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

[Skierchickie]

I guess I haven't used "on your left" while biking, nor had it used on me. We're sparsely populated, and I don't encounter a lot of riders on my road rides. I guess it hasn't occurred to me to say it - I generally cough or something, so they know I'm there. I use it a lot in ski races. In striding races, it's always (well, at least the last 30 years that I know of) been a rule that the slower skier in the tracks relinquish them to the faster skier coming up behind. Proper etiquette is to yell "Track! On your left!" Or right, as the case may be. Skate-skiing, in a race, you yell out the side to plan to pass on, and they are supposed to get over the other way (or pull their equipment in enough to allow the pass). I do encounter people who either speed up or refuse to get over, but that is against the rules, and they really should be disqualified for it. The main thing is to select an area where it is actually possible, and not going to send the person into the bushes, a rock, etc. To be polite. I try to select the inside of a curve where I can get past as quickly as possible, although I had one woman gripe about that (because I was making her take the longer route - however she'd been preventing me from passing for a while, so I didn't really have a choice - I could have passed on the straight section, had she not kept speeding up each time I tried). Once you call "on your left", you have the responsibility to complete your pass as quickly and efficiently as possible, and they have the responsibility to make that possible. I have said "on your left, please, when you get a chance", in areas where I need to pass but recognize that it won't work right there.

I don't use it out training, because it seems a little over-the-top, plus little old ladies tend to fall if you startle them. So I try to gently make my presence known, slow up behind them and wait if it makes sense to, etc. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but better than being rude.

As I said, I've never used it riding, but it seems like the same rules would apply. I can see how, in a more populated area with lots of riders/walkers, or on a MUT, it would be a good tool. Where I am, it seems like it would come off as elitest or something, and maybe somewhat demanding.

Anybody remember Taea Leoni (sp) in Spanglish? From 50 yards back , "ON YOUR LEFT!!". I thought that was pretty funny.

Oh - the OP's question: to me, it means to get over as soon as I safely can to make room for them to safely pass, inconveniencing them as little as possible.

[Tuckervill]

On our trail, I usually whistle a little tune from far enough back for them to hear me, but not startle them, as if I were just tootling along. We have very little traffic on most of our trail, so hardly anyone here would know what On Your Left means. If they still don't hear me, I say "bicycle! I'm going to pass you on the left." and say thanks if they stop and look back and don't get in my way, which is what often happens. I never say thanks to runners who don't even notice me because they have their headphones on. Most of them give me dirty looks.

Karen

[Nightowl]

I have been riding trails a lot. I purchased a small bell and ring it quite a ways back, so the walker or slow biker is aware of me behind them. As I get closer, I then say "on your left" if it is safe to pass and the left is appropriate. I find this combination doesn't startle people. I have received many "thank yous" and "I like your bell" comments, so I guess it works well enough.

[PamNY]

On our very crowded (and in some parts multi-use) bike path, "on the left" simply means "I'm passing you." The serious bikers, whom I sometimes regard as homicidal maniacs in spandex, are very good about saying it.

I say "on your left" and ring my bell when passing pedestrians, skaters, or bikers. I use the bell because we have lots of tourists and languages/local customs may vary.

If there is some unusual obstruction, like two bikers who stop to chat with one bike parked sideways, I call out "helloooo."

[Resi]

LOL I just love it, glad I am not the only one which gets cranky LOL
I get this all the time, but the best situation I had was at the Houston-Austin MS 150 2009. Bueschner Park has some small hills (for me Swiss gal it is just a bump in the road) but hey this are for some riders good hills, so I let it be... I am biking behind a guy and hear him shifting not right, all this noises, I approach him calling out "passing on your left" and I guess he just could not get his gear right and fell over...this is so funny but also scary. By the way he was ok...
I am a faster rider, but after passing I alway go back to the right, so faster rider can pass me, it is like driving a car or not?

I find people which start biking should join a club, where they learn how to ride in groups and get some technical tips. Ignore the fast rider, if you bike a while you get better and faster, this is not a quick fix... I respect every biker It does not matter to me on which level he or she is, and charity rides are not races, which many bikers just ignore.



Happy and save riding

Resi

[Eden]

hmmmm I think this is one of those things that can have different meanings depending on how it is said...

on your left - I'm going to pass on your left, please hold your line

on your left - you are weaving around and making it impossible to safely pass you...

on your left!! - you are blocking the entire road/trail and preventing anyone from getting around you...

In all seriousness these are my preferences

I don't do a lot of organized rides, but when I do I generally try to let slower riders that I'm passing. I do also believe that everyone at these rides should *expect* that there will be a rider on their left and LOOK before they move.... but I also know that there are a lot of clueless folks out there so regardless of how I think they should act, I'm very careful of them and I let them know I'm there.

On a regular open road encountering other cyclists. Unless the person/people are really all over the road, I tend to just move well to the left of a rider and pass. Being an open road with other traffic anyone who makes a sudden move out into the street without looking is just a fool..... There are plenty of quiet cars that you could be pulling out in front of too if you make a sudden move without looking. Cars are not even supposed to beep (in this state at least - the RCW's prohibit use of horn when passing a cyclist). I figure yelling at someone is worse than just passing them...

On a MUP - like many others, I tend to avoid MUPs, but when on them. If the MUP is wide, free of oncoming traffic and and I'm passing just one person, especially a pedestrian or anyone who has plugged their ears with an electronic device, I'll just move far left and pass. When it is more crowded or if I'm passing someone who seems wobbly etc, I tend to use "passing" or "passing left" more often than "on your left", which seems to make more people jump into your way than not. What really annoys me is when I've judged the situation to be a bit too dangerous to pass - if it is narrow and there is oncoming traffic or if there is a blind corner and I've indicated I'm slowing down then some doofus comes whipping around me without saying a word....