Tailgated by other cyclist!!

Hee-hee. Those squirrels sound just like our cat. She has led a sheltered and pampered life, and the idea that any human could harm her has never crossed her mind. She'll routinely lie down smack-dab in the middle of the kitchen floor right when you're making dinner, and stretch out languidly and bat at your ankles as you step over her. Yesterday I saw her join some kids playing football. She wandered out into the field, tail waving high, looked around and lay down so they had to run around her...

A little later she went over to sit and meditate in the middle of the sandbox. The fact that four 8 yr olds were practicing riding their bikes right across it didn't faze her at all.

What is MUT, and what is a pedicab?

Oh, and squirrels, we have prarie dogs here, by the THOUSANDS that love to nest by the path here on base, right along with these little owls. As you ride by you can hear them....eeeekkk...eeeekkkk, as you approach as they all stand at attention by their holes, I know they are saying...(OMG...guys, here she comes again,duck!:eek: )
Then there is always one that will wait, I SWEAR it's like the Geico commercial with the squirrels, and at the last second dart right in front of you! YES, I hate to say it, I'm an animal lover, so I'll take a HIT before I hurt a little furry.:o

These types of obstacle-courses have led me to ride paths less and less. Just Saturday, I was riding a path and came upon two women riding side by side, both with headphones on. So I called out "On your left," ... no response. So I yelled it. And woman on the left side yells, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO FREAK OUT!"

I'm sorry, but seriously! How was I supposed to know if she could hear me? Do many people really ride with a friend, then BOTH wear headphones? What's the point?

And the dogs on long leashes? Geez.

Ok, rant over. But sometimes those paths that seem like they'd be so lovely are absolutely maddening because people are senseless.

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Originally Posted by Jenn

What is MUT, and what is a pedicab?

Oh, and squirrels, we have prarie dogs here, by the THOUSANDS that love to nest by the path here on base, right along with these little owls. As you ride by you can hear them....eeeekkk...eeeekkkk, as you approach as they all stand at attention by their holes, I know they are saying...(OMG...guys, here she comes again,duck!:eek: )
Then there is always one that will wait, I SWEAR it's like the Geico commercial with the squirrels, and at the last second dart right in front of you! YES, I hate to say it, I'm an animal lover, so I'll take a HIT before I hurt a little furry.:o

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I know there are folks who think of them as pests, but prairie dogs are adorable, like meerkats!

A MUT is shorthand for a multi-use trail (or path) where peds, cyclists, rollerbladers and the like mix it up.

As for pedicab, I'm certain that's not the correct term for what I'm referring to. My local rec area has these things they rent where there's a sort of cab built around a bike frame, like a surrey with pedals instead of horses. It seats two to four, with the front occupants pedaling their little hearts out to make the thing move forward at all. Seriously, I think I might go to the rental place sometime and offer to pump up all their tires and service all those creaky drive trains. Maybe I could earn community service points in advance of some potential future misdemeanor, which is bound to be the result of cycling road rage.

jenn, MUT's are multi-use paths, pedicabs are those bicycle-taxi things. always thought that would be good training.
anyway, our MUT is about 10 miles winding through the greenbelt. it passes thru parks and golf courses and housing. like regina, there's no way you would take a road bike on a ride on this path. it's too ,well, used. by rollerbladers, walkers, bikers, dog people, kids, strollers, geese feeders, picnickers, joggers, etc etc. i ride it occasionally running errands because the one thing this patch doesnt have is cars! and it goes under streets instead of across them. but you would never think to race through there full out on a road bike. so maybe the paths regina and i have access to are totally different than the ones you and others have access to.

Oh,ok PinBike, thank you for the descriptions, I haven't seen those pedicabs, they sound neat though, except when you get stuck behind one...haha
MUT's hmm...Now, I know I'm probably going to get in ALOT of heat for this comment. However, I know when DH and I were riding like I stated earlier, 90% of people are walking on the dirt path NEXT to the paved path, then you have those few that walk on the path, wearing headphones, and they are NOT speed walking, oblivious to the fact that there are cyclist, rollerbladers (with dangerous skiing poles flying out....we almost got hit) etc..... I just think if it says "bike path"....hmmm maybe I'm wrong, but I would think that means,....bike path.:confused:
I don't care how fast or slow you go, if it was just bikes on them and people were courteous and used caution,....ahhh...life would be grand wouldn't it?:)
Oh, and I forgot to mention beside the snake, we also had to dodge the horse...poo....which happend to be under a dark bridge and coming out of the sunlight and you can't see....mmmmm DH was cleaning off his back and bike last night...:D

I'm often tempted to tell walkers and joggers, helpfully, not angrily, that the dirt path will be much kinder to their feet, but I suspect I'd get more hostility than thoughtful consideration in return. :confused:

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Originally Posted by rapid cycler

I'm often tempted to tell walkers and joggers, helpfully, not angrily, that the dirt path will be much kinder to their feet, but I suspect I'd get more hostility than thoughtful consideration in return. :confused:

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If they only knew what they were missing out on by riding!;)

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Originally Posted by cosc

One memorable ride I was just about home at dusk and ran over a rattlesnake. I was about over it before I saw it on the dirt-gravel road. The snake was still there in the road curled and hissing when my FIL came to kill it with a hoe.:eek:

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Poor snake:( I like Rattlesnakes. They're lovely animals who at least give you warning to back away from them. One of our reptile shops here has a Venomous section. They have a Diamond Back Rattlesnake in there. He's a big lad but seldom rattles his tail as he's used to people. They also have several Cobras, Black Mambas, Green Mambas, a Gaboon Viper a Puff Adder...and an 8 inch long venomous centipede. I love the snakes but not so keen on the centipede. I've been very lucky in being able to see the snakes close up and being only 12 inches from a Cobra even though he's in his viv and behind glass is quite awesome.

Here he is in a very striking pose

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...d/PICT0010.jpg

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Originally Posted by cosc

One memorable ride I was just about home at dusk and ran over a rattlesnake. I was about over it before I saw it on the dirt-gravel road. The snake was still there in the road curled and hissing when my FIL came to kill it with a hoe.:eek:

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This rattlesnake was about in our front yard and I wouldn't want myself or my family to run across it again.

The bike trail in Sacramento served me extremely well this Spring as I was learning how to ride from scratch. It's so nice and flat down there...so different than my local roads. But now that it's getting busier down there, I'm trying to stay away. Far too many obstacles. Last time I rode the trail, I nearly hit a lady who turned left in front of me. And I got cussed out by a guy who was right on my back wheel when I had to brake because a lady on a razor scooter swerved in front of me and sent me into oncoming bike traffic. Then there are those paceline groups going super fast who scare me half to death.

What does everyone think about getting "dinged" on the trail by a bicycle bell? My friend and I were riding the bike trail on a weekday and it was completely deserted. We were riding along next to each other at about 15 mph...the lane was plenty wide for both of us to stay completely on our side. All of a sudden, this guy comes up behind us and starting dinging us like crazy. Then he flies around us on the left while continuing to ding and cuts in front of us wayyyy too close. There was no one coming the other direction so he had plenty of room to pass. I thought it was very rude. Other folks we encountered generally said, "hi there...nice day today" or "how ya doin'?".

My local MUT is only 3 miles long and 90% of the pedestrians walk ON the pavement and will NOT move. I say "passing on your left" and they stop dead in their tracks and turn to look...and they're still in my way! But once again, in early Spring it was a great place for me to start out. Now I'm more afraid of that trail than any of our local roads!

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Originally Posted by rapid cycler

I'm often tempted to tell walkers and joggers, helpfully, not angrily, that the dirt path will be much kinder to their feet, but I suspect I'd get more hostility than thoughtful consideration in return. :confused:

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Well, I am a runner... who runs on a path with bikes... the very paths I also bike.

I can tell you that I have tried running in the grass/dirt... but the ground is so uneven, I am constantly in fear of twisting an ankle.

So, I wouldn't want to be in the dirt/grass. But I also make sure that I run on the edge of the pavement, and I constantly look behind me. If I see a situation with a tight squeeze for a cyclists, I do get on the grass for a short while.

The key here is that the walkers/runners pay attention to what is going on around them and try to be courteous to everyone using the path. Unfortunately, most are off in la-la land and don't really pay attention.

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Originally Posted by sara

What does everyone think about getting "dinged" on the trail by a bicycle bell?

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I recently got a bell for my bicycle, when I saw that people responded more quickly and favorably to my BF's bell than to my "on your left!" When I use my bell, I am calmer than when I'm yelling. The bell is a constant volume. With my voice, I'm never sure how loudly to yell, and I find myself tense and angry if I've yelled that I'm passing and people don't respond.

Sounds like the guy who passed you was pretty hepped up on adrenaline, and his bell-use just reflected that!

So far, I'm in favor of the bell over the voice. I've started saying, "I'm passing you!", as a lot of people seem baffled by "on your left". It's hard to know when to say the "OYL"--when faster riders pass me, it often seems like they're nearly upon me before they say anything, and then I want to jump. If they started dinging from a few more feet back, I'd know they were coming.

I absolutely hate being Ding Ding Dinged at :mad: I feel as if i'm around kindergarten kids or something.URGH.

If i'm going to pass you, i'll say "On your right" or "Rider" and if you still don't hear me..well a few expletives will be in order.

Just move out of my way.:mad: Can you tell I don't like slow cyclists, families on bikes etc..

This is why i mountain bike!

In addition, I don't use the cycle paths on the weekend as i know there will be families out there and I don't have the patience.

C

In summary, common sense is not always common.