Riding Two/Three Abreast on Trails - Inconsiderate Bicyclists

Why do bicyclists think that when they ride two or three abreast on the trails and I am riding towards them that I should have to move way over to the right on my side of the trail because they are riding over the center line? :mad: (Sorry about the run-on sentence!)

I hate riding near the trail's edge because if I get too close I am sure to crash. I have to really, really slow down and ride close to the right edge until they are gone. I sure would like to scream after them but they probably wouldn't hear me.

Note: This is never a problem with the "speed" riders. You know the people going a million miles an hour.

They don't think. Some may be casual cyclists, with no idea of cycling etiquette. Others are just oblivious. It's like the people who go in the out door; no one ever told them to "stay right."
I would give them a polite heads up as to the problem and how to solve it. You might have to raise your voice to get their attention, but after that, I would be super polite and just give the facts, in as few words as possible. I despise riding on paths because of this (as well as walkers, dogs, and kids who aren't being supervised).
However, I experience this on group rides. About 5 years ago, MA passed a law that made it legal to ride 2 abreast if it is safe. Some are totally oblivious to this application of the law, and cause issues when cars are backed up behind them and other riders have to try to open a gap to let them in. When I lead rides, I tell people I want them to stay single file all of the time, except on very quiet rural roads, and then if they hear someone say "car back", they immediately make an effort to get over.

I agree with Crankin. Not much you can do other than a polite request and maybe a few words on etiquette. Anything else is likely to be counterproductive. As to being too close to the trail's edge and fearing a crash, have had to leave the pavement and ride onto the shoulder of a road more than once without crashing. Can be done, at least sometimes. Knowing what to do and having the right bike helps. On my fat bike and my 29er plus, I actually deliberately ride off the pavement and onto the shoulder at times, just for fun. Pretty risky to do on a road bike with 25mm tires, though. Be careful.

When I run in town, at least once a week I have to scream, and sometimes check up, to avoid running head-on into this kind of people on foot.

I'll be running at most an 8 m/m (7-1/2 mph) and they're typically walking at most a 20 m/m (3 mph), usually slower on both counts.

But they are not paying enough attention to even notice that I'm there in time for me to pass. When I'm up in their face three feet away from them, they startle and are shocked at how I got so close without them noticing. (I'm talking situations like a bridge with railings on both sides, or a road with heavy traffic - I'm not even talking about the times when I have the option to leave the sidewalk and run in the road to avoid someone, more often someone riding their bicycle on the sidewalk :mad: than pedestrians.)

(This is the amount of attention people pay when they drive, too.)


On the bike, I handle it the same way I do when approaching someone from the rear. Bell first, normal "passing" voice second, horn third, scream fourth, stop if I have to.