Who was the jerk ?? (trail ride) - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

10-05-2003, 08:52 AM

Hello all,

I ride around Orlando Florida all the time. Today I was taking my normal
route --- I do this all the time.

Toward the end of my 7 mile trip around town I am in a park by a lake near
my house. The trail was re-done a year ago and is now about 12 feet wide.

I am going though there at about 15 MPH and enjoying the scene when I pass a
fellow who was doing some kind of weird power-walk kind of thing. I pass
him to the left with about 6 feet between us.

The problem was that he starts yelling at me that I should have called out
"bike". So I stop and we have words. He is about 35 and I am over 50.

He wants me to yell out every time I go around a pedestrian. His reason is
because "I might bend over to tie my shoe". I told him no.

Am I wrong? I think ridding up behind someone and then yelling is guarantee
to scare them.

Please note --- there was no close call here at all. (other than the 35 year
old might have given me reason to ... ; but did not)

--
Regards, Joe

10-05-2003, 09:32 AM

Joe Potter wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I ride around Orlando Florida all the time. Today I was taking my
> normal route --- I do this all the time.
>
>
> Toward the end of my 7 mile trip around town I am in a park by a lake
> near my house. The trail was re-done a year ago and is now about 12
> feet wide.
>
> I am going though there at about 15 MPH and enjoying the scene when I
> pass a fellow who was doing some kind of weird power-walk kind of
> thing. I pass him to the left with about 6 feet between us.
>
> The problem was that he starts yelling at me that I should have
> called out "bike". So I stop and we have words. He is about 35 and I
> am over 50.
>
> He wants me to yell out every time I go around a pedestrian. His
> reason is because "I might bend over to tie my shoe". I told him no.
>
>
> Am I wrong? I think ridding up behind someone and then yelling is
> guarantee to scare them.
>
> Please note --- there was no close call here at all. (other than the
> 35 year old might have given me reason to ... ; but did not)

Pedestrians have been known to jump as much as 4 feet sideways when somebody
yells bike. Since you were six feet away you could have done it either way.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

10-05-2003, 10:01 AM

DiabloScott wrote:

You can't call out to everybody on the trail or you'd be shouting your
whole ride. What's expected is that you don't startle anybody. I
evaluate every person I see

- if they're wearing headphones I figure it won't do any good anyway
and I just pass wide and silent.

- if they're walking briskly and staying to the right I figure they're
experienced trail walkers who are used to being passed and I just make
a little noise, maybe coasting or flicking brake levers

- if they're clueless amblers who might change their line right in front
of me I just aim for a hole and say "rider back" as I go through, not
giving them time to react.

- if they're in a group and I need them to move, I call out or ring my
bell well in advance

My little bell is really unobtrusive and a friendly way to keep the
peace. The guy you ran into is probably a new trail user unfamiliar with
the etiquette - explaining your actions in a calm nonconfrontational
discussion is a good idea.

The craziest thing that happens is that joggers will suddenly make a
U-turn right in front of you without looking.

--
Check out my bike blog!

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

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10-05-2003, 10:23 AM

In article <c7Xfb.71166$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com>,
Joe Potter <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>Hello all,
>
>I ride around Orlando Florida all the time. Today I was taking my normal
>route --- I do this all the time.
>
>
>Toward the end of my 7 mile trip around town I am in a park by a lake near
>my house. The trail was re-done a year ago and is now about 12 feet wide.
>
>I am going though there at about 15 MPH and enjoying the scene when I pass a
>fellow who was doing some kind of weird power-walk kind of thing. I pass
>him to the left with about 6 feet between us.
>
>The problem was that he starts yelling at me that I should have called out
>"bike". So I stop and we have words. He is about 35 and I am over 50.
>
>He wants me to yell out every time I go around a pedestrian. His reason is
>because "I might bend over to tie my shoe". I told him no.
>
>
>Am I wrong? I think ridding up behind someone and then yelling is guarantee
>to scare them.
>
>Please note --- there was no close call here at all. (other than the 35 year
>old might have given me reason to ... ; but did not)
>
>--
>Regards, Joe

I've had similar situations, particularly when a jogger has a
set of headphones on, and I'm not sure of how to proceed.

I think a good middle road is this:

I always yell 'bike' when I'm like 25 feet away, and say
'thanks' when I am passing. I've found saying more only
confuses people.

You didn't say how it ended?

-B
--
Email Replies to johnson<nospm>01j <att> ntelos <dott> net

10-05-2003, 11:02 AM

Badger South wrote:

<snip>

>
> I've had similar situations, particularly when a jogger has a
> set of headphones on, and I'm not sure of how to proceed.
>
> I think a good middle road is this:
>
> I always yell 'bike' when I'm like 25 feet away, and say
> 'thanks' when I am passing. I've found saying more only
> confuses people.
>
> You didn't say how it ended?
>
> -B

He was not inclinded to take a swing at me. So, I got back on my bike and
road away after telling him my thoughs. :-)

He was ever so possitive that I should be doing everything in my power to
protect *him*. I think otherwise, for some odd reason.

By the way, later that day I came up on a jogger who had his little girl (4
perhaps?) along on her little bike. I can just see her reaction if I go
yelling out right behind her.

--
Regards, Joe

10-05-2003, 11:51 AM

"Joe Potter" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:h1Zfb.7656$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com. ..
> By the way, later that day I came up on a jogger who had his little girl
(4
> perhaps?) along on her little bike. I can just see her reaction if I go
> yelling out right behind her.

When you sneak upon them, people are startled no matter what you do/don't
do. The idea is to let them know from farther away. I usually click my brake
levers for dog owners from 50 feet if I'm traveling slowly. Adjust for
speed.

Doug
Toronto

10-05-2003, 12:05 PM

Doug Purdy wrote:

<snip>

> When you sneak upon them, people are startled no matter what you do/don't
> do. The idea is to let them know from farther away. I usually click my
> brake levers for dog owners from 50 feet if I'm traveling slowly. Adjust
> for speed.
>
> Doug
> Toronto

As it happened this time --- I came up from the front --- so they saw me.

But, I could have been going the other way. And, other bike riders were
going that way, after all Cady Way was built for bike ridding in the first
place. The point was that I think the little one would have been frightened
by some big old guy yelling. No?

BTW, why am I the only one in Orlando who notices what is behind me?

Oh well, --- I do click the brake levers a lot. I thought I had invented
some new approach! :-)

--
Regards, Joe

10-05-2003, 12:36 PM

On Sun, 05 Oct 2003 15:52:40 +0000, Joe Potter wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I ride around Orlando Florida all the time. Today I was taking my normal
> route --- I do this all the time.
>
>
> Toward the end of my 7 mile trip around town I am in a park by a lake near
> my house. The trail was re-done a year ago and is now about 12 feet wide.
>
> I am going though there at about 15 MPH and enjoying the scene when I pass
> a fellow who was doing some kind of weird power-walk kind of thing. I pass
> him to the left with about 6 feet between us.
>
> The problem was that he starts yelling at me that I should have called out
> "bike".

If you really gave him 6 feet, you were right. I often find
runners/walkers more spooked by my calling out than by not doing so if I
am nowhere in their path. But when you do call out, don't just yell
"Bike" -- you might as well yell "Fore". Give them an idea: "I'm
passing on your left" is what I*usually say. I am usually going slow
enough when encountering joggers that I*can get this out within earshot
before I reach them. "On your left" is vague -- they often head left in
response.

None of this matters if the runner has a headset.

One day last month, I was heading along the MUP next to Kelly Drive in
Philly. I*was passing a runner on the right --- she was way on the left
side of the path for reasons beyond my understanding. As I got even with
her, she did a 90-degree right turn. It happened to be her turn-around
point. She didn't bother to look. I*had given her nearly the whole width
of the path, but still we collided. I stopped, but she was on her way
back down the trail... Even with a wide berth, I*should have called out.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored
_`\(,_ | by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. --Ralph Waldo
(_)/ (_) | Emerson

10-05-2003, 02:51 PM

In article <c7Xfb.71166$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].com>, Joe Potter
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>
> I am going though there at about 15 MPH and enjoying the scene when I pass a
> fellow who was doing some kind of weird power-walk kind of thing. I pass
> him to the left with about 6 feet between us.
>

>
> He wants me to yell out every time I go around a pedestrian. His reason is
> because "I might bend over to tie my shoe". I told him no.

His shoe is 6 feet to the left of his body?

He's the jerk.

When people are startled, they have a sudden, brief fear reaction. Most people
hate feeling that at all, so they get angry and blame the thing that
startled them.
And it's hard for them to let go of that, so they yell and rant at you.
I base this on my observations of myself.

--
Stella Hackell [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

She who succeeds in gaining the mastery of the bicycle will gain the
mastery of life.
--Frances E. Willard, _How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle_

10-05-2003, 03:20 PM

Last week I was having lunch outside on a small patio near the street, when
I heard a loud, continous whistle. A woman was ridng her bike down the
street, blowing a loud whistle the whole way. It sounded like the whistles
life guards use.

Needless to say, everyone stopped what they were doing to see what was
happening, and as a result she had a clear, unobstructed path.

This seemed excessive to me, but maybe your speedwalker would have
appreciated it.