I love the Hennepin County trail system. The trails are a wonderful basically safe way of biking. Most of my rides are on these trails. While these trails make me happy, there are some major irritants to my rides!
Act One: Segways
I HATE segways. Some would say that HATE is a strong word, but I would say when it comes to segways on trails, I need something more powerful. Why are a motorized vehicle such as the segway even allowed on the trail? I HATE the segway and the lazy, stupid, fat assed people who ride them. Yep, I did stereotype (and probably inaccurately) an entire group of people. The fat assed might not be fair, but I'm standing my ground on lazy and stupid. Hey segway people, two segways next to each other impedes travel on the trail.
Act Two: Parents of Children on Bikes
I feel sorry for parents of children learning to bike because there's not really a safe place to learn. If one is, however, going to take their child/children on the trail where bikers are going between 12 and 25 mph, teach them to stay to the right. It's not a place to be swerving and riding all over the trail. When (and it probably will) a crash occurs, it's going to affect the child as well as the adult biker. Honestly, I don't blame the child. They're little and unsure and looking all around and excited and... It's the parent that needs to have some responsibility. My guess is most parents wouldn't send their teen driver onto the road without talking about safety.
Today on my ride two boys were in front of an adult male (presumably their father). One boy was riding carelessly, coming at me, in my lane. "Watch out! Stay in your lane," I screamed as I was about to crash. As I was passing the adult male, I gave him an evil look and said, "Dumb ass." I'm not real proud of my behavior, but I don't want to crash into some kid on the trail because his dad is a dumb ass. Really?!
Act Three: ?????
As with roads, trails have directions. Some trails (such as many around the lakes) are one way. Some are two ways. One side is going in one direction while the other side is going in the other direction. When runners come running at me in my lane, it is an irritant. They haven't reach the dumb ass status, but it is annoying. More annoying is the runner and/or walker that chooses to use the bike lane when there's a walking lane. I get it that it may be confusing because it doesn't say walkers and runners, but it's inferred. Actually, runners can use the side next to the biking lane because it must be annoying running with walkers, but is it difficult to be aware of the bikers?
Bells on bikes... I love words such as passing, on your left, three passing or any other signal to let me know someone's coming around, so I can make sure I'm as far over as possible. I try to use the same words. The bell serves the same purpose, and I'm basically OK with it. It does, however, sound like I'm receiving a text, so words would help too. Lately, however, I've encountered several people that are in the other lane coming my direction and using the damn bell. I see approaching riders. I'm looking ahead as I bike. No bell is needed to warn me of approaching bikers. This would be similar to a car honking as we passed on the rode. I don't get it.
Finally, it is one's prerogative to wear or not wear a helmet. I'll wear mine (even for short rides) because I know what it's like to crash a bike, and I can't afford anything to happen to my brain. For those that choose not to wear helmets, I wish they couldn't have them strapped to the handlebars are a back pack. This merely confuses me. Each time I see it I'm perplexed wondering if they think they're going to be able to stop and put it on before the crash.
Act One: Segways
I HATE segways. Some would say that HATE is a strong word, but I would say when it comes to segways on trails, I need something more powerful. Why are a motorized vehicle such as the segway even allowed on the trail? I HATE the segway and the lazy, stupid, fat assed people who ride them. Yep, I did stereotype (and probably inaccurately) an entire group of people. The fat assed might not be fair, but I'm standing my ground on lazy and stupid. Hey segway people, two segways next to each other impedes travel on the trail.
Act Two: Parents of Children on Bikes
I feel sorry for parents of children learning to bike because there's not really a safe place to learn. If one is, however, going to take their child/children on the trail where bikers are going between 12 and 25 mph, teach them to stay to the right. It's not a place to be swerving and riding all over the trail. When (and it probably will) a crash occurs, it's going to affect the child as well as the adult biker. Honestly, I don't blame the child. They're little and unsure and looking all around and excited and... It's the parent that needs to have some responsibility. My guess is most parents wouldn't send their teen driver onto the road without talking about safety.
Today on my ride two boys were in front of an adult male (presumably their father). One boy was riding carelessly, coming at me, in my lane. "Watch out! Stay in your lane," I screamed as I was about to crash. As I was passing the adult male, I gave him an evil look and said, "Dumb ass." I'm not real proud of my behavior, but I don't want to crash into some kid on the trail because his dad is a dumb ass. Really?!
Act Three: ?????
As with roads, trails have directions. Some trails (such as many around the lakes) are one way. Some are two ways. One side is going in one direction while the other side is going in the other direction. When runners come running at me in my lane, it is an irritant. They haven't reach the dumb ass status, but it is annoying. More annoying is the runner and/or walker that chooses to use the bike lane when there's a walking lane. I get it that it may be confusing because it doesn't say walkers and runners, but it's inferred. Actually, runners can use the side next to the biking lane because it must be annoying running with walkers, but is it difficult to be aware of the bikers?
Bells on bikes... I love words such as passing, on your left, three passing or any other signal to let me know someone's coming around, so I can make sure I'm as far over as possible. I try to use the same words. The bell serves the same purpose, and I'm basically OK with it. It does, however, sound like I'm receiving a text, so words would help too. Lately, however, I've encountered several people that are in the other lane coming my direction and using the damn bell. I see approaching riders. I'm looking ahead as I bike. No bell is needed to warn me of approaching bikers. This would be similar to a car honking as we passed on the rode. I don't get it.
Finally, it is one's prerogative to wear or not wear a helmet. I'll wear mine (even for short rides) because I know what it's like to crash a bike, and I can't afford anything to happen to my brain. For those that choose not to wear helmets, I wish they couldn't have them strapped to the handlebars are a back pack. This merely confuses me. Each time I see it I'm perplexed wondering if they think they're going to be able to stop and put it on before the crash.
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