hike/bike trails, passing on the left. proper etiquette?
March 31, 2012 7:43 PM Subscribe
i go bike riding from time to time for exercise, almost always on hike/bike trails. generally, if i'm passing someone, i don't say anything, if it looks like they're clearly to the right, and if there is room to pass on the left. if they're in the left a bit or look like they're wobbling or not paying attention, i'll give a strong "to your left!"
today, i was riding on an urban trail with a striped line down the middle. i passed a young couple on the right without saying anything. the guy seemed pretty put off. he yelled at me three or four times that a "to your left!" would have been nice, or words to that effect. he didn't stop shouting until i was out of earshot, and i didn't respond.
was i actually breaking some rule of etiquette by not shouting out my presence? we were on a hike/bike trail for chrissakes, don't walkers expect bikers to pass them? i was in no way close to hitting this guy, unless he was about to hop to the left, or he wasn't paying attention at all and i spooked him. i don't remember getting "to your lefts" as a matter of course myself, unless i'm in the way, but then again i'm not walking. i was passed 2 or 3 times on the same ride by other bikers who didn't peep.
no doubt he just wanted to impress his girlfriend by yelling at people, or trying to get a rile out of people. i didn't think i'd done anything wrong, so i wasn't about to yell out a "sorry!", and i wasn't about to turn around and get into a confrontation, and i'm sure he knew that. still i'm curious if i should be more yell-happy, if i'm "doing it wrong", if pedestrians on a stroll maybe aren't paying as much attention to their physical surroundings as bikers, and would like it as a courtesy. i've perused a few sites on the question, which go from saying it's a common courtesy to it shouldn't be expected. again, i'd always thought if they weren't in the way, it wasn't necessary.
today, i was riding on an urban trail with a striped line down the middle. i passed a young couple on the right without saying anything. the guy seemed pretty put off. he yelled at me three or four times that a "to your left!" would have been nice, or words to that effect. he didn't stop shouting until i was out of earshot, and i didn't respond.
was i actually breaking some rule of etiquette by not shouting out my presence? we were on a hike/bike trail for chrissakes, don't walkers expect bikers to pass them? i was in no way close to hitting this guy, unless he was about to hop to the left, or he wasn't paying attention at all and i spooked him. i don't remember getting "to your lefts" as a matter of course myself, unless i'm in the way, but then again i'm not walking. i was passed 2 or 3 times on the same ride by other bikers who didn't peep.
no doubt he just wanted to impress his girlfriend by yelling at people, or trying to get a rile out of people. i didn't think i'd done anything wrong, so i wasn't about to yell out a "sorry!", and i wasn't about to turn around and get into a confrontation, and i'm sure he knew that. still i'm curious if i should be more yell-happy, if i'm "doing it wrong", if pedestrians on a stroll maybe aren't paying as much attention to their physical surroundings as bikers, and would like it as a courtesy. i've perused a few sites on the question, which go from saying it's a common courtesy to it shouldn't be expected. again, i'd always thought if they weren't in the way, it wasn't necessary.
Isn't it in your best interest to let people walking know you are coming up behind them? What if they were to happen to, I don't know, randomly jump out in front of you, because they had no idea you were coming?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:47 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:47 PM on March 31, 2012
Yeah, you should say "On your left" anytime you pass someone, full stop. It's safer for them and it's a lot safer for you.
From the tone of your post it sounds like you are already coming around to the idea that this is true but you're feeling defensive or embarrassed about it. It's okay. Just do it from now on.
posted by telegraph at 7:49 PM on March 31, 2012 [6 favorites]
From the tone of your post it sounds like you are already coming around to the idea that this is true but you're feeling defensive or embarrassed about it. It's okay. Just do it from now on.
posted by telegraph at 7:49 PM on March 31, 2012 [6 favorites]
Best answer: I always say "On your left", and I think it's a good practice, but no amount of defensive biking is going to protect you from all of the zero-spatial-awareness types on bikes/on foot/in cars. Sometimes you see people that are shocked, simply shocked, that anyone else has the nerve to use their road/trail and respond to your presence inappropriately.
I'd chalk this up as your pain-in-the-ass for this week, resolve to make your presence known whenever possible, and take some small amount of pleasure in the fact that the guy that bothered you is likely still wound up about it.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 7:58 PM on March 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'd chalk this up as your pain-in-the-ass for this week, resolve to make your presence known whenever possible, and take some small amount of pleasure in the fact that the guy that bothered you is likely still wound up about it.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 7:58 PM on March 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
When I was a kid I was plowed down by another kid on a bicycle for this very reason. He was trying to go around me and me, being a kid, didn't know that staying where I was would be the best option, so I jumped in front of him in an attempt to get out of his way. I came away fairly unscathed but because my body stopped the other kid's bike he went flying down a hill. From my experience I will agree with the other posters that saying "on your left" is a minor annoyance to prevent what could be a nasty bike accident.
posted by ruhroh at 7:59 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by ruhroh at 7:59 PM on March 31, 2012
Response by poster: yes, i'll start doing this from now on. i do feel a bit embarrassed for not doing it before. even though me and this guy grated on each other, he did serve a valid public service today.
posted by camdan at 8:01 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by camdan at 8:01 PM on March 31, 2012
Yeah, you should say "On your left" anytime you pass someone, full stop. It's safer for them and it's a lot safer for you.
For quite a while, I treated this as an absolute. What I noticed after a while was that about half of the time, people would respond by freaking out and leaping directly into my path. "On your left" is a really unfortunate standard for signalling this, since it seems to badly confuse (and sometimes anger) people who aren't familiar with the convention. (For what it's worth, I'm in one of the bike-friendliest and most outdoorsy towns in the US; I imagine it's worse elsewhere.)
These days I treat it as situational, doing my level best to let people know I'm coming one way or another, but reserving "on your left" for people I suspect of being relatively trail-aware, and always expecting there's a fair chance I'll have to grind to a halt.
No matter what you do, you're going to run into people who are angry that you're biking anywhere near them. So yeah, be careful, and signal your presence whenever possible, but don't sweat the occasional random guy-who-wants-to-rage-at-someone.
posted by brennen at 8:05 PM on March 31, 2012 [7 favorites]
For quite a while, I treated this as an absolute. What I noticed after a while was that about half of the time, people would respond by freaking out and leaping directly into my path. "On your left" is a really unfortunate standard for signalling this, since it seems to badly confuse (and sometimes anger) people who aren't familiar with the convention. (For what it's worth, I'm in one of the bike-friendliest and most outdoorsy towns in the US; I imagine it's worse elsewhere.)
These days I treat it as situational, doing my level best to let people know I'm coming one way or another, but reserving "on your left" for people I suspect of being relatively trail-aware, and always expecting there's a fair chance I'll have to grind to a halt.
No matter what you do, you're going to run into people who are angry that you're biking anywhere near them. So yeah, be careful, and signal your presence whenever possible, but don't sweat the occasional random guy-who-wants-to-rage-at-someone.
posted by brennen at 8:05 PM on March 31, 2012 [7 favorites]
For what it's worth, I used to be a die-hard "on your left"er, but have found in recent years that a bike horn/bell works a lot better to startle people out of the middle of the trail and in to the right spot.
posted by charmedimsure at 8:16 PM on March 31, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by charmedimsure at 8:16 PM on March 31, 2012 [6 favorites]
Best answer: I have a bell...I generally ring it well before I get to people if they seem a bit unaware of their circumstances (but are enough out of my way that I'm unlikely to collide anyway). Sometimes I say 'on your left', too, but I think the bell is generally enough. When I am myself walking, I find that hearing the bell gives me a much better idea of where it is behind me and how fast it is going than does a voice. I hope others do too, but I'll bet some people find the bell rude. As long as we don't collide, I don't care.
And when I'm on a crowded trail or passing other bikers or rollerbladers, I do a lot more of the 'on your left'. On all the trails I've ever been on, it seems like there are different levels of what's expected, as though their is local etiquette to this. I have relatives who get offended by the 'on your left' thing, because how dare someone order them to stay to the right when that's what they're already doing??!?!?!? I know on some trails, everybody seems to have a bell like me, and on others, people think I'm weird. The time I've spent in European countries where everybody rides a bike, it is much more expected that people stay out of the way than that the biker warn someone they are passing -- which makes sense to me, especially since it is so clear where a biker might be. When one is on a walking/biking trail, it should be clear that bikers are going to be passing on the left.
So in sum, you probably can't 'win' on trails here where people have so many ideas of how it should go, and not enough of the population rides a bike to understand what the biker's experience is like -- as long as everybody is safe, you're doing it right.
posted by Tandem Affinity at 8:18 PM on March 31, 2012 [7 favorites]
And when I'm on a crowded trail or passing other bikers or rollerbladers, I do a lot more of the 'on your left'. On all the trails I've ever been on, it seems like there are different levels of what's expected, as though their is local etiquette to this. I have relatives who get offended by the 'on your left' thing, because how dare someone order them to stay to the right when that's what they're already doing??!?!?!? I know on some trails, everybody seems to have a bell like me, and on others, people think I'm weird. The time I've spent in European countries where everybody rides a bike, it is much more expected that people stay out of the way than that the biker warn someone they are passing -- which makes sense to me, especially since it is so clear where a biker might be. When one is on a walking/biking trail, it should be clear that bikers are going to be passing on the left.
So in sum, you probably can't 'win' on trails here where people have so many ideas of how it should go, and not enough of the population rides a bike to understand what the biker's experience is like -- as long as everybody is safe, you're doing it right.
posted by Tandem Affinity at 8:18 PM on March 31, 2012 [7 favorites]
I've been on trails and had bikers yell out "On your left" and had it scare the shit out of me. To have one not say anything might startle me more.
I've also been hit by a biker when walking. It wasn't that hard and I was the one that felt like an asshole, since he yelled, "On you right." So I went right. He yells, "On you right!" So I move further right. "Your other fucking right!" Yeah, I was a spatial awareness dumbass, but I'd also just ran 12 miles and was tired as fuck and thought I was the only person around for 30 miles.
Just saying, with no signal all he had to go by was noise. Even when that noise actually means something doesn't mean people do what is expected.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:22 PM on March 31, 2012 [5 favorites]
I've also been hit by a biker when walking. It wasn't that hard and I was the one that felt like an asshole, since he yelled, "On you right." So I went right. He yells, "On you right!" So I move further right. "Your other fucking right!" Yeah, I was a spatial awareness dumbass, but I'd also just ran 12 miles and was tired as fuck and thought I was the only person around for 30 miles.
Just saying, with no signal all he had to go by was noise. Even when that noise actually means something doesn't mean people do what is expected.
posted by cjorgensen at 8:22 PM on March 31, 2012 [5 favorites]
Best answer: nthing the use of a bell. a good bell is easier to hear and the sound itself has a little bit more levity to it than somebody shouting at you.
posted by One Thousand and One at 8:25 PM on March 31, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by One Thousand and One at 8:25 PM on March 31, 2012 [5 favorites]
Get a bell, when you say "on your left" about half the time the person will turn around to see what's behind them and walk straight in front of you IME.
posted by bradbane at 8:32 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by bradbane at 8:32 PM on March 31, 2012
Yeah, I'm hard of hearing (but young) and like to hike. A bell or "on your left" is a courtesy I give everyone, and that I hope to get every time. Depending on what direction the breeze is coming from and where you are, I might not hear you even if I'm paying attention.
Course, I won't shout at you if you don't warn me.... that guy overreacted. Doesn't make him wrong, just makes him look bad.
posted by nadise at 8:34 PM on March 31, 2012
Course, I won't shout at you if you don't warn me.... that guy overreacted. Doesn't make him wrong, just makes him look bad.
posted by nadise at 8:34 PM on March 31, 2012
I'm one of those that completely spaces out when biking or hiking. If you say "on your left" I'm probably going to make a yelping sound, but I still appreciate it. If you don't say anything it will scare the shit out of me and I'll be mad.
posted by bongo_x at 8:34 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by bongo_x at 8:34 PM on March 31, 2012
What ever you do do it when you're miles away, because as others have mentioned, lots of people will spin around and step directly in front of you as they do.
If the trail isn't busy I slow down to walking pace and give a friendly on your left/right from a fair way back, riding through the leaf litter on the side of the trail to make some gradual noise is a good bet too.
posted by markr at 8:35 PM on March 31, 2012
If the trail isn't busy I slow down to walking pace and give a friendly on your left/right from a fair way back, riding through the leaf litter on the side of the trail to make some gradual noise is a good bet too.
posted by markr at 8:35 PM on March 31, 2012
I'd never do this, mostly because I'm quiet and would have anxiety attacks if I was expected to forcefully announce "on your left" to every stranger I encountered. Because Toronto cops on blitzes will hand out >$100 fines for not having a bell, there is one on my bike but I have never used it. Dinging my bell at strangers enjoying the sunshine would also make me feel too forward. I guess it depends on the pace you're passing people. If the people ahead are unaware and meandering, I slow down, sometimes to walking pace, until they notice me or until I'm confident that the way is clear. I've never noticed many cyclists announcing when they're overtaking, except for those decked out in full race team kit. I like to view cycling as an affordable casual activity for everyone, where the fewer defined rules of practice and etiquette the better. Cyclists perhaps shouldn't expect to not break cadence on multi-use trails.
posted by TimTypeZed at 8:36 PM on March 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by TimTypeZed at 8:36 PM on March 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
On preview, cjorgensen already said what I had in mind, but anyway...
I don't yell at people on public pathways, but I sympathize with the guy who yelled at you. Bicyclists who presume that they can rocket past me, with a shouted "on your left," (or "right") are inconsiderate at best and dangerous at worst. Imagine a truck doing the same to you, only honking instead—oh, and for the sake of the analogy, let's imagine there's no convention about which side of the road trucks must drive on. You've no time to react, and it scares the crap out of you. Err on the side of consideration and safety and no one will be the worse off.
posted by bricoleur at 8:36 PM on March 31, 2012
I don't yell at people on public pathways, but I sympathize with the guy who yelled at you. Bicyclists who presume that they can rocket past me, with a shouted "on your left," (or "right") are inconsiderate at best and dangerous at worst. Imagine a truck doing the same to you, only honking instead—oh, and for the sake of the analogy, let's imagine there's no convention about which side of the road trucks must drive on. You've no time to react, and it scares the crap out of you. Err on the side of consideration and safety and no one will be the worse off.
posted by bricoleur at 8:36 PM on March 31, 2012
Ahh, and just to show I did read the question, that applies to silent passing as well. I don't take walks to listen behind me.
posted by bricoleur at 8:38 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by bricoleur at 8:38 PM on March 31, 2012
Best answer: >Yeah, you should say "On your left" anytime you pass someone, full stop. It's safer for them and it's a lot safer for you.
For quite a while, I treated this as an absolute. What I noticed after a while was that about half of the time, people would respond by freaking out and leaping directly into my path.
Same here. On our local trails people will wig out if you say "on your left" and half the time they move to the left. There are lots of people with many children, and those groups usually think I said "please all run in different directions."
I've found a bell works better too, but nobody has mentioned the single most important thing:
SLOW DOWN to the point where you can make an emergency stop if the pedestrians (a) don't get out of your way or (b) get into it. If you're relying on the behavior of pedestrians (especially kids!) as the only thing keeping you from crashing, you're doing something wrong.
p.s. Cyclists seem to understand "on your left". Everyone is surprised when I ring a bell as nobody has them here. Be aware of the local customs / weirdnesses...
posted by mmoncur at 8:51 PM on March 31, 2012 [6 favorites]
For quite a while, I treated this as an absolute. What I noticed after a while was that about half of the time, people would respond by freaking out and leaping directly into my path.
Same here. On our local trails people will wig out if you say "on your left" and half the time they move to the left. There are lots of people with many children, and those groups usually think I said "please all run in different directions."
I've found a bell works better too, but nobody has mentioned the single most important thing:
SLOW DOWN to the point where you can make an emergency stop if the pedestrians (a) don't get out of your way or (b) get into it. If you're relying on the behavior of pedestrians (especially kids!) as the only thing keeping you from crashing, you're doing something wrong.
p.s. Cyclists seem to understand "on your left". Everyone is surprised when I ring a bell as nobody has them here. Be aware of the local customs / weirdnesses...
posted by mmoncur at 8:51 PM on March 31, 2012 [6 favorites]
I also think a bell is better. People know that it's a bike right away and, imho, it's more polite than yelling at people. Being yelled at bugs me, even if it's innocuous.
posted by fshgrl at 8:58 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by fshgrl at 8:58 PM on March 31, 2012
On our local trails people will wig out if you say "on your left" and half the time they move to the left.
I'm sorry to say that I am one of these people; my brain just doesn't match the words "left" and "right" to its sense of left and right very well. If someone says one of those words to me I am going to need a moment to think and I might even have to look at my hands. I always appreciate it when bikers call out to me (not in a jarring scream) from far enough back that I can react.
posted by cairdeas at 8:59 PM on March 31, 2012
I'm sorry to say that I am one of these people; my brain just doesn't match the words "left" and "right" to its sense of left and right very well. If someone says one of those words to me I am going to need a moment to think and I might even have to look at my hands. I always appreciate it when bikers call out to me (not in a jarring scream) from far enough back that I can react.
posted by cairdeas at 8:59 PM on March 31, 2012
Best answer: I used to yell "on your left", and had the same issue of people stopping dead, running left, running right, tap dancing in the middle, or coming completely unglued and zig zagging. Now I just yell "behind you!" and let them figure out which way they want to go. I always try to give them plenty of time to react.
That is, unless they're walking 3 across, taking up the whole path, and so busy chatting that they don't hear me yell (twice) and don't care anyway. Then I yell out "Single file is common courtesy!" as I fly by, and then do it again when I pass them again on the return trip.
I'm seriously considering getting an airhorn for those situations.
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:15 PM on March 31, 2012 [5 favorites]
That is, unless they're walking 3 across, taking up the whole path, and so busy chatting that they don't hear me yell (twice) and don't care anyway. Then I yell out "Single file is common courtesy!" as I fly by, and then do it again when I pass them again on the return trip.
I'm seriously considering getting an airhorn for those situations.
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:15 PM on March 31, 2012 [5 favorites]
Just to add to your data, on my bike path most people yell, either "on your left" or "passing." It is especially appreciated when a cyclist or skater is passing a pedestrian. I ride on a pretty friendly trail though where almost everyone greets everyone else and it's not super-heavily congested. A couple of summers ago, my friend had a broken leg from a car accident, and we went on the trail in her wheelchair. If I was pushing her I could stay to the side, but if she was pushing herself (to exercise her arms) she had to stay in the middle because the sides of the trail had a slight slope, and we had no problems.
posted by IndigoRain at 9:22 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by IndigoRain at 9:22 PM on March 31, 2012
In general, I slow way down rather than calling out because I've had too many instances where people jump into my path or are just startled and confused by the whole "on your left" thing. If people are really in the middle or seem distracted, I call out. As a selfish special snowflake thing, when I'm walking or biking, I prefer people to pass me slowly and safely without calling out - it's distracting to be hollered at, for one thing, and if they're just zooming by really fast it's unpleasant anyway. I don't see that there's any reason not to use your judgement on this one.
Also, the guy who yelled at you was being a jerk. In general, folks need to chill out about imperfect interactions with strangers where no one gets hurt, particularly if there never was any real risk of anyone getting hurt, which seems like it was the case here.
posted by Frowner at 9:23 PM on March 31, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, the guy who yelled at you was being a jerk. In general, folks need to chill out about imperfect interactions with strangers where no one gets hurt, particularly if there never was any real risk of anyone getting hurt, which seems like it was the case here.
posted by Frowner at 9:23 PM on March 31, 2012 [1 favorite]
If I'm out jogging, I certainly appreciate an "on your left" so I know they're there and going to pass me.
I ski more than anything, and on the mountain it is common practice for skiers to say "on your left" or "on your right" to indicate that they are passing you and on which side. It annoys the crap out of me when people don't do that, although I don't make a scene when they don't. So, that's my background/bias, but I definitely feel it is best to alert people if possible.
posted by J. Wilson at 10:07 PM on March 31, 2012
I ski more than anything, and on the mountain it is common practice for skiers to say "on your left" or "on your right" to indicate that they are passing you and on which side. It annoys the crap out of me when people don't do that, although I don't make a scene when they don't. So, that's my background/bias, but I definitely feel it is best to alert people if possible.
posted by J. Wilson at 10:07 PM on March 31, 2012
Best answer: I don't think there's a convention on this one. Or rather, as this thread illustrates, there are multiple conventions floating around.
From my experience, the "On your left", pedestrian moves left scenario is pretty common. It's happened to me several times in both New York's Central Park and Chicago's Lakefront Trail, and if those aren't places where the pedestrians should have some experience with passing cyclists I don't know what would be.
The best experience I have ever had was on New York's west-side path where I passed a mother walking behind her child. When the mother saw me, she called out to her child, who then stopped dead in her tracks, clapped her arms to her sides, and stayed stock still until her mother gave her the all-clear. What a great idea! Everyone should be raised so well.
posted by d. z. wang at 10:36 PM on March 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
From my experience, the "On your left", pedestrian moves left scenario is pretty common. It's happened to me several times in both New York's Central Park and Chicago's Lakefront Trail, and if those aren't places where the pedestrians should have some experience with passing cyclists I don't know what would be.
The best experience I have ever had was on New York's west-side path where I passed a mother walking behind her child. When the mother saw me, she called out to her child, who then stopped dead in her tracks, clapped her arms to her sides, and stayed stock still until her mother gave her the all-clear. What a great idea! Everyone should be raised so well.
posted by d. z. wang at 10:36 PM on March 31, 2012 [3 favorites]
I have a really cheerful bike bell, and I use it whenever I come close to another cyclist or a pedestrian. It's standard practice where I am, and I get very annoyed when other cyclists don't do the same.
posted by OLechat at 10:41 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by OLechat at 10:41 PM on March 31, 2012
I ding my bell a couple of times, confirm that they've heard me and then slow down to pass on whatever side is safest. mmoncur makes a good point of being able to stop or avoid them if they jump in front of you.
posted by arcticseal at 10:56 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by arcticseal at 10:56 PM on March 31, 2012
Our combined-use trails here have big signs at the beginnings, and one of them is "Cyclists please call out 'passing on your left' when passing." I found out years ago that adding that one extra word to my call will hugely cut down on the number of pedestrians that move left.
But from the original question (emphasis mine):
> i passed a young couple on the right without saying anything
Is this a typo? Never, ever, pass on the right without explicitly warning someone. It's very surprising / dangerous. Otherwise, yeah you didn't heed the custom and surprised the guy. He over-reacted. You can both learn from the situation.
posted by introp at 10:59 PM on March 31, 2012
But from the original question (emphasis mine):
> i passed a young couple on the right without saying anything
Is this a typo? Never, ever, pass on the right without explicitly warning someone. It's very surprising / dangerous. Otherwise, yeah you didn't heed the custom and surprised the guy. He over-reacted. You can both learn from the situation.
posted by introp at 10:59 PM on March 31, 2012
Response by poster: no, the couple was on my right (the right). i passed to the left :)
posted by camdan at 11:08 PM on March 31, 2012
posted by camdan at 11:08 PM on March 31, 2012
On my usual route, pedestrians frequently take detours into the middle of the track to avoid puddles or stinging nettles, so this is someting I deal with pretty much every day. I've also been on the other side as a novice cyclist. The experienced riders who thought they had plenty of room to pass me without saying anything clearly had no idea just how wobbly and unpredictable I was. I'd much have prefered they tell me they were there so I could come to a complete stop. Now that I'm a more confident cyclist I try to bear that in mind when I'm passing others.
Otherwise, I agree with what's been said already. A bell can be heard from further away, so it gives people more time to see you and react. Find one with a jaunty friendly sounding tone and tingle away!
If they still haven't committed to a side when you get nearer, slow right down and express your intentions verbally. ("I'm on your right" in my case, being from one of those countries with weird mirror-image transport rules.)
Of course sometimes the other person will give you no good options. Runners with ipods are a pain in the ass because they won't hear you until you're right on top of them and you can't play it safe by overtaking them at a walking pace since they're already going at speed. All you can do is maintain the minimum overtaking speed and maybe yell if they're weaving.
One thing that hasn't come up yet is the etiquette if you're riding in pairs or a group. When you overtake, please have the first person say as they pass how many bikes there are. As a pedestrian I really appreciate this.
posted by the latin mouse at 11:52 PM on March 31, 2012
Otherwise, I agree with what's been said already. A bell can be heard from further away, so it gives people more time to see you and react. Find one with a jaunty friendly sounding tone and tingle away!
If they still haven't committed to a side when you get nearer, slow right down and express your intentions verbally. ("I'm on your right" in my case, being from one of those countries with weird mirror-image transport rules.)
Of course sometimes the other person will give you no good options. Runners with ipods are a pain in the ass because they won't hear you until you're right on top of them and you can't play it safe by overtaking them at a walking pace since they're already going at speed. All you can do is maintain the minimum overtaking speed and maybe yell if they're weaving.
One thing that hasn't come up yet is the etiquette if you're riding in pairs or a group. When you overtake, please have the first person say as they pass how many bikes there are. As a pedestrian I really appreciate this.
posted by the latin mouse at 11:52 PM on March 31, 2012
Definitely a bell, the nice little ting-ting one. It works much better than "on your left" as it seems like 50% of people just hear the "left" bit and move to the left, directly into your path.
posted by emd3737 at 12:46 AM on April 1, 2012
posted by emd3737 at 12:46 AM on April 1, 2012
The bell has always worked best for me. I grew up close to a 25-mile stretch of railway line that had been coverted to a cycling/walking trail, in a popular holiday (vacation) area. Throughout the summer months it was always busy with people walking, and families on hired bikes, many of whom obviously rarely got out on two wheels. There's no particular custom there (or in the UK in general, as far as I've ever noticed) for letting people know you're coming, other than the bell. I can imagine getting some really confused/annoyed looks if I yelled something every time I came up behind someone. And anyway, a lot of people are out walking for the peace and quiet; they don't want dozens of cyclists all yelling at each other. A little tinkle on the bell is usually sufficient.
The thing with a bell is that it's non-specific. It simply says "there's someone coming", and leaves it to the other pedestrians/cyclists to do whatever comes naturally, which in 90% of cases is just to carry on doing whatever they were already doing, and not make any sudden changes of direction. But of course, you often need to slow down. Small children in particular are unpredictable, as are dogs and many adults. Larger groups of people are basically cattle: dumb and unable to take any concerted action. If you need to be travelling fast all the time you need to be up very early when there's nobody around.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 1:32 AM on April 1, 2012
The thing with a bell is that it's non-specific. It simply says "there's someone coming", and leaves it to the other pedestrians/cyclists to do whatever comes naturally, which in 90% of cases is just to carry on doing whatever they were already doing, and not make any sudden changes of direction. But of course, you often need to slow down. Small children in particular are unpredictable, as are dogs and many adults. Larger groups of people are basically cattle: dumb and unable to take any concerted action. If you need to be travelling fast all the time you need to be up very early when there's nobody around.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 1:32 AM on April 1, 2012
I had never heard of 'on your left' before this thread (worth noting that I'm in the UK, so maybe it is more prevalent in the US or wherever you are). If I was out walking and someone yelled 'on your left' I'd be entirely confused. Thinking about it, I'd be more likely to think I was being asked to move to the left and then step in your way. I'm generally pretty aware of my surroundings when I'm out walking, so I'm more likely to have noticed a bike coming up and moved myself, so someone yelling at me would just confuse me or startle me and make an accident more likely.
By all means use it if you think it is widely understood, but some of the responses from this thread make me think that is not the case. A bell seems much better - if you ring it far enough in advance it gives people a chance to use their judgement and move out your way, rather than having you yell confusing instructions at them.
As a cyclist you can't just go on cycling and expect everyone to move when you shout at them. Yes, hikers and other cyclists should be aware of their surroundings and courteous to other people who may want to get past them (or course not everyone is though). But you need to use your judgement when dealing with them, and take each group as they come. I don't think there is one phrase you can just yell out which will work in every situation.
posted by maybeandroid at 2:00 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
By all means use it if you think it is widely understood, but some of the responses from this thread make me think that is not the case. A bell seems much better - if you ring it far enough in advance it gives people a chance to use their judgement and move out your way, rather than having you yell confusing instructions at them.
As a cyclist you can't just go on cycling and expect everyone to move when you shout at them. Yes, hikers and other cyclists should be aware of their surroundings and courteous to other people who may want to get past them (or course not everyone is though). But you need to use your judgement when dealing with them, and take each group as they come. I don't think there is one phrase you can just yell out which will work in every situation.
posted by maybeandroid at 2:00 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
Never ever heard this "on your left" thing. In Australia it is mandatory to have a bell, and I find that the sound of a bike bell is distinctive enough that most people know what's coming and to look around and get out of the way.
If someone shouted "on your left" to me, I'd be likely to initially not even realise they were talking to me. Once I passed some lady with two greyhounds not on leads, and she started shouting "break! break!" at me, and I thought she was shouting at the dogs! Next thing I knew I had a greyhound biting me in the bloody ankle.
posted by Joe Chip at 2:55 AM on April 1, 2012
If someone shouted "on your left" to me, I'd be likely to initially not even realise they were talking to me. Once I passed some lady with two greyhounds not on leads, and she started shouting "break! break!" at me, and I thought she was shouting at the dogs! Next thing I knew I had a greyhound biting me in the bloody ankle.
posted by Joe Chip at 2:55 AM on April 1, 2012
Both bells and yelling freak me out and make me walk into your path. Bells I find more confusing then yelling, honestly, because they have less of a directionality of sound to my ears than yelling does, and I don't associate them with bikes automatically like people think I should.
I apologize for being an idiot. Please warn me early, go slow, and don't run over me.
posted by hydropsyche at 3:32 AM on April 1, 2012
I apologize for being an idiot. Please warn me early, go slow, and don't run over me.
posted by hydropsyche at 3:32 AM on April 1, 2012
Two anecdotes.
I've been the pedestrian keeping to the right who got crashed into. A cyclist didn't announce and I turned around to look for something else behind me.
I froze and leaned to my right. He froze and also leaned right and since he was going so fast his attempts to stop in a gravelly path activated gravity. Since he was large it hurt.
Second. When I ride I communicate in full sentences. You might be thinking 'no time!' but i argue that this is like driving a car. If there is no time to signal other drivers appropriately, you are traveling too fast. What sentences do I use?
'Hi! I'm coming behind you. I'll be passing on your left.' I use a bright, clear, loud, happy voice.
This assures not only that I am heard, but that my message is received as a friendly assist, rather than a command. Hurried speech almost never feels like it has kindness or Joy in it. it sounds hurried and the human brain processes sounds from behind for risk and then content. Barking "on your left" sounds too much like 'Get on the ground' or 'hands on your head' to make people feel at ease.
And. The human brain can process changing distance of an auditory cue. Your pedestrians can tell from your words that are don't have time to say more. Ecause you're practically on top of them. They weren't hearing your bike wheels. Because it's either a smooth path or they were lost in thought or listening to birdsongs. We're not trained to hear subtle changes in our environmental ambient noise. But voices we deal with all day long. And when you take body language out of the assessment equation, the brain goes for volume, pacing, tone, and proximity.
And the result is, people unfamiliar with the convention freak out. Doubly so for people on a trail who feel especially vulnerable (how man jogger attacked on trail stories have you heard on the news?) or like they're supposed to protect someone - so mothers/fathers and boyfriends. people who are familiar with "On your left" carry on and don't usually acknowledge that an interaction is even taking place. There isn't time!
And I am here to tell you that people usually say "Thank you," to me as I pass them. And I still have time to wish them a good day/great weekend/check out the hidden spring about a ten minute walk from here." sometims I turn and wave before I speed back up.
A lot of the fun of using public hiking trails for biking is the interaction with the public. Which is dampened if they're scared or mad.
posted by bilabial at 4:23 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]
I've been the pedestrian keeping to the right who got crashed into. A cyclist didn't announce and I turned around to look for something else behind me.
I froze and leaned to my right. He froze and also leaned right and since he was going so fast his attempts to stop in a gravelly path activated gravity. Since he was large it hurt.
Second. When I ride I communicate in full sentences. You might be thinking 'no time!' but i argue that this is like driving a car. If there is no time to signal other drivers appropriately, you are traveling too fast. What sentences do I use?
'Hi! I'm coming behind you. I'll be passing on your left.' I use a bright, clear, loud, happy voice.
This assures not only that I am heard, but that my message is received as a friendly assist, rather than a command. Hurried speech almost never feels like it has kindness or Joy in it. it sounds hurried and the human brain processes sounds from behind for risk and then content. Barking "on your left" sounds too much like 'Get on the ground' or 'hands on your head' to make people feel at ease.
And. The human brain can process changing distance of an auditory cue. Your pedestrians can tell from your words that are don't have time to say more. Ecause you're practically on top of them. They weren't hearing your bike wheels. Because it's either a smooth path or they were lost in thought or listening to birdsongs. We're not trained to hear subtle changes in our environmental ambient noise. But voices we deal with all day long. And when you take body language out of the assessment equation, the brain goes for volume, pacing, tone, and proximity.
And the result is, people unfamiliar with the convention freak out. Doubly so for people on a trail who feel especially vulnerable (how man jogger attacked on trail stories have you heard on the news?) or like they're supposed to protect someone - so mothers/fathers and boyfriends. people who are familiar with "On your left" carry on and don't usually acknowledge that an interaction is even taking place. There isn't time!
And I am here to tell you that people usually say "Thank you," to me as I pass them. And I still have time to wish them a good day/great weekend/check out the hidden spring about a ten minute walk from here." sometims I turn and wave before I speed back up.
A lot of the fun of using public hiking trails for biking is the interaction with the public. Which is dampened if they're scared or mad.
posted by bilabial at 4:23 AM on April 1, 2012 [3 favorites]
How fast were you going? Multiuse bike-pedestrian trails are actually a pretty bad idea; just because there are no cars does not mean you are in an ideally designed environment for biking. It can be like riding on the sidewalk, or as if walkers were in your bike lane. Because of this, you should not be expecting to be doing exercise-paced biking on a multiuse trail, at least not in an area with walkers. Instead, you should slow way down and make sure you are never going fast enough to injure a walker if they stepped in your path.
posted by yarly at 4:28 AM on April 1, 2012
posted by yarly at 4:28 AM on April 1, 2012
Conventions, as you've read above, vary. The other day, I was riding on a one-way city street and there was some kind of construction in the middle and I had to chose the narrow left or right side. A delivery guy was going the wrong way on the right side and strongly indicated that I should choose the left. Unbeknownst to him, there was another guy going the wrong way on the other side (which was narrower) and I ended up choosing his side. Boy was he pissed! I would have liked to explain what was happening but he was too busy yelling at me for not heeding his clear instructions. Since he had shouted out, he was sure I was either stupid or deliberately ignoring him, and I felt bad, despite having no reason to, because I was being yelled at. The moral of the story is--sometimes people yell at you, convinced you did something wrong, and it's no fun to be yelled at, but that doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Often it just means they feel entitled. Ah, NYC biking!
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:29 AM on April 1, 2012
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:29 AM on April 1, 2012
I think shouting "on your left" is jarring and overkill. What I usually do is just use my voice to gently say "ding ding", comically imitating a bell. Peeps are always amused and respond positively when I do that.
posted by wutangclan at 5:52 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by wutangclan at 5:52 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Bear bells, if you can stand them. Although if you're riding with other people they may eventually pull you off your bike and pummel you into the ground in irritation.
posted by unSane at 6:02 AM on April 1, 2012
posted by unSane at 6:02 AM on April 1, 2012
This used to happen to me when I was running. I know it's not the same thing, but when I ran up behind walkers a lot of times they jumped in startlement. I think people just don't like being startled (plus of course, if you're on a bike it can be dangerous). I figured I was making enough noise to be heard, but after a while I started deliberately scuffing my shoe rather loudly before coming up behind someone. So my guess is the guy jumped or something, felt embarrassed, then took it out on you. I think a bell is a great idea!
posted by Arethusa at 7:28 AM on April 1, 2012
posted by Arethusa at 7:28 AM on April 1, 2012
When I'm riding on a shared track and I come up behind pedestrians, I always, always take the advice my mother gave me when I was first learning to drive a car: treat every other driver as homicidal, and every pedestrian as suicidal.
My right to cycle safely on a shared track does not trump a pedestrian's right to walk safely on it. So I sing out "Cycling, excuse me!" in friendly tones, and aim toward whatever gap opens up, and as I do that I slow down enough that when - not if - it eventually happens that somebody gets confused and darts back in front of me, it's all braking and "Sorry!" instead of the crashing and the screaming and the falling and hurting.
And if I ever start feeling narky about needing to slow down for yet another fucking slow-ass pedestrian, I just remind myself what it feels like to be a cyclist on a road full of cars and trucks and how I would rather people behaved when in control of more speed and mass than me.
posted by flabdablet at 7:51 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
My right to cycle safely on a shared track does not trump a pedestrian's right to walk safely on it. So I sing out "Cycling, excuse me!" in friendly tones, and aim toward whatever gap opens up, and as I do that I slow down enough that when - not if - it eventually happens that somebody gets confused and darts back in front of me, it's all braking and "Sorry!" instead of the crashing and the screaming and the falling and hurting.
And if I ever start feeling narky about needing to slow down for yet another fucking slow-ass pedestrian, I just remind myself what it feels like to be a cyclist on a road full of cars and trucks and how I would rather people behaved when in control of more speed and mass than me.
posted by flabdablet at 7:51 AM on April 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Two-step approach:
1.) Extremely friendly bell to *ting* gently and repeatedly, giving lots of advance notice
2.) Bike-mounted air horn for those 3-wide groups of weekend running warriors with their IPods turned up to 20 million. Why do they even need to run 3-wide? They can't carry on a conversation. They're huffing and puffing and I can hear their music from 20 feet away.
It also depends where you're cycling. Is it a place that tourists frequent, possibly tourists who won't understand what you're saying? The bell at least speaks a universal language!
posted by bluebelle at 7:58 AM on April 1, 2012
1.) Extremely friendly bell to *ting* gently and repeatedly, giving lots of advance notice
2.) Bike-mounted air horn for those 3-wide groups of weekend running warriors with their IPods turned up to 20 million. Why do they even need to run 3-wide? They can't carry on a conversation. They're huffing and puffing and I can hear their music from 20 feet away.
It also depends where you're cycling. Is it a place that tourists frequent, possibly tourists who won't understand what you're saying? The bell at least speaks a universal language!
posted by bluebelle at 7:58 AM on April 1, 2012
I am one of those people who do the wrong thing when someone says "On your left!" This is because I don't know my left from my right, verbally--the words "left" and "right" are hard for me to associate quickly with my actual physical body.
This surprises people who don't know me well, because I am pretty good at sports and dancing, and I'm quite a good driver. But when someone says "On your left!" my brain freezes for some reason.
The other problem with "on your left!" as a routine road warning is that it's confusing to many people who aren't native speakers of English. My ex had a terrible bike v. pedestrian incident when he said "On your left" and the international student he was addressing thought that meant "You should move to your left."
In my perfect world we would use bike bells like in Amsterdam.
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:00 AM on April 1, 2012
This surprises people who don't know me well, because I am pretty good at sports and dancing, and I'm quite a good driver. But when someone says "On your left!" my brain freezes for some reason.
The other problem with "on your left!" as a routine road warning is that it's confusing to many people who aren't native speakers of English. My ex had a terrible bike v. pedestrian incident when he said "On your left" and the international student he was addressing thought that meant "You should move to your left."
In my perfect world we would use bike bells like in Amsterdam.
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:00 AM on April 1, 2012
If I am overtaking pedestrians in tight quarters, I say "passing please" and approach them slowly. But it all depends. If I tried to say that when passing somebody on the popular bike and pedestrian path on the west side of NYC, I would have to say it every two seconds.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:46 AM on April 1, 2012
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:46 AM on April 1, 2012
I might even have to look at my hands
Oh, this made me laugh because it is so true. "Behind you" will work faster with me if you don't have a bell.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:57 AM on April 1, 2012
Oh, this made me laugh because it is so true. "Behind you" will work faster with me if you don't have a bell.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:57 AM on April 1, 2012
Another walker who prefers a bell or, failing that, a friendly "Behind you!" I actually do know my left from right, but when I'm out walking I'm not trying to be in a state of constant mental alertness, so I could totally see reacting to "On your left!" with an internal monologue of "Huh? What? What's on my left? Did he say move left? Better just turn around and stare like a dumb-ass."
I also grew up in a place where people were uber-athletic and uber-entitled and thought they had every right to ride their bikes down the middle of the sidewalk or even the damn road - yes, a road meant entirely for cars. Therefore I assume most bikers are like that and barking directions at me does not help. The flip side of that though, is when I encounter a biker who is careful and respectful, I really appreciate it.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 9:16 AM on April 1, 2012
I also grew up in a place where people were uber-athletic and uber-entitled and thought they had every right to ride their bikes down the middle of the sidewalk or even the damn road - yes, a road meant entirely for cars. Therefore I assume most bikers are like that and barking directions at me does not help. The flip side of that though, is when I encounter a biker who is careful and respectful, I really appreciate it.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 9:16 AM on April 1, 2012
Another vote for a bell. I think a lot of cyclists don't realize how fast they're going, and how poorly their voice projects. As a pedestrian I usually hear "randomnoise hey that's a voice whoah, are they talking to me? LEFT!" This actually sounds like a command to move left.
A bell doesn't seem to require all those brain processing steps. It just says "something coming up fast from behind, get outta the way!", and most people will instinctively dodge to the shoulder of the path.
posted by Quietgal at 9:17 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
A bell doesn't seem to require all those brain processing steps. It just says "something coming up fast from behind, get outta the way!", and most people will instinctively dodge to the shoulder of the path.
posted by Quietgal at 9:17 AM on April 1, 2012 [2 favorites]
Ugh, I also never encountered this shouting "on your left" before I came to the U.S.
As a walker I find it really, really annoying and distracting, and with me it has the opposite effect to the intended. Here I am, having a relaxing walk on the local trail, keeping dutifully to the right edge, perfectly aware that runners and cyclists will be passing me, and every thirty seconds there's a SUDDEN YELL RIGHT BEHIND ME!!! and a cyclist swooshing by. I get a mini heart attack every time this happens. Sometimes I literally freeze and have to take a few seconds to recover. Quite a relaxing walk in nature, isn't it.
Seriously, people. I can usually hear a bike approaching just fine, and without looking I know where it is and how fast it's going. I can be fine with people using the bell, too; as long as it's not used at the last second.
In short: Please don't make any sudden loud noises behind people's backs and think it's "courtesy" and "safety". Or I'll send you a bill for my anxiety medication. If you have to warn people, do it from far enough or quietly enough that they don't visibly flinch at your voice.
posted by Ender's Friend at 10:06 AM on April 1, 2012
As a walker I find it really, really annoying and distracting, and with me it has the opposite effect to the intended. Here I am, having a relaxing walk on the local trail, keeping dutifully to the right edge, perfectly aware that runners and cyclists will be passing me, and every thirty seconds there's a SUDDEN YELL RIGHT BEHIND ME!!! and a cyclist swooshing by. I get a mini heart attack every time this happens. Sometimes I literally freeze and have to take a few seconds to recover. Quite a relaxing walk in nature, isn't it.
Seriously, people. I can usually hear a bike approaching just fine, and without looking I know where it is and how fast it's going. I can be fine with people using the bell, too; as long as it's not used at the last second.
In short: Please don't make any sudden loud noises behind people's backs and think it's "courtesy" and "safety". Or I'll send you a bill for my anxiety medication. If you have to warn people, do it from far enough or quietly enough that they don't visibly flinch at your voice.
posted by Ender's Friend at 10:06 AM on April 1, 2012
Response by poster: this isn't really a speedster trail, or where tourists go at all. it's one of those converted railroad tracks, part urban, part rural; it runs behind the houses of some residential neighborhoods and then out into the country. for the most part it's underused, you might run into another person every half mile or so, and this is on a Saturday.
yarly i wasn't going that fast at all, i definitely had enough time to stop if someone got in the way. i only speed up if there is no one on the track at all or if it's a downhill or something, other than that i'm at a steady medium pace. that being said if i see the family with kids i slow WAY down, because i know one of those is going to dart in front of my bike, and 50% of the time i'm right. with focused walkers or joggers i slow down less so, as i figure they're intent on walking, and not daydreaming or likely to zigzag into passing traffic.
i think the bell is a great idea, i generally feel too shy to yell out, so i always felt if they weren't in the way there wasn't a point to it. i probably startled this guy and he felt like he had to make a point. i think part of the problem is speed bias, as a biker you think everyone is prepared to encounter bikers at bike speeds, and act accordingly. as a walker, not so much.
posted by camdan at 10:21 AM on April 1, 2012
yarly i wasn't going that fast at all, i definitely had enough time to stop if someone got in the way. i only speed up if there is no one on the track at all or if it's a downhill or something, other than that i'm at a steady medium pace. that being said if i see the family with kids i slow WAY down, because i know one of those is going to dart in front of my bike, and 50% of the time i'm right. with focused walkers or joggers i slow down less so, as i figure they're intent on walking, and not daydreaming or likely to zigzag into passing traffic.
i think the bell is a great idea, i generally feel too shy to yell out, so i always felt if they weren't in the way there wasn't a point to it. i probably startled this guy and he felt like he had to make a point. i think part of the problem is speed bias, as a biker you think everyone is prepared to encounter bikers at bike speeds, and act accordingly. as a walker, not so much.
posted by camdan at 10:21 AM on April 1, 2012
I am in agreement with getting and using a bell. I am in agreement that the "on your left" announcement is unfriendly too commanding and annoying. There is a last ditch technique to get trail users out of the way that they will hear and always works... lock up your rear wheel with your brakes to make a good loud braking sound while your still about 75 to 50 feet away. Trust me unless they are hearing impaired they will hear it and interpret it as you barrelling down on them and braking for them. Every time I've done this the target has whipped around and jumped to the side.
That said I have bells on all my bikes and use them every time. I don't like scaring people.
posted by No Shmoobles at 12:21 PM on April 1, 2012
That said I have bells on all my bikes and use them every time. I don't like scaring people.
posted by No Shmoobles at 12:21 PM on April 1, 2012
A bell is best. As others have said, when I say "On your left," half the time people will shamble to the left without even looking. Also, slow to walking speed when passing walkers/hikers. Blowing by walkers at speed on shared trails is just dickish and gives fellow cyclists a bad name. :(
posted by xedrik at 1:53 PM on April 1, 2012
posted by xedrik at 1:53 PM on April 1, 2012
I often hike on trails shared with mountain bikers.
Hikers often can't hear bikes coming up behind them, particularly if they are talking, so a warning is appreciated. A bell is the best way to let them know that you're approaching and people will pretty much always give you room to pass. A shout also tells me someone is approaching, but I don't need to be told what to do about it, thanks very much. When you shout out a warning, it's hard to convey a friendly/courteous tone and that, combined with the few mountain bike riders that actually abuse hikers for 'getting in their way', means shouting at hikers with a view to nicely asking them to let you pass doesn't really work.
posted by dg at 4:59 PM on April 1, 2012
Hikers often can't hear bikes coming up behind them, particularly if they are talking, so a warning is appreciated. A bell is the best way to let them know that you're approaching and people will pretty much always give you room to pass. A shout also tells me someone is approaching, but I don't need to be told what to do about it, thanks very much. When you shout out a warning, it's hard to convey a friendly/courteous tone and that, combined with the few mountain bike riders that actually abuse hikers for 'getting in their way', means shouting at hikers with a view to nicely asking them to let you pass doesn't really work.
posted by dg at 4:59 PM on April 1, 2012
So wait.. I hike with my dogs on a trail where there is sometimes bikers. I've heard the "...left" part before but I honestly don't know if that means I'm supposed to move right or left? And I usually just go to the closet side of the trail I'm already standing near.
After reading these responses, I'm still unsure.
For the record, which way to do I go when they say "to the left" or "on the left."
posted by crayon at 7:33 PM on April 1, 2012
After reading these responses, I'm still unsure.
For the record, which way to do I go when they say "to the left" or "on the left."
posted by crayon at 7:33 PM on April 1, 2012
Response by poster: "on your left!" means the cyclist is to the walker's left. but hear "left" and think "go left", i don't know what to tell you. i thought roughly in the US, we have the slower people stay right rule, in case of passers, but on a leisurely stroll anything goes. it's not like we're on the moving sidewalk at the airport.
posted by camdan at 8:35 PM on April 1, 2012
posted by camdan at 8:35 PM on April 1, 2012
I struggle with this too, because some riders will say 'passing on the right' and some will say some variation of 'keep left' (reverse those for countries that drive on the wrong side of the road), so whatever they shout, it just confuses me anyway, because I rarely hear the first few words due to being distracted by the shock of the shout in the first place.
posted by dg at 8:55 PM on April 1, 2012
posted by dg at 8:55 PM on April 1, 2012
I feel for you; I'm never sure whether it's safer to shout out (and possibly provoke a leap directly into my path) or sail by silently (and risk startling somebody).
A bell is good; I tend to feel a little bit self-concious when shouting out. If you get one of those bells with a tiny hammer that you pull back, then you can start with a nice discreet "ting!" and escalate with louder rings until you can see that the person has heard you.
Another thing I sometimes do if I'm on a bike with a freewheel is spin the cranks backwards, making that distinctive clacky freewheel sound that makes it very obvious to the person up front that there is a bike approaching, without being as abrupt as a bell.
Of course, none of these will help if the person up front is hard of hearing / wearing headphones / walking a dog / etc. I have reluctantly accepted that using a shared-use trail means frequently slowing down to a crawl to pass people. That's why I don't use them when commuting any more :-(
posted by primer_dimer at 8:14 AM on April 2, 2012
A bell is good; I tend to feel a little bit self-concious when shouting out. If you get one of those bells with a tiny hammer that you pull back, then you can start with a nice discreet "ting!" and escalate with louder rings until you can see that the person has heard you.
Another thing I sometimes do if I'm on a bike with a freewheel is spin the cranks backwards, making that distinctive clacky freewheel sound that makes it very obvious to the person up front that there is a bike approaching, without being as abrupt as a bell.
Of course, none of these will help if the person up front is hard of hearing / wearing headphones / walking a dog / etc. I have reluctantly accepted that using a shared-use trail means frequently slowing down to a crawl to pass people. That's why I don't use them when commuting any more :-(
posted by primer_dimer at 8:14 AM on April 2, 2012
Response by poster: i rode this route again today. i can honestly say that it's wide enough/sparsely populated enough that i don't feel notice need be given for every passed pedestrian. i am getting a bell, though, and i'll add a an addendum to my prior notification policy. in addition to people in the left or casually wobbling about, i'll give notice to walkers in tandem who may be lost in conversation and subsequently spooked by the sudden swoosh of a bicycle tire. i think this is a fair compromise.
posted by camdan at 4:42 PM on April 5, 2012
posted by camdan at 4:42 PM on April 5, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Why not just give people a little "on your left"?
I don't really get why you wouldn't want to.
posted by kavasa at 7:46 PM on March 31, 2012 [1 favorite]