Saturday

Brian Potter accompanied me on part of the Midland Valley Extension yesterday, a multi-use path that more or less parallels the east side of Tulsa's inner dispersal loop. It's difficult to describe this MUP adequately. Superlatives are out of the question. Other words like 'craptastic', 'boondoggle', or 'wasted money' come to mind. This trail runs along the edge of a quiet neighborhood and could have utilized the neighborhood streets as part of the city's on-street bike route program. Instead, cyclists are expected to use this misbegotten glorified sidewalk instead of the street.

There are multiple problems. The biggest are the crossings at arterial streets like 11th. The arterial runs east and west. The trail approaches from the south, parallel to a residential street, yet before reaching the intersection, it veers further left, taking cyclists alongside an overpass. Now, 11th Street is very busy at rush hour. How is a cyclist supposed to cross? Besides all the traffic on the arterial, there's that neighborhood street to his right and slightly behind his shoulder. It would be complicated.

A savvy bicyclist would simply ignore the trail at that point and use the neighborhood street, particularly if there were some cars to run interference for him.

There's also a spot where north-bound cyclists are expected to cross a south bound street at mid block in order to get back on the trail. Granted, the neighborhood streets are normally quiet, but if that's the case, why have a trail at all?

But there was more fun in store. We went east on the 3rd Street bikeway until we reached South Delaware. We turned along Delaware and rode outside the overly narrow bike lane all the way to 11th Street. Surprisingly, the motorists behind us didn't have a problem with this. Maybe they're somehow aware of the debris accumulating in the bike lane or maybe they're saints-in-waiting. The only one who had a problem with our lane position was a university security guard, who in the manner of all such security guards, summoned all his super powers and awesome authority, and ordered us to ride in the bike lane. We said no. He repeated his order, using the Big Boy voice this time. Again, we said no and continued on our way. Nothing in the law requires cyclists to use a bike lane or MUP, yet time and again, we'll meet ill-informed motorists and even law enforcement professionals (though calling a security guard such a professional is a bit of a stretch) who believe that we cannot use the road when there's a bikelane or a trail nearby. And 'nearby' in some instances seems to mean that it's in the same time zone.


Like many of my recent activities, this one was another exercise in multi-tasking - a modern equivalent for 'killing two birds with one stone.' In addition to getting some much-needed exercise, I accompanied my daughter to a seminar. Actually, Dad was there as primary navigator. Brian and I had an opportunity to talk over some advocacy issues, and we even managed to stop by the HUB, a recent addition to Tulsa's bicycling culture run by none other than Ren Barger. Unfortunately, the doors were closed and locked or it would have been a 3-way advocacy discussion.


Eventually, Brian and I were in east Tulsa. He turned south into his neighborhood. I turned north toward Owasso. I had a light cross wind, brilliant sunshine, and an easy spin on the way home. It was the longest ride I've done all year, only about 25 or 30 miles. Yes, I'm such a wimp! My commute is no more than 10 miles one way, so while I'm strong, I just don't have the time for longer rides. Still, it sharpened my appetite for dinner, flank steak that was slow-cooked with spaghetti sauce and onions, and served over egg noodles. Jordan says I'll eat anything with pasta in it. He's probably right.

I was fast asleep by 10PM. Welcome to middle age.

Trail Etiquette: a primer

(Image copyright Spencer Hill. Used by permission.)

I was running along the trail and this cyclist came by really fast and close without any warning.

This is probably the most common complaint – fast riders in 'stealth' mode. Cyclists should use a bell or loudly announce “Passing on your left!” as they approach pedestrians. Unfortunately, if a cyclist yells “On your left!” some pedestrians will turn and step to their left to see what's behind them, moving directly into a cyclist's intended path. Be aware that pedestrians can change direction or stop in the space of a single step.

For pedestrians – walk on the right and be aware of overtaking cyclists.

I was walking my dog, Fluffy, on a 20 foot long leash. It one of those retractable ones so I can keep control of Fluffy, yet allow her to romp a bit. She was on the other side of the trail when some cyclists started swearing at me for letting her roam like that. They could slow down and wait until she's done.

Children and dogs are often unpredictable. Be especially cautious when approaching them. Be prepared to brake or dodge, if necessary. Think of it as an opportunity to hone your mad cyclocross skillz. And please resist the impulse to skewer wayward dogs or their owners with a frame pump, halberd, or samurai sword. It's just not very polite.

For dog-walkers – while Fluffy may be utterly adorable, a 20 foot leash stretched across a multi use path is not. If a cyclist hits it at speed, there's a very good chance that he will crash. There's also a good chance that Fluffy could be injured. Be responsible for your pet and show some consideration for other trail users by keeping your animal on a short leash while on the trail.

Some deaf and blind guy was walking along the trail using his white cane for guidance when a cyclist yelled at him. Didn't do any good, that I could see.

While this is an obvious exaggeration, there are some pedestrians who simply will not see or hear any cyclists around them. Never assume a walker has seen you or knows of your presence, even if you're approaching them from the front. With so many people listening to music via headphones, it's a near-certainty that you'll encounter someone completely oblivious to all those other people on the trail.

For cyclists – wearing headphones in traffic is dangerous and illegal. Being safe on the road entails using all your senses, and that's no less true on the trails. Do not wear headphones.

My wife and I were showing her mom and dad the lovely River Park trail. We walked side-by-side in order to talk to one another and we were in mid- conversation when some cyclist yelled, “On your left!” Well, we looked over to our left but there was nothing to see. He yelled again, then went off the trail into the grass to go around us. When he got back onto the pavement, he yelled something about getting your fat ass over. I don't know why he'd pick on my mother-in-law that way. Her ass isn't that fat.

“On your left” is the standard way of announcing you're about to overtake and pass another cyclist. Unfortunately, some pedestrians hear this and will step to the left and turn around to see who or what is behind them. They step directly into the path of a cyclist. As noted above, say “Passing on your left” as a better way to make your intent known.

A better alternative is to yell, “Passing!” Most, though not all, peds understand what this means. Some cyclists use a bell as a warning device, but bells are no longer required by Tulsa ordinances.

For pedestrians – use the trail sensibly. If you're walking in a group, allow some space to the left for others to pass. Taking the full width of the trail is rude and irresponsible.

My friends and I were skating on the trail, just bopping along and listening to some tunes on our iPods, when a bunch of cyclists passed us really close. They never said a word – not that we could have heard them anyway.

Passing skaters on a narrow trail is difficult. Their zig-zag course can make it hard to predict when it's safe to pass. Just like children, the elderly, dogs, or people with diminished mental capacity, skaters are capable of suddenly moving into the path of a cyclist and causing a crash. Be wary when approaching them.

For skaters – turn down the tunes so you can hear others around you, and be prepared to coast for a moment while a cyclist passes. It's both courteous and safe – for both of you.

I have a suggestion that may improve relations between cyclists and pedestrians on crowded trails. We need bigger pedestrians so there's no mismatch in energy. Kinetic energy is equal to the product of mass and velocity squared, so if a 200 lb bicycle and rider moving at 10 mph were to collide with a 550 pound pedestrian moving at 6 mph, they'll have approximately the same KE. The only problem I can see is in finding a 550 pound pedestrian capable of moving at 6 mph. Maybe if we could get two 225 pound pedestrians to move in lockstep...

Ah,a phalanx of pedestrians moving as a unit. Give them some brass instruments, drums, and snappy uniforms, and we'd have a marching band. Better yet, give them kilts and bag pipes. Nobody messes with guys in skirts playing the pipes.

OK, much of the above is facetious, but there are some serious points. Let's consider them:

(Added by Gary)

1. The most important consideration is: "ALL TRAIL USERS STAY TO THE RIGHT" Yep, pedestrians, bicyclists, roller bladers, strollers, dog walkers, all trail users stay the right. Yes this is different than the street where pedestrians walk against traffic and bicyclists, since they are traffic on a vehicle, go with traffic.


2. Whenever approaching other trail users move to a single file line.


3. On a trail, walk dogs to the right. Yes, this is different than dog training, but that is because when you walk a dog on the streets since you are on the left the traffic is on the right and you don't want little Fluffy running in front of a car. On a trail you walk on the right. You walk Fluffy on the right as well. You don't want Fluffy to run in front of a cyclists or a roller blader. Besides the land is on the right of the trail and Fluffy loves running along the ground.

Speed

Riding on trails is the same as riding on a sidewalk and on sidewalks cyclists must yield to pedestrians. Tulsa's River Park trails have a suggested speed limit of 10 mph. Any reasonably fit cyclist can exceed this, of course, so be courteous and safety minded when overtaking peds. Please be courteous, and stay particularly alert if there are children or pets nearby.

Awareness

For pedestrians - there's more to this than simply unplugging the iPod or turning off the cell phone. It's a basic safety issue whenever we're out in public. Be aware of your surroundings. Be alert for the unexpected. Be alert for suspicious people or objects. This isn't an attempt to make you paranoid, just wary. Criminals exploit people who aren't paying attention or are otherwise distracted. Likewise, in a traffic mix with people moving at different speeds, it pays to stay alert.

For cyclists – make others aware of your presence and intention of passing. Use a bell, or shout, “Passing on your left!” Just as pedestrians have to be aware of overtaking cyclists, cyclists themselves have to be aware of other bicyclists moving at higher speeds. Watch your six.

Consideration

Trails are shared public spaces that belong to all of us. Please don't leave trash behind. Treat other trail users as you would wish to be treated.

And finally...

Since I'm not all-wise and all-knowing, I probably missed a few things. Please feel free to point out my deficiencies in comments!

Incident on Osage Prairie Trail

This came in email a few days ago. For those of you outside the Tulsa area, the Osage Prairie Trail starts near downtown and runs north along an old railroad right of way. This isn't the first incident along a local trail and it won't be the last. I was ambivalent about posting it because it portrays our area in a bad light, but on the other hand, there's an obligation to inform local cyclists in order to increase their awareness and (hopefully) make riding around Tulsa a safer, more enjoyable experience. I've done some light editing.

Yesterday, Sat., Feb. 9th, Brenda and I rode out to Sperry on the Osage Trail. We saw several people on our way, a few cyclists but mostly kids and young people. On our way back we turned into the neighborhood that you have to go through while the trail is closed for the Gilcrease construction.

There were 4 black teenage boys walking in the middle of the street and they must have heard us because they stepped apart (2 on each side) for us to ride through and just as we passed them the tallest one ran up to the back of Brenda's bike and kicked her tire trying to knock her down. Fortunately, she was able to maintain control and stay upright. I thought he'd thrown something at us and then I heard him running behind me and when I turned around to look I saw him reaching out to try and either catch me or kick me. Then he said, "Hey white bitch, I'm gonna slap your face!"

We were riding faster by then but he was running as fast as he could and I could hear his feet slapping the pavement as he chased us. I didn't think I was going to be able to out ride him but finally he stopped and we got away. It was a terrifying experience.

We didn't call the police but I think I will call tomorrow and report the incident (does anyone know the name of that street through the neighborhood?).

Also we noticed that there was glass numerous places along the trail that hadn't been there when we rode out. It's unfortunate to have a trail that nice and then have it trashed and/or be terrorized by hoodlums.

This is to warn everyone to be very careful if you choose to ride that route. Brenda and I will never ride on that trail again. It is too dangerous. It's chilling when I recall it and think about what could have happened had he knocked Brenda off her bike or caught me...Eve

A comment on an older post...

(Image from David Byrne)

In a response to - Is Tulsa Bicycle Friendly? - which appeared here on May 15th, Natalie wrote the following:

Bikes belong on the road... Pedestrians have the right of way, but unfortunately, bikers forget that fact. Hence, kick them the hell off of the paths where they don't belong anyway. My kids are terrified of bikes because of the way the "racers" force everyone to move out of their way on the paths. New ordinance: No bikes on paths... PERIOD! Pedestrians are tired of being harassed!

(Image from Fyxomatosis)

Bikes belong on the road. I couldn't agree more. But as for prohibiting them from using paths, I have to disagree. Far too many cyclists are terrified of riding on the road. They prefer the presumed safety of a separated side path, and in some municipalities, they are legally obligated to use such a sidepath when it is adjacent to the road. Tulsa did away with this restriction some time ago. Good riddance.

Sidepaths provide the illusion of safety, but as pedestrians and cyclists mix, the probability of a crash increases. That's why anyone with an interest in going fast, training at high speed,or riding in a pack, will avoid riding on a multi-use path. One of the most popular in Tulsa is the River Park trail system which isn't really suitable for speed due to its many curves and elevation changes. It's difficult to judge which side of the trail an oncoming cyclist or pedestrian is on, and the gravel running track on one side makes that judgment even more problematic. Furthermore, the present trail is actually too narrow by current design standards.

That will change soon when the River Park Authority constructs a new trail parallel to the existing one. Users will be segregated - cyclists on one trail and pedestrians on the other. Will this eliminate conflicts? No, because the clueless will be with us always. Peds will walk on the bike trail and cyclists will ride on the pedestrian one. Unless we can find a means of performing some fundamental change on human nature, the conflicts will continue.

I attended a meeting with the River Park folks some years ago. The biggest area of conflict was near the Full Moon Cafe, because it had the greatest usage. Their temporary solution was to paint lines on the trail and put up some speed limit signs.

Even my son, who was about thirteen at the time, noted that the River Trail isn't a place to go fast. And this from a kid who had only two speeds - stopped and full speed ahead. Why is it difficult for an adult to comprehend?

I get very nervous when overtaking pedestrians, especially children. They can change speed or direction in a single step. Skaters, with their side-to-side motion, can be difficult to pass too. And I think there should be a special place in Hell reserved for those people walking their dogs on 25-foot retractable leashes. The dogs get a pass. The owners, no.

Now, I may get all maudlin for a moment. Natalie would gladly prohibit cyclists from pedestrian trails. Motorists would gladly prohibit us from the public roads. Hmm...I'm feeling distinctly unwanted. If I weren't such a steely-eyed macho kinda guy, I may shed a tear or two and get all weepy. I hate that. So let's re-visit that first statement - bikes belong on the road.

Bicyclists really do belong on the road. We have just as much right as anyone else on the public way. Note that I said just as much, as in equal, not more and not less. For that matter, since a sidepath is also a public way, we have an equal right to use it, provided we share it safely with other trail users.