10-06-2003, 06:21 AM
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#8 (permalink)
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| | Re: Multiuse trail rules: Left or Right side walking?
kab <kab2000@comcast.net.invalid> writes:
>I am a bike rider, walker/hiker, and dog walker. My position is that all
>pedestrians, including dog walkers, walk on the LEFT on multiuse trails
>so that they can see oncoming bike riders AND, more importantly, keep
>their unruly dogs under control by blocking them with their body to
>prevent them from charging into the trail. Dogs are trained by
>convention to walk on the left of their handler, so it makes sense for
>the handler to walk left to maintain trail safety.
This would get messy. Where does "pedestrian" end? Are people on
skates pedestrians or bikers? How 'bout kick scooters? Do four-wheel
vehicles belong on the left or right?
Yesterday I walked on our trails with my wife's parents. Her dad was on
a bike, we were walking, and we had a four wheel vehicle out in front.
Should we have split across lanes based on our modes of transportation?
What about the family I saw who was biking with their dog? The dog
should be on the left while they stay on the right?
I'm getting this vision of "rolling roadblocks" as people on different
modes slowly move down the trail.
>This, coupled with the convention of walking to the left on roads with
>automobiles to face traffic, seems to make it sensible to adopt the rule
>of walking left on multiuse trails.
I find it easier to just keep everyone to one side. There is no clear
division by speed out there. We have slow bikers and fast 'bladers.
>Many multiuse trails do not specify rules. Those that do sometimes say
>for all traffic to move on the right side.
Yes, I was thankful that ours is clear about it.
http://ordlink.com/cgi-bin/hilite.pl..._and_mult.html
I was curious about pedestrians staying to the left too.
>For dog walkers at least,
>this is a potential hazard.
Dog walkers should control their dogs. A dog can dart around the
walker walking on the left side of the trail. At least on the
right side, the walker can stay to the far right with a leash held
short enough to prevent the dog from crossing the centerline.
>And bike riders have to deal with
>pedestrians not looking at oncoming traffic.
It's handled.
* Persons riding bicycles upon a path shall maintain a safe
speed, compatible with other users.
* Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a path, such
person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall
give audible signal before overtaking and passing such a
pedestrian.
--kyler
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