On your left – tales of woe

[pfunkallstar]

This morning I was riding down the Custis trail – GLORIOUS DAY BTW – and was passing a woman in her mid twenties. I gave my customary “On your left!” moved to the left lane and passed without incident – my voice is one part bullhorn, two parts foghorn, zero parts leghorn. About two seconds later the woman explodes in a cloud of anger, “Thanks a lot A$$hole, stupid, f@#k!” and so on.

Now normally I just let angry people be angry, it is a GLORIOUS DAY (did anyone see that freaking sun!), but today I slowed down and went back to see what was unhinging this otherwise seemingly hinged woman.

I pulled up and said:

Me: Sorry, I said “On your left.”
Lady: Well it was just so quiet and then you cut over and just whizzed by.
Me: (Pointing to headphones) Did you have you headphones on?
Lady: You are so f#$king smart, you think you are so smart! I didn’t have any music on. You know I’m a biker too! Why don’t you try walking!?!

I loved this last bit – “Well I have _________ friends too!”

At this point I just smiled and rolled away as she went off on another outing into crazy land – let angry people be miserable angry people on glorious days.

Topic

[KelOnWheels]

I was practicing being cheerful today on my commute and discovered that for bell-immune tourists an extra-extra-cheerful “Excuse me! Thank you! Good morning!” got good results Some of them even said good morning back!

I had a good cyclist pass call ratio today too, so thanks to all of you that passed me and called it

[krazygl00]

@KelOnWheels 23765 wrote:

I was practicing being cheerful today on my commute and discovered that for bell-immune tourists an extra-extra-cheerful “Excuse me! Thank you! Good morning!” got good results Some of them even said good morning back!

I had a good cyclist pass call ratio today too, so thanks to all of you that passed me and called it

Ugh. Being that cheerful would make me lose my breakfast.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@KelOnWheels 23765 wrote:

I was practicing being cheerful today on my commute and discovered that for bell-immune tourists an extra-extra-cheerful “Excuse me! Thank you! Good morning!” got good results Some of them even said good morning back!

I had a good cyclist pass call ratio today too, so thanks to all of you that passed me and called it

That only works with the early-riser types (people who are out at 7:00 a.m. during vacation are nutso). Afternoon would yield much different results.

[KelOnWheels]

@ShawnoftheDread 23830 wrote:

That only works with the early-riser types (people who are out at 7:00 a.m. during vacation are nutso). Afternoon would yield much different results.

Oh yeah. No shot at that happening in the afternoon. I’m totes getting an Air Zound so I can just vaporize them with a sonic blast.

[KelOnWheels]

@krazygl00 23826 wrote:

Ugh. Being that cheerful would make me lose my breakfast.

Don’t worry, it wore off

[5555624]

@ShawnoftheDread 23830 wrote:

That only works with the early-riser types (people who are out at 7:00 a.m. during vacation are nutso).

Yeah, why wait that late?

Saturdays at 4:00 a.m. or so, I often get “good morning” comments from those I find walking on the trail.

[pfunkallstar]

@5555624 23839 wrote:

Yeah, why wait that late?

Saturdays at 4:00 a.m. or so, I often get “good morning” comments from those I find walking on the trail.

If you are down on the MVT you will often run into random Ft. Myer/Pentagoners jogging around at 5am or so, with that being their mid-morning run. Insane.

[5555624]

@pfunkallstar 23893 wrote:

If you are down on the MVT you will often run into random Ft. Myer/Pentagoners jogging around at 5am or so, with that being their mid-morning run. Insane.

Which is why I will shoot to be off the MVT by 4:30 a.m. or so tomorrow. (During the week I’m never close to being on the trail that late.)

[Dirt]

Y’all think you have “On your left” problems? I think this might qualify as a “Tail of woe.”

Hope all is well with y’all. We’re having fun in Africa.

[dasgeh]

@Dirt 26479 wrote:

I think this might qualify as a “Tail of woe.”

Only if he didn’t call his pass. I can only assume the he didn’t have a bell. How ELITE!

[Dirt]

Y’all think you have “On your left” problems? I think this might qualify as a “Tail of woe.”

Hope all is well with y’all. We’re having fun in Africa.

[MCL1981]

I’d yield to that.

[Dirt]

To be fair, drivers don’t have it so easy around here either…

Nice doggie!!!

[vvill]

@Dirt 26513 wrote:

Nice doggie!!!

They’re so cute!

[Terpfan]

@Dirt 26482 wrote:

Y’all think you have “On your left” problems? I think this might qualify as a “Tail of woe.”

Hope all is well with y’all. We’re having fun in Africa.

On the bright side, he’s not hugging the middle of the path.

[Author]

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