[Data1000]

I appreciate the number of bike trails in Omaha, but the growing number of baby strollers taking up the entire width of the trails is moving me back to using streets instead of trails. I use trails for my transportation to work on nice weather days. Having to slow down to a crawl more and more often because of mothers with baby strollers or groups of people taking a stroll and taking up the entire width of trail makes the trails less useful.

Does anyone else have this problem of needing to slow down more and more often?

[Busguy2010]

You have a problem with the trails, you have a problem with me

JUST KIDDING.

That sounds terribly annoying. I use the Keystone trail and I know how annoying it is to have all the skaters weaving back and forth between the lanes, and the inconsiderate hoodlums going double-wide. But for it to be mostly mothers and their children clogging the lanes would be especially infuriating. What trails do you have this problem with?

[Data1000]

Originally Posted by Busguy2010

What trails do you have this problem with?

The Field Club and the South Omaha trails. When the trails are clear, a one-way trip to UNMC takes 25 minutes. When the baby strollers are out, the trip often takes 45 minutes.

[harshbarj]

Honestly the rule should be you can't take up more than one lane.

I also have problems with the sporty cyclists that want to ride 2 or 3 side by side and then don't move into their own lane when someone is in the oncoming lane.

I also would LOVE to see a speed limit on the trail. There are simply too many Lance Armstrong types(is that even appropriate to use now ) that think the trail is their personal training course and ride at 30-40mph on it. I myself rarely break 15.

[Busguy2010]

[quote=harshbarj;28983019]Honestly the rule should be you can't take up more than one lane.[quote]

I always understood that was the rule. If it isn't a "rule", it should be obvious enough to people that it's inconsiderate to take up the whole trail. Especially when there are lane markers. Some people, I just wonder if they're really even in there. Next time I'm on the trail I will have to read the rules and I swear if it is a rule, I'm going to affix a train horn to my bike. That'll show em. As for the Lance Armstrongs, what can you do to control them? If only a speedometer was standard on a bike, then a speed limit might make sense. For now I don't have a clue as to how fast I go on my bike. But then again I'm not training for the tour

[Data1000]

Originally Posted by harshbarj

Honestly the rule should be you can't take up more than one lane.

I also have problems with the sporty cyclists that want to ride 2 or 3 side by side and then don't move into their own lane when someone is in the oncoming lane.

I also would LOVE to see a speed limit on the trail. There are simply too many Lance Armstrong types(is that even appropriate to use now ) that think the trail is their personal training course and ride at 30-40mph on it. I myself rarely break 15.

I admit that I like to go a little fast (about 20-25 mph) because I am usually trying to make my trip to work as short as possible. I thought that if walkers stayed on one side or used sidewalks, then bikes should be able to go fast. However, if I am misunderstanding the role of bike trails, then I understand that I should go back to using streets.

Are bike trails also meant to be a good suitable place for baby strollers?

[harshbarj]

Originally Posted by Busguy2010

As for the Lance Armstrongs, what can you do to control them? If only a speedometer was standard on a bike, then a speed limit might make sense. For now I don't have a clue as to how fast I go on my bike. But then again I'm not training for the tour

If you ride on the street and break the speed limit you can get a ticket. Cyclists should at least be able to guess their speed. A good speedometer costs only like $15-20.

Originally Posted by Data1000

I admit that I like to go a little fast (about 20-25 mph) because I am usually trying to make my trip to work as short as possible. I thought that if walkers stayed on one side or used sidewalks, then bikes should be able to go fast. However, if I am misunderstanding the role of bike trails, then I understand that I should go back to using streets.

Are bike trails also meant to be a good suitable place for baby strollers?

Thing is they are not bike trails. They are just trails, meant for all to use. Omaha has no dedicated bicycle infrastructure. Best we get are lanes that cars park in, or that go unmaintained and full of sand and glass. There is work on creating the FIRST dedicated cycle track on harney street.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20111128/NEWS01/711289901

[MountainMen]

Wasn't that Harney Street plan from like 2 years ago? It's a joke conceived by clowns.

[thedwightguy]

Originally Posted by Data1000

I admit that I like to go a little fast (about 20-25 mph) because I am usually trying to make my trip to work as short as possible. I thought that if walkers stayed on one side or used sidewalks, then bikes should be able to go fast. However, if I am misunderstanding the role of bike trails, then I understand that I should go back to using streets.

Are bike trails also meant to be a good suitable place for baby strollers?

If you take out a baby stroller at that rate of speed you'd be considered a vehicle under the law.
Consider lots of insurance and a place to hide from the father, and in some states the distinct possibility of doing time.
Note: I carry "pedestrian insurance" which in Canada costs me 28. a year. If I'm run over by a baby stroller/bike/wheelchair or buffalo I'm covered! Note that bikes and buffalo usually don't have insur.

I've been around a very bike conscious city (Vancouver, B.C.)for 25 years and fail to understand bicyclists lack of empathy:
1) If you're overtaking anyone you don't make noise; you're on top of people before they can react
2) You're a legal vehicle of the road with all the responsibilities that entails
3) Take your headset off and put the seat back on your bike. It's embarrassing
4) Passing on the right is illegal as you are a legal vehicle of the road
5) Overtaking a vehicle and passing on the right is also highly unrecommended and risky, for the bike

As a court witness to two bike accidents it astounded me the naivete of "full time" bike riders and even in court their inability to understand their contribution to the problem. (both were University grads)

[iamjacobm]

Originally Posted by MountainMen

Wasn't that Harney Street plan from like 2 years ago? It's a joke conceived by clowns.