runners in bike lanes – how to handle?

Joggers may use them because the sidewalks are filled with walkers, and it becomes a slalom to them. I’d go ahead and just treat them as if you were on any of the MUTs and yell out a passing signal such as “ON YOUR LEFT!”

I actually yell “PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH” when I approach joggers/walkers on the W&OD. Hilariously, no one ever seems to notice and I get a wave and a scoot to the right every time.

I can’t find any provision stating that runners are prohibited from using bike lanes in the District. There’s a blog post on the Internet that some people cite as some sort of official source, but it’s merely one guy’s opinion. The DDOT site doesn’t say anything about the topic.

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Runners are not running for their own “entertainment”. Many run for exercise. Others run because they like it. Some people actually do run as transportation, especially in urban areas like DC and Arlington. All the same reasons why people bike.

The softer surface of the asphalt is one reason to run in the bike lane. Another more important reason is that many sidewalks are poorly maintained. They simply aren’t that level or smooth. Walking on them usually doesn’t pose problems, but running on them might. It can be hazardous to run on many sidewalks. The risk of twisting an ankle can be very high. It can also be difficult to run on crowded sidewalks. A faster runner might be moving anywhere from 7 to 11 mph.

I do think that runners should run with traffic if they are using a bike lane. And if they are running for exercise, it might be considerate to run in off-peak hours. But that may not be convenient if they only have a limited window in which to run.

The conflicts over bike lanes are similar to the issues between car drivers and cyclists in road lanes. But in the case of the bike lanes, the cyclists are the faster group. It helps to think through the situation and avoid vilifying entire groups of people.

I bike and run frequently. I get annoyed by different situations and groups, depending on whether I’m cycling or running. It helps me to realize that no group is perfect. It also makes me realize that there are a lot of inconsiderate and distracted people in all groups out there, whether it’s car drivers (texting while driving, speeding, aggression), truck drivers, runners (earphones), cyclists (speeding on the trails, passing on trails and forcing oncoming traffic to move aside), walkers (earphones, taking up entire sidewalks and even road lanes out at Hains Point), dog walkers (long leashes that cross road lanes), roller bladers or sightseers.

All the more justification as to why I play chicken with them.

Seriously, I do. They can have the W&OD, I give them right of way. The bike lanes? Not so much. Not when there’s an empty 10 foot wide sidewalk beside them.

I followed that discussion on the Capitol Hill listserv with seething anger as people described why they were entitled to run the wrong way down the street in the bike lane. My response when I’m riding has always been to play chicken with them. Especially if I am riding with some huge spotlight on my bars in the evening, I want them to think they’re going to get run down by a train.

I run on the Hill all the time and I’ve never run in the bike lane. Yes, the sidewalks are uneven, but that’s why you LOOK WHERE YOU’RE GOING. I don’t buy asphalt vs. concrete relative to injuries either. If you’re striking that hard when you run then you’re doing something wrong. Runners, strollers, etc – get out of the bike lane. In return, if there’s a bike lane don’t bike on the sidewalk. Easy as pie.

@DaveK 7010 wrote:

The difference is cyclists are supposed to ride on the road. Pedestrians are required by law to be on the sidewalk and out of the road.

so if a cyclist gets run off the road by a car on say the GW parkway near Mt Vernon that’s OK? (given that by law Cyclists are not supposed to be on the road there). and to lump runners in with Peds is the same as drivers who insist that bikes should be on the sidewalk and trails. I don’t run in the bike lanes but running someone over if they do is not the best way to promote biking. It’s the same attitude drivers have to bikes – they are too slow and don’t belong here so I’ll buzz them for fun.

Well think of it this way – how would joggers take it if bikers were in a “jogging” lane? They wouldn’t take it at all.

I agree that joggers do not belong on the bike lanes.

As pointed out earlier Pedestrians are legally bound to sidewalks and bike lanes are roads after all, since cars/bikes are allowed to cross each other’s lanes when necessary but keep to their lanes at all other times.

Cycling on multi-use trails is different. Pedestrians have the right of way there and I respect that, Just like on sidewalks of DC. But I don’t see any reason for giving way to people walking/jogging on the bike lane. Having said that would i be careful about them? yes absolutely, I don’t want to be hurt or hurt someone. That does not mean i am agree with pedestrians on bike lanes.

BTW…if cycles are not allowed on GW Parkway and a car hits you, they have every right to contest the legality of riding on the parkway and will probably win. You are the one causing the offense and endangering others. Just like pedestrians jay walking. speaking of which, would jogging in bike lanes constitute jay walking? and hence illegal?

No, there’s no such thing as a jogging lane. The point is to imagine if there were a lane devoted specifically to joggers and bikers started using it.