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Bike Path vs. Road
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 2009-06-30 5:24 AM |
 New Haven, CT |  Subject: Bike Path vs. RoadIn an area with a good system of bike paths. Only problem is that they are packed with walkers, joggers, kids, roller bladers, slow bikers, etc. I got into it a bit with a motorist who told me I should stay on the path. I explained to him that I was traveling 17+ mph and wanted to be able to maintain that and I could not do that on the path due to the above. He, not so politely, disagreed. I should say that traffic is not very heavy here either. Am I in the wrong? Should I stick to the path and just slow down? |
| 2009-06-30 5:32 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Expert  819  | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road You are right. As long as you are wearing a helmet, on the right side of the road and as far to the right as possible, and obeying all traffic signals, you have as much of a right to be there as he does. |
| 2009-06-30 5:38 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Expert 1099  Broadlands | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road I also use the roads around my area, the bike paths are there for the majority if the rides I do, but a couple of issues with them: 1. they do indeed have joggers, walkers push chairs etc using them and believing they are actually part of the path. 2. the bike paths do not get cleaned by the guys doing the roads, so all sorts of gash ends up on the paths, from nuts and bolts from vehicles, to trash some oiks have thrown and I was even close to riding over a securing strap from a large lorry, metal hook and all. 3. the bike path maintenance is terrible in some areas, the roads get well looked after, the normal paths repaired if there's any issue, but the bike paths are either forgotten or the council assume everyone using it is on a MTB and can handle the rough stuff :-) So I always use the road and here in the UK you have every right to use the public highway system. |
| 2009-06-30 7:29 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Champion 7595  Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Unless there's a local law or ordinance about not riding in the road, then of course you are permitted to ride there, as others said. The existence of the bike path is definitely going to provide (those few) drivers who hate cyclists with an excuse to be angry with you for not using it. It is unlikely that they will give in to reason at that stage, even when reasons abound. I made what I think is probably my last effort at such reasoning the other day. I was on a rural road with a narrow and very rough shoulder. I was riding about 1-2 feet from the white line (on the right, marking the shoulder), when some woman shouted at me "stay in your lane!" I caught up with her minivan at a stop light, and very calmly explained that what she was referring to was the shoulder, not a bike lane, and that it was not feasible to ride in it anyway because the pavement was torn up there. Under normal circumstances, I bet she's a very nice woman, and had the issue been something entirely different, I bet she would have said something like "Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't realize". Instead, because this involved bicycles and cars, she said "That's not my problem; stay in your lane." As the light was changing, I said, again calmly "Ma'am, it's not a bike lane; its a shoulder". She shouted "F*** YOU" and drove off. For me, this cemented a view that I had already begun to adopt, namely, that otherwise nice, reasonable, people can become totally irrational in this circumstance. (Of course, there are also some not so nice, unreasonable, people who behave this way.) I feel it is often best to just leave irrational people alone, especially when they are driving a 2-ton vehicle and I'm on an 18lb bike. |
| 2009-06-30 7:39 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Member 130 Colorado Springs | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road You are fine on the road. I also want to thank you for considering the other users on the path! |
| 2009-06-30 8:00 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
| Extreme Veteran 532 South Park, PA | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road When vehicle operators tell me to get off the road, I politely tell them that I'm riding a road bike, not a sidewalk or path bike. |
| 2009-06-30 8:05 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Are you on the Cape? Bike paths there are good in fall or spring in the summer forget it unless you are out really early. Roads are bad with lots of older bad drivers and limited or no shoulders. I love riding on the Cape anytime but the summer. You can ride on road or bike paths and it is always a questions of which is safer. Bike paths around me I don't ride in summer as it is dangerous. Kids darting around, dogs on those long leashes with owners wearing headphones and not paying attention. Some folks just don't like cyclists. I think you are right but the other guy probably thought he was. |
| 2009-06-30 8:36 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Veteran 249 Littleton, Colorado | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Unless out for an easy ride with my wife I usually avoid the bike paths around here. It's just not safe riding 20+MPH when it's fully of pets, rollerbladers, walkers, and mountain bikers. I feel much safer on the road where I don't have to slam on my brakes every 2 minutes. |
| 2009-06-30 9:08 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Master 4119 Toronto Bronze member | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Maybe I am an optimist - okay, I am - but i think some of these scenarious like the OP where you get a chance to explain actually help. although the drivers were super irrational at the time, they'll probably go home, think about it and know why some cyclists stay on the road the next time. Or they'll be venting about it to someone and they'll agree with you and make them think about their 'road hog' mentality. Just a reminder to drivers: cyclists are not on the road to make your life more difficult! |
| 2009-06-30 9:14 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
| 2009-06-30 10:19 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
| Veteran 420 | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Well, it seems as if it's a no win situation to me. One day I was on the multi-use path in my neighborhood. It was early afternoon on a week day so there were no walker/joggers. I come to an intersection where the path crosses a street. I slow as I approach the intersection because I see an SUV approaching. He has a stop sign but I continue to go slow to make sure he is, in fact, going to stop. He does stop so I continue across in front of him. Apparently he didn't appreciate that and he rolls down his window and yells, "Hey buddy, you ought to learn to obey the traffic laws!" So I stop, turn my head around and ask him which particular law he is talking about. He proceeds to turn the opposite way and while I'm standing there wondering what he thought I did wrong, he puts his arm out the window, flips me off, and drives away. I'm still not sure what that was about. So for some folks I don't think it matters whether we are on the road or on the path, they just have an issue with cyclists. |
| 2009-06-30 10:25 AM in reply to: #2252961 |
Master 4119 Toronto Bronze member | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road trinity - 2009-06-30 11:19 AM Well, it seems as if it's a no win situation to me. One day I was on the multi-use path in my neighborhood. It was early afternoon on a week day so there were no walker/joggers. I come to an intersection where the path crosses a street. I slow as I approach the intersection because I see an SUV approaching. He has a stop sign but I continue to go slow to make sure he is, in fact, going to stop. He does stop so I continue across in front of him. Apparently he didn't appreciate that and he rolls down his window and yells, "Hey buddy, you ought to learn to obey the traffic laws!" So I stop, turn my head around and ask him which particular law he is talking about. He proceeds to turn the opposite way and while I'm standing there wondering what he thought I did wrong, he puts his arm out the window, flips me off, and drives away. I'm still not sure what that was about. So for some folks I don't think it matters whether we are on the road or on the path, they just have an issue with cyclists. I would even go so far as to say they have an issue with everyone!! Honestly, these are the folks who get annoyed because the person in front of them is going too slow but when someone blows by them that's dangerous driving ... no one is right but that driver ... |
| 2009-06-30 11:12 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Extreme Veteran 3177 | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road This is a huge issue around the Seattle area and unfortunately not one that will go away soon. We have finally gotten to the point where most people (except some of the elderly who clearly think nothing has changed since they "learned" the rules of the road in 1930) know that we have a legal right to be on the road...they just don't think we belong there and those few cause no end of troubles. Granted a ton of people agree with us being there and are fine with it but a few rotten apples... Bear is right in that it does significantly help to know the laws in your area. I know for Washington I am not required to use a bike path next to a road or even required to use a bike lane on the road if I deem it as unsafe (trash, glass, doorzone, left hook danger, right turn danger etc...) I am also legally entitled to take the lane when it is not safe to ride as near to the right as is safe (our law is not worded as far to the right as is safe which is another debate point here...) We do not have any Bike paths in the area but we have a whole ton of multi-use trails where the speed limit is legally restircted to a max of 15 mph...and you often cant even go half of that without worrying about running over someones kid they are letting run back and forth across the path (though I do have to say the majority of parents around here watch their kids and make them aware of other trail users.) There are a couple of low volume trails that are the exception here where you can *ahem* safely ignore that speed limit law without any worries but those only last for a few miles at most. The road is a much better option for a workout and in fact we have a few designated bike routes that use mostly roads (Lake Washington Bike loop is one that comes to mind.) Anyway educate yourself on the laws and then use that information to back up and polite discussions you have with drivers but it sounds like you handled it well. |
| 2009-06-30 11:38 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Extreme Veteran 510 Falls Church, VA | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Here's a link to your Conn. bike laws: http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/documents/dbikes/cover_page.pdf Just about every response is gneral you should check your own state laws if you really want to know if you can be on that particular road. I'm always amazed at how many people will repond to such questions yet they have never read there own state laws concerning biking rights and reponsiblities, let alone the laws of the peoson they are replying too. I'm not sure why a previous response thought you need a helmet to ride on the road, maybe in his state but not according to Conn state law (if you're over 15).
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| 2009-06-30 11:48 AM in reply to: #2252377 |
Champion 5782 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road I'll use the paths in general where they are available, just because a mom with a stroller isn't going to overtake me and cut me off suddenly with a right turn into a driveway as a car might. There is inevitably at least one d-bag parent who lets his or her kid stray all over the path, but the simple fact is that--annoying though that might be--I have a better chance of anticipating that than some of the equally careless things drivers have done around me. And the kids weigh a lot less than a car. In LA, neither the roads nor the MUPs are great options...and I actually have a chipped tooth from a psycho who assaulted me when his wife rollerbladed right into me on a bike path and he felt like it was my fault. But most of the paths here have better surfaces than the pavement to the right on the roads and I think there's something to be said for claiming designated bike paths for bikes as much as there is to claiming the roads for bikes. |
| 2009-06-30 12:35 PM in reply to: #2252758 |
| 2009-06-30 2:08 PM in reply to: #2252377 |
Champion 8766 Evergreen, Colorado | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Sometimes bike paths are useful...but rarely do I find a bike path that runs alongside a road long enough to make it worthwhile to get on the path. The one exception is probably Colorado where the bike paths seem to be placed very nicely to allow bikes to avoid roads. If there is a bike path along the road I would probably try to use it....but I just don't see that happen often. Normally there is a SIDEWALK along the road and that isn't conducive to riding the bike on. Though I have had motorists angrily tell me I should be on the sidewalk...when I really shouldn't be. So, I think it's just a common motorist misconception that bikes should be on the sidewalk. |
| 2009-06-30 2:09 PM in reply to: #2252377 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em. I avoid bike paths like the plague and do anything in my power to stay off of them. |
| 2009-06-30 3:59 PM in reply to: #2252758 |
Expert 1207 Liberty Lake, WA | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road the bear - 2009-06-30 6:14 AM Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.
I like the Washington State bike law better:
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| 2009-06-30 7:34 PM in reply to: #2252550 |
| New Haven, CT | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road KathyG - 2009-06-30 9:05 AM Are you on the Cape? Bike paths there are good in fall or spring in the summer forget it unless you are out really early. Roads are bad with lots of older bad drivers and limited or no shoulders. I love riding on the Cape anytime but the summer. You can ride on road or bike paths and it is always a questions of which is safer. Bike paths around me I don't ride in summer as it is dangerous. Kids darting around, dogs on those long leashes with owners wearing headphones and not paying attention. Some folks just don't like cyclists. I think you are right but the other guy probably thought he was. Correct Kathy, out on Martha's Vineyard on vaca. so bike paths are quite crowded this time-a-year. The Mass. law seems to say nothing about limiting bikers to paths. http://www.massbike.org/bikelaw/mass.htm#C85S11B Tomorrow I am joining the MV cycling club for a group ride, I'll ask them what they see out here. I was very surpirsed because bikes and mopeds are all over the place and have been for years. Thanks all. |
| 2009-06-30 8:34 PM in reply to: #2252377 |
| Member 208 Williamsburg VA | Subject: RE: Bike Path vs. Road Riding bike paths at 20+ MPH is dangerous to you and every other mom, child, and jogger using the path. |
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