"On Your Left" in Everyday Life

[colby]

Lately I've been riding quite a bit, and getting into the "mode" of riding. It's starting to spread off the bike and into everyday life, as if my brain on autopilot = riding.

Last weekend, at the store, produce aisle. Two people heading the same direction I was stopped short. "On your left!" I say. They gave me "a look".. like "thanks for saying something, but WTF?"

Today, getting something to eat. Two people with food walking in front of me choosing their seat. Will they go left? Will they go right? I give up. "On your left!" I say, again without thinking. Same look - "oh, sorry, but WTF?"

I'm waiting for it to be a cyclist or runner that I say it to that doesn't give me the WTF. I'm imagining it would go something like: "on your left!" "Oh, go ahead." .... "wait, on your left? This is the grocery store!"

I hope I'm not alone and crazy with this one...

[Mr. Bloom]

If I recall my Road I safety training, it's good to be:

Predictable
Visible
Alert
Polite

When I thought about this, I can apply this to many areas of life. I found there were things I did in the car - out of habit - that violated these simple rules.

But, it also applies in relationships, negotiations, and....going down the aisle at WalMart...

Funny Story:
Yesterday in the Horsey Hundred, there was an area of two way traffic near the first rest area. As Indysteel and I were leaving (to find Silver who skipped the SAG), there was a guy weaving all over the road. Indysteel was behind me. I slowed to figure out what the guy was doing...and then Indy yelled "HEADS UP!!!!". Scared me to death...but it woke the other guy up as well.

[malkin]

Ever the courteous tandem captain, Brewer sometimes calls bumps when we're in the car.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Having been a waitress for many years long ago, we waitresses ALWAYS say "Behind you" if we are coming up behind someone. Seemed to be pretty universal no matter what restaurant I worked in. It avoids food-carrying collisions between people carrying trays and rushing around kitchens and table aisles.

I think few pedestrian understand "On your left".....when people say it behind me whil biking all I usually hear is "____ _____ LEFT!". No wonder pedestrians tend to jump left when you holler it behind them.
I just shout our "Good morning!" or "Passing you!" or "Behind you!". Sometimes Heads up is a good one too. People who don't bike seem to recognize these phrases better than "on your left".

[uforgot]

I remember the waitress thing. We said "I'm behind". It's been 30 years and I still say it in the kitchen. Ever been in a marching band? I still can't go into a mall and not be on my left foot on the beat of the music! And the dance thing...my dance team girls can be identified by the arm movements they make unconsciously as they walk, down the halls, turning in papers. In routines as you move from formation to formation, there has to be an arm movement as you walk. People laugh and say I have them brainwashed, but it's just habit. Now I only teach younger girls, but the parents are always telling me how they have the arm movement thing going on in the stores and around the house. But then, I too, sometimes find myself doing the same movements...

The on your left thing is only a matter of time. Especially as I age.

[kjay]

My hubby has been in the hospital for about three weeks, and I found myself saying "on the left" when trying to walk past a bunch of people in the hallway. I actually laughed out loud afterward because I surprised myself. Such fun!

[frnz]

Having been a waitress for many years long ago, we waitresses ALWAYS say "Behind you" if we are coming up behind someone. Seemed to be pretty universal no matter what restaurant I worked in. It avoids food-carrying collisions between people carrying trays and rushing around kitchens and table aisles.

I think few pedestrian understand "On your left".....when people say it behind me whil biking all I usually hear is "____ _____ LEFT!". No wonder pedestrians tend to jump left when you holler it behind them.
I just shout our "Good morning!" or "Passing you!" or "Behind you!". Sometimes Heads up is a good one too. People who don't bike seem to recognize these phrases better than "on your left".

I never say on your left, because no matter how loud, or clear I am, they seem to think I mean, "Please, move to the left! I'd like to have a collision!"

[lph]

In routines as you move from formation to formation, there has to be an arm movement as you walk. People laugh and say I have them brainwashed, but it's just habit. Now I only teach younger girls, but the parents are always telling me how they have the arm movement thing going on in the stores and around the house.

Anyone else seen a Japanese movie called "Shall we dance?" (It was remade with Richard Gere in one of the roles, but I don't like him much so I skipped that one ) But I looooved the original. It has a hilarious character in there, a bald, pudgy, timid office guy who in secret goes to dance class, puts on a wig and turns into Demon of the Dancefloor. He's recognized by one of his officemates because of the sharp 90-degree turns he pulls unconsciously walking around the office

[crazybikinchic]

A couple of months ago, I was going from the train to my car. I had to park a good distance to the car as it was Tuesday and I didn't have to be at school until most of the work people had already had to be at work. I tend to walk a little fast (ok, maybe a lot fast) and started coming up on several people taking their sweet time getting to their cars. I started to slow down but decided that I didn't have to slow my pace because of them. I started passing the people shouting "On the left" as I went. Yes, I got mostly those looks, but I got around them. My husband said I was a dork when I told him about it. Oh Well!

[Andrea]

Ever been in a marching band? I still can't go into a mall and not be on my left foot on the beat of the music!

Wow, I thought I was the only person that did that!

[katluvr]

First off, thank goodness for all of you that say "on your left"! Here in Florida it appears to be "optional". In fact the "faster" and "more serious" cyclist you are appears to make you exempt! Just last Sunday I was out on a course that is frequented by the fast (even racer typer) group. I knew they would "blow by me" and they did...and never once did one of th pelaton (it was that large) say "oh your left"....or anything.

I, too, when finishing a long bike ride or biking weekend find that I that as a passenger or driver or walker I say "slowing" , "stopping" and the "on your left", "car up", etc. It is fun! (and funny!). I think the world would be a better place on a whole if we communicated more!

On trails, I do like the "Good Morning"--is more friendly than "on your left" and as a person that get's pasted a lot...it just seems nicer!

Have a great day, everyone!

[ginny]

I never say on your left, because no matter how loud, or clear I am, they seem to think I mean, "Please, move to the left! I'd like to have a collision!"

That's funny because I ran competative track for a good long time and every time I would yell "track" which means "please move out of lane one, I'm sprinting here and it's better if I don't break stride", people would always jump into lane one and look around for the truck I seemed to be yelling about (I always say "on your left" in daily life - but I get away with it because I'm already an antisocial science geek type)

[uforgot]

Wow, I thought I was the only person that did that!

And if you come to a seam in the floor or a sidewalk, do you try to hit it with the middle of your right foot? Once in a while I catch myself doing that

[kfergos]

If I recall my Road I safety training, it's good to be:

Predictable
Visible
Alert
Polite

When I thought about this, I can apply this to many areas of life. I found there were things I did in the car - out of habit - that violated these simple rules.

Mr. Silver, props for this observation. Too true.

I try to always say "On your left" in a polite tone or, equally often, "Coming up behind you," which is long enough to let the passee process the fact that (a) I'm behind them; (b) they need to move; and (c) which direction to move when passing people on a bike, but this hasn't rolled over into the rest of my life.

I do, however, have to squash the urge to signal right or left when walking through the maze of hallways at work. I suspect that hand-signaling would just get weird, uncomprehending looks. Personally, I think it'd work better if everybody DID signal -- avoid all those near-collisions that happen when you try to guess where somebody's going.

[Aint Doody]

On our ride this past weekend (CROC) I heard a woman who'd just been passed by the aforementioned elistist cyclist yell---OH! WERE YOU ON MY LEFT? I also heard another woman at a different ride in the same situation yell, "I'm on your right!" Why can't they say something? Are they just too cool?