calling out when you're passing

[Brandy]

You'll have to forgive me. I didn't have Tiff with me on my ride this morning so I had a lot more time to think about stupid things like this.

Do you say the same thing everytime that you pass someone? What kind of voice do you use?

Sometimes when I call out I think that I sound snotty, even if I don't intend to. Other times I yell it out and I think it scares people. I also have the irritated "why do you need to walk three abreast taking up the entire path " call!

This morning I rode the beach path and I was wishing for a button with a recorded "on your left" message so I wouldn't have to call out every 30 seconds.

[farrellcollie]

I quit saying "on your left" or "right" because invariably - the person or people would turn that way into me or just stop - now I call out well in advance- in what I hope is a friendly voice - "Coming up behind you" and give them time to turn around, look and move out of the way. I have more of a problem when walking dogs and bicyclist does not call out or zips by me startling me and dogs (startled dogs can run into bike or decide to snap)

Also - when on my folder - I like to ding the bell - but again - more people stop or just turn than move out of the way.

[Trekhawk]

Hmm I think it depends on the person Im going to pass. If they are older and look like they might get a fright I try to call out good morning or something from a bit of a distance and then say hello as I pass. Sometimes I use on your left and sometimes I use the term heads up. This seems to work well with non riders who dont seem to know what on your left means (sometimes they move to the left - yikes ).

[7rider]

You'll have to forgive me. I didn't have Tiff with me on my ride this morning so I had a lot more time to think about stupid things like this.

Do you say the same thing everytime that you pass someone? What kind of voice do you use?

Sometimes when I call out I think that I sound snotty, even if I don't intend to. Other times I yell it out and I think it scares people. I also have the irritated "why do you need to walk three abreast taking up the entire path " call!

This morning I rode the beach path and I was wishing for a button with a recorded "on your left" message so I wouldn't have to call out every 30 seconds.

I try to avoid MUTs for that very reason (passing on a group ride is more rare for me!). But when I can't or when I'm on the sidewalk close to my office, where the bus depot is, I usually call out "Hi. Passing on your left" or "Heads up. I'm on your left" I might even throw in an "Excuse me" every so often. It's more to keep me from getting bored with "on your left" because I do feel that I start to bellow it and sound rather grouchy. Sometimes, tho', that's okay, too! Generally, I try to be cheerful about it as I'd like to view myself as an ambassador for cyclists. Spread the good will, eh?

Regina

[mimitabby]

my stepfather, a feeble 75 year old, was walking on the green river trail a couple months ago. He got hit by a bike. We believe the biker yelled "on your left" so Henry moved TO THE LEFT! (he says it was the other way around) but even when people hear you, expect the unexpected. He wasn't seriously hurt btw.

[Cassandra_Cain]

Whether you say on the left, right, up, down, or Mars, please say something - anything!

The other day I was riding up a hill and had slowed a bit to reach for my water bottle. Some yahoo, blew past me on the right, saying nothing - mind you there was maybe 2 feet between me and the sidewalk where I was riding. No warning, nothing.

I find that totally irresponsible and dangerous as all it would have taken was me moving a few inches to the right and bam, crash because of some moron.

[Nokomis]

Group ride or coming up on a cyclist who apparently knows how to ride: "On your left" ...or if I'm part of a group passing, I'll add how many of us there are, or if I was the last one. People seem to appreciate that.

If I'm coming up on a Dorkus Oblivius swerving all over the road, a young kid on a path, or someone with wires dangling out of their ears: I'll whistle well in advance, or shout "Oy!" -- seems to grab their attention far better than 'passing on your ___'

If I pass someone with earbuds who didn't hear any of the above - I'll get Quite Vocal as I pass & their eyes get hugs.

[mary9761]

I nearly always say I'm passing on your left, you have plenty of room. Then I'll often follow with hello, good morning etc and smile. Most of the time I get a thanks and I follow with, "I don't like bikes to blow past me without warning either". Sometimes if there are other riders coming behind me that I can see in my rear view, I may warn them that other bikes are coming as well.
I really HATE the rider that flies by as I'm warning someone that I'M passing without letting me know they are there and blowing past BOTH of us like a maniac. I've nearly wrecked MANY times because of that. The rear view mirror mounted on my helmet helps, but I don't always see everyone when they're coming.

[SadieKate]

Dorkus Oblivius

Ha! I'm going to steal this for my unheard conversations that I have with them.

If I pass someone with earbuds who didn't hear any of the above - I'll get Quite Vocal as I pass & their eyes get hugs.

The two of us should probably not be allowed to ride together. Team Danger would have to be bailed out of the local pokey.

[Trekhawk]

If I'm coming up on a Dorkus Oblivius swerving all over the road, .

LOL - thanks for the laugh. I will keep my eye out for that species next time I ride.

[colby]

Good question with a lot of interesting answers.

I try to use "on your left" or "behind you" with bikers, and with walkers/joggers I'll say something like "coming up behind you" or something along those lines. If there are more bikes behind me, I will say "and there's 2 more coming" or "one more passing, too" when I go by.

If someone passes me and says "on your left" (or anything), I *always* thank them for it -- may as well encourage them to keep doing it.

The scariest unknowns seem to be kids and people with earbuds/headphones. When I'm coming up behind a big group, a kid, or someone who seems uncertain, I slow WAY down, approach with caution, and try to gently warn them away (sucks to slow down, but I'd rather be safe than take someone else or myself out)!

Sometimes I ride with my husband and/or friend, who both have bells, and we use them when we are approaching which often makes people look around and think about people behing behind them. I usually try to say something anyway, at least to be friendly and thank them for moving.

As an aside, my dad was joking about the "roadie nod" one of the last times we were biking. He's been biking in a tshirt and regular shorts with cycling liners (so, not very visible that he's biked much, even though he's on a road bike), and feels like hardcore roadies coming toward him and passing by don't give him the same "nod" and wave they give me in the "lycra and jersey uniform" He says something to pretty much everyone we pass (joggers, bikers, rollerbladers, people on the sidewalk) even if he's not leading. He definitely likes to be the bike ambassador

[Brandy]

The scariest unknowns seem to be kids and people with earbuds/headphones. When I'm coming up behind a big group, a kid, or someone who seems uncertain, I slow WAY down, approach with caution, and try to gently warn them away (sucks to slow down, but I'd rather be safe than take someone else or myself out)!

I had this experience on the path today. There was a woman jogging and her young son (probably 7-8 years old) was riding about a hundred feet ahead of her with earbuds on. He was weaving all over the place, taking up both sides of the path and I slowed enough to have to unclip when passing him. Right before I passed him he was also fiddling with something and dropped part of whatever it was, so I pointed that out to him. Thankfully as I passed him, his mom caught up and seemed to be directing him to take his earbuds off.

On another note, since I've taken up riding, my oldest son has become a much safer rider on the paths. He's learned to stay to the right and not weave around and also to stop slamming on the brakes to make skid marks They also now know that they NEVER just walk out into the path without making sure that they have an all clear from me.

Also on my ride this morning there was a toddler, all alone walking around in the middle of the path. The mom was in an RV parked in the parking lot and it didn't seem that she gave her daughter's safety out there a second thought.

[pooks]

The first few times I (walking a path with a friend) heard a cyclist call "On your left," I thought they were telling me to "Move left." A lot of times "Left" is the only word you hear in that situation. So first, remember that many walkers don't know the lingo, and may not even hear everything you said. That's what makes "On your left," so problematical.

Why would three people walk abreast? Because three friends are walking together and having a conversation, and haven't had to deal enough with cyclists to realize there's a prob. It usually takes care of itself once they get passed a couple of times and realize what's going on.

I know this isn't a very popular point of view on a cyclists' board, but three walkers have just as much right to walk abreast as a cyclist has to ride. Annoying? Heck yeah.

But up until a few months ago, I didn't understand why the cyclists at White Rock Lake in Dallas ride in the road instead of on the trail which (supposedly) is for that purpose. I mean, I figured it was easier for them but I had no idea of the safety issues.

I think all parks with bike/walking trails should have signs posted that explain such things as "On your left!" and proper etiquette. Most people just don't know the rules, and don't know the safety issues involved.

[Brandy]

Why would three people walk abreast? Because three friends are walking together and having a conversation, and haven't had to deal enough with cyclists to realize there's a prob. It usually takes care of itself once they get passed a couple of times and realize what's going on.

I know this isn't a very popular point of view on a cyclists' board, but three walkers have just as much right to walk abreast as a cyclist has to ride. Annoying? Heck yeah.

I know why they do it, but when they're taking up both sides of the path and there's no room to pass them, it's rude and disrespectful to all of the other people who are out there using it. On the beach path where I ride, cyclists, rollerbladers and runners are very common, so it's not like they would be surprised to see us there.

Editing to say that when the path is wide in certain parts, it is not as big of an issue. There are certain sections that narrow and that's where it is frustrating.

[pooks]

I agree that if it's a busy path, common sense and a desire not to be rude should stop them from doing it. If they're constantly having people come up behind them, you would think they'd adjust.