Curmudgeonly post about failing to call passes

[Riley Casey]

So I rode the CCT on Saturday from the Silver Spring end to MacArthur Blvd and on to the folk festival at Glen Echo. Beautiful day for a ride. The usual press of pedestrians, baby strollers, skate boarders ( no roller bladers, guess that has passed into fads past ) and cyclists of all stripes from carbon frame racers to weight loss cruiser hopefuls. In that 20 mile round trip I heard exactly ONE pass called. Just one. I’m pretty religious about ringing my bell for pedestrians of all sorts and fair to middlin’ about calling passes on other cyclists. I’m not a racer by any means and my speed differential isn’t going to put any cyclists I pass into cardiac arrest. I don’t think there is any excuse for not signaling a pass on pedestrians though and from the appreciative responses I got when using the bell it’s seems that it’s pretty uncommon for the walkers to hear from passing cyclists. Are the responsible riders only those out commuting on weekday mornings?

Curmudgeons – R – Us

Topic

[rcannon100]

Tell that to the ear-bud ninjas.

Yeah, well, that’s why we install cow-catchers on our bicycles!

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[Dirt]

I have jingle bells on 2 of my bikes. They’re wonderful. Just keep in mind that most sane people are driven to anger by the constant sound of jingle bells. I think few people have the temperament to deal with constant jingling on their handlebars. Those of us who talk to our breakfast cereal (and listen for the response and gain wisdom from it) don’t seem to mind.

Edit: Be prepared for a lot of people to comment on how they thought Santa was coming early this year.

[brendan]

@Dirt 21258 wrote:

Cowbell is soooo ubiquitous. I’m thinking of going for a tambourine. There was always something really sexy about the way Shirley Jones played that instrument on the Partridge Family show.

What were we talking about?

My own experience at RAGBRAI last year was on about 85% of days, both a tambourine and a cowbell will not fall off of your handlebars. Oh, and a drumstick can and will stay in your right jersey pocket all day long to be deployed as needed and easily returned there securely when the time comes.

As I’ve said before, I’m a ring+call early kinda guy. Though I do let a certain amount of disdain and/or incredulousness through in my voice when I am forced to call “passing on the…RIGHT?” or “Passing through the MIDDLE???”. .

Brendan

[rcannon100]

“Passing through the MIDDLE???”.

I checking by NOVA Cycling guide book and there is no such official signal. On page 52, as you will see, there are three choices:
(A) Passing Left (Use of Bell appropriate)
( PASSING RIGHT!!!!!!! (used as a panicked evasion technique), and
(C) %@#$@~$# *$&%&% !@# Splitting the Path You !@#% @#@$#^ Dangerous!!! @#@% (&!$#^@

I believe you were referring to option (C). The Doppler effect on (C) is quite pronounced.

[MCL1981]

I haven’t read all the replies. I’ll just say get used to it and keep alert. The situation will never change.

[KelOnWheels]

Fortunately my front brakes are so insanely squeaky that it is impossible to not hear me coming… and I now have TWO bells.

[mstone]

@Dirt 21258 wrote:

Cowbell is soooo ubiquitous. I’m thinking of going for a tambourine.

Perhaps you could rig a gong on the dummy? Gongs are always appropriate.

[5555624]

@Dirt 21250 wrote:

My expectations for everyone on the trail are quite low. I can’t change anyone’s behavior. I can, however, set a great example.

I agree, Although I don’t set out to set any sort of example, I tend to ring the bell, call out pass, and then thank them as I go by.

[5555624]

@thucydides 21214 wrote:

The week before last I did a little mini-study (very mini) on called passes.

An even smaller study — minier? — from yesterday:

3:00 – 4:00 pm: 1/2 called their pass

(No one passes me in the morning.) The called pass was on the George Mason Memorial Bridge, by an older (60-ish) rider, who might not have thought he could get past me. The uncalled pass was not a surprise, since it was one of the poster boys for bad cycling.*

One thing I’ll have to start noting is the age of people calling their passes. It seems that older cyclists call them more, but maybe that’s because they’ve been riding longer.

On the other hand, I suspect some cyclists know me and don’t bother to call their passes because they know how I ride and that I’m probably aware of them. (Two examples I can think of don’t signal/call anything in advance, but usually greet me as they are passing.)

* — I see him on a regular basis and his normal afternoon commute involves headphones, the wrong way on a one-way street, running Stop signs (if there are no cars in sight, he doesn’t even slow), and running red lights (he stops only if there is a car and only long enough for it to cross). I’ve seen him have a couple of close calls, but the cars have always managed to stop in time.

[consularrider]

@Dirt 21266 wrote:

I have jingle bells on 2 of my bikes. They’re wonderful. Just keep in mind that most sane people are driven to anger by the constant sound of jingle bells. I think few people have the temperament to deal with constant jingling on their handlebars. Those of us who talk to our breakfast cereal (and listen for the response and gain wisdom from it) don’t seem to mind.

Edit: Be prepared for a lot of people to comment on how they thought Santa was coming early this year.

The first time I encountered you was as we rode to the start of the 50 States Ride in 2008. I kept hearing jingle bells behind me on the Custis somewhere around 7 am on a Saturday morning. I seem to remember trading leads with you (like I could even keep up with you) a good part of the way to the start in the park on Adams Mill Rd, NW at Calvery St, NW.

[Dirt]

@consularrider 21332 wrote:

The first time I encountered you was as we rode to the start of the 50 States Ride in 2008. I kept hearing jingle bells behind me on the Custis somewhere around 7 am on a Saturday morning. I seem to remember trading leads with you (like I could even keep up with you) a good part of the way to the start in the park on Adams Mill Rd, NW at Calvery St, NW.

That was a really fun ride.

[GuyContinental]

@consularrider 21332 wrote:

The first time I encountered you…

Dirt, how does it feel to be someone that is “encountered”? I pass people, meet people, ride with people all the time but I only “encounter” crazy folks, wheelie guy, the Unicycle commuter, backwards dude, annnnd you… I think that makes you part of DC biking lore

[consularrider]

@GuyContinental 21349 wrote:

Dirt, how does it feel to be someone that is “encountered”? I pass people, meet people, ride with people all the time but I only “encounter” crazy folks, wheelie guy, the Unicycle commuter, backwards dude, annnnd you… I think that makes you part of DC biking lore

Yeah, I couldn’t really say “met” because I don’t think we said a word to each other (other than some called passes).

[americancyclo]

@Dirt 21340 wrote:

That was a really fun ride.

That was my second weekend after I moved to DC. Couldn’t have asked for a better orientation to the city!

[JimK]

So what is the best way to react when you are riding and a cyclist blows past you without signalling? I usually ring my bell as they pass. I doubt it does any good.

[Author]

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