There’s a lot of idiot drivers in my area, so I stick to the Mups as much as possible. But they do have their own dangers. The biggest problems I’ve run into are the kids that either play in the path or are riding their scooters. Once they hear that bell, they freeze like a squirrel, trying to decide which way to go while I approach.
The bike paths here are just glorified parks or park connectors. They start in nowhere, don’t go anywhere useful along the way, and end up nowhere. The only way to cycles for transportation is to ride in the street.
When I first started commuting I used a MUP. I felt safer. After a while, I grew up and realized that there are no rules on the MUP (loose dogs, kids, Iplods, etc). I then graduated to the main road.
But… I might not have started commuting without the MUP being there.
IPLOD … Love it.
My sister was sending me thing to download and listen to while I was walking. A secret Santa gifted me an old trail bike this Christmas. Yippee!! Now I get more huffing and puffing all the way home and faster too.
Usually the biggest hazard on the paths are pedestrians. Worse still groups of giggling school girls who walk in a wide line 5 abreast, leaving no passing room and have no idea that a cyclist is coming up behind them despite frantic bell-ringing and causing me to slow to dawdling pace (riding slow is harder than riding fast) before separating on the path and there is always one which doesn’t know which side to move to and tends to step right in front of you!
At least I ride using traditional rubber-block platform pedals – you can imagine the trouble I’d have un-clipping in a hurry.
No, the biggest danger in an MUP is where it crosses with roads: I’ve ridden on MUPs that basically are next to a road but lower than it, and you have a much higher risk of being turned into by crosstraffic than you do when you’re on the road. On the road, they at least have a chance of seeing you, but when you’re booking it at 1015mph on what’s essentially a wider sidewalk, they’re sure as hell not going to look even further down the sidewalk before turning. I’d take an MUP if I didn’t have a bike geared well enough to go fast; as it is, it’s a danger to me at the speeds I ride and it’s a danger to pedestrians too.
Feh. As an inline skater, I’m taking offense at frame 2. MUPs are best used for pedestrians and people on wheels who are slower and/or not street-savvy. But it doesn’t mean that inline skaters aren’t street-savvy or slow. A skilled inline skater can easily overtake a slow biker, who are allowed to be on roads to begin with.
And if it weren’t for the prejudice from police (and Cleveland municipal laws) constantly forcing us to be on the sidewalks, I’d be on the roads just to avoid pedestrian traffic. California, NYC, and Toronto are three areas where inline skaters can take to the street without cops getting all over their case. This may be an overreaction, but I’m setting this record straight.</end rant>
Enjoying the comic, though. Keep up the good work.
I agree with Yahuda. Bikes are vehicles; they belong on the road.
There’s a lot of idiot drivers in my area, so I stick to the Mups as much as possible. But they do have their own dangers. The biggest problems I’ve run into are the kids that either play in the path or are riding their scooters. Once they hear that bell, they freeze like a squirrel, trying to decide which way to go while I approach.
Hence while I call them ‘squirrels’.
The bike paths here are just glorified parks or park connectors. They start in nowhere, don’t go anywhere useful along the way, and end up nowhere. The only way to cycles for transportation is to ride in the street.
When I first started commuting I used a MUP. I felt safer. After a while, I grew up and realized that there are no rules on the MUP (loose dogs, kids, Iplods, etc). I then graduated to the main road.
But… I might not have started commuting without the MUP being there.
IPLOD … Love it.
My sister was sending me thing to download and listen to while I was walking. A secret Santa gifted me an old trail bike this Christmas. Yippee!! Now I get more huffing and puffing all the way home and faster too.
lool
One of my favorites
Usually the biggest hazard on the paths are pedestrians. Worse still groups of giggling school girls who walk in a wide line 5 abreast, leaving no passing room and have no idea that a cyclist is coming up behind them despite frantic bell-ringing and causing me to slow to dawdling pace (riding slow is harder than riding fast) before separating on the path and there is always one which doesn’t know which side to move to and tends to step right in front of you!
At least I ride using traditional rubber-block platform pedals – you can imagine the trouble I’d have un-clipping in a hurry.
</rant>
No, the biggest danger in an MUP is where it crosses with roads: I’ve ridden on MUPs that basically are next to a road but lower than it, and you have a much higher risk of being turned into by crosstraffic than you do when you’re on the road. On the road, they at least have a chance of seeing you, but when you’re booking it at 1015mph on what’s essentially a wider sidewalk, they’re sure as hell not going to look even further down the sidewalk before turning. I’d take an MUP if I didn’t have a bike geared well enough to go fast; as it is, it’s a danger to me at the speeds I ride and it’s a danger to pedestrians too.
Feh. As an inline skater, I’m taking offense at frame 2. MUPs are best used for pedestrians and people on wheels who are slower and/or not street-savvy. But it doesn’t mean that inline skaters aren’t street-savvy or slow. A skilled inline skater can easily overtake a slow biker, who are allowed to be on roads to begin with.
And if it weren’t for the prejudice from police (and Cleveland municipal laws) constantly forcing us to be on the sidewalks, I’d be on the roads just to avoid pedestrian traffic. California, NYC, and Toronto are three areas where inline skaters can take to the street without cops getting all over their case. This may be an overreaction, but I’m setting this record straight.</end rant>
Enjoying the comic, though. Keep up the good work.