Why do so many people not signal when passing on trails?

[acc]

I think the only time I don’t call out is when I’m tracking more bogeys than Maverick in Top Gun. When I’ve got a monster stroller in front of me and a two ladies on a social ride side-by-side coming at me and a dude hopped up on EPO threading the needle between us– I’m just trying to survive. The other time I may not be loud enough to be heard is on a hill, I sound something like Jessica Rabbit.

I assume the others don’t call out because they figure they’ll be gone so fast it’s not worth the effort. But I hate being startled like that. I couldn’t care less if they zoom past me, but a warning is helpful.

Happy Trails,
ann

[JustinW]

What I have heard in discussions is that, for some, it is perceived as being too much trouble. I think it has to do with a fatigue factor – if you are out on a longer ride at a higher speed, you pass a lot of people and the volume of “On your left”s gets numbing, thus they quit doing it.
On the other hand, if trail users remember that they are on multi-use trails, they, too, have some responsibility for being aware of their surroundings including approaching traffic (from the front and the back). Far too many trail users are oblivious of what’s happening behind them, and sometimes a verbal announcement is too late anyway.
A compounding factor – some trail users don’t like verbal announcements. For whatever reason, I’ve been offered middle digits and various curses when announcing a pass. Curious.
I’ll alternate between verbal announcements and bell ringing. The bell works better over longer distances or with larger packs of trail users. Either way it is hardly foolproof – which may be another reason people don’t warn. Sometimes warnings as simply not heeded.

[CCrew]

Airzound for the win

[StopMeansStop]

@CCrew 4220 wrote:

Airzound for the win

Dukes of Hazard Dixie horn.

[GreyBear]

I think the answer is similar to the answer to the question, why don’t drivers use turn signals? Why wouldn’t you? Once in the 30 some years that I’ve been cycling, I’ve had a runner say F*** you when I said passing on the left. Besides him, I think most people appreciate a warning. A lot of people even thank me for warning them. I use a bell on my commuter bike. It took me a long time to realize that a bell is the best warning device–most people recognize the signal as a bike passing them, I don’t have to announce that I’m female, I don’t have to wear my voice out yelling, and I don’t have to deal with the people who don’t know left from right.
But people just don’t give a warning or they do so when they’re right next to you (OK, I can see you once you’re right there).

[SteveTheTech]

@CCrew 4220 wrote:

Airzound for the win

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYkBHGurj-I
Time 2:14

That is amazing. It is huge and loud enough to scare old and young. Not even a language barrier could misinterpret. This would come in real handy on the W&OD east of Vienna. I feel like I may meet my maker by way of one of those suv strollers and it’s ipod wearing pilot.

@JustinW 4219 wrote:

What I have heard in discussions is that, for some, it is perceived as being too much trouble. I think it has to do with a fatigue factor –

On the other hand, if trail users remember that they are on multi-use trails, they, too, have some responsibility for being aware of their surroundings including approaching traffic (from the front and the back).

A compounding factor – some trail users don’t like verbal announcements. For whatever reason, I’ve been offered middle digits and various curses when announcing a pass. Curious.

Saying it is too much trouble is kind of what I expected. There is no excuse for neglecting such a basic safety item like that. The rider themselves may have complete control but you can never expect the people around you especially if they are children on bikes.

If fatigue is the biggest issue than I would assume their stopping distance is going to be compromised and they should willingly remove themselves from the multi-use trail, as they are knowingly riding in an unsafe manner. If for no other reason that the fact that running down a child in a stroller could end up with the rider being sued, or injuring. Personally I am for running over slow people as much as the next person out there, but some days my wifes MS is acting up and we are the slower riders.

I find it surprising you would have been told to F yourself while following the rules. Then again some people are just mean.

[Joe Chapline]

@GreyBear 4230 wrote:

I think the answer is similar to the answer to the question, why don’t drivers use turn signals? Why wouldn’t you? Once in the 30 some years that I’ve been cycling, I’ve had a runner say F*** you when I said passing on the left. Besides him, I think most people appreciate a warning. A lot of people even thank me for warning them. I use a bell on my commuter bike. It took me a long time to realize that a bell is the best warning device–most people recognize the signal as a bike passing them, I don’t have to announce that I’m female, I don’t have to wear my voice out yelling, and I don’t have to deal with the people who don’t know left from right.
But people just don’t give a warning or they do so when they’re right next to you (OK, I can see you once you’re right there).

I find the bell to be most effective, too. People can hear it from a distance, and usually move over. If I get close enough to shout (I’m not a great shouter), I find that a lot of people turn in my direction when they hear my voice. This is not an excuse for not giving a warning, I’m just saying that pinging the bell from a ways back works best for me, and I think it’s less startling and confusing for the person I’m passing.

[PrintError]

I don’t just shout, I SHOUT. ON YOUR LEFT!!! Most often though I actually yell “PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH!!!” I have a very projecting voice though, and it’s rare for anyone not to hear me.

That said, I feel the pain of the people out there training for the Reston TdF who don’t signal. I usually yell out “NICE SIGNAL” as they pass. They usually tell me I’m number 1!

[acc]

@SteveTheTech 4232 wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYkBHGurj-I
Time 2:14

That is amazing. It is huge and loud enough to scare old and young. Not even a language barrier could misinterpret. This would come in real handy on the W&OD east of Vienna. I feel like I may meet my maker by way of one of those suv strollers and it’s ipod wearing pilot.

If I heard one of those go off I’d assume it was the signal of the start of the apocalypse.

ann

[5555624]

I tend to use both a bell and say, “On your left” (and often, to non-cyclists, “Thanks,” when I pass).

I have noticed more and more people not saying/signaling at all. Lately, more fail to signal than signal. (I know that was the case last Friday, when I was actually keeping track for a while.) I think most are just too self-absorbed and they don’t care about anyone or anything other than themselves. They don’t signal when passing, they cut you off, they don’t stay to the right, they ignore the “bike traffic lights” on the Custis Trail, etc. It’s all part of a trend to less and less etiquette

Years ago, if you had a flat or other problem, it seemed like most people riding by would ask if you needed any help; now, it’s maybe one in ten. (As I fixed a flat, I counted one out of eleven.) The look of surprise I get when I ask someone if they need help also makes it seem like not many people ask.

People are taking their driving mode — once in their car, they’re the center of the universe — to their bikes.

[OneEighth]

That happens every year when the weather gets nice and more people get out on the path.
Lots of 90+ degree days are coming, though, and that always thins the herd.
In the meantime, the only thing any of us can really do is lead by example.
On a related note, how many non-registered users visit this forum? I wonder if many of the strings on etiquette, etc., are just a case of preaching to the choir.

[Joe Chapline]

@OneEighth 4240 wrote:

On a related note, how many non-registered users visit this forum? I wonder if many of the strings on etiquette, etc., are just a case of preaching to the choir.

Google Analytics says there were 2781 unique visitors to the forum in the last 30 days. There are 539 registered users, many of whom probably have not visited the forum in that time period. So it seems that there are lots of non-members that visit. When I log in, there are always more “guests” than “members” viewing the forum, although members who aren’t logged in will also be counted as guests.

[txgoonie]

I was actually going to post something about this after a particularly frustrating 10 mile run on the MVT about a week ago on one of those super hot days. I was working my bum off already and really didn’t appreciate the half-dozen or so shots of adrenaline I got from cyclists who passed me on the same side of the yellow line with no warning whatsoever. And in this one anecdote I’d have to qualify most of those riders as “recreational.” The last couple of months seems to have brought a significant uptick in the number of infractions.

So it got me wondering if it’s not a matter of ignorance. I honestly can’t remember where I learned the rules. Plus, if people haven’t been out there (especially on foot) and been buzzed by somebody going anywhere between 15 and 30 mph, then they don’t know what a shock to the system it is. Or perhaps they think it’s a rule that only applies to serious bikers going hella fast. I wouldn’t mind a sign or two along the major multi-use trails that says something to the effect of, “call out all passes.”

My reactions to uncalled passes range from the polite yet stern “Verbal warning, please,” to the wholly aggressive, “Nice warning, a**hole.” Some people should just know better.

[OneEighth]

Thanks, Joe. I am very glad that the forum is getting lots of visits from non-members. Hopefully, they take something positive away from each visit.
Are you seeing a noticeable seasonal spike in visits?

[skreaminquadz]

1/8 has a point. I”ll bet that the majority of the people on this forum do abide by the rules. I’ll bet the majority of the “buzzers” do not participate in any cycling forum, member or not.

txgoonie – I never truly appreciated the impact of calling out passes until I started running on the trail. While I always have called out passes b/c I knew that I should, I never truly understood it until I used it for non-cycling activities.

[Author]

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