Blind Curve Signaling Suggestions?

[jessmarimba]

Maybe that's partly why I hadn't encountered this...my brakes squeal like crazy.

I hate when someone comes up behind me going really fast (generally on downhills) and doesn't make any noise. When I finally hear them I usually about fall over because it scares the bejesus out of me. Just tell me you want around and I will gladly move!!

[solobiker]

Same here Jess!! I hate it when that happens...there really is no reason for it.

[Artista]

Would it be easier if you changed the direction you are riding?

Hmmm...maybe. It seems that about 40% of the riders go our direction and the other 60% go the other direction. Hubby and I have talked about doing it "backwards" just for something different. I think we'll give it a try.

[Loraura]

A bell is the way to go. On a positive note for the directinally impared, my bell also has a compas on it.

Secondly, try to find out who the trail steward is for that trail, and mention the need for a reroute/adjustment to that corner if it is dangerously blind.

[Artista]

A bell is the way to go. On a positive note for the directinally impared, my bell also has a compas on it.

Secondly, try to find out who the trail steward is for that trail, and mention the need for a reroute/adjustment to that corner if it is dangerously blind.

We're riding around the sides of mesas, (flat top mountains), with lots of rock. I'm not sure that a bell can be heard around these curves

No option to reroute the trail without taking out a large portion of the mesa. I probably call out at least 20 times on just one 4 mile trail section. Some of the other areas aren't quite so bad.

I'm going to get some pics of the trail next time we ride. I always enjoy seeing what trails look like in other parts of the country. Our trails are soooo different than any of the other pics I've seen. And my blind curve dilemma might be easier to understand if I can show everyone what I'm talking about.

[Artista]

On a positive note for the directinally impared, my bell also has a compas on it.

I forgot to ask how you knew that I can hardly tell my right from my left I've heard that directional impairment is common in artistic types. I love compasses!

[Catrin]

We're riding around the sides of mesas, (flat top mountains), with lots of rock. I'm not sure that a bell can be heard around these curves

No option to reroute the trail without taking out a large portion of the mesa. I probably call out at least 20 times on just one 4 mile trail section. Some of the other areas aren't quite so bad.

I'm going to get some pics of the trail next time we ride. I always enjoy seeing what trails look like in other parts of the country. Our trails are soooo different than any of the other pics I've seen. And my blind curve dilemma might be easier to understand if I can show everyone what I'm talking about.

Pictures would be helpful, and I would love to see a mesa trail anyway, it sounds like a beautiful place to ride! Is it better if you ride the other direction?

[OakLeaf]

I'm not sure that a bell can be heard around these curves

What about a loud horn? Even on my little MUP, no one can hear a bell over the sound of traffic. But just a squeeze horn is enough to alert people who aren't listening to their iPods or talking on the phone, which hopefully people aren't doing out on the trails. If you need louder, there's always one of those hand-pumped air horns.

[Aggie_Ama]

I find my bell is much more effective than calling out, the sound actually carries fairly well and it seems to get attention whereas many people drown out voices. Whenever I go around a known blind or obscured corner I ring it, also at intersections and sometimes to let my ride group know where I am if we get strung out. If I don't have a bell is yell "rider" but I have had a few close calls with that. A lot of hikers and bikers have thanked me for having the bell.

[Loraura]

I forgot to ask how you knew that I can hardly tell my right from my left I've heard that directional impairment is common in artistic types. I love compasses!

It must be in the name! (I'm also Lori!)

[Catrin]

I forgot to ask how you knew that I can hardly tell my right from my left I've heard that directional impairment is common in artistic types. I love compasses!

hmmm, I have a friend who literally cannot tell her right from her left if you call it that. She is fine with the cardinal directions if she knows which way is north - and she is fine if I tell her to turn toward the passenger side..(and so forth). Didn't know this is common to artistic types, will have to tell her, she would get a kick out of that

Don't get me wrong, she can work out which side is her right or left, but she has to think about it - her brain just doesn't work that way.

[Artista]

It must be in the name! (I'm also Lori!)

Lori is a good name. It's served me well for a lot of years. I think I'll keep it

About artists being directionally challenged, I find that my sense of direction goes right down the tubes when I heavily indulge my creative side for many months. Most of the time I have to use the analytical side of my brain and that's when my sense of direction gets better but it's never great. I have to spend several months indulging one side of my brain or the other before I notice a slight change in my directional ability.

[Artista]

Here are a couple of pics of typical blind curves on my favorite trails. I wasn't able to get a pic of the most problematic curve because we cut our ride short after hubby's pretty spectacular endo. He didn't sustain any serious injuries but he was sore enough after the fall that we went home early.

The first photo shows how the trail is cut into the side of the mesa so there isn't much chance of improving visibility. This curve isn't too bad as it isn't very steep, there is little vegetation on either side of the trail, and it's flat enough on the outside of the curve for the downhill rider to swerve off of the trail if they unexpectedly meet an uphill rider at the curve apex.

In the second photo, take a look at the dense bushes on both sides of the trail just as the trail disappears around the curve toward the top of the photo. You can also see the steep drop off to the right of the trail in the bottom of this photo. The downhill rider has a slight advantage on this curve since the side of the mountain is on the downhill rider's right. Still, when encountering an unexpected uphill rider at the apex of this curve, it makes the most sense for both riders to continue riding as close to each riders' respective trail edge as possible. There IS enough room to pass safely.

One of the points that I didn't make about both of the uphill riders who were grumpy when I wasn't able to totally vacate the trail is that they were able to pass me without losing any of their momentum. Attempting to vacate the trail with only a few seconds notice would have been dangerous for me as I had dense bushes and steep drop offs on my right in both situations.

I've decided that there is no easy solution when meeting another rider on these blind curves. I don't have enough room on my handlebars for a bell and a horn is impractical. I've started calling out "CORNER" which alerts unseen trail users on the other side of the curve to my presence without implying that I'm aware of THEIR presence. Of course, as the downhill rider, I'll continue do my best to yield the trail when it's safe to do so and I'll ride slowly while holding my line to the far right of the trail when it's not safe for me to totally yield the trail. The many reasonable trail users understand that there is no "one size fits all" approach to reacting to another rider on a blind curve. The rare, legalistic, grumpy, riders can go blow.