Sacramento Running News

Watch out for rangers with radar!

Today’s Bee includes an article about how Sacramento County Parks Rangers are saying they are going to start cracking down on cyclists who break the posted 15 mph speed limit on the American River Parkway.

I was asked to provide comments for the story and I prefaced them with my usual “There is room for everyone,” which naturally didn’t make the story.

There is room for everyone. We all just need to behave ourselves. All of us.

It was interesting to notice that the story is currently the most commented one on the Bee’s website. Most of the comments are the usual conflict trolls, and I doubt many of them every actually use the parkway.  But one comment appeared more than once: There are a few bad actors spoiling it for the rest of us.

I think enforcing a 15 mph speed limit an the entirety of the trail is silly. Some sections (like near River Bend) can handle 25+ mph, and there are wide shoulders for runners and walkers.

Other sections (upstream of Watt, just downstream of the Natomas Inn), should probably be less than 15 due to blind turns and no shoulder.

Here are some simple rules:

• Runners and walkers keep to the left, facing traffic.
• Cyclists ride single file.
• Pedestrians/runners don’t block the lane. If you must run side by side, then one or more of you should be on the decomposed granite shoulder.
• Keep your dogs on a short leash.
• Pay attention. If you must wear ear buds, keep the volume low enough so you can hear people say “On your left!”

And finally,

• Don’t be a dick. (Maybe this should be the first rule.)