nuke_diver

I don't for the same reasons that I think it doesn't work well. Call out anything assumes a lot of things including that the person has good hearing, that the wind noise doesn't make the sound undecipherable and that you call out loud enough that the sound actual can be heard.

I have be guilty of not hearing the "on your left" and only hearing some sound causing me to turn to look back and that almost always causes a slight move to the left. That got me an angry "your other left" comment which was clearly a case of someone assuming that I heard them perfectly which I did not. Those that slow slight to match speed are the ones where it seems to work best but I find most don't.

In my case I simply either slow down and wait for a safe passing point (or if it is already safe) just pass giving 6-10' of room and like I do in a car doing it as fast as possible to minimize the potential danger time

Phantoj

Are we talking about Road Cycling or about riding on a "bike path"?

On the path, I call out to everybody except little kids on the bike path. Little kids, I just say, "you're doing great!" because I want them to keep on doing what they are doing.

1) You don't have to be loud for walkers to hear you, because they don't have your wind noise to contend with.

2) I never have a problem with people jumping left in front of me. I guess people in my town are smarter than average. Or maybe after hearing "left" enough times, they start to figure it out, lol.

3) I try to make safe passes and anticipate situations. Like just the other day, the lady ahead was riding slowly and starting to drift to the left. I guessed that she was preparing to make a left turn across the across the path into a parking lot... which she did, without looking, earbuds in. If I had been trying to pass her, we probably would have collided.

On the road, meeting another cyclist is such a rarity that a little friendly chit-chat is in order, IMO.

GoRacers

Yes. Always.

clichty

If I am overtaking someone on a road, I will always say on your left. However if I am riding to/from work on the major commuting trail in Minneapolis, I cannot say on your left to everyone as that would be too much. If it is a family with some small kids, absolutely I will alert them. If it is another solo rider or two, I usually will not say anything. It is known that the route is a major one and people are allowed to ride as fast as they want (vs 10 mph speed limit on crowded lake trails).

bugly64

I have three bridges with separated bike lanes. Passing isn't the problem; the problem is salmoning riders. If I do encounter a passing situation, I usually let my loud-ass cassette warn slower riders of my intent to over take them.

banerjek

When I'm driving, I also honk at each cyclist that I pass as a courtesy...

Phantoj

You're riding with a tape deck?

Dude, it's 2014... get an ipod or something!

achoo

Boom box FTW!

bugly64

Ok, I should have said hub.

bugly64

How many courteous number one finger gestures do you get in response?

banerjek

I'd say at least half of the people wave, though many just raise one finger according to waving custom. I'm not sure what's with the other half. Antisocial, I guess....

FLvector

Maybe he really had to GO!

Kansas Don

No ear buds, I ring the bell and a say a friendly hello going by, maybe have a short conversation, like "your looking strong, how far are you going today", or "beautiful day today do you ride this route often?" or "cool bike, what kind is it?".

Ear buds, I ring the bell, then ring the gosh darns bell some more, then ring the gosh darn fuickng mudder bell some more, then I yell "ON YOUR LEFT" and pray and wish I had one of them danmable air horns!


Don

FLvector

Or this would work, too....

halfspeed

I like to scream "Get on the sidewalk, Lance!"

pdedes

I'm with bdop. Say hello as you are passing.

Machka 

Bells are great ... you can say a lot with a bell from a subtle "ding" to let an elderly couple know you're coming up behind to a loud "DING-DING-DING-DING-DING-DING" to tell a group of people taking up the whole MUP to move out of the way.

Bandera

In use for well over a century a well ding'ed bell at an appropriate distance can convey a wide range of useful information in a non-threatening style to cyclists of all abilities.

I do enjoy a hearty "Ding" from the Brass Crane model bell on my CF road bike when encountering club cyclists proceeding in the opposite direction. Puzzled and amused seems to be the reaction.

-Bandera

jon c. 

Pretty much true for me as well.

Although there is the seventy something woman on the beach cruiser that I sometimes pass just outside town. I slow down and say good evening before I get too close.

But even on 'crowded' days out here, the riders are spread apart enough that only the A types tend to catch anyone.

sardond

I've always used "on your left" and never really had any issues. Lately I have been riding with a much stronger rider who normally leads and have noted his excessively loud hub does the trick almost every time.

ckFoxTrot

On paths around my area, shouting out "on your left" elicits a variety of responses. Some people are startled, while others react normally. Not knowing how someone might react, I only yell out if they are taking up the whole path or proceeding along their way erratically (usually people walking). I gave one gentleman, roller blading across the width of the path with a hockey stick, a bit of a fright once after calling out (well in advance) but he laughed and made a joke while I passed him. Another time, a woman was pushing a stroller on her right while walking beside it on the left while on her cell phone. After calling out she took a dead stop without moving over and stared me down.

I usually won't and don't need to call out to cyclists riding well on the paths around here (I'll slow up a bit if needed to not whiz by like a jerk and to be safe). Lately I haven't really been riding any of the near-by canal paths though, sticking more to routes I like on the road, and I don't encounter many other cyclists, and when I do they are usually just casual riders or commuters that I'll leisurely/safely overtake when the time is right.

TexMac

That's why i like my loud bearings, i just coast and the noise will warn some but i do yell 'left' and while passing, hi/thanks

NoviceJohn

Quite frankly, if you're a good rider and ride in a relatively straight line, there should not need a "on your left" because a faster rider can pass the slower rider without the fear being swirled into. Just like if you were driving a motor vehicle. If you drive within your lane, the car next to you will not think of being sideswiped by you when they drive pass you. Then again, people may disagree. Only time I would think a "on your left" is needed is when you're passing on a group who is taking the entire lane or MUP.

Dunbar

The other day some random guy was drafting me. His would whistle really loud to anyone blocking the path from about 50-75ft back. It worked pretty well at getting their attention.

mprelaw

It probably worked even better when he took the point and let you draft for awhile. He did offer to do that, right?