Is bike etiquette dead?

[txgoonie]

@donkeybike 2923 wrote:

Cyclists have to realize that they have a bad rap–that I don’t think is deserved, but we must be ambassadors until society catches up. The disdain that drivers have toward us is really scary.

I think we all need to ride with this on our minds all the time. We can choose to either reinforce the negative things people already think or surprise them and open their minds with our safe and courteous behavior.

[billy]

i still call my passes, but it definitely seems like a dying art. just the other day, i was biking across the 14th st bridge and came up behind a group of joggers that were jogging 2 abreast, thereby blocking my passing lane. i probably could have squeezed through, but i wanted to make sure that i didn’t zoom by them on the left without making sure they knew i was coming first, so i slowed down and call my pass. the joggers acknowledged.

as i’m about to make my move, i take a quick glance over my shoulder, and i see another cyclist quickly approaching in a passing position. i hit the brakes, and this guy blew by all of us, totally cutting me off. i was pretty annoyed, but also glad that i looked before passing.

[CCrew]

@donkeybike 2923 wrote:

Cyclists have to realize that they have a bad rap–that I don’t think is deserved, but we must be ambassadors until society catches up. The disdain that drivers have toward us is really scary.

I don’t know that it’s a bad rap. There seem to be a large number of testosterone fueled idiots out there, even on the W&OD. I’ve had some of those tools come by me within mere inches without the slightest peep. It’s getting so anymore the ones that announce a pass are the rare breed. Don’t even get me started on the ones that ride three abreast or pass in the oncoming “side”

Heck, they annoy me and I’m a fellow cyclist. I can understand how drivers get a bad taste when that behavior is carried to the street.

[Dirt]

I stopped using a bell a few years back. I was getting repetitive stress injuries in my thumb. I installed jinble bell son my handlebars which helps a little. I also maniacally sing show-tunes out of tune and off the beat and replace 7 out of 10 words with the word “meow” and do so at a rather high volume. The trail opens before me as though I was a particularly good prophet parting the red sea.

While the prophet comment above is a feeble attempt at humor, the psycho-babble/singing effectiveness is definitely the best way to let people know that you’re coming. People with headphones on that “couldn’t hear” my bell or calling out “on your left” in the past quickly move to the right and are attentive to being passed when they hear me belt out “Meow left meow heart in San Meow-sisco”. I also seem to get a certain amount of aerobic workout value from it too.

While on the topic, does anyone know the words to “Tie me kangaroo down?” Never-mind. I’ll improvise.

Love,

Pete

[Dirt]

I’ll preface this by saying that these are my own personal observations. They have been gathered by riding about 10,000 miles per year for many years in many parts of the US and in Canada, Europe and Central America.

@donkeybike 2923 wrote:

Cyclists have to realize that they have a bad rap–that I don’t think is deserved, but we must be ambassadors until society catches up. The disdain that drivers have toward us is really scary.

It is an us-versus-them world out there. There are three main groups of people using/intersecting with the places that we ride: cars, bikes and pedestrians. No matter what group you’re in at a given moment, we seem to have the attitude that the OTHER 2 groups are the problem. The cool thing is that this conveniently shifts when we shift modes of transportation. Riders complain about the peds and cars. Cars complain about cyclists and peds. Peds complain about bikes and cars.

Bottom line: The vast majority of us behave like spoiled children when we’re in transit. We all probably deserve the reputations that we have. We’d do much better to understand that and behave with a bit more civility.

Interestingly enough, when I travel around the US and the world, I find that there are relatively few places that I encounter this much animosity towards others.

Pete

[Mark Blacknell]

I don’t always call out my passes. Jogger with earphones? Waste of time. Another cyclist moving at a decent clip? I pass with plenty of room. Uncertain cyclist who doesn’t spent much time out there? Definite warning. Passing you in a bike lane? I simply take the full lane and pass, no warning. Herd of Great Midwest Tourists? I doesn’t matter what I do – I’ll just have to wait or practice my CX skills.

Tan me hide when I’m dead, Fred.

[Mark Blacknell]

@Dirt 2952 wrote:

Interestingly enough, when I travel around the US and the world, I find that there are relatively few places that I encounter this much animosity towards others.

This. I’ve been in places with far worse traffic than anywhere in the US (Mexico City, Delhi, etc.) and I’ve not seen half the anger we get on the streets here.

[brendan]

@Mark Blacknell 2953 wrote:

I don’t always call out my passes. Jogger with earphones? Waste of time.

I’ve actually been surprised at the number of joggers/walkers with headphones in who actually gesture the “pass signal received” gesture. A minority of them, to be sure, but I guess some folks don’t leave it on 11 like I do…

Brendan

[Dirt]

@brendan 2961 wrote:

I’ve actually been surprised at the number of joggers/walkers with headphones in who actually gesture the “pass signal received” gesture. A minority of them, to be sure, but I guess some folks don’t leave it on 11 like I do…

I share that observation, sir. I find a lot of people pretend to not hear.

[eminva]

Wow, you guys are in rare form today! Thanks for the humor.

Anyway, I kept count on the commute this morning — I was passed by three cyclists, and two called out warnings. So I stand corrected — I am getting 66.7%. I wonder why I perceive that I get a higher percentage of warnings than others? Do I look like one of those “tentative” cyclists that everyone warns?

I also wonder why all the animosity in our area? Are we that stressed out?

Liz

[Dirt]

@eminva 2968 wrote:

Wow, you guys are in rare form today! Thanks for the humor.

While there is a some silly content in my post here, I actually do sing psychobabble when the trail is really busy and people definitely get out of the way. During low traffic the jingle bells and me yelling is enough.

@eminva 2968 wrote:

Anyway, I kept count on the commute this morning — I was passed by three cyclists, and two called out warnings. So I stand corrected — I am getting 66.7%. I wonder why I perceive that I get a higher percentage of warnings than others?

When I ride, I get people that call “on your left” or ding at me to pass. I hear it too. I don’t hear it as much when I run or walk. I haven’t really done a scientific count.

@eminva 2968 wrote:

I also wonder why all the animosity in our area? Are we that stressed out?

I have theories, but I’m working on being kinder and nicer in my behavior. It is the first step in becoming an actual kinder/gentler me, instead of just appearing to be kinder and gentler. For that reason I’m going to keep my thoughts to myself and work on thinking the best about those who I share metro-area trails and roads with. I honestly do love y’all.

On an only slightly unrelated topic: YOWZA are the Ninjas back out in full force. I’m soft-pedaling at 10mph and STILL barely seeing people in time to miss them. This is true for cyclists AND walkers/runners, though the numbers of Walkers and runners are higher. It is as though people are actively trying to conceal themselves.

[acc]

Maybe I’m fortunate that I can take out my pent up feelings of hostility on my children because generally nothing I see out on the trail irks me too much. Perhaps I have low expectations of my fellow man. The exception is when adults put either their little kids or pets in danger and therefore me in danger also. It makes me apoplectic to see toddlers loose on the trail and dogs off leashes. Little kids should have a chance to grow up with all their limbs attached and their skulls in their original shape.

acc

[billy]

@brendan 2961 wrote:

I’ve actually been surprised at the number of joggers/walkers with headphones in who actually gesture the “pass signal received” gesture. A minority of them, to be sure, but I guess some folks don’t leave it on 11 like I do…

Brendan

i generally expect joggers with headphones on to have the volume on low enough to hear at least a little bit above their tunes.

[txgoonie]

Can I ask a semi-thread-jack? Is walking against traffic something written into law or merely common sense? Lately I seem to be encountering an inordinate number of pedestrians on the road walking with traffic, and I’m wondering what the deal is. Is it possible that these people – runners, people with kids in strollers, i.e. people who seemingly should know better – just truly don’t know?

Perhaps I’m just searching for a logical explanation for people flouting the rules besides simply not caring.

[CCrew]

@eminva 2968 wrote:

Do I look like one of those “tentative” cyclists that everyone warns?

You’re a woman.. we all know how women drive!

(ducks and runs)

[Author]

Posts