On the older sections, walkers almost need to wear a rear vision mirror to anticipate what's happening behind them. Usually, they can see what's happening in front of them and know that whatever the signs say, they need to step aside for cyclists particularly if they are traveling in opposite directions.

This will have to be fixed and sooner rather than later. Before the cycling lobby gets jumpy and goes straight to the comments section of this column, a warning: this is not a crack at cyclists.

Rather it's a call for recognition that design needs to keep up with changed use. The wonderful paths that line the Brisbane River were designed and built almost 20 years ago before the past decade's surge of physical activity and inner-city living.

Twenty years ago, most cyclists on the river paths were leisure riders; now they are commuters and often in a hurry. The divided pathway the Brisbane City Council has built on the new riverwalk simply recognises this and makes walking and riding safer for everyone.

Of course, it's easy to nominate the problem. But it's altogether different to come up with a solution. Fixing this will ultimately require widening or duplication of narrow parts of the pathway, an expensive but necessary proposition atop the river and one the Brisbane City Council should be planning for.