Trail Etiquette article

This short, concise article makes sense. It's worth reading.

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on June 25, 2010 at 1:11am
i thought that on a multi-use path, peds should walk on the left side, facing oncoming bike traffic. Same as when walking (NOT cycling) along a road or highway one should stay on the left shoulder. There are some trails in the area that have signs with this advice. Of course, given the chaotic conditions that prevail on so many M/U paths, this is just a pious thought...
Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on June 25, 2010 at 1:37am
I'd be OK with peds walking/running on either side (one or the other, not both) as long as all did it consistently. haha

mike w. said:
i thought that on a multi-use path, peds should walk on the left side, facing oncoming bike traffic. Same as when walking (NOT cycling) along a road or highway one should stay on the left shoulder. There are some trails in the area that have signs with this advice. Of course, given the chaotic conditions that prevail on so many M/U paths, this is just a pious thought...
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on June 25, 2010 at 4:43am
An amendment if you will:

Do not block the trail. If you stop, step off the trail. Rental quadbikes, please drive yourselves into that body of water beside the trail. Thank you, and have a nice swim.
Permalink Reply by Rick norris on June 25, 2010 at 8:45am
I kind of expect peds to not know.
My biggest issue is with fellow cyclist...Wearing ear buds up so loud they cant hear anything, like when you call ""on your left" and they drift left...or people that try to pass you when you called out "on your left" and start to pass someone. Or people that just pass with out calling out...I mean how hard is "ON YOUR LEFT"?
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on June 25, 2010 at 8:55am
It can get tiresome after a while. And what if I'm all the way over in the other lane while passing? (Meaning the leftmost part of the other lane) Is it really necessary then? If someone were to get hit in that situation, it would be because they bolted to the other side of the path without looking. In that case, they probably play in motorized traffic too.

Rick norris said:
I kind of expect peds to not know.
My biggest issue is with fellow cyclist...Wearing ear buds up so loud they cant hear anything, like when you call ""on your left" and they drift left...or people that try to pass you when you called out "on your left" and start to pass someone. Or people that just pass with out calling out...I mean how hard is "ON YOUR LEFT"?
Permalink Reply by Joel on June 25, 2010 at 10:22am
It would be great if they could get this published in the Redeye, Tribune, Sun Times, etc. Stick it in the "stuff to do this weekend" section. The only people that will find the ATA page know the rules.
Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on June 25, 2010 at 11:48am
I posted the link here and twitter and GoogleBuzz.
Can't hurt to spread it around.

Joel said:
It would be great if they could get this published in the Redeye, Tribune, Sun Times, etc. Stick it in the "stuff to do this weekend" section. The only people that will find the ATA page know the rules.
Permalink Reply by Rick norris on June 26, 2010 at 3:21am
Well then I gota ask, are you in euroupe? In this country most of us drive, and ride to the right.
Another reason for calling out "on your left" is so ONCOMMING riders no there is a chance someone might run into their lane....
I guess if your on a long flat straight area of a path then calling out isn't needed, but most paths have curves and trees and stuff.
Yeah I guess calling out is a pain in the butt, sort of like using turn signals, I get so tired of moving my hand, and why does anyone else on the road need to know where I'm going? it's none of their buisness anyway....


Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
It can get tiresome after a while. And what if I'm all the way over in the other lane while passing? (Meaning the leftmost part of the other lane) Is it really necessary then? If someone were to get hit in that situation, it would be because they bolted to the other side of the path without looking. In that case, they probably play in motorized traffic too.

Rick norris said:
I kind of expect peds to not know.
My biggest issue is with fellow cyclist...Wearing ear buds up so loud they cant hear anything, like when you call ""on your left" and they drift left...or people that try to pass you when you called out "on your left" and start to pass someone. Or people that just pass with out calling out...I mean how hard is "ON YOUR LEFT"?
Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on June 26, 2010 at 3:47am
Why are cyclists expected to (and most do): not wear headphones/earplugs, ride single file, yield to everyone (they're mostly all slower) and obliged to notify when we're passing?
I just returned from a short/slowish ride, with my wife, along the lake. Joggers, 3 across, with headphones; in packs. Some places (we went north from Fullerton) 3 across in both directions. I even heard several anti-bike comments from them. BAH!
Oh, well, time to go meet some friends for breakfast and then to Tour de Fat.
Later!
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on June 26, 2010 at 4:05pm
Umm, that would actually be England where they drive on the right - not the continent.

As for oncoming riders seeing you, my apologies, I assumed it was known that I wouldn't call out when it was definitely safe to pass far over to the left, ie. when there's no oncoming traffic anywhere close.

As for the turn signal comparison, it's not valid. You flip a lever once and the signal blinks away until you complete the turn. Having to call out "on your left" ad nauseam in crowded areas can get old (not that it's necessarily safe to pass in those kind of conditions).

Rick norris said:
Well then I gotta ask, are you in Europe? In this country most of us drive, and ride to the right.
Another reason for calling out "on your left" is so ONCOMING riders know there is a chance someone might run into their lane....
I guess if you're on a long flat straight area of a path then calling out isn't needed, but most paths have curves and trees and stuff.
Yeah I guess calling out is a pain in the butt, sort of like using turn signals, I get so tired of moving my hand, and why does anyone else on the road need to know where I'm going? It's none of their business anyway....


Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
It can get tiresome after a while. And what if I'm all the way over in the other lane while passing? (Meaning the leftmost part of the other lane) Is it really necessary then? If someone were to get hit in that situation, it would be because they bolted to the other side of the path without looking. In that case, they probably play in motorized traffic too.

Rick norris said:
I kind of expect peds to not know.
My biggest issue is with fellow cyclist...Wearing ear buds up so loud they cant hear anything, like when you call ""on your left" and they drift left...or people that try to pass you when you called out "on your left" and start to pass someone. Or people that just pass with out calling out...I mean how hard is "ON YOUR LEFT"?
Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on June 28, 2010 at 1:33am
The park district "invites" us to bike:
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/resources/beaches/

The city says it's "the ideal place" to . . . bike . . .
http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/par...

Clark said:
Forget etiquette, a bike is still a VEHICLE. And to ride it on the Lakefront Path is against the basic biking laws of Illinois, altho permitted by local statute.

When the Path has a decent number of pedestrians (i.e. after 8am), I just can't imagine trying to bike there. Why risk hurting someone, risking a bodily injury lawsuit for which you have no liability insurance, or at least creating bad biking vibes? Why not move over to the nearby streets: Clark, Lakeview, Sheridan...? I sure do.
Permalink Reply by Rick norris on June 28, 2010 at 4:35am
Well I guess the turn signal comparison isn't the best. And I didn't communicate my idea in the best fashion.
I use my turn signals automaticly, I use them leaving the garage, in a parking lot with no one around, it's just a habit.
Calling out on your left has also becom a habit...yeah i do it even if someone walking is awar I'm passing them.
BUT I also don't ride the lake front much anymore, and when I do, it's pretty much just to people watch and hang out, work on a tan. so I know I will be doing about 2mph if that even.

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