Comments on: Did you see our new signs?

By: Will Cummings

Will Cummings — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:21:11 +0000

HI Michael – The answer is, go ahead ride fast on a trail that is designed and designated for riding fast (bicycles only). Where you share the trail with pedestrians, slow down. What is your hurry anyway? I think you’ll find that slowing down and enjoying your ride in a new way confers benefits on you as well.

By: Tombi

Tombi — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:41:43 +0000

I’m not a cyclist, but how about some signs asking cyclists to SLOW DOWN in congested areas. I’ve seen several pedestrians hit by cyclists down at logboom park. People are flying down the path at 20 mph +. I’ve heard cyclists screaming at people just walking on the path. It’s not a highway, it’s a path. I know cyclists have a lot of frustration with trying to commute in our city, but flying through stop signs and tearing through parks screaming at folks is not the best way to endear yourselves to the general public. These signs are great for educating the public about cyclists, but how about some signs educating cyclists on how to be a decent neighbor, and the general rules of the road??

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 05:34:01 +0000

Give 3 feet when passing.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 02:52:38 +0000

Before passing, look to ensure no one is already on YOUR left. I narrowly missed getting pasted on the Chehalis Trail. Act like a car.

By: bjh

bjh — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 02:38:45 +0000

None, and I am talking none of the signs cover the most amazingly stupid and unsafe maneuver that has kept me off the trail for years as both a walker and a bicyclist. And that is, cars STOP when they have no stop sign, and bicyclist DO NOT STOP when they have a stop sign. Where are the cutsy money and time wasting signs for that? The most frequent ‘excuse’ is that bicycles have momentum and don’t want to put their foot down and then have to get going again. Ahem, are not bicyclist out there for exercise? I am, beside being earth-friendly. It is part of the work-out that you stop and start. The last time I stopped at a stop sign on the Burke-Gilman, the car-driver glared at me, and the bicyclist behind me almost crashed in to my back wheel. Is this respect for all road users??

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:22:30 +0000

All good comments to everyone, all concerns valid. The temporary signs are a step in the right direction of defining trail etiquette among “competing” users. At some point, once those rules of engagement are better defined, it might be a good idea to post them on a permanent sign in the high traffic areas, like the U District.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:38:57 +0000

I cringed when I saw the headphone sign.While it may be a good idea, I don’t see how a sign like that isn’t going to create more hostility for cyclists. I’m afraid people will see it as cyclists telling them they shouldn’t wear headphones because we want them to hear us yelling at them to get out of our way. I’m not saying that is the intent, but given the climate of “war on cars” that’s how it will be interpreted.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:55:59 +0000

How about a simple message? — “The road is like a trail – stay to the right side unless you are passing”

By: Michael Duggan

Michael Duggan — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:30:21 +0000

How about one for people who ride fast? I like the sound of “Is there enough room for people to go around you?” Or: “Single file on narrow paths, please.” Or: “Move right for bells.” Even a reminder to simply “Stay to the right.” would be helpful. The only people I ever seem to trouble on the Burke, Lake Sammamish River, etc., are the people who walk or ride (slowly) 2-3 abreast, or inexplicably down the very center of the path, and won’t budge when I’m calling out a pass or ringing my bell behind them, forcing me to swing around them. Accommodating all riders should include being helpful to those who ride quickly, too. Taking confrontational actions to “slow the bastards down”, accomplishes nothing but further agitation, and probably only for you, since the “bastards” who ride fast probably forgot about it ten seconds later. They, like you, are just trying to get where they’re going without causing any harm. Even if fast riders are startling to a person, they are riders just the same, and deserve the same respect you’d give anybody else. It’s helpful to remember the old saying: “no harm, no foul”. Sure, you could get upset about all the near misses and close calls in life, but then you’d have a hard time crossing every busy urban intersection for fear of cars, bikes, and people “almost” causing a problem. When I’m buzzed by bikes, passed too close, or nearly run into I try to respect the skill that prevented a problem, rather than lament the actions that made it a possibility. A few reminders to remember to be ready for fast users could save a lot of agitation, so that those startling evasive maneuvers don’t become necessary in the first place. It might also be effective in reducing the notion that just because you’re off the street doesn’t mean that every user is entitled to take up as much space as they want without having to adjust their behavior to accommodate others. I can slow down and give more space, sure. But it would be nice if some people just moved over once in awhile and took up less of it.

By: Bill Bacon

Bill Bacon — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:34:52 +0000

On the bridges: “When passing another cyclist, did you shout, “On your left,” loud enough for them to hear you? I thought I was going to be bulldozed into the right side wall on the West Seattle Bridge late yesterday afternoon when a pack of drafting cyclists thought it their own private right-of-way. I had to take defensive measures to prevent an accident. I moved left a little to slow the bastards down, two abreast vying for position with an on-coming cyclist. As a group, they were plain stupid.