Cars Driving on Bike Trails is Becoming an Increasing Problem

Earlier this month I read a news article about a bicyclist that was cycling to work when he was passed by a car -- the problem being that he was on a path designated for use only by bicyclists and pedestrians! I looked into this and found that it isn't an isolated event. In fact, there have been many reported instances of vehicles using bike trails as a means of trying to get from point A to point B while attempting to avoid congested streets.

The Camp Chase Trail in Columbus, Ohio; the Monon Trail in Carmel, Indiana; and, the FDR bike path in East Village, New York. Those are just a few locations where vehicles have been captured on camera driving on bike paths. Only emergency vehicles and designated maintenance vehicles are allowed to drive on bike paths.

Only once have I encountered a car on a bike trail, and that was in northern Idaho on the Hiawatha Bike Trail. A situation like that can truly catch you off guard and quickly become dangerous. Even if you see a vehicle on a bike path that you're riding on, there may not be any space to get out of the way. In cases where the police have stopped drivers on a trail designated for only bike and pedestrian use, the penalties have been severe.

When a situation of a car driving on a bike trail arises, people will start suggesting that bollards be put up, or a gate, to make it hard for a car or truck to drive onto the trail. A bollard is a short post that creates a physical and visual barrier, guiding traffic and protecting pedestrians and property. It's a popular solution because it seems pretty simple, but the Federal Highway Administration actually recommends bollards only after a "documented history of intrusion" (i.e. repeated instances of drivers on bike paths/trails). That's because bollards -- especially ones that aren't well thought out or poorly designed -- can be a big hazard themselves, and they can make it harder for everyone, not just drivers, to access a trail.

If you witness a car using a bike trail, you should: make sure you're safe; call 911; and, warn others. Try to provide the license plate number when you call 911 and give the direction that the vehicle is traveling. If you can guess at the nearest intersection, that may helpful as well.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

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Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past