Let’s take a look at the foot traffic on our recreational paths. Depending whether he or she is a toddler, a Sunday rambler, a teen in training to be a sprinter, or a doting senior, their speed can vary from 2-44 km/hr. Their attention could be on the chirping birds or what they’re going to prepare for supper.
Then there’s the cyclist using that same narrow strip pf asphalt. It can be the toddler on a tricycle, a senior on an E-bike who’s lost her driver’s licence due to poor vision and deafness, or a pack of drafting and panting competition riders in training for the Tour de France.
What a mix! If you want to see them all, sit in the shade beside the bike path that links Cornwall to near Upper Canada Village. Just watch. You’ll hear the pitter patter of little feet, the shuffle of leather soles, the clatter of baby-carriage wheels, animated discussions about the economy, inflation, education and local politics. All that will be occasionally punctuated by the tinkle of a bell, a “Hey! Watch out!” or a polite, “Bike up, excuse me…” or a screaming “XXX!#**”.
Any pedestrian listening to loud music via earbuds should have their OHIP card at the ready, and their last will and testament duly prepared and notarized.
Since it’s a pedestrian path, pedestrians have the right to amble, yet exercise the self-preservation need to be aware of the presence of other users.
Cyclists are legally required to have their two-wheeler equipped with an operable sounding device, such as a bell or horn. Courtesy and common sense require that they surrender priority to the pedestrian, approach pedestrians at a prudent speed and politely announce their on-coming with a friendly but clearly audible, “Bike coming behind you on the left, please…”
Let’s share the ‘road’.
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