Interested Girl
Beach Fanatic
Maybe he is the bike path coordinator talked about in another thread
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Bike path more dangerous than 30A???
- Thread starter 30ABandMan
- Start date
wrobert
Beach Fanatic
Oh good grief! If that is the case keep your questions short please. We are shy several millions in the budget and $35/hr is a bit much to answer forum posts.
Matt J
SWGB
I would assume that the bike path coordinator works for the TDC therefore not affecting the actual county budget.
Interested Girl
Beach Fanatic
Douglas the Intrepid
Beach Fanatic
Edit: I did have a blurb here about how the BPC was actually getting stuff done from feedback here and you shouldn't piss and moan about everything. But after careful consideration, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt that you were actually making an attempt to make a joke. ;-)
Last edited:
Geo
Beach Fanatic
:bicycle:
hinkhall
Beach Comber
A true multi-use path should be clearly marked with a bike lane and pedestrian lane. Bikers would ride single file as they are required if riding in the traffic lanes where a path is not available. I realize that it is a little late since the path is not very wide, but maybe future planning could consider this as an option in areas where there is room for it.
30ABandMan
Beach Fanatic
You'll find things a little more relaxed here in SoWal with most of us trying to be ruled by common sense more than lines or lanes. It is unfortunate that not everyone can be depended on to live the same way. I try to keep an eye out for everyone because I know that most of our visitors are trying to soak all of he beautiful scenery in.
cheesehead
Beach Lover
Here's a new twist to this thread. It happened again today, riding home from work. People coming off the beach{by thomb thumb in Seagrove", and they just walk right to the road crossing the bike path, not looking at all. Go figure.
Everytime
Beach Fanatic
Here are my observations and experiences after recently spending 10 days in Seagrove. I ran on the multi-use path one day, ran on the Eastern Lake Trail in Pt. Washington State Forest three days, and rode a bike on the multi-use path on all the other days. I drove a car at least to Tom Thumb or Publix each day.
Preface: I usually handle the "warning approach" based on the situation. At first, I'll back pedal a little to click the gears on the bike for noise, and if that doesn't get the walkers' attention, I usually announce my approach. I've found that some walkers don't like the announcement, and I've found that some get mad if I do not make the announcement. When I'm approaching congestion on the trail, I usually just go "off-road" to the right, either on the grass or 30-A if traffic is clear.
One morning, I was riding the bike on the multi-use path and waiting to cross 30-A from the multi-use path to the Tom Thumb parking lot at the Somerset Bridge crosswalk. There were also some pedistrians crossing from Somerset Bridge Road to the multi-use path. Eventually, cars from both sides stopped to allow us to cross 30-A. There was also an SUV attempting to turn left onto 30-A (eastbound) from Somerset Bridge Road. Before I was able to enter the crosswalk, a cyclist came eastbound down 30-A at a high rate of speed on a road bike, passing the cars that were stopped for us, and proceeding on through the crosswalk (I'm not sure, but I think this crosswalk has one of those little yield signs with the arrow pointing "here" to the road). At the same time, possibly due to my hesitance to cross, the SUV from Somerset Bridge Road began to proceed into his lefthand turn. The cyclist, still going at a high speed, pointed at him and yelled something at him. While the SUV driver was likely in the wrong for beginning to proceed, it seems the cyclist would also be in the wrong for passing stopped cars and not yielding to crossing pedestrians and cyclists. I don't know all of the rules of road cycling, but I have noticed that on 30-A many of them do not stop at the 30-A/395 intersection nor at the 30-A crosswalks (and many cars don't stop at the crosswalks either, regardless of the presence of pedestrians/cyclists). I have also noticed in my own neighborhood that they breeze through stop signs (above the 20 mph neighborhood speed limit downhill).
Another item I observed: while riding on the multi-use path on 30-A and approaching 395, I saw a family with kids on bikes approaching that intersection heading westbound towards Seaside. I was behind them and expected to catch up with them as everyone stopped at the "little" stop sign which is visibly placed on the multi-use path for observance by multi-use path users. However, they did not stop at all and continued at thier constant speed across 395 towards Seaside. And just as I got to the intersection and came to a complete stop, an older lady whom I had just recently passed near the Wheelhouse flew past me when she did not stop either. What is it about the multi-use path "little" stop sign that cyclists think does not apply to them? Do people convince themselves that because it's a beach town/vacation area, that everything is more laid back and there is no need to even stop and look for vehicular traffic?
Seaside: people like to congregate on the multi-use path (really more of a sidewalk through SS & Watercolor) at the ends of their streets; some are on their bikes, some are on foot, but they don't mind taking up the path to make it impassable to path users. I usually just veer off on to 30-A if traffic permits, or come to a stop and negotiate my bike around them.
And although I do stop at the crosswalks when people are waiting to cross, I have observed some pedestrians off of 30-A walk straight out into the road in front of traffic without looking or waiting.
Again, these are just observations. I am not scolding anyone for anything, but stating what I saw and interested in everyone's feedback. I tend to be defenisive as opposed to confrontational or invincible whether I'm on a bike, in a vehicle or driving a vehicle, so I don't dare take it up with any of the involved parties when I see it...
Preface: I usually handle the "warning approach" based on the situation. At first, I'll back pedal a little to click the gears on the bike for noise, and if that doesn't get the walkers' attention, I usually announce my approach. I've found that some walkers don't like the announcement, and I've found that some get mad if I do not make the announcement. When I'm approaching congestion on the trail, I usually just go "off-road" to the right, either on the grass or 30-A if traffic is clear.
One morning, I was riding the bike on the multi-use path and waiting to cross 30-A from the multi-use path to the Tom Thumb parking lot at the Somerset Bridge crosswalk. There were also some pedistrians crossing from Somerset Bridge Road to the multi-use path. Eventually, cars from both sides stopped to allow us to cross 30-A. There was also an SUV attempting to turn left onto 30-A (eastbound) from Somerset Bridge Road. Before I was able to enter the crosswalk, a cyclist came eastbound down 30-A at a high rate of speed on a road bike, passing the cars that were stopped for us, and proceeding on through the crosswalk (I'm not sure, but I think this crosswalk has one of those little yield signs with the arrow pointing "here" to the road). At the same time, possibly due to my hesitance to cross, the SUV from Somerset Bridge Road began to proceed into his lefthand turn. The cyclist, still going at a high speed, pointed at him and yelled something at him. While the SUV driver was likely in the wrong for beginning to proceed, it seems the cyclist would also be in the wrong for passing stopped cars and not yielding to crossing pedestrians and cyclists. I don't know all of the rules of road cycling, but I have noticed that on 30-A many of them do not stop at the 30-A/395 intersection nor at the 30-A crosswalks (and many cars don't stop at the crosswalks either, regardless of the presence of pedestrians/cyclists). I have also noticed in my own neighborhood that they breeze through stop signs (above the 20 mph neighborhood speed limit downhill).
Another item I observed: while riding on the multi-use path on 30-A and approaching 395, I saw a family with kids on bikes approaching that intersection heading westbound towards Seaside. I was behind them and expected to catch up with them as everyone stopped at the "little" stop sign which is visibly placed on the multi-use path for observance by multi-use path users. However, they did not stop at all and continued at thier constant speed across 395 towards Seaside. And just as I got to the intersection and came to a complete stop, an older lady whom I had just recently passed near the Wheelhouse flew past me when she did not stop either. What is it about the multi-use path "little" stop sign that cyclists think does not apply to them? Do people convince themselves that because it's a beach town/vacation area, that everything is more laid back and there is no need to even stop and look for vehicular traffic?
Seaside: people like to congregate on the multi-use path (really more of a sidewalk through SS & Watercolor) at the ends of their streets; some are on their bikes, some are on foot, but they don't mind taking up the path to make it impassable to path users. I usually just veer off on to 30-A if traffic permits, or come to a stop and negotiate my bike around them.
And although I do stop at the crosswalks when people are waiting to cross, I have observed some pedestrians off of 30-A walk straight out into the road in front of traffic without looking or waiting.
Again, these are just observations. I am not scolding anyone for anything, but stating what I saw and interested in everyone's feedback. I tend to be defenisive as opposed to confrontational or invincible whether I'm on a bike, in a vehicle or driving a vehicle, so I don't dare take it up with any of the involved parties when I see it...