East Bay Bike Path Lane Etiquette Question

You were in the right, don't worry about it.

I think I ran by that same group earlier. 10-20% of the people on that bike path have no idea what side they’re supposed to be on. What really gets me is the larger groups taking up both sides of the path while moving slowly in the same direction. Mildly infuriating, but that path is worth the somewhat clueless folks walking on it.

You were totally in the right. The over 60 crowd on the bike path is unfortunately incredibly entitled. I can't tell you how many times I've had that interaction in EP/Barrington. Somehow 10 year olds never give me an issue but a 65 year old will ride right down your throat or four people abreast.

I walk these shared lanes. I've had more than one rider go nuts. 

But yeah, it's on the signs: pedestrians stay on their left.  

We could do with more signs.

You are in the right. I have this interaction once a month on East Bay. It surprises me that people would be SO adamant that I am on the wrong side when they clearly haven’t read the signs / do not regularly use the bike path. Lol

Walkers on the left is the rule and I'm pretty sure there are signs, so you were correct. My experience with EBBP and other bike paths is that it is ingrained in Americans to stay to the right, no matter what their mode of travel, so it doesn't work very well because so many won't/can't remember to stay on the left.

As others have said, you’re correct. As someone who used to bike on this path multiple times a week, thank you for sharing the space in the safest way! Hopefully that group learns to do the same.

Here's an article from 13 years ago, and people are still confused. Sounds like the state needs to get some PSAs out there. (Although, since the "rules PDF" link at the bottom just takes you to the DOT main page, I bet that ain't gonna happen...)

You are correct, BUT Rhode Island is the exception to the rule. In every other state in the country (except for one place I forgot, somewhere in California I think?) the rule is pedestrians walk on the right side of bike paths.

I think our rule is safer and makes more sense and only recently found out it's not the norm. I used to get annoyed at people who screwed it up (mainly pedestrians walking on the right), but it's a small state with lots of out-of-state students and tourists that probably have no idea it's different here, so I have a little more patience now.

Had to tell some boomer to fuck off because of this exact reason. She was irate about something so minor.

They're gonna lose their SHIT next Sunday: the RI Half Marathon is using the EBBP for the majority of the route back to E. Prov 😂

You are in the right. It is literally painted on the bike path.

Also make sure that when you're walking on the left side, your dog on their 25 foot retractable leash is over in the grass off the right side of the path.

Follow-up question. Cyclist and walker are coming at each other face-to-face as they should be. Is the walker supposed to step aside (off the path even) for the cyclist?

You are correct. I run into this often on the west bay bike path and got into a screaming match with some asshole who was insisting I should be on the right … as he was sitting next to a sign that says “Walkers on Left”. Very satisfying.

Pedestrians on the left, bikes on the right

Likes it’s been for decades

I have been yelled at by older bikers telling me I'm on the wrong side of the road. I told them to look at the signs and arrows. There are PLENTY.

You are correct.

People are just clueless about the rules and etiquette. I’ll be out walking on a road with no sidewalks and regularly come face to face with another walker who is walking on the right with vehicular traffic. I’ve never had a single person have an “aha” moment and cross the street. It’s an extra treat if they’re walking a dog and I get to decide if I should cross the street to avoid their likely poorly controlled dog.

It's not only the rule on the bike path, but on the main roads as well. Bike riders go with the flow of traffic and pedestrians go against the flow of traffic. These rules have been in place longer than we've all been alive. Not your fault people don't know basic lane etiquette.

You were in the right.

I am an evangelist for "everyone should run/walk facing traffic" (even on like, Blackstone Blvd) so these people who yelled at you really suck and I hate them.

Really though, I wish I had been there on my bike, I would have followed them and lectured them about it for their entire ride and made them miserable. I'm that much of an annoying asshole about it.

If only there were painted and posted signs all over…. Oh wait there are and you were right

You are correct - people can’t seem to understand that it’s safer having same lane bikes in front of you vs coming up behind you closely. And yes, that’s what the signs say - and there are a bunch of them.

You’re 1000% right.

There are also signs that state it.

I absolutely hate the current system. There’s such a range of speeds and modes on a bike path that telling different groups to follow different rules makes no sense to me. Like a parent walking while their kid rides a trike should be on different sides? If I’m biking past a slow biker and then coming up on a jogger who’s passing a walker, basically I feel like my brains going to explode or I’m going to do something wrong or someone else is. I follow the rules, but I would love if we ditched this system.

Of course you were correct. But is there a rule about who is responsible for moving out of the way? Is it always correct for the ped to scoot to the right temporarily?

Okay this happens to me on the blackstone River bike path. I once was yelled at by a biker too. And it seems majority of people just walk wherever while I stay as far left as possible to be out of anyone's way! It's quite frustrating as there are usually signs posted at the beginning of sections 😔 I get soooo many looks. But yes you are right to walk on the left side lol

Pedestrians stay left, they were a$$h0les (one of the reasons I do not do group rides is due to ass hats like this)