Trail Etiquette article

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

http://www.activetrans.org/modeshift/03_05/trailetiquette

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on June 26, 2010 at 10:05pm

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"?

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Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on June 28, 2010 at 7:33am

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.

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Permalink Reply by Rick norris on June 28, 2010 at 10:35am

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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Permalink Reply by Tim S on June 28, 2010 at 10:47am

I wish they would come up with something like that for the Charity Walkers.

Last year I was riding to Belmont Harbour at 8 AM on a Saturday from North Ave and encountered a river/wall of walkers that thought they were the bee's knee's because they were on a Charity Walk. I was sworn at, had stuff thrown at me, was told that I should take surface streets as it was their day and I should not be using the Bike Path, had a number actually move to block the entire path... seriously? Take your kicks and walk next to the path on the grass, softer on the underused ankles of the average walker.

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Permalink Reply by Rick norris on June 28, 2010 at 11:18am

Yeah...WALKERS!!! as big a pain in the @$$ as bicyclists are to cars on THEIR streets.

But really, I never understood walking/running on the hard paved surface if there is a packed gravel path next to it.

And while my biggest agravation is families and groups walking along and blocking the path I keep in my mind, at least they are taking their kids OUTSIDE and trying to do something positive with them. I haven't rode the lakefront yet this year, and I think I will be avoiding it, sound like it's getting more crowded...

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Permalink Reply by XV on June 28, 2010 at 1:03pm

what are some alternative areas to ride closeby then?

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Permalink Reply by Cameron 7.5 mi on June 28, 2010 at 1:14pm

From North to Diversy, Stockton is a pretty good route. It has a few stop signs and lights, but not too much traffic. From Diversy to Belmont, Inner Lake Shore Drive isn't terrible.

XV said: