Yes, you were wrong. Almost everywhere requires pedestrians to use a sidewalk if one is present. In fact, a police officer can write you a ticket.

There have been a few threads on here about it. For example :

https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...ost=6832306#p6832306

Not sure about etiquette but my thoughts are you shouldn’t be in the bike lane if there is a sidewalk that’s available, and clear of snow.

Generally it's a no. The bike lane is a dedicated lane for non-motorized vehicles. You are considered a pedestrian, regardless of speed, and belong in a lane dedicated to pedestrians.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
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Were you running with or against traffic? You said the bike came up behind you, so it sounds like you were running with the traffic. I will run in the bike lane occasionally, but always against traffic and if a bike comes I jump up on the sidewalk, grass, curb, etc to get out of the way.

In general, runners should probably be using the sidewalk, but I treat it as a bit of a judgement call. If it is a busy road with a bike lane, I stay out of it. If it is a small neighborhood with a bunch of dog walkers and strollers on the sidewalk, I will use the bike lane to run.

Yes, this is the way to go. I do this on my run commute and it seems to work out for everyone.

I agree with the other posts so far. Even if the route is busy, there's no right to run unimpeded, just have to deal with it or find a new route.

+1
Run against traffic in the bike lane so you can get out of the way of the vehicles that the lane is designed for. If you stay in the lane when bikes go by, you are forcing them to go into traffic to pass you. That can have some very negative outcomes.

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Oui, mais pas de femme toute de suite (yes, but I am not ready for a woman straight away) -Stephen Roche's reply when asked whether he was okay after collapsing at the finish in the La Plagne stage of the 1987 Tour

If it was Raleigh, I’ve yelled at a runner before for doing this.

The last thing I need is to be pushed into traffic because a runner takes up my legal lane thus endangering me.

More often than not when it happens they see me coming, with front light on, and still don’t move.

It’s illegal and it’s dangerous. Don’t risk my life because you can’t run on the “harder” sidewalk for 25 yards as we pass.

Let common sense rule. At home, there are sidewalks that I can use vs. running in the bike lanes. (It makes me a little cranky when I'm on my bike and a couple of folks are jogging side by side in the bike lanes here. A single runner staying way to the right side of the bike lane isn't a big deal, though.) But I was visiting in Oakland, CA, and there were places (e.g. Broadway up to Lake Temescal) where the sidewalks were effectively nonexistent. They had a nice bike lane, and I'd run in it, but I'd hop up onto the curb when a cyclist was coming. Everyone seemed pretty chill with that.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

When they start holding races on sidewalks then I’ll start training on sidewalks; otherwise, running in bike lane or on street is perfectly legal in California, but commonly misunderstood not to be.

I disagree with most posters here.

I believe that right of way should usually go to those moving forward with the greatest intensity.

And sidewalks are not a reasonable (or safe) place to run in many, many places.

It is not possible to judge the intensity of cyclist or cars coming from behind.

It is necessary to run against traffic (if you are not on the sidewalk.

The Bike Lane is not for pedestrians.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Nobody can stop anyone from doing what they want.

With that being said, people who decide to run in bike lanes (or run on the road) when sidewalks are available shouldn't complain if they get buzzed, hit, etc

X 3 or whatever. I find all it takes is a little courtesy and not forcing cyclists out of the bike lane and into traffic, even if that means pausing the run for the 2 seconds it takes us to pass eachothet

As long as you were running against traffic in the bike lane so you can step up on the curb if bikers are coming towards you, then no, you aren't wrong. I've been running that way for four plus decades now. When sidewalks are constructed of asphalt instead of concrete - very rare - then that's where I run.

Exactly, walkers should use the sideWALK.

And sidewalks are not a reasonable (or safe) place to run in many, many places.

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Say what??

ETA: I'd say they are much safer than running with traffic in bike lane. I thought it was common knowledge to always run against traffic w/ running and bike w/ traffic while biking on the "roads".

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II

People running in the bike lane when there is an uncontested sidewalk parallel to the road drives me bonkers. I ALWAYS run on the sidewalk if there is one (unless in the city where it's so crowded that you have to run in the street). I nearly hit one guy running towards me in the bike lane last week at night, because he wasn't wearing any reflective clothing. Ironically, he yelled something about my headlight being too bright, which thankfully allowed me to quickly glance and ensure it was safe enough to get into the road.

I've run thousands of miles on country roads with no sidewalk, so I'm so thankful when there is one. Please stay out of the bike lane when possible.

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"Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps"
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With regard to always running against traffic, i dont always agree it is the safest option. Specifically on winding roads with no shoulder, i will switch to with traffic if against traffic means running the inside of a blind turn with nowhere to go (after making sure it is clear). I almost got run over by not doing this before.

I don't mind but if I'm coming they need to f'n move. Once I'm past they can resume on the bike lane. The Bike lane is for bikes.

+1

Here in Santa Monica I will use the Bike Lane running west along San Vicente, always AGAINST traffic and yield/ jump out of the way when the cyclist come through.

I'd use the sidewalk (and do on the way back) because its a separated roadway (east/ west) and the drivers on side streets REFUSE to look to their right for pedestrians and more times than not roll through the stop signs on their way to turn left. Way too many close calls, thus I'll use the bike lane

You were wrong.

You're telling me you've never had a run course go onto a golf course cart path?

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I don’t know where you’ve been golfing but cart paths are generally not like sidewalk concrete (same psi, joints, driveways, curbs, etc), nor are they generally part of a certified race course. But I’m sure you can come up with an example of one so you can continue missing the larger point.