is part of learning to ride) then you need to find somewhere else to teach them to bike.

Yes - it is a process for the 3 YO to learn these things. And they can't learn unless they try. You on the other hand have learned to slow down and proceed with caution around pedestrians and children. If you're so wrapped up in your own universe that you can't be bothered to occasionally slow down and proceed with caution, then maybe a multi-use trail isn't the place for you. Clearly the parent with the 3 YO should be vigilant, but accidents happen. If you're on a multi-use trail, generally speaking, pedestrians have the right-of-way and bicyclists should be extra cautious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I faced this situation when DS was 3. It's pretty clear that the safest place for your kid -- and, incidentally, the most civil decision for other trail users --- is the grassy area that is 6 steps away from the trail. The flat grassy area that abuts the entirety of the asphalt trail around Peirce Mill. Ask yourself: why does little Asher need to be stepping on asphalt rather than the flat, even ground next to it? He doesn't. If anything, the "off-road" path is more interesting to a child that age.

That is, if the 3 yr old is walking. If, rather, the 3 year old is on some sort of "bike" or something like this http://www.skuut.com , then you really need to be on the sidewalk/alley near your house. Not on a mixed use trail where the posted speed limit is 15 mph. You know this, or you ought to know it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a crazy bicyclist (nor am I fast), but 3 year olds on bikes with training wheels are the worst on the bike trails. They just aren't safe. I saw a collision two weeks ago with a toddler that ran into the wrong side of the W&OD. The toddler wasn't hit, but the bicyclist was injured as he skidded off into a tree. And the toddler's mom couldn't do anything because there was a baby strapped to the back of her bike too. Gah.

Small children with training wheels do wobble all over the place, but with a bike you can always get off and walk it. There's no excuse for hitting a kid!

The cyclist mentioned by the PP did not hit the kid. The swerved off the trail and hit a tree.

I should not have to slow to walking speed, let alone dismount, when there is room to pass on the left side of the trail. If you cannot keep your 3YO on the correct side of the trail (that is part of learning to ride) then you need to find somewhere else to teach them to bike.

Yes - it is a process for the 3 YO to learn these things. And they can't learn unless they try. You on the other hand have learned to slow down and proceed with caution around pedestrians and children. If you're so wrapped up in your own universe that you can't be bothered to occasionally slow down and proceed with caution, then maybe a multi-use trail isn't the place for you. Clearly the parent with the 3 YO should be vigilant, but accidents happen. If you're on a multi-use trail, generally speaking, pedestrians have the right-of-way and bicyclists should be extra cautious.

Sorry, but that's what neighborhood sidewalks and cul de sacs were made for. Long trails like W&OD are for longer rides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes - it is a process for the 3 YO to learn these things. And they can't learn unless they try. You on the other hand have learned to slow down and proceed with caution around pedestrians and children. If you're so wrapped up in your own universe that you can't be bothered to occasionally slow down and proceed with caution, then maybe a multi-use trail isn't the place for you. Clearly the parent with the 3 YO should be vigilant, but accidents happen. If you're on a multi-use trail, generally speaking, pedestrians have the right-of-way and bicyclists should be extra cautious.

Yes, it's a process. First a child learns to ride a tricycle on the sidewalk. Then the child learns to ride a balance bike or bike with training wheels on the sidewalk. Then the child learns to ride a regular bike on the sidewalk or on a street with very little car traffic. Then the child practices riding a bike on more streets with little car traffic, or on uncrowded trails. Then the child practices riding a bike on streets with more car traffic or on trails with more people. A three-year-old who is just learning to ride a bicycle does not belong on a trail with a lot of people. It's dangerous for the three-year-old, and it's ineffective too.

[Anonymous]

I've found that saying "on your side" is much better than "on your left. " The person being passed can tell which side you are on by your location (unless they are wearing ear buds, in which case they can't complain about not hearing a warning).

I too found that by saying "on your left" made most folks jump IN MY WAY instead of out of it, or keeping calm (which is usually the best course).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a crazy bicyclist (nor am I fast), but 3 year olds on bikes with training wheels are the worst on the bike trails. They just aren't safe. I saw a collision two weeks ago with a toddler that ran into the wrong side of the W&OD. The toddler wasn't hit, but the bicyclist was injured as he skidded off into a tree. And the toddler's mom couldn't do anything because there was a baby strapped to the back of her bike too. Gah.

Small children with training wheels do wobble all over the place, but with a bike you can always get off and walk it. There's no excuse for hitting a kid!

The cyclist mentioned by the PP did not hit the kid. The swerved off the trail and hit a tree.

I should not have to slow to walking speed, let alone dismount, when there is room to pass on the left side of the trail. If you cannot keep your 3YO on the correct side of the trail (that is part of learning to ride) then you need to find somewhere else to teach them to bike.

Yes - it is a process for the 3 YO to learn these things. And they can't learn unless they try. You on the other hand have learned to slow down and proceed with caution around pedestrians and children. If you're so wrapped up in your own universe that you can't be bothered to occasionally slow down and proceed with caution, then maybe a multi-use trail isn't the place for you. Clearly the parent with the 3 YO should be vigilant, but accidents happen. If you're on a multi-use trail, generally speaking, pedestrians have the right-of-way and bicyclists should be extra cautious.

Sorry, but that's what neighborhood sidewalks and cul de sacs were made for. Long trails like W&OD are for longer rides.

11:42 again - I don't recall seeing signs on any trails like W&OD that they're just for longer rides or that little kids learning to ride aren't allowed. Sure, parents of such kids need to be vigilant, but these are multi-use trails open to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

11:42 again - I don't recall seeing signs on any trails like W&OD that they're just for longer rides or that little kids learning to ride aren't allowed. Sure, parents of such kids need to be vigilant, but these are multi-use trails open to everyone.

Yes, and I-95 is open to everyone (all drivers, that is), but I'm still not going to take my sixteen-year-old out on I-95 the first time she gets behind the driver's wheel.

[Anonymous]

Trails are for everyone and there is no priority for the spandex speed crowd. If you have to stop and wait to pass a slower group, well, tough shit. Ride on the road if you don't like slowing down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trails are for everyone and there is no priority for the spandex speed crowd. If you have to stop and wait to pass a slower group, well, tough shit. Ride on the road if you don't like slowing down.

Roads are for everyone and there is no priority for the people who want to drive faster. If you have to stop and wait to pass a slower driver (or somebody on a bicycle!!!!), well, tough shit. Drive on the speedway if you don't feel like slowing down.

(Somehow I never hear anybody saying this except bicycle/transit/pedestrian activists.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

11:42 again - I don't recall seeing signs on any trails like W&OD that they're just for longer rides or that little kids learning to ride aren't allowed. Sure, parents of such kids need to be vigilant, but these are multi-use trails open to everyone.

Yes, and I-95 is open to everyone (all drivers, that is), but I'm still not going to take my sixteen-year-old out on I-95 the first time she gets behind the driver's wheel.

But at some point, while she's still learning, you're going to take her out there.

But let's not conflate learning to drive on a freeway with a little kid out with his/her parents on a multi-use trail. If you can't understand "open to everyone" and can't be bothered to be cautious around pedestrians and kids, then find someplace else to ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

11:42 again - I don't recall seeing signs on any trails like W&OD that they're just for longer rides or that little kids learning to ride aren't allowed. Sure, parents of such kids need to be vigilant, but these are multi-use trails open to everyone.

Yes, and I-95 is open to everyone (all drivers, that is), but I'm still not going to take my sixteen-year-old out on I-95 the first time she gets behind the driver's wheel.

But at some point, while she's still learning, you're going to take her out there.

But let's not conflate learning to drive on a freeway with a little kid out with his/her parents on a multi-use trail. If you can't understand "open to everyone" and can't be bothered to be cautious around pedestrians and kids, then find someplace else to ride.

Yes, when she's ready to learn to drive on the interstate, I will take her to the interstate to learn to drive on the interstate.

And yes, everyone (drivers, people on bicycles) should slow down and be cautious around other road/trail users (slower drivers, people on bicycles, pedestrians).