Originally Posted by
Snowflake6
Someone went somewhere they weren't expected to be. Given that the person passing had a good view of your wife all the way up until passing, and your wife only saw them at the last minute, I know where i'd place my bet.
Others have said it before and it bears truth in my neck of the woods: Saying "on your left" makes half the riders/walkers move left. Ringing a bell startles people and again you get a 50-50 chance that they'll move into your path. The safest thing is to wait until there's room to pass with a wide berth and a reasonable speed differential.
Exactly. If you give a wide berth, it's really hard for someone to startle SO MUCH that they run into you. And bells and 'on your left' both often startle people. I depend on buzzing freewheel, and noisy breathing to announce my presence and then give a wide berth - especially these days!