Originally Posted by
mr geeker
In my neck of the woods the common courtesy statement for passing someone is "on your left", as in passing on your left. Well not too long ago (a few weeks) I decide to take the MUP home from work and encountered a woman and her teen daughter who instead of moving off to the right, moved to the left and nearly caused me to crash into them. If it wasn't for me swerving right at nearly the last moment there would have been a pile of bikes and limbs on the trail... in hind sight it's kind of funny, but at the time it wasn't.
That is a typical reaction from far too many people walking on the MUP's and it makes you think that saying nothing is safer, that way they don't move suddenly. But that spooks them and so far, I have had good results with the cow bell on my bikes. It's simple, works and I don't have to say a word.
It is a Mtb standard because many times, you can see another rider coming around a turn with trees and branches in the way.