ON YOUR LEFT!

http://www.newyorker.com/wp-content/...102_a20390.jpg

This is day two. How long might this bother you?

Yeah, what she said.
:thumb:

Pebs

Yesterday, I heard someone behind me yell out "On your left". When I moved over to the right, he passed me and said "Thanks".

Must be a Canadian thing.

"On your right!" seems to get more people to move in the proper direction, for some reason.

"I'm riding your ass!" rarely works in any case.

Unless you're wandering all over the road.

Personally, if I'm passing someone who looks like they know what they are doing, I will either not say anything at all or will give a friendly greeting. But if the person looks like they're going to swerve out in front of me and take me out, I'm yelling "ON YOUR RIGHT".

If I'm startled when I hear that, it means I wasn't paying attention and didn't realize they were coming. In which case the warning was wholly appropriate and appreciated. And perhaps not coincidentally, that's about the only time I ever hear a warning. I ride mostly on fairly vacant roads and from time to time do get lost in a daze of my own thoughts.

have not read the thread, but cannot bring myself to yell "on your left". Just slow down if collision is possible

Ha! I had a woman on the MUP chastise me for passing her on the right by exclaiming, "You're supposed to pass me on the left!"

She was riding aimlessly on the left over the center line leaving no room to pass on the left...

If an "on your left" is breaking your solitude, how is greeting someone in a manner that leaves them open to riding alongside for miles and chatting about whatever is on their mind going to play with your need for alone time? Heck, I've wound up riding with folks for miles because he was on an old Motobecane, and I had my Peugeot. Learned a helluva lot about old French bikes in that short time before we went our separate ways, but I can't imagine the offense you'd take at such a situation!

Nah, just a thing for people who don't want to be offended by every last thing that goes on around them.

I announce and appreciate a shout. I feel it is for everyone's safety. If I am on the road, there are times I have to go around parked cars. If a guy passes on my left in stealth mode, who knows what would happen if I go around not knowing he is about to pass me?

I saw some cows on the road today (moving from one paddock to another).

You don't shout near cows (or buzz past them) unless you want a stampede.

There appears to be an erroneous assumption that people are wandering all over the road or that solitude means someone is passed out.


Maybe others don't experience being zoned in when enjoying a pass time. Ian Hibell spoke of the slap of the straps or other sounds emanating from riding that tells me he was in tune and riding in the present being fully mindful.


I personally do not need someone yelling on your left with a full lane that automobiles are using as they pass. I suspect this practice emanates from urban cyclists used to riding in a crowd. It's not necessary in the country side.


I suspect that since cycling has become a race, screaming out that you are passing has some sort of since of victory attached.

i don't like yelling it out but I think it is the right thing to do to prevent an accident. I am looking for something that will just make a sound, not like a bell more like an electronic quick short buzz.

Yes, if you are scared to death that you might not be able to pass safely on a two lane road with a center painted strip, by all means announce your three foot wide self as you pass. Maybe a hand held air horn. :lol:


Seriously, I am surprised at some of the responses that assume riders are wandering around, half awake, and an accident just waiting to occur. Good grief. How in the world are those same riders able to ride when a truck pulling a trailer passes?

I'm slow enough that I'm usually the one being passed. I don't take exception to this and I appreciate the courtesy when the passer announces himself. When I do pass other riders, I draw out the "on your left" add a "good morning" make it nice and friendly. I only bark out an "on your left" if the other rider is squirrelly. If the OP is getting lots of annoyed sounding warnings, maybe invest in a mirror and pay more attention to riding predictably.

+1

back in the days of all-metal brake levers, you could warn someone you were going to pass them by making a sound with them. But the partially plastic things we are using nowadays don't make enough noise. I don't really like "on your left." I know I have wobbled left when someone says that. I just say "passing" when I am a little further back. Most people know to hold their line when you say that. I think most people would rather not be startled by a cyclist passing them. You can hear a motor vehicle approaching you, but not a cyclist unless they make noise.

I'm surprised you've never come across another cyclist who is doing anything but paying the utmost attention and riding in a straight and predictable manner.

And to answer your question, that truck and trailer make a whole lot of noise to alert them it is there, kind of like a silent cyclist announcing their presence.

I suppose OP could have a custom made jersey with this on the back. ;)
https://www.askideas.com/media/13/Ba...ot-Disturb.jpg

I once observed a guy that would ride along and randomly turn left for no apparent reason. Then he would turn back right and continue. I don't know if he was waiting for someone and the left turns were to look for them or what, but I saw him do this three times. If a cyclist had been passing him without warning him, I'm pretty sure there would have been a collision.

yup, I'm pretty sure the guy I saw would hold his line if he heard anything approaching from his rear. Still seemed like an alarming practice.

I'm thinking this would be a good response to a lot of posts - other bicyclists ignoring me, motorists asking directions. Is there a way that I could copy it and simply paste it when appropriate?

There's an idea! I'd buy the jersey but I ride a recumbent so nobody would notice.

I entirely agree, but I would also add to that if someone is doing lots of barking or yelling at "squirrels" they might rethink how they're riding.

If I want to make a pass under questionable conditions, I "signal my intentions" and wait for a safe opportunity to present itself, I don't bark or yell demands for accommodation. I pass people, people pass me, and its almost always drama free.

Kind of redundant anyway, everybody already knows anybody who rides a recumbent is a grouch........:p

Years ago I was riding the Moonlight Ramble with my 13 year old son on a tandem. If you don't know, that's a huge urban ride (25,000 riders that year) in St Louis after the bar's close. All the starts and stops on a tandem are off-putting. At about the 20 mile mark I saw an open lane right down the center line of the road so I talked to my son and we opened it up. Some fellow ahead took that opportunity to swing crosswise to the left to look back for his girlfriend or something. I can still remember seeing the whites of his eyes. Almost hit him means didn't. I don't think you could have put a piece of paper between his back wheel and the left side of our tandem. Would have been totally my fault. I knew better than to do that on that kind of ride.