how do you alert your presence to other pedestrians/cyclists/motorists?
03-17-15, 08:04 AM
#101
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I was moving at about 22MPH on a major road, 2 lanes going each way. About the only way I could have gotten the attention of the motorist would have been to use an Airzounds, and those did not exist back then.
What I saw was a motorist looking right down the road... at me... or so it appeared. The reality was the driver looked right through me. BTW there were no bike lanes on the road... I was in the right hand lane in the right tire track.... to avoid the cars parked further back and much further ahead.
Just how would you propose to get someone's attention... someone that is already stopped at a stop sign?
BTW somewhat unrelated to the above situation... but still a "how do you alert someone to your presence" situation...
One thing I find particularly annoying while walking is that motorists rarely look to their right just before they pull out of a side street to a major street... I have knocked on car windows to alert drivers to the fact that I am about to legally cross in front of them. They always give "the look." (ie "you touched my car" or "I'm in a car, I own the road.") Somehow the notion that one is supposed to actually stop, before turning, at a stop sign or stop light, and look for traffic and crossing peds, just seems so "painful" to some motorists.
What I saw was a motorist looking right down the road... at me... or so it appeared. The reality was the driver looked right through me. BTW there were no bike lanes on the road... I was in the right hand lane in the right tire track.... to avoid the cars parked further back and much further ahead.
Just how would you propose to get someone's attention... someone that is already stopped at a stop sign?
BTW somewhat unrelated to the above situation... but still a "how do you alert someone to your presence" situation...
One thing I find particularly annoying while walking is that motorists rarely look to their right just before they pull out of a side street to a major street... I have knocked on car windows to alert drivers to the fact that I am about to legally cross in front of them. They always give "the look." (ie "you touched my car" or "I'm in a car, I own the road.") Somehow the notion that one is supposed to actually stop, before turning, at a stop sign or stop light, and look for traffic and crossing peds, just seems so "painful" to some motorists.
03-17-15, 08:04 AM
#102
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I used to bark "on your left" or use a bell with mixed reactions. Sometimes the bell made them think they dropped something and they would turn into me. Usually my voice made them jump.
Then I rode with a seasoned friend on a busy trail and Dallas and I liked his method.
He does this slowly escalating statement as he's coming up behind them. He starts kind of soft and then increases his volume through the sentence without any emotion in it.
I don't know why but everyone seems to respond really well to it. They typically nod or wave and sometimes say thank you as I pass.
He says, "Coming up on your left"
Works like a champ.
Then I rode with a seasoned friend on a busy trail and Dallas and I liked his method.
He does this slowly escalating statement as he's coming up behind them. He starts kind of soft and then increases his volume through the sentence without any emotion in it.
I don't know why but everyone seems to respond really well to it. They typically nod or wave and sometimes say thank you as I pass.
He says, "Coming up on your left"
Works like a champ.
03-17-15, 08:13 AM
#103
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I ride on MUPs quite a lot and usually have a bell on my bike that I ring when approaching runners, walkers and other cyclists. If I don't have a bell, I call out "on your left." The main problem is that a lot of joggers and walkers wear ear buds and don't hear you, so I also always try to pass as wide as possible. If someone is blocking the trail and doesn't respond to bell or "left," I call out much louder.
Most walkers and runners seem to appreciate the bell and many of them will say thanks.
As others mentioned, a lot of cyclists quite frankly ride like jerks on MUPs and even roads. I can't tell you how many times I have been passed very closely by cyclists without them saying a word or ringing a bell. Sooner or later they'll probably hit someone and then start a thread whining about it.
Most walkers and runners seem to appreciate the bell and many of them will say thanks.
As others mentioned, a lot of cyclists quite frankly ride like jerks on MUPs and even roads. I can't tell you how many times I have been passed very closely by cyclists without them saying a word or ringing a bell. Sooner or later they'll probably hit someone and then start a thread whining about it.
03-17-15, 08:29 AM
#104
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The main objection to bells and verbal warnings is that some may turn into you, that's simply an indication one is waiting too long to announce their presence, and/or riding too fast for conditions.
03-17-15, 08:38 AM
#105
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I use lights
03-17-15, 08:46 AM
#106
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But such systems were not available back in the '80s when this happened. Back then, the latest thing was Halogen lighting... which was vastly superior to the 6 volt generator systems. Niterider, for instance came about in 1989. I've been bike commuting on and off since about 1973 (the first gas crisis.) I even tried xenon flash tubes at one point for lighting (from rescue flashers used at sea), but they were too fickle to run all the time.
Today there are plenty of great LED based systems available. LEDs have really changed lighting dramatically in the last few years.
03-17-15, 08:51 AM
#107
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Last night, riding home (as I rode southward), a jogger going north called something out to me. There were two words. I couldn't make them out. I wasn't going all that fast. I'd say words are pretty useless when the relative speed is so high. Let's say he was going 4 mph and I was going 14 mph, so our relative speed was 18 mph. Even at a speed less than that, words are not very useful.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
03-17-15, 09:08 AM
#108
☢
Last edited by KraneXL; 03-17-15 at 10:34 AM.
03-17-15, 09:58 AM
#110
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Last night, riding home (as I rode southward), a jogger going north called something out to me. There were two words. I couldn't make them out. I wasn't going all that fast. I'd say words are pretty useless when the relative speed is so high. Let's say he was going 4 mph and I was going 14 mph, so our relative speed was 18 mph. Even at a speed less than that, words are not very useful.
also agree with pedestrians with ipods on makes it that much harder.
lol at 20 dollar bill.
so daytime lights seem to work for a number of you - hm!
this seems reasonable, i'm going to give it a go and see how that goes.
03-17-15, 10:07 AM
#111
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I don't bother announcing myself.
I launch snapcrackers (aka crackerballs, torpedoes) to the side and slightly forward of pedestrians as come up behind them. When they jump to the side, I have plenty of room to pass. To work effectively, the balls need to be launched while I'm a ways back, so I developed a rubber band powered launcher which is mounted on the bar, and pre- aimed for range and angle.
I launch snapcrackers (aka crackerballs, torpedoes) to the side and slightly forward of pedestrians as come up behind them. When they jump to the side, I have plenty of room to pass. To work effectively, the balls need to be launched while I'm a ways back, so I developed a rubber band powered launcher which is mounted on the bar, and pre- aimed for range and angle.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
03-18-15, 06:43 AM
#112
Senior Member
The hardest peds to deal with are the ones one the wrong side. They so many times step in front of me on purpose "to slow bikers down".
03-18-15, 08:11 AM
#113
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90% of the times, friendly bell ring.
For those peds that go ear-plugged through life or very slow cyclists right in the middle of the lane, "coming through!" For those pondering on whatever they like to ponder without listening at all, "WATCH OUT!" usually followed by "Pay attention dammit!" Last resource is for cars that forget what turning lights are for or that skip the red light, that usually get an [expletive deleted].
For those peds that go ear-plugged through life or very slow cyclists right in the middle of the lane, "coming through!" For those pondering on whatever they like to ponder without listening at all, "WATCH OUT!" usually followed by "Pay attention dammit!" Last resource is for cars that forget what turning lights are for or that skip the red light, that usually get an [expletive deleted].
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