Biking/running etiquette and safety issues in crowded cities

They all sound bad to me, but I'd say the bikers going the wrong way.

I live on the outskirts of Charlotte, NC so we have lots of rural roads around (that are slowly getting more crowded with development).  My 2 cents is that I think there trade-offs in both locations (city vs rural).  In the city, the traffic should be a bit slower, people would be more aware of what's going on around them (runners, doors, bikers, peds, etc.)  Out near me there's lots of speeding and a sense of "this is my road, not for your bike" so they ride too close or cut you off. 

But I did find a route that goes in and out of subdivisions and stays on less traveled and wider roads for my rides.  I still try to avoid the busy times on the busy roads.  Not fun!

I used to live in Cambridge, MA (right across the river from Boston) and I used to see cops ticketing people on bikes on the sidewalk all the time. I can see why people would want to ride along the sidewalk, but in a crowded area with bike lanes on the street there's no reason to be on the sidewalk.

I also used to bike commute to work in Boston almost every day in regular rush hour traffic, and honestly, I felt safer there than with all the cars than on some rural-ish roads out west here with lots of trucks and boats and SUVs.

where i come from, bicycles on sidewalks is illegal.  where i am now, there are very few sidewalks.

rural roads have their downsides too:  loose dogs, usually small packs, mostly chip seal crummy roads, rednecks in lifted 4x4's ('nuf said), no cell service area for those days when you run out of flat repair gear just to name a few. :p

k

Come a little further south, where it is relatively civilized.

Depends...

Are you the biker dodging pedestrians (runners) in the bike lane?

Are you the biker dodging traffic coming into the bike lane?

Are you the pedestrian?

Are you a car-driver?

I usually try to plan my rides for less-busy roads or less-busy times on otherwise busy roads.  Always ride with traffic and invest in a rear-view mirror for your helmet/glasses.  Obey traffic signals.  Unless there is a bike lane or shoulder suitable for riding, I stay within 2-3 feet of the right edge of the right lane.  I don't ride on the sidewalks. 

By far that's the worst as far as I'm concerned.

Almost had a head-on collision with a kid in a bike lane - scared me to death.  In was riding in my aerobars, doing some intervals and had my head down (my fault), doing about 22 mph.  Some kid was coming the other way, bopping to the music on his ipod and looking every direction except straight ahead.  I glanced up in just enough time to see him and jerked my bike the left out into the traffic lane (fortunately there weren't any cars coming by at the time - lucky me).  Don't think the kid ever saw me until I was past him.  Took about twenty minutes to get my HR back down...

Don't mind kids or old folks (lot of those here in FL) on the sidewalks on bikes, probably the safest place for them to be.  I also will use pedestrian crosswalks occasionally to cross extremely busy intersections on my bike.

As far as runners in bikelanes, the only time it really bothers me is when there's a sidewalk and they choose to run in the bike lane instead.  I'll do it myself on occasion either when there's no sidewalk or when I'm passing a group of walkers (or cyclists) who are blocking the sidewalk.

Mark

Hi Michael, what part of the Las Vegas area do you live in?

I admit that I occasionally run in the bike lanes, but only when the sidewalks are packed, and I'm always keeping an eye out for bikes and for an opportunity to jump back on the sidewalk.

Lots of the delivery guys in my nabe habitually ride the wrong way up and down streets.  I've seen lots of near-collisions with pedestrians who only looked one way up a one-way street because they didn't expect anyone to be comeing the other way. They're so reckless that my friend, an avid cyclist, refuses to have food delivered because she hates the idea of subsidizing that behavior. 

My two "favorite" urban hazards are a) the pedestrian who stands in the bike lane to hail a taxi. and b) the mom who is, herself, standing on the sidewalk, but has the giant Hummer-sized stroller extended out in front of her into the street. 

I agree that the most hazardous obstacles are the oblivious ones... anyone running or biking with earphones on has to be extra careful to stay aware of their surroundings, and pet-owners/stroller-pushers/grocery-cart-recyclers are all major urban hazards if they are cluelessly getting in the path of faster objects. 

Sharing the roads, sidewalks, and bike lanes is tough unless all are conscientious.  But some seem barely conscious...

As for me, I'm looking forward to outdoor running next week when I go to Ft. Lauderdale and stay at the pier hyatt, but now I can see that the same obstacles of Cambridge will be found there, too.  At least the weather will be warmer -- Oh boy! 

I think before you get a taxi license in NYC, you have to demonstrate that you're capable of passing a cyclist on the left at high speed, then cutting in front of them into the bike lane to pick up a fare and slamming on the brakes .  They all seem to be tremendously skilled at it. 

philadelphia: the land where "on your left" means nothing and the concept of riding on the right side of the bike path is a foreign concept...

or the morons who have headphones on in the middle of the path and just dont care about anyone moving faster than them.

or the inexperienced members of the bike path who freak out when you yell, "on your left" even if you've given them ample time to move before you go by.

but my absolute biggest safety issue with working out in philadelphia? roller bladers. i'm convinced they are all from hell, on a mission to flow from one side of the path to the other with complete disregard for anyone else. They always have ipods on and are impossible to pass. I've almost gotten in complete head on collisions with them too. ugh.

annoying but tolerable = the guys/gals who turn every workout into a race, like they are the praying mantis of Kelly Drive praying on the less motivated. No thanks, i dont want to run 4x6:30 miles today, or pull your A** along at 22mph just for you to sprint by me at the end...

have a nice day, haha.

-Dan