Jogging on the cycletrack

[americancyclo]

By changing one word in this paragraph, I think I capture the perspective of a lot of drivers.
@bobco85 93344 wrote:

We should all understand that it’s illegal. Most of the time there is no issue, and it does not bother me to see cyclists there. Now, if they start to effect the normal flow of traffic like forcing people to go out of their way into other lanes/directions, they need to get back on the sidewalk because it would be safer for everyone. Lastly, no going against the flow of traffic! It’s not safe to have people coming at you in your lane of travel.

nb: I know that it’s legal to ride a bike in the street. let’s not fight about that part.

[mstone]

@americancyclo 93348 wrote:

nb: I know that it’s legal to ride a bike in the street. let’s not fight about that part.

Ok, we’ll ignore the critical point and talk about nothing…

[dkel]

@mstone 93351 wrote:

Ok, we’ll ignore the critical point and talk about nothing…

Worked for Seinfeld.

[americancyclo]

@mstone 93351 wrote:

Ok, we’ll ignore the critical point and talk about nothing…

OK, I’ll leave out that first sentence.

By changing one word in this paragraph, I think I capture the perspective of a lot of drivers.

Most of the time there is no issue, and it does not bother me to see cyclists there. Now, if they start to effect the normal flow of traffic like forcing people to go out of their way into other lanes/directions, they need to get back on the sidewalk because it would be safer for everyone. Lastly, no going against the flow of traffic! It’s not safe to have people coming at you in your lane of travel.

[dasgeh]

By changing a few words in this paragraph, I think I capture the perspective of a lot of drivers.

Quote:

Most of the time there is no issue, and it does not bother me to see other people there. Now, if they start to effect the normal flow of traffic like forcing people to go out of their way into other lanes/directions, they need to get out of my way because it would be safer for everyone.

I don’t care if drivers get frustrated. They do all the time (they’re packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes). I care when they drive dangerously. I care that they don’t seem to understand that driving a car can cause great harm, and therefore carries with it great responsibility.

It’s another reason why the “cyclists getting frustrated with peds is just like drivers getting frustrated with cyclists” analogy doesn’t go very far in my book. Cyclists just can’t do the harm that cars can. Drivers have a greater responsibility.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

Why do joggers run against traffic? To see oncoming cars. What’s the point of seeing oncoming cars? So the jogger can jump out of the road before being hit by a wayward car. When it’s a bike lane I’m the “car.” I don’t mind contra flow joggers as long as they follow the compact and jump out of the lane when they see me coming.

[PotomacCyclist]

@dasgeh 93370 wrote:

By changing a few words in this paragraph, I think I capture the perspective of a lot of drivers.

I don’t care if drivers get frustrated. They do all the time (they’re packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes). I care when they drive dangerously. I care that they don’t seem to understand that driving a car can cause great harm, and therefore carries with it great responsibility.

It’s another reason why the “cyclists getting frustrated with peds is just like drivers getting frustrated with cyclists” analogy doesn’t go very far in my book. Cyclists just can’t do the harm that cars can. Drivers have a greater responsibility.

Was that a Police reference there?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLmjjyxhoMY

Interesting lyrics, from 3:07 on:

“Another working day has ended.
Only the rush hour hell to face.
Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes.
Contestants in a suicidal race.”

[83b]

@Brendan von Buckingham 93409 wrote:

Why do joggers run against traffic? To see oncoming cars. What’s the point of seeing oncoming cars? So the jogger can jump out of the road before being hit by a wayward car. When it’s a bike lane I’m the “car.” I don’t mind contra flow joggers as long as they follow the compact and jump out of the lane when they see me coming.

This is also how I tend to feel about it. Most contra-flow joggers on the East Capitol bike lane either jump out of the lane or hug very tight to the door zone when you’re passing, which leaves plenty of space. In contrast, many of the joggers moving with traffic are unresponsive to bells (headphones!) and stake out a lane position that requires moving into the adjacent lane to pass them.

On the cycletracks I generally have less patience for jogging interlopers. There tend to be a lot of bikes during high-traffic times of day and also lots of oncoming cars that make it unsafe for the contra-flow riders to move out and pass.

[baiskeli]

I once came across a pair jogging together at night with no lights wearing headphones in a bike lane.

Anyway, what gets me is joggers or pedestrians who go the wrong way, whether on a multi-use path, sidewalk or whatever. Then what? Which side should I pass you on, and will you agree? Or will we collide in a heap of uncertainty?

[VikingMariner]

@Geoff 93299 wrote:

This morning, heading north on the 15th St. cycletrack, a jogger and I were on a collision course because he was in the (his) left-hand lane. I suppose he was thinking he should stay left, the same as he would on the roadway. I viewed it as a MUP where everyone should stay right.

We got past each other, no collision and no angry words, but wadya think: if you’re going to jog on a cycletrack, stay right or stay left?

When there’s ambiguity like that I slowly and politely motion with my hand by first pointing to my chest and then pointing to the side I will pass the running, who is running toward me in my lane. It’s worked both here and in Miami. Just my two cents. A little smile and peace sign once there is agreement sure helps, too.

http://youtu.be/yRhq-yO1KN8

[baiskeli]

@Geoff 93299 wrote:

This morning, heading north on the 15th St. cycletrack, a jogger and I were on a collision course because he was in the (his) left-hand lane. I suppose he was thinking he should stay left, the same as he would on the roadway. I viewed it as a MUP where everyone should stay right.

We got past each other, no collision and no angry words, but wadya think: if you’re going to jog on a cycletrack, stay right or stay left?

I think I see the problem.

Joggers should not be in the roadway, period. That clears up the ambiguity.

[Dickie]

Last night I was riding home in the bike lane coming down the hill near Sushi Rock on Clarendon Blvd. If you’re not familiar with this route, it’s a newly paved road and bike lane with a curved descent towards Rosslyn. I was moving at a good clip when I spotted a runner coming towards me (up the hill) in the bike lane closing VERY quickly… being on a curve I didn’t see him until it was nearly too late. Having very little time to react and fully aware that the rush hour traffic was moving with me on my left I managed to squeeze between him and the mirror of the pick-up truck that was passing me… we were moving at about 25-30 mph. To make matters worse, the runner had blocked a pedestrians view of me in the bike lane and my view of her. She had stepped into the bike lane to take advantage of a gap in the traffic directly behind me…. I guess getting to Pier One was of great importance. We were lucky, I managed to lock up my rear wheel and skid towards the curb narrowly avoiding her. Luckily she froze in place but If she had panicked and stepped back towards the curb it would have been a real mess. I didn’t have time to say anything to the runner or the pedestrian and probably for the best. When I got home I noticed the massive flat spot on my brand new tire and threads showing. I’ve heard folks on this forum say that runners in bike lanes are just an inconvenience and nothing to get bent out of shape over, well I for one disagree. If not for some luck my life could have taken a very serious turn last night simply because a selfish runner decided it was more convenient to run in a bike lane at rush hour up a hill against the flow of traffic on a curve. BTW, there was an 8ft wide brand new sidewalk directly to his left.

[Geoff]

@Dickie 94428 wrote:

I’ve heard folks on this forum say that runners in bike lanes are just an inconvenience and nothing to get bent out of shape over, well I for one disagree. If not for some luck my life could have taken a very serious turn last night simply because a selfish runner decided it was more convenient to run in a bike lane at rush hour up a hill against the flow of traffic on a curve.

Point taken. Glad you’re OK.
It would be nice to think the runner’s take away was “Holy $#!+, what did I almost cause?”, but wanna bet it was “Bikers go too fast!”?

[nsfnsfdave]

I’m a cyclist, my wife is a runner. A couple weeks ago she was “blessed out” by a cyclist for running in the street in the residential area just east of Washington-Lee HS. She was told it was illegal to run in the street and she should be on the sidewalk. She runs home from work and often is running after dark, and the sidewalks are frequently very uneven and over the years she has tripped and been injured several times, so she mostly runs in the streets now. The cyclist was abusive and threatened to call the police because as a “pedestrian” she was “supposed to be on the sidewalk”.

I called Arlington County Police and was referered to the Aelington County Code which is on-line and up-to-date. The officer said if it’s not specifically prohibited in the code it’s OK. I read the code from cover to cover and found that you can’t ride a bike on the sidewalk; you can’t ride a scooter or skateboard in the street, but I found no mention of any prohibition against walking or running anywhere. Therefore, we can deduce that it’s perfectly OK to run in the bike lanes (or in the middle of Wilson Blvd for that matter).

I have to agree with those who advocate that we all just try to be polite, even when someone is doing something stupid, but legal.

I don’t know what the law is in the district regarding running “in the bike lanes”.

[dkel]

@nsfnsfdave 94447 wrote:

I called Arlington County Police and was referered to the Aelington County Code which is on-line and up-to-date. The officer said if it’s not specifically prohibited in the code it’s OK. I read the code from cover to cover and found that you can’t ride a bike on the sidewalk;

§ 14.2-65. Riding and Parking Regulations.
E. Riding on sidewalk. Persons of any age may ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk, except for those sidewalks, designated by the County Manager on which bicycle riding is prohibited. Signs indicating such prohibition shall be conspicuously posted in general areas where bicycle riding is prohibited.

Looks to me like Arlington code mainly allows riding on sidewalks.

I haven’t formed a strong opinion on runners in the cycletrack, largely because I have no personal experience with it. For the sake of argument, though, Arlington code uses the phrase “lane for the exclusive use of bicycles” when referring to cycletracks; one could interpret that as prohibitive of pedestrian traffic.

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