Yeah, and another thing…
I think it’s good to get stuff off your chest every now and then. So in that vein…
Dear Jogging Woman Who Decided To Suddenly Cut Across the Lake Path,
You might want to take a look behind you before you cut across the path like that. I need to adjust my back brakes and so we’re both lucky I didn’t cream you. In fact, the lake path is so crowded around the North Ave Beach just after work, it’d be safest if you got off the path to the right so you could look both ways and cross straight across.
And hey, all of y’all on the path, get the hell out of my way, I’m coming through. If you’re going slow, move to the right. And you know what, no matter how fast you’re going, move to the right because someone faster than you is coming up behind you. (I’m not saying it’s me — but it might be, and I still need to adjust those brakes…)
And rollerbladers (and I’m one of you, sometimes) please realize that you’re the worst. You’re faster than walkers and joggers, but you take up half the path with those big strides you’re taking. Pull it in if someone’s trying to pass you.
Old asian people doing Tai Chi in the morning, um… you’re cool. Keep it up.
Beach volleyballers — you’ve got the whole freakin’ beach. Keep off the path unless you’re crossing straight across, looking both ways and crossing quickly.
And cars — along the lake path I have right of way — you have a stop sign and I don’t. You can wait. Especially you, big purple truck who went at the last possible moment and seemed surprised that I nearly ran into the side of your truck.
Oh, and crazy goatee guy with your chopper bike, swinging your arms like you’re swimming on your bike — you’re a freak.
All of y’all — you’re all obstacles in my path. Just keep out of my way.
sincerely,
Fuzzy-who-has-never-been-an-obstacle-to-anyone-else-I-swear
I don’t know anything about this lake path you speak or it’s traffic patterns but I gotta say, nothing irritates me more than when I’m walking on a public sidewalk (notice that it’s called a side”walk”) at my normal brisk pace when I’ll hear something that sounds something like “On your left!!!” and milliseconds later some idiot on bike or roller blades rips past me. I tend to be hypersensitive about getting out of the way and will do so as quickly as possible, if I actually know I’m in the way, but most of the time bicyclists/roller bladers are just dicks about it and seem to think courtesey is a one way path. God forbid you might have to slow down a bit and go off the path to go around a ped. Maybe you should ride your bike on the city streets and leave the paths to the bipeds.
I agree that sidewalks are for primarily for pedestrians. Great.
The lakefront path is, as the Chicago Park District says, “Chicago’s magnificent lakefront with 18 miles of designated bike paths!”
Oh, and I’m not pretending this was not a self-centered rant. Talk to me about bicyclists sometime when I’ve tried to take a relaxing stroll down by the lake. Stupid assholes zipping along on their bikes.