Good Irish Times piece about walkers in cycle lanes

Brendan Burgess said:

..I really don't see why one should have to ring the bell, but it works a lot less than 90% for me. Some do get out of the way. Many are wearing headphones. Many become aggressive and stubbornly stay in the path.

Click to expand...

Maybe people are happier in the Phoenix Park. Also we have the option of going around them on the grass which you don't have. Thought that can backfire if its wet.

That said as the weather improves its gets worse in the park. In the mornings and the winter in generally you don't get as many in the park at commuting times. Summer evening is the worst. But then its tricky to cycle and hold a ice cream cone at the same time.

My route is through the city centre, or up the canal. Probably the heaviest pedestrian parts of the city, and at peak time. There are pedestrians everywhere, they just cross whenever, quite often without looking. The park seems a "walk in the park" after that.

AlbacoreA said:

My route is through the city centre, or up the canal. Probably the heaviest pedestrian parts of the city, and at peak time. There are pedestrians everywhere, they just cross whenever, quite often without looking. The park seems a "walk in the park" after that.

Click to expand...

Are you cycling or driving?

There are two separate issues here. I have not seen pedestrians walking in the middle of the road in the same direction as traffic. They do this in bike lanes all the time.

We are agreed that pedestrians do step out in front of oncoming traffic to cross the road. I suspect that they do this far more often in the path of silent cyclists than noisy cars. But that is not the point. The point is that pedestrians walk along cycle lanes blocking oncoming bikes whereas they don't walk along roads blocking oncoming cars.

Both. There's pedestrians all over the place. Between cars, jaywalking, etc. Especially if near pedestrianized areas.

The point is the design and layout in the park means there is ALWAYS going to pedestrians on it, as they have to cross it, at a minimum. On a sunny day thats going to a big numbers of people crossing that path. The sheer numbers means some will start walking on it.

Going fast on such a path is reckless and dangerous.