What ever happened to "on your left"

[andtckrtoo]

Okay, I would never, ever do this, but I'm chuckling at the image of riding with one of the boat horns used on sailboats. Those things are LOUD! (have to be - walkers with iphones have nothing on speed boats with drinkers and loud music aboard). I wonder how many other trail users I'd have to pry out of tree branches.

[TsPoet]

Okay, I would never, ever do this, but I'm chuckling at the image of riding with one of the boat horns used on sailboats. Those things are LOUD! (have to be - walkers with iphones have nothing on speed boats with drinkers and loud music aboard). I wonder how many other trail users I'd have to pry out of tree branches.

you might not, but lots of people do, this sucker is ***loud*** I know lots of recumbent riders who use them.
http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Airzound.../dp/B000ACAMJC

[emily_in_nc]

I have an Air Zound on my bike but would never use it on a ped, unless it were a matter of life or death. I save it for dogs (rarely) and crazy drivers (don't use it as often as I should!)

I was riding on a MUT yesterday and started getting close to a woman walking her dog. She had NO idea I was coming up behind her. She was on the left of the MUT, dog was on the right, sniffing the grass. They were meandering along slowly. I was ever-so-slightly annoyed initially, hoping she'd get over before I had to tell her I was there, but decided that being very nice was by far the best approach. So, as I got closer to her, I said in a friendly voice "Hello! Bike coming up behind." She looked, moved right, flashed a huge smile, and said "thanks for the warning!" in a friendly way. I passed, saying "Thanks! Have a great day!"; she replied "You too!" It ended on a very upbeat note that left me in good spirits. Sometimes, I just have to remember to slow down and take a different attitude towards the encounter. By handling it in a positive manner, sure, I lost some speed, but I also lost my annoyance and came out of it feeling all warm and fuzzy.

I also like to think that I left a positive "cyclist experience" on the woman, who had probably had some that were less so (haven't we all, as pedestrians?)

Totally agree on the iPod peds, though. Very frustrating! It's not even worth trying to be nice as they normally can't hear you anyway.

[Velocivixen]

Emily, exactly. Although I sometimes get peeved at dog walkers, stroller pushers, folks not attending to their toddlers, etc., etc. I always smile or at least have a "smile in my voice" so I will have left them with a positive experience with a biker. I have also noticed that when I'm a pedestrian I am much more aware of how I'm moving/walking in regard to potential cyclists coming up behind me. I think it's important to be a good steward.

[jessmarimba]

I came upon a group of elderly people meandering down a trail once when I was mountain biking, walking 2-3 abreast and looking at the ground. Fortunately I was "pootling" along myself, as we say, and the route was fairly flat. I slowed to a crawl, and politely asked "May I pass on your left, please?" I couldn't imagine being any less polite with that group. Fortunately for them the trail had a pretty good line of sight, or they would've risked being obliterated by someone.

The people who walk in the bike lane on their cell phones on my commute home? Yeah...I pretty much buzz them. If you're going to walk IN THE ROAD please leave the phone in your pocket.

[beccaB]

I like to bike in a nearby lake resort community. Those all used to be summer vacation homes for Detroit folks but now they're mostly inhabited year round. I'm surprised by the number of people who meander out in the road right in front of us. My husband will do his loud whistle or sometimes we have to swerve to avoid them. The ironic part is you can go 25 easy because it's sort of a wind tunnel because of lake winds. The speed limit is 25. I've broken it a few times when people aren't meandering about aimlessly.

[Brina]

This may be an unpopular opinion here, but I don't feel that hard core cyclists/triathletes belong on MUT at peak recreational hours. I ride on our local trails early in the morning and there are mainly serious cyclists riding at that hour. You get to 10-11 o'clock on a nice Saturday and the pedestrians are out, families cycling with little kids, etc, I don't think we should be on the trails riding 15+ mph.

[TsPoet]

This may be an unpopular opinion here, but I don't feel that hard core cyclists/triathletes belong on MUT at peak recreational hours. I ride on our local trails early in the morning and there are mainly serious cyclists riding at that hour. You get to 10-11 o'clock on a nice Saturday and the pedestrians are out, families cycling with little kids, etc, I don't think we should be on the trails riding 15+ mph.

Many MUTs have posted 15 mph signs. I think even if not posted, 15 mph is implied. So, I at least agree with you.
I'm not sure, based on reading this thread, that anyone is disagreeing with you. Even at 10 mph, bikes are still faster than walkers.

(There's a guy that rollerblades on our MUT, he takes up the whole thing and he moves fast. But, he's very nice about it. On my commute home from work, he often tucks in behind me and goes whatever speed I am going. Not sure why, we only say "hi" to each other despite the fact that he likes to "draft" me. But, that's another example of an oddity on a MUT that just has to get along!)

[Crankin]

I agree, too. We don't have a lot of MUPs here (3), but the only times I have been on them has been in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week when i am just going out for coffee, or on a cloudy-cold Sunday, when I thought there wouldn't be a lot of people. Both times there were fast riders, commuters, runners, strollers, dogs, kids. Even going slowly, I felt like I had to be on my guard so much, it's not very enjoyable. Especially, the Minuteman; it really is like a commuting road for bikes, and just like in all other forms of transportation, the closer you get to the city the more azzhole type riding you see.

[Cataboo]

I agree - I find it miserable biking on a MUP. I will do it on a weekday when everyone's at work. There is no way I would go near one on a weekend.

[kfergos]

This may be an unpopular opinion here, but I don't feel that hard core cyclists/triathletes belong on MUT at peak recreational hours. I ride on our local trails early in the morning and there are mainly serious cyclists riding at that hour. You get to 10-11 o'clock on a nice Saturday and the pedestrians are out, families cycling with little kids, etc, I don't think we should be on the trails riding 15+ mph.

I have to agree. I use 'em for commuting, when I'm riding slowly by myself. But when I'm riding fast, or in a group, or both, multi-use trails aren't the place to be. They're dangerous for the bicyclist and the other users. Give me the road, where I can predict the other users' behavior.

I have a bell on my commuter bike, which I think may work better for people with earbuds. I know that for many people exercise is boring, and they need the distraction of music for motivation, but it's so dangerous to tune out the sounds of traffic (whatever kind of vehicle that may be)! I don't like to startle walkers, and I always try to pass as far to the left as possible, and I try to use my bell or call "coming up behind you" if it looks like "passing on your left" might be confusing; yet ultimately nothing is foolproof except avoiding trails altogether, which is a sad conclusion.

[TsPoet]

I have to agree. I use 'em for commuting, when I'm riding slowly by myself. But when I'm riding fast, or in a group, or both, multi-use trails aren't the place to be. They're dangerous for the bicyclist and the other users. Give me the road, where I can predict the other users' behavior.

This reminded me of something I hate about them - I can't tell you how many arguments I've been in from people at work telling me I don't belong on the road because there's a MUT 0.5 mile away - get off the road!
I've tried to explain to them that I don't belong there, I belong on the road.
We can't win. I love the MUT, but it isn't always the right place to be.

[Owlie]

Our MUP/bike trail is long, straight line, and mostly in the middle of nowhere. Now that school's out, trail access points (esp. the one with restaurants and cafes nearby) are insanely busy any time other than early in the morning, but once you're outside of those (maybe a mile), you and other cyclists mostly have it to yourselves.

For the most part, people are pretty good about keeping out of each other's way and corralling the kids and/or dogs when necessary. Our trail has a 20mph speed limit, and it's referred to as "the bike trail", so I guess people assume cyclists are its primary users. (It also helps that this is a pretty polite city.)

[Tri Girl]

This may be an unpopular opinion here, but I don't feel that hard core cyclists/triathletes belong on MUT at peak recreational hours.

I totally agree!!!
Often after work is the only time I can ride and the lake and the MUT is the best option, with riding on roads being too dangerous at rush hour time. Sometimes it's my only option and I'll usually try to avoid the most heavily trafficked part of the trail.
But yeah, in general, fasties should avoid the trails during peak times- for their safety and the safety of others!!!

[pll]

I totally agree!!!
Often after work is the only time I can ride and the lake and the MUT is the best option, with riding on roads being too dangerous at rush hour time. Sometimes it's my only option and I'll usually try to avoid the most heavily trafficked part of the trail.
But yeah, in general, fasties should avoid the trails during peak times- for their safety and the safety of others!!!

+1

This thread reminded me of the pro wannabes in 'Bike the Drive' here in Chicago. In the last one, I was very annoyed (I was not the target) by a trio of Milram-clad beer bellies on expensive bikes yelling "MOVE!!" to anyone and anything in front of them.

I bike for a couple of miles on a bike path and during my last ride, I encountered a group of aggressive guys speeding in the path and yelling at people. I passed them after a couple of them had crashed to avoid another group coming in the opposite direction. Karma?