400E

So my current pet peeve when on my MUP is the occasional rider, usually a male teenager, riding towards me whom I notice as he passes that he's riding hands-off. I reflexively yell something like "Hands on the bars!" as I pass since I think it's pretty rude to ride in the vicinity of another human (pedestrian or cyclist) without full control of the bicycle. All it would take is the front wheel hitting a piece of tree branch on the trail to send that cyclist flying, and there would be a good chance he'd collide with anyone nearby.

Wondering what others think about this?

Cyclist753

Just put your head down and elbows out and brace for impact in case the other rider comes into your lane! I see that a bit where I ride but don't get too excited about it. I put my head down.... lol

FiftySix

I like riding with my hands off the bars with a bike stable enough to make it easy to lean through sweeping turns. It's one way to take a load off the hands for a bit.

I'll admit, I get my hands back on the bars when people or cars are near. I'd do the same if on a narrow path with other bikes coming towards me.

But if I was a unicyclist, I'd be back to not having any hands on the bars. All the time.

400E

ljsense

He's got both hands free to give you the proper salute!

Troul 

I'd mmob. Now if it were breaking a law, then I'd notify the authorities.

redlude97

get off my lawn!

Humpy

Honestly?

I think riding around and yelling at people about stuff like this is incredibly ******y.

woodcraft

Not the battle I would pick.

one4smoke

If it bothered me that much, I'd probably say something to get the message across ...but something not as abrasive. Something along the lines of... "Be careful riding like that, you might hit a piece of branch or something." "Hurt you and someone else!"

philbob57

If he's not riding in a perfectly straight line, I adjust my course to go straight at him. That usually gets his hands on his bars. If he's going straight on smooth paving, I'll let him be. I have more trouble with the kids of 9-12 who can't ride in straight lines.

Koyote

I think that male teenagers generally do the opposite of what adults tell them to do.

Ross520

Pretty much. If someone had yelled at me for that when I was a teenager, I probably would have laughed and used my hands-free operation to give them a special, two-finger salute.

Kids are mean and stupid... Not really much you can do.

Machka 

Spend more time cycling ... less time worrying about what others are doing.

bargo68

Save the yelling for when something actually happens. It feels so much better when you have earned the righteous indignation!

p.s. I work in Berkeley, so I've become immune to people policing my behavior/thoughts.

sumgy

Is there no end to the moaning from cyclists about just about everyone and everything?
You sound like motorists, or old people.

Lemond1985

Glad there are none of these so-called "MUP" things in my area, they sound awful. I get aggravated just reading about them here.

bakerjw

I kind of have to agree with this one.

Dr.Lou

Never give much thought to the handlebar thing. More of a concern for me are skateboarders on the MUT and the risk of an errant board meeting one of my tires.

As a retired cop I am used to putting up with those kind of knuckleheads, which includes arrogant, entitled cyclists. I usually just roll on by and let Darwin sort things out.

downhillmaster

This.
MUP police = silly

FlMTNdude

If I did that on the MUP or many areas of town there would be no time to ride. Usually the no hands is accompanied by a cell phone in hand. Only time I yell is when they are coming at me going the wrong way in a bike lane. My norm is move closer to the curb, let them deal with the consequences.

livedarklions

Playing chicken is never a good way to promote safety. Your post is unclear, are you really pointing your bike at 9-12 year olds? Don't do that, they're prone to panic.

livedarklions

Gotta say, the falling timed just right to collide with someone is pretty far-fetched. And I have never seen anyone riding fast enough no-handed on a mup that they would likely end up "flying." Flopping seems much more likely.

I say something when people are shining bright strobes in my eyes, when they're close-passing small children, pace lining on curvy crowded paths and crowding me out of my lane. Theoretical hazards are not worth the confrontation.

livedarklions

Good thing no one is starting threads complaining about other people's conduct on roads, amirite?

There are sections of MUPs near me that are the closest thing I can find to a several mile closed track. Sorry you're missing out.

indyfabz

Only if he/she almost hit me. Same goes for people swerving intentionally, which I have seen too many adults do. "Please ride in a straight line."