Blind Curve Signaling Suggestions?

[Artista]

We frequently ride a set of trails with lots of blind curves. When approaching these curves, I always signal my presence to any unseen riders on the other side by calling out "Bike Coming". My hope is that anyone on the other side would call back so that I know they are there and I can take appropriate action.

The problem is that no one ever signals back. Twice now I've been gritched out for not yielding to an uphill rider that I didn't know was there until it was too late to totally yield the trail. I think that part of the problem is that the phrase "Bike Coming" implies to riders on the other side that I'm aware of their presence. They then assume that I'm being rude or ignorant by not yielding when they're riding uphill.

I need to change the way that I'm signaling. I'm thinking of calling out "Blind Curve" but the simple act of proactively calling out may still imply to unseen riders that I'm aware of their presence. I've considered a bike bell but I'm not sure that the sound would carry far enough.

So I'm wondering if any of you signal proactively? If so, how do you signal?

[Eden]

I'm not a mt biker, but there are some places that I ride on mups that are narrow and that I know people often go wide - ie cross over onto my side... I generally just yell "CORNER"

I think that may be what they do in restaurants when carrying trays full of dishes? It may be that only present and former wait staff have any idea what I'm talking about....

[Becky]

We ride with bells around here. Both of my mountain bikes have one, and I'll often ring going into a problematic corner or climb.

[solobiker]

I will have to think on that one..that is a tough one. I am interested in what ideas others may come up with.

[jessmarimba]

I don't have any suggestions. But those must be some grumpy mountain bikers -I can't imagine yelling at someone for coming around a blind turn and suddenly being in the way! I'd be afraid of coming across a runner with headphones on though. That's most of the reason I don't run trails with music, actually.

[solobiker]

Very good points Jess...they must be grumpy. We were almost run off of a trail up at Buff Creek by a mtn biker with headphones flying down a hill. Ahh...such is the life. He must be more important then me and most others on the trails.

[Artista]

I don't have any suggestions. But those must be some grumpy mountain bikers -I can't imagine yelling at someone for coming around a blind turn and suddenly being in the way! I'd be afraid of coming across a runner with headphones on though. That's most of the reason I don't run trails with music, actually.

These have been the only 2 grumpy people out of the 100's that we've encountered on these trails. I still think that life is too short to be grumpy on a mtn bike but I give them a bit of an "out" if they're misinterpreting my signal as knowing that they're there.

I've found that the trail runners out here typically don't run with headphones but the "hikers" frequently wear headphones. It's the "hikers" with headphones that make me the most nervous. My husband had to dismount today to pass a hiker in the middle of the trail because she didn't hear his multiple signals. She jumped sky high when he began to pass her on foot.

I like the idea of calling "Corner", even if people don't recognize that term. Just hearing a human voice will alert someone on the other side that someone else is approaching without leading them to believe that I already know that they're there. I may combine this call out with an Incredibell which is supposed to be pretty loud.

[Veronica]

Climbing cyclists have the right of way. When I'm descending, I make sure I don't outride my sight lines. That often means keeping the speed down until I'm around the corner and can see what is there.

Veronica

[Artista]

Climbing cyclists have the right of way. When I'm descending, I make sure I don't outride my sight lines. That often means keeping the speed down until I'm around the corner and can see what is there.

Veronica

Yes, I'm aware that the climbing cyclists have the right of way. And I always slow down and call out when approaching a blind curve. The problem is that people aren't signaling back so I don't know that they're there.

Today I didn't see the other cyclist until literally about 2 seconds before we were side by side. He was actually riding faster uphill than I was riding downhill. I had boulders and a steep drop off to my right so I couldn't ride off the trail. If I had stopped, I would have had to lean my bike and body into the center of the trail. I did the best that I could under the circumstances and held my line as far right as possible. That's when the other rider yelled back at me that I should have yielded.

I was really "between a rock and hard place" in this encounter. I would have had a much better chance of totally yielding had he signaled back after I first called out.

[Catrin]

This doesn't sound like a good situation at all. I've never seen a blind curve on any of the mtb trails I've ridden or hiked, but of course I am new and far from an expert. We have a good number of tight switchbacks and other features, but as long as you keep scanning ahead you can see others coming enough to be able to do what you need to do. As a slower rider I just tend to get out of the way of everyone, regardless of direction

Good luck on finding a solution, it sounds like your terrain forced the trail builders into some less than optimum choices.

[Veronica]

You know they may not hear you when you holler, or they may not process that you're talking to them.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

I've found that wearing hi-viz makes it much easier to spot oncoming riders on the MUP when the curve is blind because of vegetation. You can still see flashes of that brilliant color through the trunks and leaves. No help if the way forward is blind because of a hill or rock, of course.

[Artista]

We're riding up and down mesas so our sight is often blocked by the sides of hills. There is no opportunity to catch even a flash of color. That's why I'm signaling proactively but I think that the term "Bikes Coming" is leading other riders to believe that I know that they are there and that I'm yielding before they even see me.

Calling out "Corner" isn't a perfect solution but it may alert other riders to my presence while preventing them from assuming that I know that they're on the other side. In the end, I may have to be satisfied to be the only person signaling in these blind curves and blow off the occasional grumpy rider.

[Becky]

Usually, when I'm calling out during a ride, it's to my riding partners behind me to let them know that we have traffic in front of us. Other riders in my area seem to do the same thing.

I can see why verbal signals might confuse other riders around you....

[solobiker]

Would it be easier if you changed the direction you are riding? Just wondering... because in the case of Centinnial Cone it is easier to avoid others in tricky areas because most people ride it clockwise so we are all pretty much going in the same direction.

Still it is a tough call on that and I wish I had some suggestions. Luckily for me DH's brakes sometimes squeel so others here us coming. There is no need for them to be grumpy though...they should just enjoy being able to be out and riding.