There’s been a lot written about Pima County’s open letter to Loop users asking people to be considerate of users.
A lot of people have chimed in about cyclists riding too fast, pedestrians hogging the road or not being able to hear.
Yesterday morning I had an experience that shocked even me.
I run two days a week because I don’t have the time to ride on those days. I was running with a friend on the Rillito. Two people walking with a baby in a stroller were coming toward us.
I heard people behind us that weren’t moving too fast, but never said they were passing. All of a sudden they passed between us and the people with the baby. They passed two abreast and forced the couple with the baby to stop and try to get off the path because the cyclists wouldn’t wait.
I was absolutely shocked. There are inconsiderate people using the Loop in all kinds of ways, but watching the mother of the baby cower while hugging the edge of the path was too much.
I think a comparison to getting passed on a busy road by a car who comes to close is a similar experience for pedestrians on the Loop. They are vulnerable like cyclists are vulnerable on the road. We cyclists should try to remember that.
If you are interested, you can download some of the feedback Pima County has received about the issue in the last month.