Walking in the danger zone!
 

This has come up before but the other morning while walking on a path (facing potential traffic) a gentleman on a bicycle decided to play chicken to see if I would move. When he finally pulled on the grass he informed I'm to walk with traffic. I explained that ever since I was run over by a bicycle with stiches to show for it I will face traffic when possible. We agreed to disagree.

Out of curiosity I did a Google search for pedestrian regulations in Florida. In turns out that in 2022 Florida state regulations, 316.130; Pedestrians; traffic regulations it clearly states if there is not a sidewalk when walking along a road the pedestrian is to walk on the left side facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction.

I guess you can quibble as to what makes a road or highway but for me if anything with wheels is on that surface I'm on the left side. Walking on the right side with carts and bicycles coming behind me is like trusting everyone in a roundabout to stay in their lane! Below is a link to the regulations.

Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine

My practice is if there is motorized vehicle traffic I walk against the traffic, if it's just walkers and bicycles I walk with traffic. I expect a cyclist coming up behind me to say "on your left". I said that to a walker the other day though and he went left in front of me. Claimed he hadn't had his coffee yet.

We have a walking/bike path behind our house. Things pretty much operate as you describe. We do get a few that insist on walking on the left but they are the exception and not the rule.

This person did not pay attention in the second (I think) grade…..that’s where we learned that! Geesh!

As we all seem to regularly discover there are LAWS. Assuming that others around you KNOW the laws is a reach. Assuming they KNOW the laws AND WILL FOLLOW THEM is an even bigger reach

Far as second grade. Basic psychology. About the age of two a baby discovers there are other people besides ME, ME, ME. The poster always reports they are right. There are obviously two sides to every story. Where it happened, we don't know. Was there other traffic around so that if the bicyclist went into the road, he/she was in danger, we do not know.

I ride a bike, walk, drive and have a golf cart. Bike rules are at best strange. At one time bikes were a major form of transportation. Horses cars and people is also like HUH? The villages-add in dogs, in outfits. in a stroller surely a HUH , HUH,HUH.

As far as shouting on your left. It is perhaps a practice in other places. In the villages it will often get you, a snarl, a, hand gesture, that is not a turn signal in Florida is it, or a panic response-several people scattering all over the place blocking how you planed to go around them.

As posted previously assuming others know the law and will follow it is a reach. The LAW is
bicycles are SUPPOSED to travel WITH traffic. Walkers are SUPPOSED TO walk facing traffic.

Yep! Always walk facing traffic. It is the safest option. Particularly considering the possibility/probability that the walker may be hearing impaired. "On your left" ! Do they hear you? Do they understand what you said? Who are you shouting at?
Always walk facing traffic.

I believe you are talking about walking on a road. The law that was quoted says “if there is not a sidewalk “. I would consider a walking biking path as a sidewalk. That’s all I have to say.

Yes, on a road ALWAYS walk facing motorized traffic. On a sidewalk or other walking path, walk on the right.

I disagree with your characterisation of the cyclist. He is definitely not a gentleman. Oh, and he was wrong.

Walk against the traffic, ride with the traffic. That said, you need to be on the lookout for everybody.
And I don't play chicken with anyone, too many nutjobs out there.

Yeah, I wouldn't walk with my back to traffic. Too many bad drivers.

On a path the bicyclist was right.

The walker was already not where he belonged. As a cyclist I would have been wary of what he was going to do next. He was blocking my side of the path but if I tried to go around him would he then move towards his side of the path and cause a collision? It's either roll the dice and hope for the best or stop and try to explain why the walker should not have been walking on the left. The cyclist chose option B but apparently the walker is too stuck in his ways to appreciate the good advice.

What does a sidewalk imply? I was always under the impression that you shouldn't be riding a bicycle on a "sidewalk". I believe the paths harboring walkers, bikers and golf carts are multi Modal paths. If I see a golf cart on the path, then I walk to face it. If the next vehicle I see is a bicycle, I expect that to be traveling in the right lane as the golf cart was. I would be on the same side facing it.