Originally Posted by wabbit
I find that most people (except for cyclists of course) don't respond to 'on your left' because it means nothing to them. So on bike paths if i'm passing joggers, etc, I say EXCUSE ME. Everyone knows what excuse me means. O course, if they're plugged in to their stupid walkman, tough **** if they can't hear me. Sometimes I just snap my fingers in their face- so rude! But too bad.
I noticed that quite a few people are mentioning the fact that other peds don't understand "on your left."
On the greenway that I ride, there are big signs posted at every trailhead with the rules. You can't miss them. One of the rules says to call out "on your left" when passing. I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods, but it's plainly marked here.
So the people I'm dealing with are either illiterate or dense.