Road rules: Laws you must know if you use parkway paths

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The first warm day of spring usually brings chaos to the paths around Calhoun, Isles and Harriet. It is nothing short of a miracle that with all of the dogs, small children, roller bladers, bikers, runners and walkers, there aren't more accidents. But there are some. Several years ago, there was an accident on the parkway near Minnehaha when a small dog crossed from the walking path onto the bike path and caused a cyclist to crash. The dog owner acknowledged the crossing, but it was the cyclist who was cited and fined because he was traveling too fast. Police estimated that he was traveling approximately 20 m.p.h. on the downhill slope near Lyndale.

The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and the Minneapolis Park Police post parkway rules on their website. These rules include:

• Pedestrians may not walk or run on a bike path. Bicyclists, skateboarders, roller-skaters, in-line skaters, and roller skiers may not use pedestrian paths.
• When using a park pathway, keep to the right unless overtaking or passing another user going in the same direction.
• Bikers are prohibited from using pathways carelessly or in disregard for the safety of others. Do not ride faster than 10 MPH or faster than is wise under the conditions.
• Bike paths at Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles are one-way.

For the sanity of runners, I wish there was a rule requiring dog owners to use short leashes. Unfortunately, it seems to be a characteristic of small dog owners that they let their little friends run rampant on the paths. I don't know of any runner who hasn't  been tripped by a long low leash. I love dogs, but not when I'm falling face first into the asphalt on their behalf.

As for cyclists, it is better to avoid the paths especially on crowded afternoons. If you don't have a speedometer on your bike, 10 m.p.h. is the speed that a small child might be traveling while riding alongside a running parent. It is not fast. Cyclists who travel at more typical speeds generally share the street with cars where they are bound by law to obey the rules of the road.