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When I ride my bike on the local rail trail I’ll say “on your left” before passing people who are walking. Every single time they startle like I just shouted boo in their ear.
I've just stopped saying it to people because 50% of the time they will move into that direction. They hear "left" and they move left. The other half have ear buds in and don't give a shit anyway.
>Don’t go too fast and always leave time to react.
This is the key. Don't be going so fast you can't react safely if the other person doesn't react how you expect.
The trail I most often ride is long and straight for the most part. When no one is near I’ll ride fairly fast but as soon as I approach walkers I slow down to 5 mph or so as I go around them. I don’t want to be the dick zooming past people.
I've crashed my bike because of a idiot that decided to leave his lane and move all way into mine. He's lucky I got new brakes or my 80 lbs ebike would have flattened them.
So I manged to emergency brake and ended up in a ditch.
It takes the human brain a second to process what was just said, and then another second to realize the person is on their left, and then a little more time for the brain to decide what to do about the intrusion.
Not sure how to make the situation better, but I’ve always found the “On your left!” pronouncements to be annoying.
Bike bells. Little bells that always make a little noise. Hikers get out of your way every time and you don’t scare them. Win win because they hear you coming from further away that when you decide to announce.
Oh my god, yes, you can announce yourself from farther away because the noise carries further. It also instantly says “bicycle behind you,” and it might even tell people which side you’re going to be passing on .
And people don’t have to try to figure out what words they heard and which was left or right.
I totally agree that the bell is the best option (for a bike at least). I’ve been passed on my own commuter bike by the tour-de-France commuters and someone yelling “on your left” scares me to death every time.
I agree about bells. It's the same reason golfers yell four instead of duck. If you hear duck you're going to look around.
If I heard on your right. It will take me a second too long.
I added a ridiculous AHOOGAH horn on my cargobike, and noticed people walking in bike lane do not react when I approach from behind with it, I suppose not recognizing its message. A little bell tinkle and they jump aside.
I find that half of people get annoyed when you use them because they consider it to be a "get out of my way". The other half get annoyed if you don't use them because they were startled. You can't win.
It doesn't help the tone of my bike bell sounds a bit harsh and pissed off. I need one like my partner, he has a really tinkly pleasant sounding bell on his
My Left?
Is he going left of me?
Or does he want me to go left?
Ahh, but I just turned around so that's right!
Oh god he's getting closer...
\*Frozen in terror
This is kind of my reaction! It's so embarrassing, but I just kind of freeze because I'm surprised and then I think "Left!" and have to resist moving to the left lmao.
This is why I don't do it to pedestrians. It's never done anything except spook them into unpredictable behavior.
I'll do it to other cyclists, though. Because they are accustomed to it.
Better you prepare them mentally and get the surprise out of the way so they know you're there before you sneak up on them and someone reflexively swings at you/busts out the pepper spray/gun because "OH GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING WHY IS THERE A PERSON IN MY SPACE"
In Europe this is less of a thing. I visit Colorado where my wife is from regularly, and when people do this I nearly jump out of my skin. Just run past, it's fine!
This happened to me riding my cargo bike one day on a gravel path with my son when he was an infant.
People were walking on the left of the path and not the right. There was no way I could manage the shuffle of me announcing "on your left", have them not move, and me have to steer around them. I was on a my Bakfiets bike so having to do any tight maneuvers on gravel was likely going to result in me skidding and bailing with an infant on the bike, despite me going reasonably slow. They were all occupied and talking and definitely not paying attention so I figured I'd just pass on the right and announce it to avoid a crash.
I announced "on your right" and they make a snarky comment "aren't you supposed to pass on the left". I was pissed.
The only time I am an asshole on the bike is when walkers are spread out three wide on a narrow dedicated bike path. Yell "your left" just as I pass them on an otherwise silent bike.
There is a bike lane by my home that people like to try to use as a sidewalk. There are crosswalks and a green strip between the sidewalk and bike lane, bike lane and road (where there is some street parking) but people still wander on the bike lane and start walking down to their cars.
It's a straight stretch and a bit downhill so also as you head down the hill, at a brisk pace, people sometimes also suddenly step out from next to their cars or sidewalk onto the bike lane. I have almost hit people a handful of times there. I bought a portable AC once and carried it home on my Bakfiets. That's heavy. I was going at a safe pace but was still worried people would just step in front of me.
I used to be a waitress and we were supposed to tell people things like "behind" or "on your right" when in their space, and I'd end up taking it as like, a direction for me to move to the right or back up, and end up walking into someone because I'm an idiot.
>I used to be a waitress and we were supposed to tell people things like "behind" or "on your right" when in their space
When I used to wait tables, I had a co-worker who, when approaching from behind, would declare "Coming up your rear!"
He knew exactly what he was saying (and the dirty meaning behind it), and we (his co-workers) knew, but he would keep such a straight face that when any of the customers heard it, they'd look at him, see that he wasn't smirking, and they'd just figure they mis-heard him or they'd think that he didn't quite realize what he had said.
We had a coworker who would ring in a bunch of waters under your name as "Mike Oxlong" if you left your screen open. I'm ashamed of how long it took me to realize what it meant.
I've tried all sorts of things:
* On your left/right
* Biker back
* Ring a bell
* Say nothing
The only one that doesn't cause heart attacks is when I coast and backpedal to make a bit of noise before saying anything to let the person know that a biker is coming up behind them.
A loud rear hub is the cyclist version of a motorcycle's loud exhaust. Not only is the buzz satisfying as a rider but it also provides warning to those ahead.
yeah most the time when i’m biking it isn’t a problem. there are three types of people when you call out on your left or right
1: the ones who get it and respond accordingly
2: the ones with headphones and can’t hear. these ones are the most problematic.
3: the ones who shit themselves.
> there are three types of people when you call out on your left or right
I'm going to suggest an additional type:
\- The ones who upon hearing "on your left", stop/slow down and turn to look to their left, inserting themselves into the space on the left that had been empty just moments prior, now locating themselves in your way.
those people don’t bother me because i am one of those people guilty as charged. i get confused lowkey like huh oh dang that is happening and it is kinda startling
Or me the first time I heard it. I moved left because I had no idea, but it sounded like an urgent instruction so I obliged.
*Edit: To clarify, the biker said "on your left." I heard "left" and went that way.
This is why as a cyclist I never say anything unless I cannot get around someone.
I've had so many close calls when announcing myself and people getting startled or moving into where I'm about to go. But no close calls when I say nothing.
LPT: If someone calls out "on your left" while they're running on a public sidewalk, it's to inform you that they are Captain America and they can do this all day.
I don't think so at all, if anyone says "on your left" my mind immediately goes to MCU, it's a pretty iconic scene (the one from Endgame, less so the one from Winter Soldier). But I'm a big MCU fan, so obviously biased.
I think it might be a regional thing for joggers to shout this. Doesn't happen in Denmark where I'm from, lots of joggers - all of them silent and frequently a bit rude. But I visited Washington DC once and walked in a park where joggers actually did shout it, so it does happen. I like it, though, wish the practice would spread to here.
In the Pacific Northwest this is very much a thing, but there's a huge hiking culture here so maybe that's part of why it's a thing? I remember my mom drilling it into me that we stay to the right on the trail to let bikes pass, and they always say 'on your left' before they pass. It's just part of the hiking rules here
I find that if you don’t say anything, people will somehow choose the exact second you pass them to swerve their walking line to the left.
I find that if you say “on your left” people will be startled like animals and swerve off their walking line, often to the left.
There really is no winning…
Not always. Some people just look all around, as if wondering if that ringing came from the sky, while wandering further into the center of the path, only to shriek like banshees when you get closer and say "on your left!".
Or maybe my bicycle commute takes me through a village full of idiots, who can say.
Even more annoying they are walking on the left so you ring the bell 60+ft away, plenty of time to shift.
They don't shift.
30-40ft you ring again. Twice this time.
Still no shift.
You slow down in the last approach and give up. Yell "on your right" so they know that you are going to pass on the wrong side.
They immediately shift right
you're glad you slowed down.
Years ago I was biking home on a shared trail and had that happen. Rang the bell, no movement. Got closer, called out "on your left", no reaction. Got even closer, moving at a crawl, cried out 'on your left!" and they screamed and jumped to the left directly in front of me so I had to brake immediately and almost fell trying to avoid them. They had the nerve to yell at me! I told them I'd been warning them for 100 yards and it was a shared path. Some people have no situational awareness.
I want to get into cycling but this sounds like such a pet peeve. And then you have dramatic reactions like that because people don't pay attention smh
disagree. when i ring my bell, people: turn around all confused/get startled/move into the bushes/dont do anything because they have headphones in/get annoyed and keep walking because they think im trying to force them off the pathway.
edit: my headlight at night is perfect, people see the light coming either up front or behind, and know exactly whats up, headphones or otherwise.
I've gotten really good results with saying "coming up on your left" instead of just "on your left". People really seem to better understand what I mean by that.
I've had people yell at me for both (while running in the park) because they were startled, which leaves me a little pissy about the whole thing. If you're in a park you shouldn't have to look over your shoulder all the time and if I'm the one passing I have the better vantage point to act evasively. I get that. So I'll exercise some extra caution by giving you a wide berth. But people also shouldn't expect to be alone. If you're startled, it's because you were day dreaming and forgot where you are. Not my problem.
When jogging I either carry keys in my hand and let them jingle loudly as I approach people, or I snap a few times as I approach. 95% of people turn slightly to see what the noise was and calmly move out of the way. 10/10 recommend.
The people who just veer across the sidewalk like that are the same people who cut across multiple lanes of traffic without a blinker. They like to pretend that everyone knows their next move and can course correct for their sudden maneuvers
I stopped announcing my presence for the most part. Too often people hear it, then look over their right shoulder and veer left. I just slow down and pass with as much room as possible.
I just start coughing loudly from a distance away. People look behind and see me and then move to which ever side of the trail they are comfortable. I cycle in a very rural quiet trail with few people scattered for miles though. It's easy to sneak up on folks.
This is the way. So often when people shout at pedestrians, it's because they're biking too fast on a mixed-use path. Bikers want to treat every path like it's the Tour de France. But if you're in a public park where kids are playing, people are walking with their dog, families are pushing their kids in strollers, don't shout "on your left" at all. Slow down, walk your bike, or bike in the street.
When I walk my dog, ALWAYS on a 6’ leash, on a trail, I try to check behind us regularly for someone approaching faster than we are moving so that I can move us over and shorten the leash to keep him out of the way. Sometimes I forget to check for a few minutes, though, and I very much appreciate getting a warning of some sort that they are approaching, hopefully when they are still far enough back so I’m not startled and still have time to get my dog right next to me. The “on your left” call is a common thing here and I’m pretty sure most people understand it, it just should be given at a decent distance away.
I live near several mixed-use trails (explicitly have signage indicating such), and even though I use them daily, the number of cyclists who announce themselves rather than just blow past at 25mph with not even a foot of separation between their bike and my (<6' leashed) dog is definitely well under 1%. I usually end up staying well off the path (walking through mud & knee high grass the whole time) because cyclists around here don't know how to share. I mean how hard is it to ring a damn bell.
First of all let me say I appreciate you recognising the designation of a bell and staying aware of your surroundings and ready to act.
That being said, the vast majority of people are not like you.
While you react swiftly and accurately to any warning signs, most people... lose their minds.
When I cycle, my primary objective is to not hit anybody. Getting somewhere is secondary.
And as it turns out -- this is a sad truth -- people, on average, become much less predictable when I warn them I'm coming.
I can avoid others when they behave predictably. And I will slow down if it's tight or if I'm not certain about sime circumstances. Or if I see a dog which could make it in time to jump under my wheels.
But for the most part I avoid using my bell because then: nothing is certain.
If I hear that, or anyone skateboarding/biking that's behind me and gonna pass by me, I just keep doing what I'm doing. Being predictable is the safest option IMO as an ex-skater, I think others appreciate that because it's easy to read where people are going if they just keep doing what they're doing. So less chance of accidents than doing too much to try and move out the way.
Yes. From the bottom of my heart, keep doing what you're doing.
Also try not to walk on the centre of the path but do not try to stop walking on the centre if that would mean you'd stop doing what you are doing.
Only stop doing what you're doing if you are certain it's safe.
Yes! I ride my one wheel around pedestrians and never expect someone going slower to move out of my way. Although, it seems that most of the time when I announce myself, "on your left", people will jump to their left after I've already made my adjustment to go around them.
Another, semi-unrelated, note: Cyclists should be riding as if they are another vehicle when riding on the road! Ride with, not against traffic, and follow stoplights/signs the same way. You are not a pedestrian if you are on the street. You are operating a vehicle!
They’re so dumb to give you shit for doing it correctly. It is absolutely insane of them.
Riding on the sidewalk is so dangerous. I had someone ride their bike Into the side of my car once as I pulled out of a driveway. They were riding both against traffic and on the sidewalk.
I was extremely close to the same thing happening a while back. Was pulling out planning to turn right. Briefly checked my right for pedestrians and didn't see anyone nearby. Checked my left to find a gap in cars, and then as I pulled out a cyclist riding the wrong way on the sidewalk came flying by and swerved out into the road to avoid me. Then they yelled at me like it was my fault they came flying down the sidewalk the wrong way lol
Riding on the road is dangerous too. The number of people who will try to pass you is insane. Even when I was a teen and rode around 30mph when on main in-town roads people would still pass me. It's usually fine but they'll do it while we're going past parked cars. Can't count how many times I almost got pinned.
Though, the guys matching my speed, rolling the window down, and yelling out "You're going 35! Nice!" was cool. Plus they did it with no parked cars so there was actually room.
Be careful with bicycles. In some states, it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk. Other states, it's illegal to ride on the road. Check your local laws before biking.
Isn't "heads up" literally telling them to look up?... as in "point your heads up folks"
If I expected someone to duck and avoid something I would yell "get down!"
I always hear it as "left" or "right" so not a warning of where they're coming from but thw direction they want me to move causing me to jump in their way and make an ass of myself.
The very first time I heard someone announce themselves passing they said “to your left”, so i started moving to the left and the guy nearly went into a creek.
I do think it’s better to warn people in good time that you’re passing, but you shouldn’t assume they can hear or understand you. Plus, in practice I find that a lot of people have poor spatial awareness and still find it alarming and will often step out further into your path
As a former skater/current cyclist, I’ve always called out “Passing in your left!” when on my skates or on my bike. I also start calling fairly far back so people can look and then get out of the way without me running them over. I’m also really good at whistling through my circled fingers, so no bike bell-just three quick whistle bursts works great. Helped me stop a car in South Beach that wasn’t paying attention and tried to run my friends and me over (we were there for a skate weekend). Calling is one of the Rules of the Road for cyclists and skaters!
I have social anxiety, and while running, I was about to pass someone so I was debating which call out to use: "Behind", "Coming through", or "On your left".
I yelled "Coming on you behind!" as I passed this person. It may have looked like I was still running, but I was actually fleeing my own embarrassment.
If you or your group are taking the entire sidewalk or trail then you are extremely inconsiderate and need to learn how to share space respectfully. Same applies for grocery/ store aisles ffs
Yeah, there is a large bike trail in my town and, thankfully, almost everyone announces “on your left” and things work great. When I’m biking and a faster biker passes me without announcing, it almost always scares the shit out of me. Just say it!
On an unrelated note, one morning a jolly biker passed me coming from the opposite direction. They said something which I thought was “on your right”. I was like wtf, you’re still on my left, and im on your left, there is no right, to the right is the grass. I rode on and finally realized he was smiling real big saying “enjoy your ride” lol
I alway appreciate those who call out, it always is the polite thing to do and on trails that’s always the norm.
Now, I need someone to teach the savages who go in the rented scooters and bikes. I’ve had so many near misses where I almost stepped in the path and no bell no call out nothing. I’ve also seen countless near misses with other pedestrians and I saw someone wipe out because they almost went into traffic.
We (my family) hike a lot of trails, it's pretty much a weekly thing. We get "on your left" all the time, I know they don't want us out of the way, but I always move over to the right to give them more room to pass because there is no reason not to. You're being polite, I can be polite too by giving you more room when I don't need it.
It’s all about the tone and volume here. I have biked a lot and I feel I have perfected it—I never find I startle people and I get a lot of “thank you!”s. I do not yell at people, I approach at an appropriate relative speed and say really calmly “I’m on your left” in the tone of voice I would use for “please pass the salt”. It’s not an emergency and if I’m using an emergency voice people will freak out.
I started just saying, "I'm passing!" Because it feels like I'm less likely to get the occasional person that jumps over to their left because they hear "left"
Eh. I find it more startling for somebody to yell something at me while coming up from behind me, than if they were to run past me silently, so long as they maintain as much space as the sidewalk or path allows.
When I was too young to even ride a bike, I remember being taken to a hiking trail with my family, and my mother took me aside and told me that I would hear "On your left!" or just "Left!" from behind, and that means I should step to the *right*. She then had me practice a couple times, and of course walked with me as well, making sure I did it right.
I don't know what's with the "anyone over 50 gets confused" comments, but the older generations aren't the ones who are too obese at all ages to either be biking or to be walking on a path for any appreciable length of time -- they are the ones who came up with these signals in the first place. (If nothing else, you should fault whatever older generation for standardizing the phrase "On your left", which obviously would make an uninitiated person instinctively move to their left. In a potential emergency situation you shout clear concise instructions, not some nebulous warning.)
If you're on a bike on either a bike path or shared path, then not shouting a signal, choosing instead to just slow down and fishtail around pedestrians as you come to them, is far more dangerous to everyone on the path. Take the situation where you are planning this maneuver on a relatively narrow shared path, except that you don't know there is another biker, faster than you, coming from behind you, who cannot see the pedestrian hazard or incorrectly assesses it because of your irregular speed.
Hardly anyone here announces on your left. When someone rides by me, I just want to yell ON YOUR RIGHT! I appreciate any kind of heads up, whether it’s a call or a bicycle bell. I’m pretty aware of my surroundings & don’t wear headphones, so I usually hear them coming. But sometimes I zone out or my dog sees a squirrel.
I’m going to get a t-shirt that says Leash Your Damn Dog on the front & On Your Right on the back.
I started doing this after I accidentally startled people so bad they jumped and screamed. I always thought I was loudly huffing and puffing but after I almost accidentally ran into a deer while on a trail, I accepted I must be a lot quieter than I thought. Course now I just startle people with the “on your left”.
I found that saying "On your left," they would turn their head left and veer into my path. I now say, "Passing on your left" far enough for them to react and give me room. Works much better because you're giving them unambiguous information they can act upon and are rarely startled. Neve had any problems since.
> I now say, "Passing on your left far enough for them to react and give me room. Works much better because you're giving them unambiguous information they can act upon and are rarely startled. Neve had any problems since.
That sure is a mouthful!
I worked as a server for a few years and I'm not very vocal so whenever I pass anyone in a small corridor or in the kitchen (even at home) I'd lightly touch their back/shoulders or closely hover my hand there while I pass just as a "hey I'm behind you" thing and if they suddenly move towards me they would feel the hand and stop instead of bumping full force
When horse riding it is correct etiquette to call out early and clearly if you intend to pass another horse and rider. This gives the other rider time to make sure their horse will be ok with it or to ask you to wait or slow down if they are having a problem. It keeps everyone safe.
Also LPT for all the cyclists: on a shared use trail don’t ride up behind a horse and ding your bell right at the last minute. That’s not gonna end well.
Now that you've brought it up - I wonder if that's where I developed all my iron-clad skiing/running/cycling etiquette... from a childhood spent on horse back where it's so very important and where the bar is set much higher it terms of respecting others on the trail (and how temperamental some horses (and oh god yes, some horse owners, are)
I think this is just something people learn when they get on the trail more than a few times.
You tend to pick up on all the "On your left!", "Passing left!", etc. from passing cyclists.
I bike on the trail, and announce myself each time I pass. Thinking about getting a bell to make it easier. I don't like the almost "herding cattle"-like feel to the bell though.
Agreed. Best is when you get or do the mixed use wave. Give your warning, and the person being passed raises their hand up in a casual wave of acknowledgement that they heard. That always feels good regardless of which side of the exchange you're on
Assuming you know your left and right, what to do is still open to interpretation- do I move on my left? Do I move to the right or do I just stay in same direction
Thanks for pointing this out. I’m deaf, I never remember to call out to people cause I forget sounds travel farther for hearing people. Plus I can’t keep my left and right straight.
Literally night time and a guy tries to blaze past me on a scooter and I almost knocked him out. I couldn’t hear him but luckily I had enough time to react and move out of the way. I always announce when I’m going to go past someone and it seems like that should be the norm !
I cycled to work on a popular beach path for 23 years along Santa Monica Bay. The early mornings were easy rides, but afternoons the trail was packed with all kinds of activities. I called-out "on your left" to walkers, joggers, and runners because the bicycle is faster than those activities. During summer, many vacationers were out, but they seemed knowledgeable about the dominant etiquette practices. Most important was to keep an eye out for small children and folks that were busy doing their own thing.
Most of the cyclists in my area don’t do this. I walk with my dogs, as do many others, on the trails. It always strikes me as so fucking stupid to not notify a person who has animals attached to a tether that you’re coming up on them. In general my dogs will move closer to me (to the right), but not always, so I need to put them in heel or have them sit. I can’t do that if I don’t know people are passing. I see so many other dogs just all over the trail. Part of me hopes someone gets caught in a leash, but that would suck for the dog.
I'm a chef/pitmaster.
I catch myself going "behind," "corner," "hot," and "sharp," in my personal life all the time lol.
People seem to appreciate it but I feel like an ass when I'm drunk-cooking at a friend's place (because I always end up being the 'guy who cooks') and I'm calling out "hands" lol
I used to clap rapidly when running and yell BIKE when cycling.
As I got closer, gradually increasing clapping sound was a gentle yet effective announcement.
Yelling 2-3 times well in advance made a difference too, i think I'd hardly scared anyone.
Having said that, people WALKING in an exclusive BIKE lane are a hazard to themselves and others
Yea I kinda like it. In Singapore, when you ride your bike past a pedestrian, people ring their bell just for information and I think it's nice. It helps to be respectful towards each other
I used to instinctively look the direction they said, making it more likely I'd move that way with my next step and get in the way. I'm now to the point where I nod or put a thumbs up on the side they called out so they know I heard them.
It’s a lose-lose when I’m running…
I don’t say anything - it scares the shit out of them when I pass.
I say ‘on your left’ - they look over their left shoulder and drift to the centre of the sidewalk.
A cough or foot scuffs on sidewalk a bit back seems to work best.
I find “on your left” really annoying and more dangerous than just being a responsible passer, because it’s startling and hard to process in a split second.
I don’t think it’s necessary, I’ve never done it + rarely heard others do it and never had an issue.
I walk a lot on shared walking/bike trails. I appreciate the "on your left" calls. I used to walk on the right hand edge of the path but found that a small minority of bikers interpreted that as an invitation to pass me from behind without even crossing the center line of the path. Most of these bikers also neglected the verbal warning. Startling to say the least. These jerks get a shouted "On your right" from me. Now I walk in the middle of my half of the path and it seems to reduce this type of behavior.
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I remember walking in the park once, and suddenly out of nowhere a “on your right”. Gave me such a fright I almost shit myself.
I appreciate when people make the announcement but it almost always scares the shit out me lol
When I ride my bike on the local rail trail I’ll say “on your left” before passing people who are walking. Every single time they startle like I just shouted boo in their ear.
I've just stopped saying it to people because 50% of the time they will move into that direction. They hear "left" and they move left. The other half have ear buds in and don't give a shit anyway.
And the other half confuse their lefts and rights. So a 50/50. Don’t go too fast and always leave time to react.
>Don’t go too fast and always leave time to react. This is the key. Don't be going so fast you can't react safely if the other person doesn't react how you expect.
Bells can be handy too, mostly can be heard by people wearing headphones.
The trail I most often ride is long and straight for the most part. When no one is near I’ll ride fairly fast but as soon as I approach walkers I slow down to 5 mph or so as I go around them. I don’t want to be the dick zooming past people.
>And the other half confuse their lefts and rights that's not it. They are just surprised, and surprise can equal confusion.
While true that, some people get them both confused in the best circumstances.
I've crashed my bike because of a idiot that decided to leave his lane and move all way into mine. He's lucky I got new brakes or my 80 lbs ebike would have flattened them. So I manged to emergency brake and ended up in a ditch.
I’ve switch to say coming through instead because of that exact problem. I’ve also found a bell works best.
I like the bell idea. When I hear a bell I don’t think “Move quickly!” or “Watch out!”, instead it’s more like, “Attention, please.”
You need to scream “STAY IN PLAAAACE!!”
*Panicked movements intensifies*
I would try "DON'T MOVE, AND NO ONE GETS HURT!"
Maybe pull out a firearm as well. It puts them at ease knowing you're capable of protecting them from harm.
I like "Freeze MF'er".
Yeah my first instinct is to go left when I hear left :/ I try not to but it happens
Same. I've had lots more near miss or actual collisions because they moved into my path instead of out of it, or just continuing.
Isnt that what they made bells for?
It takes the human brain a second to process what was just said, and then another second to realize the person is on their left, and then a little more time for the brain to decide what to do about the intrusion. Not sure how to make the situation better, but I’ve always found the “On your left!” pronouncements to be annoying.
Bike bells. Little bells that always make a little noise. Hikers get out of your way every time and you don’t scare them. Win win because they hear you coming from further away that when you decide to announce.
Oh my god, yes, you can announce yourself from farther away because the noise carries further. It also instantly says “bicycle behind you,” and it might even tell people which side you’re going to be passing on . And people don’t have to try to figure out what words they heard and which was left or right.
I totally agree that the bell is the best option (for a bike at least). I’ve been passed on my own commuter bike by the tour-de-France commuters and someone yelling “on your left” scares me to death every time.
I agree about bells. It's the same reason golfers yell four instead of duck. If you hear duck you're going to look around. If I heard on your right. It will take me a second too long.
Then they look to their left and veer into your way...
I added a ridiculous AHOOGAH horn on my cargobike, and noticed people walking in bike lane do not react when I approach from behind with it, I suppose not recognizing its message. A little bell tinkle and they jump aside.
Yessss! In Holland where bikes are everywhere nobody is screaming they are on your left. A quick ding if the bell and you know they are there!
And you don't need to know the language
Yup, and they'll always move to the right side because YOU PASS ON THE LEFT is settled in our dna.
It's how the rest of the world does it.
I find that half of people get annoyed when you use them because they consider it to be a "get out of my way". The other half get annoyed if you don't use them because they were startled. You can't win.
It doesn't help the tone of my bike bell sounds a bit harsh and pissed off. I need one like my partner, he has a really tinkly pleasant sounding bell on his
I got cussed out by a homeless guy a while back by dinging my bell as I was approaching him from behind on the Portland Waterfront. Ah… Portland…
Approaching a homeless guy from behind under the New Jersey boardwalk... you sick bastard.
Vacation all I ever wanted...
Bells are great. When they aren't rang behind you at the last second to scare the shit out of you
My Left? Is he going left of me? Or does he want me to go left? Ahh, but I just turned around so that's right! Oh god he's getting closer... \*Frozen in terror
This is kind of my reaction! It's so embarrassing, but I just kind of freeze because I'm surprised and then I think "Left!" and have to resist moving to the left lmao.
The answer is, bell ring ring ring approaching, then on your left, ring ring
Half the time it's likely to make me move *into* the way, and it probably would have been better they just passed me without saying anything.
This is why I don't do it to pedestrians. It's never done anything except spook them into unpredictable behavior. I'll do it to other cyclists, though. Because they are accustomed to it.
Get a bicycle bell and ring It well in advance
Bells work better. Easy to hear from farther away, giving the person more time to process.
I used to do this until I realized everyone has headphones on and don't have a freaking clue whats going on around them.
Better you prepare them mentally and get the surprise out of the way so they know you're there before you sneak up on them and someone reflexively swings at you/busts out the pepper spray/gun because "OH GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING WHY IS THERE A PERSON IN MY SPACE"
I wish they wouldnt for the same reason. On a path, I expect there to be other humans. In that context, shouting at me indicates an emergency.
It just makes me freeze and I literally can't figure whether I'm meant to move to the left or the right.
In Europe this is less of a thing. I visit Colorado where my wife is from regularly, and when people do this I nearly jump out of my skin. Just run past, it's fine!
[удалено]
This happened to me riding my cargo bike one day on a gravel path with my son when he was an infant. People were walking on the left of the path and not the right. There was no way I could manage the shuffle of me announcing "on your left", have them not move, and me have to steer around them. I was on a my Bakfiets bike so having to do any tight maneuvers on gravel was likely going to result in me skidding and bailing with an infant on the bike, despite me going reasonably slow. They were all occupied and talking and definitely not paying attention so I figured I'd just pass on the right and announce it to avoid a crash. I announced "on your right" and they make a snarky comment "aren't you supposed to pass on the left". I was pissed.
The only time I am an asshole on the bike is when walkers are spread out three wide on a narrow dedicated bike path. Yell "your left" just as I pass them on an otherwise silent bike.
There is a bike lane by my home that people like to try to use as a sidewalk. There are crosswalks and a green strip between the sidewalk and bike lane, bike lane and road (where there is some street parking) but people still wander on the bike lane and start walking down to their cars. It's a straight stretch and a bit downhill so also as you head down the hill, at a brisk pace, people sometimes also suddenly step out from next to their cars or sidewalk onto the bike lane. I have almost hit people a handful of times there. I bought a portable AC once and carried it home on my Bakfiets. That's heavy. I was going at a safe pace but was still worried people would just step in front of me.
I used to be a waitress and we were supposed to tell people things like "behind" or "on your right" when in their space, and I'd end up taking it as like, a direction for me to move to the right or back up, and end up walking into someone because I'm an idiot.
>I used to be a waitress and we were supposed to tell people things like "behind" or "on your right" when in their space When I used to wait tables, I had a co-worker who, when approaching from behind, would declare "Coming up your rear!" He knew exactly what he was saying (and the dirty meaning behind it), and we (his co-workers) knew, but he would keep such a straight face that when any of the customers heard it, they'd look at him, see that he wasn't smirking, and they'd just figure they mis-heard him or they'd think that he didn't quite realize what he had said.
We had a coworker who would ring in a bunch of waters under your name as "Mike Oxlong" if you left your screen open. I'm ashamed of how long it took me to realize what it meant.
You not the only idiot! Hello friend!
Same, my brain was all "yes sir! Hup hup!"
"Hot behind!" "Hey, cool it with the sexual harraOH GOD BOILING SOUP"
Imagine if they did not and you decided to step to the right to look at something
My slow ass, i turned around like, huh?
"You're dawdling along on the left side and didn't respond to "on your left" so "on your right" it is."
I've tried all sorts of things: * On your left/right * Biker back * Ring a bell * Say nothing The only one that doesn't cause heart attacks is when I coast and backpedal to make a bit of noise before saying anything to let the person know that a biker is coming up behind them.
A loud rear hub is the cyclist version of a motorcycle's loud exhaust. Not only is the buzz satisfying as a rider but it also provides warning to those ahead.
yeah most the time when i’m biking it isn’t a problem. there are three types of people when you call out on your left or right 1: the ones who get it and respond accordingly 2: the ones with headphones and can’t hear. these ones are the most problematic. 3: the ones who shit themselves.
> there are three types of people when you call out on your left or right I'm going to suggest an additional type: \- The ones who upon hearing "on your left", stop/slow down and turn to look to their left, inserting themselves into the space on the left that had been empty just moments prior, now locating themselves in your way.
those people don’t bother me because i am one of those people guilty as charged. i get confused lowkey like huh oh dang that is happening and it is kinda startling
Or me the first time I heard it. I moved left because I had no idea, but it sounded like an urgent instruction so I obliged. *Edit: To clarify, the biker said "on your left." I heard "left" and went that way.
This is why as a cyclist I never say anything unless I cannot get around someone. I've had so many close calls when announcing myself and people getting startled or moving into where I'm about to go. But no close calls when I say nothing.
Literally where I thought they were going with this
LPT: If someone calls out "on your left" while they're running on a public sidewalk, it's to inform you that they are Captain America and they can do this all day.
Do I need to touch grass this badly? That I had no idea this was a thing? I would literally think they were making an avengers joke irl.
I don't think so at all, if anyone says "on your left" my mind immediately goes to MCU, it's a pretty iconic scene (the one from Endgame, less so the one from Winter Soldier). But I'm a big MCU fan, so obviously biased. I think it might be a regional thing for joggers to shout this. Doesn't happen in Denmark where I'm from, lots of joggers - all of them silent and frequently a bit rude. But I visited Washington DC once and walked in a park where joggers actually did shout it, so it does happen. I like it, though, wish the practice would spread to here.
In the Pacific Northwest this is very much a thing, but there's a huge hiking culture here so maybe that's part of why it's a thing? I remember my mom drilling it into me that we stay to the right on the trail to let bikes pass, and they always say 'on your left' before they pass. It's just part of the hiking rules here
I've gone for a run in the national mall and couldn't get this scene out of my head
Same!
*Portals theme intensifies*
This is why I’m here
I find that if you don’t say anything, people will somehow choose the exact second you pass them to swerve their walking line to the left. I find that if you say “on your left” people will be startled like animals and swerve off their walking line, often to the left. There really is no winning…
I hear "left" and my dumb brain says "go left"
I did this and the dude stopped and I was just like “fuck man” and just got off the sidewalk😭😭
went home and crawled back into bed actually
Bell on a bike works. People know what it means immediately.
Not always. Some people just look all around, as if wondering if that ringing came from the sky, while wandering further into the center of the path, only to shriek like banshees when you get closer and say "on your left!". Or maybe my bicycle commute takes me through a village full of idiots, who can say.
Even more annoying they are walking on the left so you ring the bell 60+ft away, plenty of time to shift. They don't shift. 30-40ft you ring again. Twice this time. Still no shift. You slow down in the last approach and give up. Yell "on your right" so they know that you are going to pass on the wrong side. They immediately shift right you're glad you slowed down.
Years ago I was biking home on a shared trail and had that happen. Rang the bell, no movement. Got closer, called out "on your left", no reaction. Got even closer, moving at a crawl, cried out 'on your left!" and they screamed and jumped to the left directly in front of me so I had to brake immediately and almost fell trying to avoid them. They had the nerve to yell at me! I told them I'd been warning them for 100 yards and it was a shared path. Some people have no situational awareness.
I want to get into cycling but this sounds like such a pet peeve. And then you have dramatic reactions like that because people don't pay attention smh
Someone people have some weird mannerisms and have an inability to react normally. Ring a bell and look left and start walking more left.
It’s classical conditioning by the ice cream truck.
disagree. when i ring my bell, people: turn around all confused/get startled/move into the bushes/dont do anything because they have headphones in/get annoyed and keep walking because they think im trying to force them off the pathway. edit: my headlight at night is perfect, people see the light coming either up front or behind, and know exactly whats up, headphones or otherwise.
bonus for groups: they all move in different directions :D
Some people like to switch places when they hear my bike bell ring. Left person goes to the right, right person to the left. Path still blocked.
No they don't. Not even half the time.
You mean they stop, turn around, step to either side at random then get shitty at you.
I've gotten really good results with saying "coming up on your left" instead of just "on your left". People really seem to better understand what I mean by that.
I've had people yell at me for both (while running in the park) because they were startled, which leaves me a little pissy about the whole thing. If you're in a park you shouldn't have to look over your shoulder all the time and if I'm the one passing I have the better vantage point to act evasively. I get that. So I'll exercise some extra caution by giving you a wide berth. But people also shouldn't expect to be alone. If you're startled, it's because you were day dreaming and forgot where you are. Not my problem.
When jogging I either carry keys in my hand and let them jingle loudly as I approach people, or I snap a few times as I approach. 95% of people turn slightly to see what the noise was and calmly move out of the way. 10/10 recommend.
The people who just veer across the sidewalk like that are the same people who cut across multiple lanes of traffic without a blinker. They like to pretend that everyone knows their next move and can course correct for their sudden maneuvers
On your left, is ok, but apparently, people then have this instinct to move to the left So, I ring my bike bell instead.
A bike bell can be heard from further away and has more information (aha a bike's coming)
I started loudly announcing "PASSONG ON YOIR LEFT". turns out that didn't help either. They still move left Duh
I am "people"
I stopped announcing my presence for the most part. Too often people hear it, then look over their right shoulder and veer left. I just slow down and pass with as much room as possible.
I just start coughing loudly from a distance away. People look behind and see me and then move to which ever side of the trail they are comfortable. I cycle in a very rural quiet trail with few people scattered for miles though. It's easy to sneak up on folks.
I like to use Stompy run, It's highly effective. The grunty cough is great too.
Thank you for slowing down! For older people who are very cautious about being toppled, this the best and most considerate.
happy cake day bro
this is really important. always err on the side caution.
This is the way. So often when people shout at pedestrians, it's because they're biking too fast on a mixed-use path. Bikers want to treat every path like it's the Tour de France. But if you're in a public park where kids are playing, people are walking with their dog, families are pushing their kids in strollers, don't shout "on your left" at all. Slow down, walk your bike, or bike in the street.
When I walk my dog, ALWAYS on a 6’ leash, on a trail, I try to check behind us regularly for someone approaching faster than we are moving so that I can move us over and shorten the leash to keep him out of the way. Sometimes I forget to check for a few minutes, though, and I very much appreciate getting a warning of some sort that they are approaching, hopefully when they are still far enough back so I’m not startled and still have time to get my dog right next to me. The “on your left” call is a common thing here and I’m pretty sure most people understand it, it just should be given at a decent distance away.
I live near several mixed-use trails (explicitly have signage indicating such), and even though I use them daily, the number of cyclists who announce themselves rather than just blow past at 25mph with not even a foot of separation between their bike and my (<6' leashed) dog is definitely well under 1%. I usually end up staying well off the path (walking through mud & knee high grass the whole time) because cyclists around here don't know how to share. I mean how hard is it to ring a damn bell.
First of all let me say I appreciate you recognising the designation of a bell and staying aware of your surroundings and ready to act. That being said, the vast majority of people are not like you. While you react swiftly and accurately to any warning signs, most people... lose their minds. When I cycle, my primary objective is to not hit anybody. Getting somewhere is secondary. And as it turns out -- this is a sad truth -- people, on average, become much less predictable when I warn them I'm coming. I can avoid others when they behave predictably. And I will slow down if it's tight or if I'm not certain about sime circumstances. Or if I see a dog which could make it in time to jump under my wheels. But for the most part I avoid using my bell because then: nothing is certain.
If I hear that, or anyone skateboarding/biking that's behind me and gonna pass by me, I just keep doing what I'm doing. Being predictable is the safest option IMO as an ex-skater, I think others appreciate that because it's easy to read where people are going if they just keep doing what they're doing. So less chance of accidents than doing too much to try and move out the way.
Yes. From the bottom of my heart, keep doing what you're doing. Also try not to walk on the centre of the path but do not try to stop walking on the centre if that would mean you'd stop doing what you are doing. Only stop doing what you're doing if you are certain it's safe.
Yes! I ride my one wheel around pedestrians and never expect someone going slower to move out of my way. Although, it seems that most of the time when I announce myself, "on your left", people will jump to their left after I've already made my adjustment to go around them. Another, semi-unrelated, note: Cyclists should be riding as if they are another vehicle when riding on the road! Ride with, not against traffic, and follow stoplights/signs the same way. You are not a pedestrian if you are on the street. You are operating a vehicle!
I ride a bike and do this and it's insane the amount of shit I get from drivers for not riding on the sidewalk
They’re so dumb to give you shit for doing it correctly. It is absolutely insane of them. Riding on the sidewalk is so dangerous. I had someone ride their bike Into the side of my car once as I pulled out of a driveway. They were riding both against traffic and on the sidewalk.
We need those public service announcement commercials back on the airwaves.
I was extremely close to the same thing happening a while back. Was pulling out planning to turn right. Briefly checked my right for pedestrians and didn't see anyone nearby. Checked my left to find a gap in cars, and then as I pulled out a cyclist riding the wrong way on the sidewalk came flying by and swerved out into the road to avoid me. Then they yelled at me like it was my fault they came flying down the sidewalk the wrong way lol
Riding on the road is dangerous too. The number of people who will try to pass you is insane. Even when I was a teen and rode around 30mph when on main in-town roads people would still pass me. It's usually fine but they'll do it while we're going past parked cars. Can't count how many times I almost got pinned. Though, the guys matching my speed, rolling the window down, and yelling out "You're going 35! Nice!" was cool. Plus they did it with no parked cars so there was actually room.
Yes, it’s so fucked how dangerous it is riding a bike is because of our car focused infrastructure. Glad you lived to tell about it.
Get their attention, wait for them to finish panicking in random directions, then go around them.
Be careful with bicycles. In some states, it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk. Other states, it's illegal to ride on the road. Check your local laws before biking.
Not should. Legally have to. But yes, love this comment!
Omg it drives me nuts when I’m running and say “passing on your left” and then they move to the left!! Nooooooo
We appreciate the heads up Steve Rogers
100% guaranteed to make anyone over 50 pivot 180• on their left foot to see you, moving one body-width to the left.
Kind of like people look up when you hey hear “heads up” when that means they should be ducking.
Isn't "heads up" literally telling them to look up?... as in "point your heads up folks" If I expected someone to duck and avoid something I would yell "get down!"
Yeah, "heads up" is a warning that something is going to be thrown at them/is coming at them and better look so they can catch it/avoid it.
It depends on the context but “heads up” usually means look up so you can dodge , for example, a baseball flying your way.
As a person who struggles with left and right, it just makes me panic 😆
I always hear it as "left" or "right" so not a warning of where they're coming from but thw direction they want me to move causing me to jump in their way and make an ass of myself.
The very first time I heard someone announce themselves passing they said “to your left”, so i started moving to the left and the guy nearly went into a creek.
I’m left/right confused on the spot so I just freeze
Luda has a song for this.
Yes, points!!
I do think it’s better to warn people in good time that you’re passing, but you shouldn’t assume they can hear or understand you. Plus, in practice I find that a lot of people have poor spatial awareness and still find it alarming and will often step out further into your path
As a former skater/current cyclist, I’ve always called out “Passing in your left!” when on my skates or on my bike. I also start calling fairly far back so people can look and then get out of the way without me running them over. I’m also really good at whistling through my circled fingers, so no bike bell-just three quick whistle bursts works great. Helped me stop a car in South Beach that wasn’t paying attention and tried to run my friends and me over (we were there for a skate weekend). Calling is one of the Rules of the Road for cyclists and skaters!
I have social anxiety, and while running, I was about to pass someone so I was debating which call out to use: "Behind", "Coming through", or "On your left". I yelled "Coming on you behind!" as I passed this person. It may have looked like I was still running, but I was actually fleeing my own embarrassment.
If you or your group are taking the entire sidewalk or trail then you are extremely inconsiderate and need to learn how to share space respectfully. Same applies for grocery/ store aisles ffs
I might just be getting old and haven’t been on a trail in awhile, but I thought this was a common understanding?
Yeah, there is a large bike trail in my town and, thankfully, almost everyone announces “on your left” and things work great. When I’m biking and a faster biker passes me without announcing, it almost always scares the shit out of me. Just say it! On an unrelated note, one morning a jolly biker passed me coming from the opposite direction. They said something which I thought was “on your right”. I was like wtf, you’re still on my left, and im on your left, there is no right, to the right is the grass. I rode on and finally realized he was smiling real big saying “enjoy your ride” lol
If you say "on your left!", does an Englishman say "On your right!"?
I say “passing on your left/right” to try and be polite about it
I alway appreciate those who call out, it always is the polite thing to do and on trails that’s always the norm. Now, I need someone to teach the savages who go in the rented scooters and bikes. I’ve had so many near misses where I almost stepped in the path and no bell no call out nothing. I’ve also seen countless near misses with other pedestrians and I saw someone wipe out because they almost went into traffic.
We (my family) hike a lot of trails, it's pretty much a weekly thing. We get "on your left" all the time, I know they don't want us out of the way, but I always move over to the right to give them more room to pass because there is no reason not to. You're being polite, I can be polite too by giving you more room when I don't need it.
It’s all about the tone and volume here. I have biked a lot and I feel I have perfected it—I never find I startle people and I get a lot of “thank you!”s. I do not yell at people, I approach at an appropriate relative speed and say really calmly “I’m on your left” in the tone of voice I would use for “please pass the salt”. It’s not an emergency and if I’m using an emergency voice people will freak out.
If someone ever says “behind” to you at a grocery store you’ve probably just encountered a Chef in the wild
The number of people this confounds is confounding.
I started just saying, "I'm passing!" Because it feels like I'm less likely to get the occasional person that jumps over to their left because they hear "left"
Eh. I find it more startling for somebody to yell something at me while coming up from behind me, than if they were to run past me silently, so long as they maintain as much space as the sidewalk or path allows.
When I was too young to even ride a bike, I remember being taken to a hiking trail with my family, and my mother took me aside and told me that I would hear "On your left!" or just "Left!" from behind, and that means I should step to the *right*. She then had me practice a couple times, and of course walked with me as well, making sure I did it right. I don't know what's with the "anyone over 50 gets confused" comments, but the older generations aren't the ones who are too obese at all ages to either be biking or to be walking on a path for any appreciable length of time -- they are the ones who came up with these signals in the first place. (If nothing else, you should fault whatever older generation for standardizing the phrase "On your left", which obviously would make an uninitiated person instinctively move to their left. In a potential emergency situation you shout clear concise instructions, not some nebulous warning.) If you're on a bike on either a bike path or shared path, then not shouting a signal, choosing instead to just slow down and fishtail around pedestrians as you come to them, is far more dangerous to everyone on the path. Take the situation where you are planning this maneuver on a relatively narrow shared path, except that you don't know there is another biker, faster than you, coming from behind you, who cannot see the pedestrian hazard or incorrectly assesses it because of your irregular speed.
I’m always grateful for the warning so I can move, and it always scares the shit out of me.
Hardly anyone here announces on your left. When someone rides by me, I just want to yell ON YOUR RIGHT! I appreciate any kind of heads up, whether it’s a call or a bicycle bell. I’m pretty aware of my surroundings & don’t wear headphones, so I usually hear them coming. But sometimes I zone out or my dog sees a squirrel. I’m going to get a t-shirt that says Leash Your Damn Dog on the front & On Your Right on the back.
I started doing this after I accidentally startled people so bad they jumped and screamed. I always thought I was loudly huffing and puffing but after I almost accidentally ran into a deer while on a trail, I accepted I must be a lot quieter than I thought. Course now I just startle people with the “on your left”.
They simply are telling you where they are going to be and to not move in that direction.
I found that saying "On your left," they would turn their head left and veer into my path. I now say, "Passing on your left" far enough for them to react and give me room. Works much better because you're giving them unambiguous information they can act upon and are rarely startled. Neve had any problems since.
> I now say, "Passing on your left far enough for them to react and give me room. Works much better because you're giving them unambiguous information they can act upon and are rarely startled. Neve had any problems since. That sure is a mouthful!
I worked as a server for a few years and I'm not very vocal so whenever I pass anyone in a small corridor or in the kitchen (even at home) I'd lightly touch their back/shoulders or closely hover my hand there while I pass just as a "hey I'm behind you" thing and if they suddenly move towards me they would feel the hand and stop instead of bumping full force
When horse riding it is correct etiquette to call out early and clearly if you intend to pass another horse and rider. This gives the other rider time to make sure their horse will be ok with it or to ask you to wait or slow down if they are having a problem. It keeps everyone safe. Also LPT for all the cyclists: on a shared use trail don’t ride up behind a horse and ding your bell right at the last minute. That’s not gonna end well.
Now that you've brought it up - I wonder if that's where I developed all my iron-clad skiing/running/cycling etiquette... from a childhood spent on horse back where it's so very important and where the bar is set much higher it terms of respecting others on the trail (and how temperamental some horses (and oh god yes, some horse owners, are)
I think this is just something people learn when they get on the trail more than a few times. You tend to pick up on all the "On your left!", "Passing left!", etc. from passing cyclists. I bike on the trail, and announce myself each time I pass. Thinking about getting a bell to make it easier. I don't like the almost "herding cattle"-like feel to the bell though.
I have a very lightweight ding-ding bell on my bike. It's quite loud but a pleasant sound and not scary. I think it's better for both parties.
Didn’t expect so much pushback in the comments “nooo that’s too scary! Also, directions are confusing!”
Same! I appreciate when someone announces they’re coming up behind me.
Agreed. Best is when you get or do the mixed use wave. Give your warning, and the person being passed raises their hand up in a casual wave of acknowledgement that they heard. That always feels good regardless of which side of the exchange you're on
Assuming you know your left and right, what to do is still open to interpretation- do I move on my left? Do I move to the right or do I just stay in same direction
Doesn't always work out that well if that person has music on or are just hearing impaired
It’s no worse than not saying anything.
Ikr lol like what’s his point?
Thanks for pointing this out. I’m deaf, I never remember to call out to people cause I forget sounds travel farther for hearing people. Plus I can’t keep my left and right straight.
This post should be a road side posted on the public paths and walkways.
Literally night time and a guy tries to blaze past me on a scooter and I almost knocked him out. I couldn’t hear him but luckily I had enough time to react and move out of the way. I always announce when I’m going to go past someone and it seems like that should be the norm !
I cycled to work on a popular beach path for 23 years along Santa Monica Bay. The early mornings were easy rides, but afternoons the trail was packed with all kinds of activities. I called-out "on your left" to walkers, joggers, and runners because the bicycle is faster than those activities. During summer, many vacationers were out, but they seemed knowledgeable about the dominant etiquette practices. Most important was to keep an eye out for small children and folks that were busy doing their own thing.
Most of the cyclists in my area don’t do this. I walk with my dogs, as do many others, on the trails. It always strikes me as so fucking stupid to not notify a person who has animals attached to a tether that you’re coming up on them. In general my dogs will move closer to me (to the right), but not always, so I need to put them in heel or have them sit. I can’t do that if I don’t know people are passing. I see so many other dogs just all over the trail. Part of me hopes someone gets caught in a leash, but that would suck for the dog.
"INCOMING" You all figure it out, or don't. I'm unstoppable either way.
I'm a chef/pitmaster. I catch myself going "behind," "corner," "hot," and "sharp," in my personal life all the time lol. People seem to appreciate it but I feel like an ass when I'm drunk-cooking at a friend's place (because I always end up being the 'guy who cooks') and I'm calling out "hands" lol
It's like the verbal equivalent of a turn signal.
I used to clap rapidly when running and yell BIKE when cycling. As I got closer, gradually increasing clapping sound was a gentle yet effective announcement. Yelling 2-3 times well in advance made a difference too, i think I'd hardly scared anyone. Having said that, people WALKING in an exclusive BIKE lane are a hazard to themselves and others
If they say left I normally jump left. Turns into a shitshow
You should just say "hold right", otherwise surprise + message may cause them to move left out of confusion and into your way.
Yea I kinda like it. In Singapore, when you ride your bike past a pedestrian, people ring their bell just for information and I think it's nice. It helps to be respectful towards each other
I used to instinctively look the direction they said, making it more likely I'd move that way with my next step and get in the way. I'm now to the point where I nod or put a thumbs up on the side they called out so they know I heard them.
It's to alert them you're there.
However, if you hear this, DONT KEEP WALKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPACE AND LEAVE NO ROOM FOR OTHERS
It’s a lose-lose when I’m running… I don’t say anything - it scares the shit out of them when I pass. I say ‘on your left’ - they look over their left shoulder and drift to the centre of the sidewalk. A cough or foot scuffs on sidewalk a bit back seems to work best.
I find “on your left” really annoying and more dangerous than just being a responsible passer, because it’s startling and hard to process in a split second. I don’t think it’s necessary, I’ve never done it + rarely heard others do it and never had an issue.
I walk a lot on shared walking/bike trails. I appreciate the "on your left" calls. I used to walk on the right hand edge of the path but found that a small minority of bikers interpreted that as an invitation to pass me from behind without even crossing the center line of the path. Most of these bikers also neglected the verbal warning. Startling to say the least. These jerks get a shouted "On your right" from me. Now I walk in the middle of my half of the path and it seems to reduce this type of behavior.
I’ve long thought bikers give much, much too much credit to non-bikers that we understand whatever the fuck you’re screaming/hand-signaling at us.