"On your left" - What does this mean to you?

[Cataboo]

My sister has gotten a ticket for coming up behind someone and flashing her lights...

While in general, I do pass on the left - and that's probably because I was taught to drive by my father who learned to drive in europe.... There are no actual laws that say you can't pass on your right in most states and most people weren't taught to drive by foreign parents, so expecting someone to get out of your way when it's clear to your right because you blinked your lights at them could be misunderstood.

I generally will just come up behind someone and keep a somewhat closer distance than they probably want, and hopefully they will then give way... if they don't, I'll pass on the right if it's clear.

Someone can look up the state laws if they want - I have no idea which percentage have pass on your left laws vs. not - but haven't had such in the states I've lived in.

[sspoor]

Whiteowl--I'm with you. When someone says "on your left" to me, it's a piece of information to alert me to their position. Sometimes it's because I was daydreaming and had drifted out. As a general rule, both when driving and cycling, I tend to stay to the right. It's not worth getting into an altercation with an angry driver and it's just plain courteous. And yes, I think we've worked ourselves around to the conclusion that it is all about common courtesy.

[Crankin]

When I lived in AZ, it was the common practice to flash your lights if A) you wanted the person to move over to the right lane, so you could pass or B)they were waiting to move into your lane, in front of you and your flashing indicated it was safe for them to do so. Whether this is law or not, I don't know.
If you flash your lights at someone in MA they either don't know what this means or why you are doing this, pretend not to know and drive even slower to piss you off, or yell swear words at you.
The law for cyclists changed here in June. We are now allowed to ride side by side, if conditions permit. Unfortunately, most of the group rides I have been on since then have been hell. Most of the riders take the law to mean they can block the whole lane, with no regard to anyone else. When my DH yelled at a rider to fall in line last Saturday and move over to let a car by, he started screaming at my DH that the law had changed. Well, yeah, who is going to win this contest, you or a 3,000 pound car?

[ilima]

Sounds like the guy deserves to have a pump in his spokes. Seriously. The way he was riding was extremely dangerous. There is no excuse for acting like an a$$hole and endangering other cyclists lives during a charity ride!

If he was wearing a number (and you remember it) you should report him to the ride director.

[TrekTheKaty]

sspoor, yes we did drift off here--but that was also interesting.

My vote is: letting me know you're there. If I'm riding two abreast, I will move over to accommodate you, so you can pass safely (courtesy). If I'm riding single file--I will hold my line and pace until you've passed.

Everyone summed it up well, but now I'll tell my story. On my first century, we slowed to allow an "official" looking club to get ahead of us. HUGE MISTAKE. Lesson learned: Just because they have matching jerseys doesn't mean they know what they are doing, are in good shape or are faster than me (I frequently underestimate myself on a bike--no more)! We promptly entered a narrow, hilly, bike path. The lead group quickly slowed to a crawl and began stopping haphazardly in the middle of the trail. I reached a point where I felt I could pass safely and yelled "on your left" and pulled out. As I did, a rider behind me said "on your left," but quickly said "sorry" when he realized I wasn't the problem and was making forward progress. I was committed and couldn't pull back in or stop without wrecking. I made a mental note to thank this cyclist for not running me over when we he finally passed me on the other side. However, he humbly rode my wheel for quick some time after that, and I never identified the mystery man. I do believe his "ON YOUR LEFT" was initially an aggravated command to move, but he realized the error in his ways and he pulled in behind me--which was the correct action, IMHO.

[TrekTheKaty]

If you flash your lights at someone in MA they either don't know what this means or why you are doing this, pretend not to know and drive even slower to piss you off, or yell swear words at you.

Gotta love those east coast drivers. Got stuck in a round-a-bout in MA once--I learned some new words

[firestar]

This is one of the main reasons I rarely do organized rides anymore. I'm not very social when I ride anyway. I like to concentrate on what I'm doing on the bike (and what other riders are doing around me) and would rather chat at rest stops. Even on country roads with little car traffic. I think I must be in the minority though. Why do people need to be side by side talking ALL the time?

The older I get, the crankier I become. OMG! I'm turning into my father!

So glad I'm not the only one! I just can't ride and chit-chat too. I prefer not to, in fact. I'm there for the social aspect to an extent, but when I'm riding, that is where my mind is - and where other's should concentrate too - 'weavers' I'm, lookin' at you! I'd run someone off the road trying to talk to them!

[smilingcat]

And here's a perfect example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtv2_-2mHck
I use both my bike bell and my voice- and I start from far back to give people time to react.

Thank you Lisa,

The video was very very funny. Typical Japanese humor.

[kenyonchris]

(Oh, and when I come up on a slower car in the "fast lane", I do flash my lights. If they do the courteous thing and move to the right, they've saved me (and countless others) from doing a more dangerous thing by passing on the right. I'm never in the leftmost lane unless I'm passing someone. That's a holdover from my parents (who learned on the Autobahn), and I can only wish it were a more common driving attitude.)

Yeah, don't do this. It is, in fact illegal (in Texas and in most states)...you must have your lights on dim within 300 feet when approaching from the rear and 500 feet when approaching head on. It is far safer to pass on the left, but, trust me, flashing lights confuse people.

And bicycles are not supposed to impede traffic. I regard that as impeding all traffic...other bicycle traffic included. If riding two abreast is impeding traffic, it is illegal. It is permitted if it does not cause a problem, which apparently it did for you. However, unless you have the luxury of a badge and a ticket book, there is not much you can do except follow, mutter under your breath, and wait until you can pass safely and legally.

BTW, you CAN (and technically are supposed to) use your horn (or bell or voice) and give a light BEEP BEEP as a signal that you are passing. Of course, no one does this, but it is a permitted use of the horn (one of the most satisfying tickets I wrote in a long time is to a jerk who decided to HONK at a cop friend of mine who was directing traffic off-duty...he was in uniform at a busy church intersection and the jerk didn't like the way he was doing it...I strolled along in my car and at the right time and was able to pull the guy over, and wrote him for improper use of the horn).

[Tuckervill]

So glad I'm not the only one! I just can't ride and chit-chat too. I prefer not to, in fact. I'm there for the social aspect to an extent, but when I'm riding, that is where my mind is - and where other's should concentrate too - 'weavers' I'm, lookin' at you! I'd run someone off the road trying to talk to them!

Well, SOME of us CAN talk and ride a straight line.

Karen

[Trek420]

Case 2: Hike and bike trail at the park. Path is about 6' wide, paved. Couple is walking hand in hand taking up most of the path.. I slowed down a bit, said "on your left" as I approached, and the man stopped in his tracks, and stayed where he was (left side of the path) the lady also stopped, but turned around, put both arms out (???) essentially blocking the whole path and I ended up off the path and off my bike (not a fall exactly, but no traction in gravel I pretty much skid to a sideways stop and hopped off). She apologized profusely, but it still left me thinking that people just don't have a clue what proper passing entails... it's not like I expected them to hightail it out of my way (just moving over a bit to the right would have given me more than enough room to pass safely), but to STOP and effectively block my way completely? Uh, no....

I've learned whether it's hikers, kids, cyclists who seem new or newer and especially kids to say a cheery "good morning" or "I'm passing on your left" or "Hello! "

You never know what kids will do, and hikers often go to the left that is to say right smack into you.

Of course you should call out, but it does not have to literally be "on your left".

I rarely get to pass people, I hear the call out more than I say it

[TrekTheKaty]

While at a bike shop in Defiance, MO--we found a kid's toy that made a fog horn noise! We laughed about that all day! When we went back the next weekend, it was gone Everytime I come up behind clueless people, I want that fog horn--it's also bilingual. We have quite a few older, oriental people on our bike path. They clearly don't understand "on your left" but have learned "hello" means we are coming up behind and they step over, smile and wave. They understand "hello" and think we are just being friendly

Dogs on retractable leashes--I just cringe and wait for impact as I go over my handlebars.

Kids. I had one child who saw me, froze and smiled as I said "hello" and waved. Mom, however, freaked and bolted in front of me. SO, yes, don't split Mom and baby--even if BABY understands your intentions.

[kenyonchris]

Dogs on retractable leashes--I just cringe and wait for impact as I go over my handlebars.

DONT'T even get me started on those retractable leashes!!! I have had so many near crashes on patrol while riding on the path (which I never do on my personal bikes for all these reasons)...and seen many non-doggie people very unhappy when accosted by a dog on a retractable leash.
My dog heals when in public on a leash. Makes life better for him, the people around me, and me.
Those things are nuisances and dangerous.

[bmccasland]

To me "ON YOUR LEFT" is I'm going to pass on your left, or if I hear it, someone faster is coming up from behind on my left.

This past week I was riding the levee path with a new rider, and well, we were lolly gagging, and gabbing side-by-side But when we heard "on your left" one of us mashed down, pulled out in front of the other, so that we were single file, letting the other rider pass us safely.

We would call out to pedistrians "on your left", and some would hand wave that they heard us, while others did not.

Our levee path is shared by pedistrians, cyclists, and equistrians. Most of the time the equistrians ride the toe or sides of the levee and not the top. Yielding to a horse is all kinds of fun. I do NOT want to spook a horse. There's the whole mass thing, it's bigger than me.

I try to avoid the levee path in the early evening, around twilight, as that's when the strollers are out - where the levee path becomes an extension of the neighborhood. And as there's usually a breeze on top, it's slightly cooler (slightly). Too many people to make long haul riding a challenge.

The path is there for everyone, so I just remove myself from the mix.

[Ana]

"On your left" IMO, means "please hold your line and speed so I may make a safe pass, thank you"

Agreed!

I have to say that momentarily (especially if they sneak up suddenly and then you hear a voice behind you) I am startled and cannot get my thoughts together. For some reason, my reaction to being startled is to change my direction of travel but I've since learned to maintain my speed and direction of travel; and let them do maneuver around me. I think it's mostly due to brief panic of something-unexpected-is-happening. It's especially difficult for me not to be startled if the person is traveling at a much higher speed than than I am--not only because it is more difficult to understand them as they approach--because everything happens more quickly!