Bike Path Etiquette According to Dear Abby
Dear Abby had a bunch of letters in her column one day this week about bike path etiquette. Don't know if ol' Abby is a cyclist or not, but she sure seemed interested in the way that bicyclists and walkers interact out on the trail.
Under the heading "Common Courtesy Conquers the Perils of the Bike Path," Abby and a bunch of helpful letter-writers trade advice.
One guy offers tips on how to notify walkers that they're about to be passed ("When I'm on my bike, I always slow down and call out "On your left!" to warn the walker that I'm passing") and another urges users of a shared path to have the slowest traffic keep to the right, so that there's no interference between joggers, cyclists, walkers and roller-bladers.
It's a nice switch from the normal advice to the love-lorn that dominates the column, and from now on, when I'm on my bike I'm definitely keeping an eye out for Dear Abby on the path. I think yeah, maybe she is cyclist. At least her hairdo would suggest it.
Related article: What Makes a Great Bike Path
Image: Universal Press
Comments
Interesting , but it bugs me that people need to be told these obvious things.
I have found if I say on your left, or passing on your left they don’t have enough time to process that info before I am there and will move to the left.
I just say passing and they stay put.
I’ve found the trouble with “saying on your left” is that the walker, jogger, or rider abruptly moves to their left, so I just judge the situation and say nothing, behind you, or thanks as I ride past. You probably know the regulars on your route. They are usually not the problem. It is the new person or vacationer that is in their own world that become startled when they realize you are approaching.
I never thought I’d see myself with a bike bell but I’ve got one now that I just jingle the heck out of at people. It’s a nice warning – gets their attention without startling them or having to shout.
Its a no win situation for the cyclist. When you tell people “passing on your left” they stop and look back or they don’t know which way to go left or right or better yet they are talking so much they didn’t hear you. If you try to just go around the walkers they usually say something under their breath. Then you have the walkers with dogs that go from one side on the path to the other and they look at the cyclist like what are you doing here. To be honest I avoid trails for the reason of people being rude. I will take my chances on the roads.
I agree with the comment from “bicycling” who says that he has started using a bell. There’s none of the problem of “on your left” and the person moving left, it’s not nearly as obtrusive to people as someone shouting. I commute on a busy bicycle path into downtown Washington DC and I’ve had a bell on my bike for years now. Not fashionable…but it works.
Bruce
i rarely pass those walkers, joggers and alike with my bicycle, moreover in the crowded traffic where make pass will be equal with added up the roadside’s bunch that will interfere the passing car. by the way, i live in Indonesia: many cars and people in a narrow street
I’m always amazed at cyclists who think noise is going to always get the job done. I ride and walk regularly, and I’m stone deaf. As in the strongest hearing aid is useless. I always walk on the very edge and am very careful to stay out of people’s way, but at least once weekly I’ll get some cyclist angrily passing me, stopping in front of me, and screaming obscenities because I didn’t hear him say something really important–like “Get out of my way! Are you deaf????” I say, “Yes. I only read lips.” Only one man apologized so far. Sometimes this even happens on the sidewalk. Sheesh. I’ll be darned if I won’t have to have an embarrassing sign made for my back that says “DEAF” on it.
How about just getting off your bike and walking to the left of pedestrians? Otherwise, get on the road with the other wheels.