Is bike etiquette dead?

[baiskeli]

Very few cyclists seem to call their passes any more.

I was in the bike lane on Wilson today and some pedestrians were about to jaywalk through it, but stopped. Just as I was about to swerve a little left to give them a wide berth, some jerk flies past me on the left. No warning. From the looks of him, he was an experienced cyclist who should know better. I have had people pass me on the right too, with no warning. One guy passed on the right as I was passing someone else on the left, and almost hit me as we were both coming back in the lane from opposite directions.

Overall, even in safer situations, it seems only about 10 percent of cyclists on the trails and roads call warnings or ring bells these days. I don’t expect it every time, but I do in hairy situations.

Topic

[eminva]

Come to think of it, the only person who didn’t call out a warning yesterday was a fellow female. So maybe bike etiquette is dead, but chivalry is not, although I’d best not inquire into its motives.

Txgoonie, are you talking about on the trails or the road?

Liz

[Dirt]

@acc 2972 wrote:

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.

You have the right idea, ACC. Taking your frustrations out on your children is AWESOME!!! (Just kidding!) It was the other thing that you tapped on that was the right idea. Having the right attitude yourself is the best way to deal with these things. In actuality, it is the ONLY defense against the ugliness that we encoutner day in day out. I guess I’m living proof of that. I had a change of attitude a few years back and just decided to not let myself get so pissed off at how others behave. Rather I embrace my god-given silliness and have fun all the time. The best reaction to hostility is goofiness because it often completely disarms the person with the hostility. If it doesn’t, who cares? I’m still having fun.

Of course being wise and safe is important. I haven’t been faced with someone pointing a gun at me while cycling yet, but I hope that when I do, I have the grace, poise and peace-of-mind to keep my natural “Neener Neener! You’re a weiner!” comments to myself.

Love,

Pete

[acc]

Yes Dirt, I drink the same Kool-Aid. The folks on the mixed-use path are generally all trying to do the same thing, get outside, move around a bit, walk the earth, blah blah blah. It’s all good. Most of the folks on the road are trying to move along as best they can given the traffic situation, if they motion me or honk me I smile and wave like I’m Miss America. If I’m in a particularly perky mood I’ll throw in a kiss. But I am watching what goes on around me and I try to avoid problems if I can. I try to save my anger for when it counts, when my lotto numbers fail to win. 😎

acc

[Dirt]

I so need to work on my Miss America smile. Gotta get my teeth whitened too.

[baiskeli]

@eminva 2980 wrote:

Come to think of it, the only person who didn’t call out a warning yesterday was a fellow female.

Was it a fellow or a female? Make up your mind.

[DaveK]

@txgoonie 2976 wrote:

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.

This is rampant in my neighborhood and I’ve never been able to explain it. We have wide sidewalks and ramps at every corner and still the bike lane is full of SUV-sized double strollers. Drives me up the wall.

@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’ll third this observation. A wave back and forth after an acknowledged signal makes navigating the MUPs a whole lot easier. They know I’m there, I know they know I’m there, etc…

I also will regularly yell at cyclists passing between two trail users. It’s an MUP not the spring classics. Just chill and wait for an opening.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

When I overtake a cyclist in a roadway, I act the way I think a car should: I give a three-foot buffer and don’t announce the pass, just like I don’t want a car to honk at me as they pass. Not helpful. I’ll announce every pass on a trail because it’s not wide enough to give three feet.

Other important factor that you would think doesn’t need mentioning is speed. If I’m going 28 mph down the Courthouse hill, please don’t ride my fender or hip, and then pass me on the right as I maneuver through traffic. I might need to swerve right at any second (pothole, unsignaled lane change by car, etc.). Just stay in line for 2 or 3 more blocks.

[acc]

Sir, if I clock you going 28 mph down Courthouse I will hang back and applaud. Seriously, if you are cruising down Courthouse at that speed I would stay back and let you do your thing.

Dirt- The Miss America smile is the easy part, it’s the arm wave that’s tricky.
acc

[Veik]

I noticed one guy yelling “Heads up” on WOD this past weekend in Vienna
People who were in front of him (walking, jogging) didnt know which way to run….. :-]

[brendan]

@DaveK 2999 wrote:

I also will regularly yell at cyclists passing between two trail users. It’s an MUP not the spring classics. Just chill and wait for an opening.

Yeah, that one really irks me. It seems esp. prevalent on the MVT (probably due to traffic volume during the busy seasons)…which is just crazy. I wonder if CCT gets as bad?

I’m thinking of putting a sign on the back of the dummy that says “I brake for trail traffic” for self-preservation.

Brendan

[StopMeansStop]

So what’s the ettiquite to let cyclists behind you know that you know they are trying to pass?

I just point my left hand down in a triangle formation.

[Mark Blacknell]

@brendan 3028 wrote:

Yeah, that one really irks me. It seems esp. prevalent on the MVT (probably due to traffic volume during the busy seasons)…which is just crazy. I wonder if CCT gets as bad?
/QUOTE]

CCT is worse. Especially with those trying to thread the needle at 25mph as they’re coming back down the hill from Bethesda. Add in the rollerbladers who love to do the same, and it’s pretty much off-limits for my riding Spring-Fall.

@SMS – sometimes I’ll give a wave, but I don’t think there’s any responsibility on your part, there, beyond holding your line at a steady speed.

[baiskeli]

@StopMeansStop 3087 wrote:

So what’s the ettiquite to let cyclists behind you know that you know they are trying to pass?

I just point my left hand down in a triangle formation.

I either nod (you can see my head move from the back) or move over to the right a little if appropriate.

[Author]

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