Bells. Again.
So riding the MUP around White Rock Lake yesterday on a test ride after making a few changes to the steering tube stack and neglecting to reinstall the signalling bell afterwards. As I came up on a pair of women walking their dogs I gave the standard alert: "Passing on your left."
The woman on the left immediately moved to her left and guided her dog in that direction as well. With the entire path now blocked I applied the brakes and veered off of the pavement and onto the adjacent grass. In the so doing the woman's dog and I made glancing contact, dog shoulder to rider shin.
The woman shouted an obscenity and I stopped to make sure the animal was uninjured and offer an apology which was angrily brushed away with; "I moved to the left when you asked me to!"
I shook my head and continued along my way. The MUP has plenty of signage regarding passing on the left only and announcing left prior to passing. As much as I am pissed at her for causing me to strike an animal, I have to share the blame because I was in too much of a hurry to reinstall my bell before riding.
/rant