Please Excuse My 'On Your Left' Rant
 

I should preface my rant with how I might react differently if I lived in a different community where there actually was a more polite and courteous population. I am routinely treated with an almost laughable discourtesy and disrespect here so just sayin.

My rant is about how much it irritates me to have some ****** decide that he/she needs to remind me that I need to afford them the courtesy of announcing 'on your left.' This happened again today after I actually again did in fact announce 'on your left' but the person in question didn't hear me or wasn't paying enough attention. For starters I am able to determine when I feel it is warranted to announce myself and I attempt to do so accordingly. Is there oncoming traffic? Are there two people side by side taking up the entire lane that need to be reminded there are others riding too? Is someone obviously distracted and a potential hazard? I am guilty of this too and I appreciate the reminder if I do become distracted.

What sets me off is somebody who just wants to run their mouth like they are the hall pass monitor of jr high school or whatever their malfunction is feeling like they need to scold me over me not announcing myself to their satisfaction regardless if circumstances warrant it by my assessment.

Particularly if you're really slow and you're just out limping along at 10mph - get a grip on it! You're going to get your ass passed all day long by EVERYONE... it shouldn't shock you that you just got passed AGAIN! You're going to continue to get passed by EVERYONE who isn't going 10mph like YOU ARE.

Don't be shocked if you get a response from me that hopefully discourages you from ever barking orders at me ever again to announce 'On Your Left.'

If you're going fast enough, you won't hear them ranting about how you didn't announce yourself. Problem solved.

I believe you will find your target audience in the Hybrid Bicycles forum.

Let me guess. You were on a "bike trail." I stay away from them whenever possible. Too many slow-moving and/or oblivious obstacles.

Sounds as if you may be riding on a MUP, what with all the slow traffic you apparently encounter. If so, maybe consider another route. Road bikes and fast riders need more space, IMO.

There are alternatives to announce that you are fast approaching a slower moving rider up front. I say it depends on the situation and how its evaluated. It may not even be 10 mph but rather 17 mph versus 22 mph.

Sometimes, I would intentionally slow down and get close enough to allow the front rider know that I am close behind. Hopefully, the front rider isn't listening to something wearing earbuds. This seems more prevalent these days.

It goes back to one of the basic questions: why am I riding and do I share the road.

I think a light weight train horn would be a real winner, blast that and clear the trail. Louud enough for ear bud wearers also. No more on your left issues ever.

The complainers are upset your dropping them like a bad habit

There's another poster here who likes to buzz moms with baby strollers on a MUP. You need to hook up with that guy and go on a ride or whatever.

Get a bell

Bell is worthless in LA. People percieve it like leaning on a car horn, like you are saying GOTW.
Since I got a hub with a loud ratchet, I just freewheel a bit. Message received.

+1 and take a deep breath. :)

i find a bellicose "out of my way, lardass!" to be the most effective, and far more satisfying to say.

I ride a lot of MUP's so I have a bell. It works great, even if it isn't cool :)

First if you did announce on your left and they didn't hear it that is their problem . Around here once you get a mile from a parking lot the M.U.P.'s get better to ride, you get to the areas that those who can't read the rules at all are not ambitious enough to travel too. That said If your are running 20 mph+ and in a group of more than 2 or 3 there are more appropriate places to ride than M.U.P.
Roy

If I can, I will pass near the centerline. I am far enough that it doesn't startle and it discourages riders jumping on your wheel.

I never seem to have this problem when I'm on my fatbike. I say get some knobbies.

Sounds like a conversation you should be having with the people who complain. We don't really care :)

Crane Bell. It's cool. Problem solved.

Brass

Alloy


-Tim-

Just dial it up to 400 watts and drope the hammer.

I have a very pleasant sounding bell that I ring AND announce PASSING on your left for paths, trails, sidewalk and even on the road if I can't move all the way over to the other side of the road when passing. NEVER had a bad reaction.

I gave up announcing most passes. It seemed almost half of respondents moved the wrong way.

Maybe you passed them too closely? I pass randoms with at least 3', preferably 5' clearance.

Oh come on. That is not something to whine about. Come back and type a rant when people pass you then slow down and you get in a ******** merry go round with them on the MUP.

No excuses necessary.

If someone wants to hear "on your left" they're free to say it to themselves. In normal riding with room to pass safely, no one has any obligation to speak, wave, or give the look. And I suppose that if it makes someone happy to discourteously complain that a stranger was discourteous by not talking, they're free to do that too. For myself, I'd prefer that you say something nice or say nothing at all, but either way I'll just keep riding.

I hate with a passion people like that. Doing it on a Monday morning at 8am maybe alright since there is no one around. But today on Labor today it happened with about three pairs of cyclists. Literally dozens of cyclists had to maneuver around them, slow down or both just so they could ride side by side.

I was coming in the other direction and was tempted to unclip, put out the right shoe and scream "On your face".