People can be jerks

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't get the people who can't have compassion for an older woman with mobility issues taking the smooth side of the path. That's what's wrong with the world today, geeze. And looking at the pictures, the biker had an ax to grind--the path was wide enough to just go by.

My mom had total knee replacement in June and is about to do the next knee Monday so obviously she's got different mobility than she did before especially while she is in recover. For her safety I want her on the correct side of the area.

Trail paths are wider than sidewalks for that reason to account for bikes and walkers and runners. If in the OPs situation there were people to the right and the OP and her mom were to the left then where does that leave the biker? (Many of us already agree the biker didn't have to say anything) Best to treat the situation IMO where you stay to the right side as much as possible to account for the unexpected. I use that logic when it comes to 2-lane roundabouts. Sure you can cross the lane instead of making a tight turn but where does that leave the car in that other lane should there be one? Best to stay in your lane to account for the unexpected.

 

[kaytieeldr]

apparently bikers do

Well, yeah, they do.
Walkers traverse siidewalks, shoulders, etc., except when crossing a road.
Motor vehicles travel the roadways.
Bicyclists go wherever they want, despite laws indicating they should be ridden on the streets and obey all traffic laws.

 

[disneychrista]

I don't get the people who can't have compassion for an older woman with mobility issues taking the smooth side of the path.

I am not seeing anyone lacking compassion. Most of us have said the bikers attitude sucked, as I am sure he could see that mom had mobility issues. There was no need for a confrontation. But "the rules of the road" dictate that we walk, ride, skate to the right. I am surprised (though I shouldn't be) how many people don't follow this. Using the left door to exit a store, walk in the middle of the aisle in the grocery story, walk to the left of a side walk/walking trail.

 

[Hikergirl]

I don't get the people who can't have compassion for an older woman with mobility issues taking the smooth side of the path. That's what's wrong with the world today, geeze. And looking at the pictures, the biker had an ax to grind--the path was wide enough to just go by.

(Also, love your Baymax avatar. I'm always so disappointed in how little Big Hero 6 stuff there is at Disney, because I work in health care and want souvenirs for coworkers.)

The OP's mom was certainly free to take the side that was easier to walk on, but if it's the wrong side then it is the wrong side, and her being there does put her at risk (and anyone else on the path at the time).

I never realized there was such hate for bikers. I guess I'm fortunate enough to not have any members of the spandex mafia in my area.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

I walk on a beautiful walking path. It is paved and has signs up all over "No Bikes". You would not believe (or maybe you would reading the responses on this thread) how many bikers go speeding by me. I can't even wear headphones and listen to music, because I have to be alert at all times. Not very relaxing.

And these aren't kids. These are grown men in full biking regalia going at top speed. They are going to kill somebody and I am not kidding.

With that being said, I always walk on the right side. It's just the proper way. I understand that your mom has a health issue keeping her from doing that. But she may have a bigger issue if one of these idiots ever smashes into her with their bike.

 

[RamblingMad]

Hiking with headphones is stupid. Don’t do it.

After reading this thread through, I’m now leaning toward the biker being right. If you’re not capable of getting out of the way of a biker, you don’t belong on the trail.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Hiking with headphones is stupid. Don’t do it.

Wearing headphones while walking/jogging on a walking path is commonplace. The only reason I won't wear them is because of bikers that are zooming all around in a place that is not designated for them.

If you are going so fast on your bike that you may injure someone, you need to get on the road or a bike trail where you can be away from people.

I do recommend walking on the right side, though.

 

[QueenIsabella]

The biker was in the right. He had to break his rhythm and get off his bike to get past the OP and her mom. They were on the wrong side of the road--by their own admission. If the biker had swerved around them, then he, too, would have been on the wrong side, and could possibly have hit someone behind them. In addition, he had no way to know if the walkers would spot him and then moved right, at the same time he moved to the other side, causing a collision. So, from his perspective, stopping and getting off his bike was the only safe option.

Now, did he have the right to call out the OP's mom? You could debate either way. We have no idea how often this has happened to this particular biker, or what his mood was, or if he's a regular, class-A ******. Personally, I probably wouldn't have said anything, but would have likely rolled my eyes, maybe grumbled, maybe nothing--it would depend on my mood and how serious my workout was and any number of factors. In this particular instance as described, I think there was rudeness on both sides. To the OP--maybe you and your mom should find a more appropriate walking path. Something bike-free would be optimal--if your mom has mobility issues, it would be safer for her to walk where it's not even an issue. The laws of physics will favor the bike over the pedestrian, and even a simple fall could have wide-ranging impact. No lie, my MIL fell while folding laundry on her bed, and died a few days later due to complications from the fall.

 

[BaymaxFan78]

The biker was in the right. He had to break his rhythm and get off his bike to get past the OP and her mom. They were on the wrong side of the road--by their own admission. If the biker had swerved around them, then he, too, would have been on the wrong side, and could possibly have hit someone behind them. In addition, he had no way to know if the walkers would spot him and then moved right, at the same time he moved to the other side, causing a collision. So, from his perspective, stopping and getting off his bike was the only safe option.

If there were people around us then I would understand. But there was nobody at all. He could clearly see around us on all sides and could have swerved.

 

[wenrob]

If there were people around us then I would understand. But there was nobody at all. He could clearly see around us on all sides and could have swerved.

But he shouldn’t have been in the position to possibly have to swerve. That’s why the dude was irritated. You and your mom put him into that position. It doesn’t really matter that there was no one around. There very well could have been. I can’t tell you how many times as a driver AND a pedestrian where I’ve had someone seemingly pop up out of nowhere where I would SWEAR there was no one else around. That’s why there are rules in place. They help avoid a possible accident and hopefully give you enough time to react. It would have been nice if instead of going off the guy said something like “Hey, you should be careful, I could have mowed you down. It’s safer if you walk on the proper side,” but his irritation wasn’t misplaced. There would have been no situation if you guys had been walking on the right side.

 

[BaymaxFan78]

I wanted to add a bit more context:
My mom isn't really an "elderly" woman.
Her issues don't affect normal walking, so she can walk perfectly fine at a normal pace. If you were to look at her you would think she was fine. Now if she walks on a path that is even a little bit crooked, she will get really bad pains in her upper leg and into her lower back.
The trail is flat length wise. Width wise, one side is flat and the other dips down slightly. It is surrounded with grass, and a few palm trees. It has curves at points but where we were at you could see from one side to the other clearly.
This guy wasn't a spandex mafia type guy, he was just some random maybe late 20s guy wearing shorts and a tshirt. No helmet or earphones or any of that stuff. He looked like a guy on a casual ride. He wasn't going fast or anything.

 

[JenboJambo]

I wish everyone was nicer to each other. I try to remind myself that you never know what people are going through or why they act the way they do. Just always try to remind yourself that when someone is rude you have no control over the way they are acting and they are probably unhappy in their life at the moment.

 

[disneychrista]

But he shouldn’t have been in the position to possibly have to swerve.

Let's be honest, unless he was coming around a blind turn he saw them in plenty of time to go around them WITHOUT any swerving. He CHOOSE to be a jerk.

 

[Eeyore2142]

I wanted to add a bit more context:
My mom isn't really an "elderly" woman.
Her issues don't affect normal walking, so she can walk perfectly fine at a normal pace. If you were to look at her you would think she was fine. Now if she walks on a path that is even a little bit crooked, she will get really bad pains in her upper leg and into her lower back.
The trail is flat length wise. Width wise, one side is flat and the other dips down slightly. It is surrounded with grass, and a few palm trees. It has curves at points but where we were at you could see from one side to the other clearly.
This guy wasn't a spandex mafia type guy, he was just some random maybe late 20s guy wearing shorts and a tshirt. No helmet or earphones or any of that stuff. He looked like a guy on a casual ride. He wasn't going fast or anything.

So, you looked like 2 normal people walking 2 abreast on the wrong side of the path for no real reason? Sorry, team biker (although he could have been nicer)

 

[kaytieeldr]

To the OP--maybe you and your mom should find a more appropriate walking path.

Despite that path being more convenient, it's best to walk where you're not in discomfort due to the path's slope

I have a good friend who leads a lot of riding in Pittsburgh and I have to reprimand him as he will approach a red light, then jump over and cross in the crosswalk. That is not the proper way to do it and I often lose the group because everyone else will follow along, but I sit and wait for the traffic light.

.

My mom isn't really an "elderly" woman.

I didn't think so. For all we know, you're 15 and your mom is in her early thirties.

Width wise, one side is flat and the other dips down slightly.

That path would probably be perfect for someone like me, with one leg shorter than the other. Except it's my right leg, and I limp badly enough as is

(edited to include responses; danged phone!)

 

[mrodgers]

As a cyclist ("bikers" are motorcyclists, bicycle riders are "cyclists") it is not easy to just move over and go around. This was 2 people in a group walking on the wrong side of the path. Bicyclists encounter countless people that either walk on the wrong side of the path or walk taking up the whole path and it is more common when encountering this, the walkers are not paying attention and at the last moment realize a bike is approaching and jump to the other correct side just as said cyclist moves over to go around them. It happens more often than not with walkers doing it wrong.

That said, I equally ride congested paths in Pittsburgh and near empty paths out in rural PA as well as out on the road. When on rural paths, I just move over to the "wrong" side to go around in plenty of time for them to eventually notice someone else is in their world.

I had once encountered a group of women walking in 2 lines of 3 and 2 taking up the whole path in the direction I was going. I have a bell and use it as well as call out, which proper calling out is to call out "on your left" or "passing on your left" with a ding of the bell. Half the time as in this time in particular, they don't move as they are in their own little world where only they exist. I finally got their attention and as usual, instead of just moving to the correct side of the path, they split and I had to go up through the middle of them. On the return, I encountered them again this time in the opposite direction. This time 4 of them were leading with the 5th fallen behind. The 4, again taking up the whole path, saw me and did the proper thing of moving over to let me pass by. The 5th woman on the other hand was walking on the wrong side directly in my path with her head down and her hand buried in her purse. I called out as I slowed down, "look up." Look up!" "LOOK UP!!!" I stopped and stood straddling the bike standing at a stand still and she got within 2 feet of me and nearly jumped out of her skin when she looked up and saw me. She jumped so suddenly she lost control of her purse and it scattered along with it's contents all over the path. I just shook my head and got back on the bike and went on my way.

It has to be noted you are suppose to walk on the road WITH traffic on the opposite side. Most walkers think this translates to paths where you are walking with runners and cyclists and it is not suppose to.

One other thing, most walkers complain about cyclists not calling out when they pass going the same direction. 9 times out of 10 walkers have earbuds jammed in their ears so aren't going to hear you and on top of that, those that can hear you typically when calling out "passing on your left" will jump to the left into the path you are properly taking to go around said walker.

I ride on the road also and it drives me crazy when riding with others and they shoot through red lights. With traffic, I ride on the right but when encountering intersections I move out to the middle of the lane along with the cars and follow through in my place in traffic with everyone else. I have a good friend who leads a lot of riding in Pittsburgh and I have to reprimand him as he will approach a red light, then jump over and cross in the crosswalk. That is not the proper way to do it and I often lose the group because everyone else will follow along, but I sit and wait for the traffic light.

Oh, and we aren't in the Spandex Mafia (I like that term, thanks for that, LOL). I ride in shorts and t-shirt on an upright sitting hybrid bicycle. I do my best to play well with others when there are machines all around me that can squash me like a bug with very little repercussions.

 

[wenrob]

Let's be honest, unless he was coming around a blind turn he saw them in plenty of time to go around them WITHOUT any swerving. He CHOOSE to be a jerk.

I never said he didn’t act like a jerk.

 

[tzolkin]

I tend to be a rule follower and hyper sensitive to danger to the point that my family often thinks I'm being ridiculous, but even I really can't see where this situation is that big of a deal. We are talking about two women walking on a wide path in an empty park, not a packed speedway. It seems that both they and the cyclist had ample time and room to get out of each other's way. If they were paying close attention to their surroundings, it really should not be dangerous to walk on the wrong side.

If it were crowded or had lots of blind corners or if there were hills where cyclists get up to high speeds, then sure it would be wise to stay to the right. But every park like this that I have ever gone to has people (and dogs) meandering all over the paths. You acknowledge that you've noticed one another and you either move over or go around.

 

[Kitty 34]

Pretty much why I don't bike or walk. I just road rage in my car!

But seriously........me being the Mom here and someone said that to me and my son and were rude and I totally was on the wrong side.....I would have just offered a quick (maybe not sincere) sorry and shrugged it off and moved on. But that's just me, OP's Mom can be different.

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

Hiking with headphones is stupid. Don’t do it.

After reading this thread through, I’m now leaning toward the biker being right. If you’re not capable of getting out of the way of a biker, you don’t belong on the trail.

Hiking with headphones is stupid. Don’t do it.

After reading this thread through, I’m now leaning toward the biker being right. If you’re not capable of getting out of the way of a biker, you don’t belong on the trail.

I’ve seen some troubling anti-disability comments on this board but this is absolutely appalling. Those of us who may not be able to leap out of the way of bikes are still entitied to use public facilities, even if it causes a minor convenience to others. This comment was dehumanising to a range of people with physical disabilities and mobility problems.