Is it rude to walk on a bike path?
I’d prefer bikers’ feelings on it, if I could.
Thanks.
Most bike paths (at least of the rails-to-trails variety) are multi-use. So as long as you’re aware and courteous, it shouldn’t be a problem. Courteous involves not taking up the entire path with your party walking side-by-side and stepping out of the way when necessary. If you have toddlers, * please * don’t let them stray all over the path.
In my experience, roller bladers are a bigger problem. Roller blading has a really wide kick and takes up a lot of space. Unfortunately, bike paths usually aren’t designed wide enough for roller bladers to co-exist with anybody. And a lot of roller bladers wear walkmen and are oblivious to a polite “On your left”.
Of course, some bike trails might have different rules and be reserved strictly for bike traffic. And even if you’re allowed on the bike trails, there’s always the occasional butthead who feels that he or she owns the trail and flings you an attitude.
Oh, no, it’s just going to be me. No party or anything, but it’s a safe place to walk, off the road.
You see, I advocated pretty hard for a bike path around here. I don’t really like bikers on the road when they don’t need to be, I’m always afraid they’ll get into an accident. I didn’t want to turn around and be a hypocrite by using what they just got for themselves. 
When I lived in Colorado, there used to be a little Public Service Announcement on TV that showed the order of right-of-way on bike paths and trails. I believe that horses were first, bikers were second, and walkers/roller bladers were third.
Personally, I never minded walkers on the bike paths near my house. They always were aware of others on the trail, and kept to the right when I needed to pass. As long as you are courteous, there’s room for everyone!
If you are by yourself, no problem. If you are out for a slow stroll with 5 of your closest friends, and insist on walking abreast taking up the entire path, then yes it is fucking rude.
It is even ruder when you give us grief over having to move out of the way.
Perhaps you did not notice the words Bikes only spray painted on the bike path every hundred feet or so. :wally
Really one or two people is no problem as long as they walk close together. More than 3 creates a problem unless it is a very wide bike path.
Sacramento has tons of bike paths. Most of them have pavement in the middle and a decomposed granite walking path on either side. However lots of people like to walk on the paved part. That’s fine with me as long as when I yell, “On your left” to let you know I’m coming, you move to the right.
The worst abuse we have here is bikers riding on the horse trails that parallel the bike trails. The bikers want to “go offroad” and it scares the hell out of those of us on horseback when they come racing past.
As a walker, biker and horse rider, I think everyone has a place on the trails, they just need to be sensitive to others and aware of who is around them.
Well, the big thing is, “Don’t pith on the path!” 
The main bike path near me is multi-use, we have bikers, roller bladers, walkers, runners, etc. As others have said, as long as everyone follows the keep right except to pass rule, all can exist in harmony. Bikers should know that these paths aren’t for all out sprint riding, you have to slow down in traffic and sometimes wait until the path is clear before passing someone.
I make sure to call out “On your left” when passing people just to give them warning. Small kids are the biggest problem, because they sometimes act quite unexpectedly, just pulling a u-turn in the middle of the path as you are passing them. Yikes!
I expect people to walk in the path, it gives it a nice community feel.
BTW, if you put something about bike paths in your subject line you might get more responses.
Ah, if this was the pit…
As a cyclist, I have every right to be on the road. In fact in NM the law specifically states that I have the right to be on the road even if there is a bike path. This is because some of the bike paths are far more dangerous than the road.
Like others have said, just be courteous and don’t take up the entire path. Oh, one more thing you must do: When you see a dog owner who doesn’t pick up his dog’s crap on the path, berate the hell out of him. Make a scene. Let everyone else know that he is the jerk who is responsible for the dog crap.
Where I am, the idea of a bike path is an 18" lane painted on the roadway where I’m supposed to ride.
I never do. I stay to the left, and ride in the traffic. Why? Because the crumbling roadway at the edge and all the trash that winds up in the ‘path’ is a bigger hazard to my life and health than the cement truck coming up behind me.
I have it on good authority that it is not rude to drive on a parkway, nor vice versa. It’s perfectly polite, in fact. 