crazy pedestrians

[Geonz]

"Hepp!" "Pling Pling~" like 'em both... I usually say "Coming around!" if my bear bell on the frame hasn't alerted them. One of the guys on the week-long tour I was on crashed when one of the joggers he called "on your left" to moved left (and the other moved right)- it's just not anything like universal.
If I'm in the mood, I'll break into song... I have been thanked profusely more often than I can say.
I, too, though, basically yield to peds on "multi-use" paths, which for me are on the last stretch of my trip so I'm ready to slow down a lot. Except for the 200 yards coming up to & from the college, I stay off the sidewalks (and I stay off that one if there's conflict on it - I can see it all before I commit) generally. The roads are much safer for all concerned.

[7rider]

A few years ago, I bought a totally cool old Schwinn Cruiser (with coaster brakes and big balloon tires) at a yard sale. A friend of mine gave me a bell for it as a joke, saying it would be the perfect accessory for it. Ha, ha. Well, I never put in on the bike - in part because I hardly ever ride the Schwinn - it weighs about the same as a Sherman Tank - and also because the bike is red and she gave me a purple bell. Oh, the color clash! I just couldn't stand it!
So, just tonight, in response to this thread, I stuck the bell on the bar end of my commuter (which is blue - not crazy about the color options there, either, but better than on red!). Maybe, when I'm on a MUT or other ped-heavy area, they will respond to the bell where they ignore or move left to "On your left".
The experiment begins....
p.s. DH and 99% of everyone I know would be rolling their eyes in disbelief at my comments re: color coordination, so you can too! I am!

[susiej]

p.s. DH and 99% of everyone I know would be rolling their eyes in disbelief at my comments re: color coordination, so you can too! I am!

All of my jerseys, shorts, skorts, bike pants, gloves and shoes coordinate (pale yellow and grey). But not with my blue bike.

All of my husbands shorts, jerseys, bike pants, and gloves coordinate (yellow with black) -- with the bike too. And he's not the only yellow/black male I've seen.

You can't convince me guys don't care about this stuff. If it's not color coordination, it's team coordination (the Disco jersey and shorts and gloves and ...).

If I'm in the mood, I'll break into song... I have been thanked profusely more often than I can say.

A recent article about hybrid cars said that the electric motors are so quiet at the low speeds that are usual in parking lots, that some drivers blast the radio (in the lots) to prevent pedestrians from wandering in front of them.

We don't need iPods, we need boom boxes.

[7rider]

A recent article about hybrid cars said that the electric motors are so quiet at the low speeds that are usual in parking lots, that some drivers blast the radio (in the lots) to prevent pedestrians from wandering in front of them.

We don't need iPods, we need boom boxes.

My friend calls her Prius her "stealth car" for that very reason. Folks can't hear it as she's prowling the parking garage looking for a spot.

And, Susie....does your helmet match your outfits or your bike???

[susiej]

And, Susie....does your helmet match your outfits or your bike???

Outfits, of course.

S.

[KnottedYet]

"on your left" confusion...

Just add one word to make it clear;
"PASSING ON YOUR LEFT"

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Silent cars driving around in parking lots full of blind spots. Pretty scary for both bikers and pedestrians...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

"on your left" confusion...

Just add one word to make it clear;
"PASSING ON YOUR LEFT"

To me, riding with the wind in my ears, it would just mean I hear
"(mumble mumble) LEFT!" instead of "(mumble) LEFT!".
Most people simply don't call things out clearly or loudly enough.
I prefer something like "Bicycle passing you!" or "bike coming" along with my bell.
I find people don't have time to interprete instructions dealing with right and left. But most people do instinctively guess that you are going to pass them on their left side, just like with cars.

[7rider]

..well, a few days with my bell in my commuter.
So far, the experiment has failed. Peds seem to ignore the bell as much as "On your left" (or "Passing on your left" or "Hi, I'm coming up behind you!" or any myriad other phrases I'll call out). Of course, folks with earbuds crammed in their ears can't hear anything, so it's all rather pointless. Just extra care and slow speed around peds seems to do the trick.

[CyclChyk]

so me yelling "heads up!" probably isn't a good idea but it gets me the exact same results as "on your left!" - they step in front of me or stop dead in their tracks......

[KnottedYet]

I want a bell, anyway.

On the Seattle TE ride, someone up ahead (Salsa?) had a bell. It was great, cuz I was riding sweep and if I heard her bell I knew there was something up ahead for me to watch out for.

'sides, they're cute!

[RoadRaven]

I yell "bike back"

I think pedestrians just dont expect bikes to be going as quickly as we do... we are like the stealth bomber - silent and swift!