Hikers who REFUSE to move over even a little bit

[Occasional rider]

Tried to post this yesterday but it has disappeared, so trying again…I’m sure it has been covered many times, but I’m new here and just wanted to relate my experience.

I’m 58 and I’ve just started riding my bike again after a gap of several years. I have been riding a bike since I was a little kid. I rode to school when it was weird to do that. I rode for fun/exercise on weekends. I had a Motobecane that I loved despite the friction shifters. I tried to have them changed out for click-stop shifters but no one could figure out how to do that so I gave it to Bikes for Africa (they probably stripped the gears out entirely) and bought a Trek, which I love. I was really happy to get back on a bike.

However, it has taken me a while to get comfortable riding – in part because I have lousy balance and I’m finding it hard to make tight turns and in part because of other bikers and the overcrowded hiker/biker trials. I am scared to ride on roads unless we go way out of MoCo and out into the countryside, so that means using the hiker/biker trails.

This weekend, we decided to ride up the towpath to Great Falls. That means riding on the Capital Crescent trail for about two miles to the nearest access point. I don’t usually ride on the CCT because it is too crowded. Generally, if I’m on the CCT, it is because I’m taking a walk.

So near the Dalecarlia overpass bridge, I come up to two men going in my direction. I’m doing all the right things – going about 8 mph, wearing a helmet, ringing my bell and calling out loudly if I’m not sure the pedestrian has heard me. When I walk, if someone rings a bell or otherwise warns me, I raise my left hand in acknowledgment, take my next step or two to the right if I’m not already on the far right-hand edge of the pavement. I say thanks as the person goes by.

Well, so I ring my bell to warn these two guys. No indication that they heard me. They are two abreast and taking up the whole lane. And of course, there are two people coming the other way, also taking up their whole lane. It appears we are all going to be at the same place at the same time. Of course. Isn’t that always how it happens? So I ring my bell again. No sign they’ve heard me. So I called out.

I get an angry response – THE RULES SAY THEY ARE ALLOWED TO WALK TWO ABREAST. I SHOULD SLOW DOWN.

I guess they meant I should stop entirely, as slowing down wouldn’t have done any good – I was going only 8 mph at that point and slowing down wouldn’t have increased the passing room.

So things escalated and I said something nasty. Then I felt bad about that so I went back to apologize. After I apologized, I got a nasty, angry lecture. Again about these rules. And they shouldn’t have to jump aside for every biker. I said no one had to jump aside. Just take a step or two to the right. There’s enough room to walk two abreast without taking up the entire lane. More nastiness from this rules guy, so I retracted my apology and rode away.

Fortunately, everyone else I encountered that day was nice. Clearly he was the one bad apple.

But then I got home and got to wondering – are there actually rules for the CCT or other hiker-biker trails? I couldn’t find anything except this: http://www.cctrail.org/CCT_Safety.htm

Guidelines from a nongovernmental organization.

Now, it really doesn’t matter if there are rules because (a) I happen to agree that two abreast is reasonable and (b) the rules, if they exist, are the minimum standard. There’s also being considerate to other people, which in my opinion, is even more important. I do lots of things I don’t have to do (no rule says I have to) because it is a considerate thing to do. There is no rule against being considerate!

And these rules – wherever they may be – do they require the two people to walk all the way to the left of their lane? Do they prohibit walkers from moving slightly to the right as they take their next step or two?

Of course not.

I”m not sure there is a solution to this problem, well, not a legal/non-violent solution! except to stop riding my bike around here altogether.

Topic

[jnva]

I’m all for being safe. I just hate when I am being safe and someone accuses me of not and then zooms off. We never walk more than two across there’s not enough room. And as for the FOWOD rules, pedestrians always have the right of way, and should walk single file in high traffic. Who’s causing this traffic???

I’m at the point where it’s just too stressful to worry about annoying someone, and to ride on the road commuting to work. It’s a shame that people just can’t be nice.

[mstone]

@Occasional rider 66920 wrote:

There is nothing about going into the oncoming lane in order to pass someone on your side of the trail. Just give them an “arms-length” distance. Whose arm? If the lane is wide enough to give that much distance, then it is ok to stay in your own lane?

I’ll be damned, you’re right, it is possible to pass in-lane at arms-length. Thanks for encouraging me to try it out.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3861[/ATTACH]

[jabberwocky]

@Occasional rider 66939 wrote:

Occasional rider/OP responding: I hear you. I really do. But from what everyone else is saying, based on these “rules” – you shouldn’t be walking more than two-abreast, so if you have spouse + kids, and are more than two abreast, some of you should be moving over. No?

Pretty much all MUPs have a striped dividing line. As far as I’m concerned, as long as they are staying in their lane, pedestrians (and cyclists for that matter) can ride as many abreast as they can fit between center line and shoulder. If they are over the center line, they need to change and get over. People wishing to pass can and should use the oncoming lane, when safe and clear.

@Occasional rider 66939 wrote:

I vote for being considerate and using common sense.

I agree, but I don’t think there is anything inconsiderate about pedestrians using the lane they are entitled to use. They have no legal or moral obligation to walk on the very edge so cyclists will have an easier time passing them.

[lordofthemark]

I may be thinking about this differently because I do some of my biking, and most of my local trail walking on the Cross County Trail in Fairfax, large parts of which are not paved. That means there often is no clear center line, and often the entire trail width is not very rideable due to rocks, tree roots, ruts, etc. And OTOH the side of the trail does not have a 2 inch drop. It may not even be well defined either. There are also paved trails in parks that lack clear center lines, and that have tree roots creating difficult riding conditions (I know, HTFU, got that.)

So some of my points may be irrelevant or wrong WRT to the W&OD or the MVT.

[DismalScientist]

@jnva 66942 wrote:

Who’s causing this traffic???

Walkers, joggers and cyclists. All of them.

[mstone]

On a narrow, unmarked, unpaved path I guess I’d just slow down and (gasp) interact with people.

[lordofthemark]

@mstone 66952 wrote:

On a narrow, unmarked, unpaved path I guess I’d just slow down and (gasp) interact with people.

That’s what I do – as a cyclist. As a walker, I stay toward the trail edge when a bike is passing.

[KLizotte]

@jabberwocky 66944 wrote:

Pretty much all MUPs have a striped dividing line. As far as I’m concerned, as long as they are staying in their lane, pedestrians (and cyclists for that matter) can ride as many abreast as they can fit between center line and shoulder. If they are over the center line, they need to change and get over. People wishing to pass can and should use the oncoming lane, when safe and clear.

This may be ok on the WO&D which is very wide but the MVT is a totally different matter because it is so narrow. I think all users on the MVT should stay to the right so a good safety margin is guaranteed when a cyclist passes.

In general I always stay to the right on a MUT whether I am cycling or walking. It’s safer for me and the person passing. Staying to the right (and I’m not talking about hugging the curve) doesn’t diminish my usage in any way versus being in the middle of the lane and helps others. That said, I still expect others to pass me with a sufficient margin, including crossing the yellow line when necessary.

[jabberwocky]

@KLizotte 66955 wrote:

This may be ok on the WO&D which is very wide but the MVT is a totally different matter because it is so narrow. I think all users on the MVT should stay to the right so a good safety margin is guaranteed when a cyclist passes.

Personally, as long as I’m squarely in the opposing lane when passing, I consider myself to be passing safely. If someone wants to walk over towards the yellow line, that just means they’ll get less clearance when I pass. If they’re ok with that, I’m ok with that.

I assume that generally, when people walk/run more in the lane, they are doing it to discourage cyclists who try and thread the needle when they really shouldn’t. Same reason I sometimes take the lane when riding on the road.

[jnva]

@jabberwocky 66964 wrote:

I assume that generally, when people walk/run more in the lane, they are doing it to discourage cyclists who try and thread the needle when they really shouldn’t. Same reason I sometimes take the lane when riding on the road.

When I run, I try to stay on the flattest section. The edge of most paved paths are slanted, so it’s not good to run there. Walking a long distance is probably the same.

[oldbikechick]

@DismalScientist 66937 wrote:

Perhaps you should take this up with the Friends of the W&OD. http://www.wodfriends.org/safety.html

These rules are eye-opening. It’s bad enough that cyclists are recommended to dismount and walk at crossings, but horseback riders?!!? That makes no sense and would be a lot less safe. It makes me feel better about ignoring the suggestion as a cyclist as well.

[Rod Smith]

Drivers should be required to get out of their cars and push the vehicle across intersection with bike path.

[JimF22003]

@Rod Smith 66982 wrote:

Drivers should be required to get out of their cars and push the vehicle across intersection with bike path.

With the parking brake on, so they can be sure it doesn’t roll away from them.

[KLizotte]

And they must wear a helmet and put their hazard lights on!

[Terpfan]

Now that the government is back, maybe NPS can have another trail users tent thing on the MVT and answer some of the apparently very vexing questions above. Honestly, all I want is for people to be predictable and stay on the appropriate side of the MUPs except when passing (and of course to call said pass, but let’s not hope for miracles here).

[Author]

Replies