BIKE: Statesman Editorial: Cyclists: Be Careful

[Bob Farr]

It's been my experience that whether it's the "On the left" warning or a bike
bell, it works much better if you give folks time to process and react to the
warning. Neither works when you're riding too fast.

On the subject of making shared bike/pedestrian trails safe for all concerned.
Perhaps we should do as the Europeans do and have a maximum speed limit on these
shared facilities.

My experience on riding the river bike paths in Luxemburg and Germany was that
there was an unposted, but nevertheless "global" rule that the speed limit on
such trails in Europe was 15 kilometers per hour -- about 7 miles per hour. I
know this because at the time I was riding fast with some gonzo mountain bikers
and received a chewing out by some startled pedestrians who "reminded" us of the
code.

10 miles per hour seems to me to be a reasonable standard for us Texans. Anyone
riding faster would find riding on the street to be a better way to get where
they're going.
--
Bob