It really depends on context. I bet you’re both right regarding where you live. In my home town some streets have large vehicles whiz right next to sidewalks (no parking buffer), and there’s a nice quiet bike lane with a grass buffer further away. The small number of cyclists and pedestrians often share the bike lane with no issue at all. Furthermore there are zones where multi-use paths are clearly indicated as shared space, especially in large parks, or over large bridges. On the other hand if I cross the river to the big city I’d never dare step by foot into those heavy traffic bike lanes.
It really depends on context. I bet you’re both right regarding where you live. In my home town some streets have large vehicles whiz right next to sidewalks (no parking buffer), and there’s a nice quiet bike lane with a grass buffer further away. The small number of cyclists and pedestrians often share the bike lane with no issue at all. Furthermore there are zones where multi-use paths are clearly indicated as shared space, especially in large parks, or over large bridges. On the other hand if I cross the river to the big city I’d never dare step by foot into those heavy traffic bike lanes.