Bicycles and walkers

[Marbe2]

I believe that walkers and cyclists should be able to coexist on trails if folks use common sense and the trails are wide enough. Many cyclists passed us on the trails this spring without incidence... Sometimes with no audible warning. I have been sharing mountain bike trails for many years and am used to bikes ringing as they come through. However, when the trails are quite narrow (about 1 meter wide), and very close to the highways - such as near Salceda - it might be safer for everyone if the bikes road on N547! There were several bikes which went through at least 20 hikers at close range on a narrow path! It was dangerous. The cars were coming rather fast on the highway. We walkers all parted like the Red Sea, so the bikers would not have to get off their bikes and be inconvenienced. I will not yield in such a situation again! The bikers either need to get on the highway or wait till the pathway widens and then ride, or walk their bikes through...

 

[Robo]

I believe that walkers and cyclists should be able to coexist on trails if folks use common sense and the trails are wide enough.

I underlined and bolded your comment. Both are sometimes in short supply.........

Always a topic that is hotly debated........ Personally I don't believe bikes should share trails with walkers. Many sections are narrow footpaths.

On my 2015 Camino I walked with 2 Pilgrims who were literally 'run over' by bikes. One an elderly lady and another burly man, who was quite badly injured losing a lot of skin off his back. Neither heard the bikes coming..... In both cases the cyclists beat a hasty retreat...

I think in the second case, the 'burly man' (who was rather large and imposing) was about to end the Cyclists Camino.......

And as for the whooping Peletons of Lycra clad Italians speeding down the Hills scattering all before them...... I felt like ramming my poles in their spokes...... It's a Pilgrimage walk guys. If you want to play 'Tour de France' go find a road...... In France maybe ....

I know all the cyclists on this Forum are considerate and sensible and have bells fitted. But a great many others are not and don't.

Sorry, I shall now get off my Soap Box..........and Duck

 

[jerbear]

No respect by some on bikes.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

It almost amuses me that these bicycle bullies will squeal and whine the loudest when confronted by similar behavior from motor vehicles. Locally, every pedestrian pathway for recreational walking has been taken over by crowds of bicycle bullies that have, for the most part, driven pedestrians of of those wonderful paths.

For those riders who respect walkers and show courtesy and common sense, my deepest appreciation. For the others, well......

 

[Scottlovelace87]

Oh don't get me started Some of the bikers I encountered on the Camino are very respectful and polite, thanks to all of them, however there are so many more that are dangerous, arrogant and rude. I had a friend that was interested in biking the Camino. I talked him out of it. I told him about my experiences with bikers and how they are negatively perceived by almost all of the people that walk the Camino

 

[MarB]

I found the majority of bikers were 'King' of the paths. No respect for walkers. No bells, no 'Passing on the left', no warning at all. My worst memory of my Camino. Not looking forward to the bikers on my next Camino. I agree they should use the roads when they run parallel to the narrow walking path. The walker is the one who usually experiences the injury on impact. It is not a race.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Some bikers think they are " Remi "

Wish you well,Peter.

 

[jony jony]

I have cycled the camino from SJPP to Santiago ....Seville to Salamanca , and next week i will be cycling from Salamanca to Santiago and i have to agree that a fair few cyclists , especially if they are in a group , seem to have little respect for anyone else . I suppose most cyclists are at the younger end of the age spectrum and therefore have the arrogance of youth , which is not an endearing attribute when seen though older eyes .
I can assure everyone that i ride past from Salamanca ( starting 18th May ) will be warned of my approach and maybe a friendly word as i pass . Of course walkers listening to music via headphones will find it harder to hear my bell , but i will ring it , and slow down from my already slow pace .

 

[gittiharre]

I have stayed in gites with lovely bikers, however on the trails I refer to them as wasps. Inconsiderate and always expecting walkers to step aside. Particularly bad on the route from Porto to Santiago. There were hundreds and hundreds constantly coming up from behind. It was really stressful. At one point groups of them literally littered the footpath in a town with their bikes and walkers had to step into heavy traffic to get past. I developed strong negative emotions!
It takes the pleasure out of walking.

 

[Mike Trebert]

There was a very long and heated discussion a few weeks ago about this. My takeaway from many posts, pro and con, was this: Over the last 20+ years or so, bicycles have become technically very sophisticated - lighter, stronger, with shock-absorbing suspension at both wheels, very clever tires and rims, etc. Bikes have become capable of going almost anywhere, so many people feel entitled to ride them anywhere. The current generation of cyclists belong to a cycling culture which considers it normal to ride almost anywhere so too bad for those "anachronistic folk" who walk where bikes are not "expected".

I said it in a previous post and I'll say it again - wheels = road, feet = path. Reductionists will say, "Well there are road tires and there are trail tires." "You meditate while you walk and I'll meditate while I ride."

I'll avoid the busier Caminos in future and find the quieter, walky ones.

I've never seen a bicycle in a cathedral and I've never seen a bicycle in an art gallery. No apologies for my quaint, quiet, slow, little old mind.

 

[wcsjms]

A warning would help when approaching people and if it's a footpath then leave it to the trekkers. To many times bicyclists were ignoring the designated route for them to be riding and riding on the walking paths. If you want to be off road...then please walk, join us and enjoy the scenery at a much slower pace. We met one bicyclist, really great guy from France, who was trying to average a 100 kilometers a day , I don't know if he achieved that considering terrain and such. When you (bicyclist) are pushing that hard you ARE putting others at risks along the paths because of the speed you are maintaining and for what reason ? One day, someone will be killed or severely injured by a hard riding bicyclist and then that will result in a ban of them (bicyclist) altogether from the paths. They should consider that as a real possibility because of the lawsuit that would arise from that death or serious injury and would be catastrophic to the Camino .

 

[Shakespearshakes]

Often by the time you hear the bell (if it's rung) it's too late. The cyclist is already too close and you have no choice but to jump. I suspect some take a perverse pleasure in scaring the living daylights out of the walkers by doing so. I have personally witnessed (not counting the near misses) a lycra coated yob hit an unsuspecting walker. I'm not talking about all cyclists, it seems the ones who have no pack to carry are the main culprits. They are on a race to the next meet up point of thier support transport where, if they are first, they can enjoy bragging rights over the rest of thier team.

 

[Edward M LeSage]

I believe that walkers and cyclists should be able to coexist on trails if folks use common sense and the trails are wide enough. Many cyclists passed us on the trails this spring without incidence... Sometimes with no audible warning. I have been sharing mountain bike trails for many years and am used to bikes ringing as they come through. However, when the trails are quite narrow (about 1 meter wide), and very close to the highways - such as near Salceda - it might be safer for everyone if the bikes road on N547! There were several bikes which went through at least 20 hikers at close range on a narrow path! It was dangerous. The cars were coming rather fast on the highway. We walkers all parted like the Red Sea, so the bikers would not have to get off their bikes and be inconvenienced. I will not yield in such a situation again! The bikers either need to get on the highway or wait till the pathway widens and then ride, or walk their bikes through...

It would be nice for both to co-exist but I must admit the most disappointing and aggravating part of my Camino Pilgrimage were the bikers. I found the majority to be rude and reckless. Very few signaled they were coming. They came at dangerously fast speeds even in some of the most narrow lanes. Their attitude seemed to be "The Camino trail was made for us, we own it, out of the way." I was disgusted. I want to repeat, SOME were courteous but the majority NO!

 

[William Marques]

A word of warning as ever with this thread topic. Just as there are some arrogant and rude cyclists so as in all walks of life there are some arrogant and rude walkers. Do not make personal slurs about cyclists in general and suggest ways both can make the pilgrimage to Santiago in peace.

 

[Edward M LeSage]

I agree, it would be nice for both to co-exist in a mutually respectful way. However, I must admit the most disappointing, dangerous and aggravating part of my Camino Pilgrimage were the bikers. I found most to be rude, the majority never signaled they were coming and coming at speeds that were dangerous to all concerned especially on some of the more narrow and rockiest passages.

 

[formerly multipurpose]

In Northern California we have multi-use dirt trails and no bike dirt trails. On multi-use dirt trails bike riders are supposed to stop, get off their bikes and yield to hikers and horse riders. This rarely happens and in fact I don't recall ever seeing it happen. Hikers here normally get off the trails and let the bike riders go by even though legally bike riders don't have the right of way. It's either that or get run over by a bike. Sometimes dirt bicycles come bombing down deep gullies where it would be virtually impossible for a hiker to get out of the way. The ultimate insult is for a hiker to have to get off the trail to let a bike pass on a no bike trail. One time I encountered a motorcycle on The Pacific Crest Trail near here where bicycles are strictly forbidden let alone a motorcycle. There is virtually no enforcement of the multi-use hiking trails here, but as my college political science instructor said, "The only laws that matter are the ones that are enforced."

It sounds like the same thing happens in Spain, so at least I will feel at home in that regard and know how to deal with it.

 

[newfydog]

My wife and I have been cycling the pilgrimmage trails for 15 years, some 6000 km. We have never come close to hitting a walker. It is not that difficult to co-exist.

During that time I have had a few more friends killed biking on roads. I never take a paved road if there is a trail or farm road option.

Please don't post derogatory generalizations about all cyclists. Some of us are actually not bad people and would like to meet other pilgrims without them assuming we are their adversaries out there.

 

[poogeyejr]

It is true, we as a people tend to generalize!

I believe the Camino is the journey we take not the specific path we trod. To get from France to Santiago we walk through many neighbourhoods, farms, and communities, I have always thought that we are intruders on the Spanish land and life. We co-opt it for our purpose, walking to Santiago, but the country wasn't built for Pilgrims any type.

Some bike riders, just like some walking pilgrims, have decided that because we have journeyed through Spain for so many hundreds of years, we have the right to do so in any inconsiderate way we choose! (The litter, the toilet tissue, the fruit peels dropped anywhere come to mind!)

Safety is important, but mistakes are made on both sides, could we as walking pilgrims be more conscious of other types of Pilgrims and greet all passersby with the welcome that the Spanish people have shown us?

 

[Mike Trebert]

My wife and I have been cycling the pilgrimmage trails for 15 years, some 6000 km. We have never come close to hitting a walker. It is not that difficult to co-exist.

During that time I have had a few more friends killed biking on roads. I never take a paved road if there is a trail or farm road option.

Please don't post derogatory generalizations about all cyclists. Some of us are actually not bad people and would like to meet other pilgrims without them assuming we are their adversaries out there.

There are many posts above which mention specific examples of frightening near-misses, etc. In my post I said that I would avoid busier Caminos. I don't think it's correct to say that someone who mentions a particular event is generalising. My comment about bikes in cathedrals and art galleries was about the aesthetic experience of a slower, walking meditation. We've spent millions of years travelling by foot. Choosing that mode of transport is a personal choice with a lot of resonance for some. Bikes are everywhere. Good luck to them. I avoid them whenever I can.

Buen Camino, - Mike

EDIT: You mention bikes avoiding roads because the traffic is dangerous. Walkers in previous posts here have mentioned experiences with bikes which are similar, but the walker is the one at a disadvantage and endangered.

 

[jony jony]

This topic seems to have turned into a them and us argument . Firstly the tracks /roads /paths that lead to Santiago are for anyone who wishes to do a pilgrimage , they are not the special preserve of one set of pilgrims over another .
It is not cyclists per se that is the root of the problem but the speed that some are riding . As i said before , in my opinion group riders are the worst offenders , and Spanish groups in particular.
I do not ride fast, i do ring my bell, i am a good person who happens to be on a bike on a pilgrimage .
If you are on the V D la P from Salamanca and you hear a bike bell ,then it will probably be me as it appears i am in the minority .
I ,as a lone cyclist have also suffered from the surprise of a group of cyclists riding past me at speed and i have thought " inconsiderate bas....".

Ah well.......have a good pilgrimage which ever to choose to do it .

 

[William Marques]

As people seem unable to follow simple rules I am locking this thread. I have also deleted a number of posts.