Signal when passing on recreation trails

I am a frequent user of Cedar Rapids' and surrounding area ped/bike trails.

On a recent Saturday morning, on the trail paralleling Center Point Road, 18 bikers passed me in 45 minutes, but only two announced their pass ('on your left”). This is a required in posted trail rule signs so a walker knows not to move left at the exact moment of the pass.

Yes, we walkers do sometimes look at wildlife or streams on the left, avoid mud or water puddles, low hanging branches, reverse directions, or, if an advanced senior like me, wander side to side a bit. The impact of a speeding bike and rider probably would be the end of my trail walking days.

A serious injury to a walker hit by a biker could occur on our trails. The combined speed and mass of a close to 20 mile-an-hour biker is scary.

Requiring a biker to signal a pass of a walker is a sensible safety rule. All our trails have safety rules which do this. This letter is to reach those bikers who do not read these signs or believe there is no reason to follow them.

Ron Moore

Cedar Rapids