When riding the cherry creek BIKE path
Recently i have had the pleasure of enjoying the bike path from the reservoir to downtown as my commute home as often as i can!
One would think riding your bike is no big deal… but it is.
The basic thing is – have respect for your fellow man!
Here are my thoughts and suggestions on how to enjoy the bike path (let me re-iterate – BIKE path
- You are not the only one on the bike path, and you don’t own it.
- NEVER ride side by side – there is no room, biking is a solo sport. You cannot carry on a long term conversation, don’t try. Get to where you are going and then have a converations.
- Hearing is vital. If you like to enjoy your music, make sure to leave one ear able to hear your surrounding environment.
- Passing – getting as close to the person you are attempting you pass is rude and stupid. There is no guarantee that that rider will continue on the staight and narrow, the could swing wide at any momoent.
- Passing – if there isn’t room to pass, then don’t. That means you will need to slow down and wait for there to be enough room to safely pass. Don’t make me slow doesn
- Announce Yourself – if you will be passing announce yourself. “On your right” is a recongnized phrase and beneficial to those on the right – riders, walkers, runners. or others.
- It is not a play ground – if you happen to be lucky enough to live on the lovely bike path see rule 1 – you don’t own it. Don’t leave your toys on the trail. Don’t block the lanes. People ride the entire route and don’t need your personal items blocking it.
- Just cause you dress like lance armstrong doesn’t mean you are!
- Runners – you are on a bike bath. You are not alone. See headphones, passing, etc.
- Dog owners – if you can’t control your dogs i can’t help but run them over.
Of course your tips for sharing the path are good ones.
But you seem to have this chip on your shoulder about it being a bike path. What makes you think it is meant to be primarily a bike path? Just because you call it the "Cherry Creek Bike Path" doesn’t mean that’s what it is. The City of Denver and the Denver Regional Council of Governments both call it the "Cherry Creek Trail." So what makes you think bikes have some sort of priority or moral high ground on the "trail"?
FWIW, you can google "cherry creek trail" and "cherry creek bike path" and you’ll see about twice as many web pages use the former – and more inclusive – name, which is "trail" and not "bike path."
tbradley – I couldn’t actually find an "owner" for the Cherry Creek Trail or Bike Path – just mentions of both. So I’ll give you that one. No moral high ground really – just observations on how sucky all people can be on the path/trail/route.
FWIW, the bulk of the trail lies in the City and County of Denver, and so they own it (or perhaps I should say the citizens of Denver own it). The Denver Parks & Recreation department’s map of Denver Urban Trails calls it the "Cherry Creek Trail."
http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/654/documents/denverUrbanWaterwayTrails.pdf
I just happened to be looking through Glen Hanket’s "Take a Bike: A Guide to the Denver Area’s Urban Trails" book this morning, too, trying to figure out where I want to go ride today. He calls it the "Cherry Creek Trail" as well.
And I agree – people, don’t be a jerk on the trail! Any trail!
But it’s really not a bike path any more than it’s a running path, a big wheel race track, a make-shift cricket pitch, or a horse trail.
Of course, the people who don’t play well with others almost certainly don’t read this website, so you and I are both preaching to the choir.