AzTallRider

I'm with PaulRivers on most counts, in that it is difficult to predict how someone is going to react to any kind of generic signal. Here in Phoenix, a bell would just confuse them, causing them to stop and turn around, probably making it more difficult for you to get by. "On your left" has a clear meaning to other cyclists - not so much to a pedestrian - they may not hear it clearly, or hear it clearly and misinterpret. I've evolved to where I basically tell the pedestrians what I would like them to do, which is usually to just keep doing what they are doing. So my calls typically go like this:

"Bike coming by on your left... plenty of room... great... thank you very much!"

If a group is completely blocking the path, I'll slow down more, let them decide how to make room:

"Bike coming through! Ok.. great... thanks a bunch!"

Then there is the group of teenagers walking around after school:

"Bike coming through... Hey... HEY!!! Make a HOLE!" Then they'll move just enough for you squeeze through them, brushing on both sides. No thank you offered to these folks.

Skateboarders? Your life in their hands... no way to make it easy. Ditto for BMXers. Lots of advance directions: "Move to your RIGHT, dude!"

Then their was the rare cyclist going the same direction as me (the more common commute is the other way) that totally ignored the "On your left" by drifting to that side, then responded to "Okay, then on your RIGHT" by drifting that way. So I yelled loader "Dude, can you hear me?" Got no response even though he had already turned around once and of course started pedalling faster (there was a 5mph+ difference in our speeds). So I yelled something like "Pick a side and stay there!" and got past him on the left as fast as I could. I think he was trying to maintain his speed through the curvy area, and just couldn't stay to one side.

My favorites, though, are the ped's that will come from a cross path, looking some other direction than the one they are moving, as they hit the main MUP. WTF?

I'm fortunate - there isn't enough traffic to slow me down or cause delays. I can go as fast as the curves, and my fitness, will let me: 14-20mph for the roughly 6 miles of my commute that is on the paths.

paul2432

I use MUPs from time to time both on foot and on bike. On foot, I don't need or desire a warning (bell or otherwise) from approaching cyclists unless they actually need me to do something other than continue straight ahead. Go around and all is good. It puzzles me why so many here are shocked when they get passed by a bike on a MUP.

On the bike I use a similar approach. If I can go around a pedestrian or slower bike, I simply go around.

In the case of dogs or children, I'll usually slow down enough to be able to come to a full stop if needed, get the attention of the parent or pet owner, and then go around.

Paul

chipcom 

I don't bother with a bell....I'm not a mute and I find that a simple "passing" or "bike passing" or "x bikes passing" works best for me.
MUPs are nice when you are not in a hurry and just out to enjoy the ride, the day and the scenery.

I kinda like veering into the path of muppet racers too....the looks of fear and panic on their wittle faces is priceless!

myrridin

Replace cyclist in all of the above with motorist and pedestrian, walker, jogger, etc. with cyclist and most of the above comments would sound much like those driver say about cyclists...

slcbob

+1. I'm late to this thread but it looks like my (evil?) twin posted my thoughts.

I see more 3-4-abreast runners or double wide jog stroller mamas than I do cyclists, but all are equally selfish.

slcbob

Agree with others who slow give a wide berth to the obviously confused and unpredictable.

After seeing more than one determined, know-where-they're going jogger or walker bang a Crazy Ivan-esque U-turn at random spots into stealth passing bikers, I'm not a fan of the stealth pass. It strikes me as the big sky, little bullet theory of airspace deconfliction. Besides being a bit rude.

I hate "on your left." I agree with those that say it usually works, but I do accept that it lures those occasional contrarians into the kill zone. For that reason, I think the non-denominational "passing" works better. When I am sans bell, that what I use.

My regular commuter has a bell and I use it regularly. About 5 seconds back. I find I do have a voice and it works just fine, but the bell carries better over a greater distance and that distance matters. I don't feel like shouting to project as much as I would have to. I'd rather ring at 5 seconds than speak/shout at 1-2 before pass.

YMMV.

Mack3601

What does MUP stand for?

no motor?

Multi Use Path, Multiple Use Path, Mutli User Path etc... think bike path with pedestrians and dogs

wphamilton

To emphasize multi-use: it belongs to the toddler, and his family standing around, just as much as to anyone whizzing by on a bike. They're where they're supposed to be doing what they're supposed to do. Considered a "public park" in some areas.

Very old thread BTW.

Archwhorides 

And the issues haven't changed one iota in seven years! Humans!

Mack3601

I only signed up for this forum a couple of months ago so I have a lot of reading to do. :-)

wphamilton

Looks like only another seven years to go through then

SylvainG

I know I'm replying to a 7 years old thread but that bolded sentence reminded me of the funniest 'incident' I saw in a MUP. A couple were taking both line of the MUP and walking away from me. So I rang my bell. The one on the left went right and the one on the right went left so we ended up where we started. We laughed at the situation and the one on the left moved back right and I thanked them while I passed.

snowman40

I haven't been here in about 7 years...I have a new scourge - bike clots on MUPs. So bad here that I stick to the roads and less used MUPs most of my rides.

bobwysiwyg

What's a bike clot? Just curious.

SylvainG

I think he means so many people on the MUP that it's dangerous to bike on it. That's the way I took it.

bobwysiwyg

Gotcha, like as in blood clot.

wphamilton

But blood = bikes: too many "bikers", not people in general, is how I read it. It's funny, he was just ambiguous enough that we all interpret it with our own pet peeves and one of mine is is a group of bikes all bunched up, taking up most of the path when they can and going slow. You can't safely get around them.

Crashola

Here's a pic of our local MUP:

no motor?

Nice!

HardyWeinberg

With our MUP and its side trails being thoroughly colonized by the outdoor living community it's been ages since I've had to deal with power walkers or stroller pushers.

Elessar

We've installed bells on our bikes and use them regularly. Most of those we pass are considerate even if they glare at you for "ringing" the bell like an annoyance. The big problem now, when thinking about the age of this thread, is the use of headphones on the MUP and how as many as 50% of those sharing the path can't/don't/won't hear you at all and place everyone at risk. No amount of ringing or yelling is going to pierce the oblivious haze in which these power walkers are locked into and it's simply a mess. I have allowed myself to ride off the path onto the grass in an effort to maintain a safe distance between my bike and the other user. Some passes can be scary and you can watch them "jump" when startled.

Doohickie

There's a portion of our local MUP that's much busier than the rest of it. When traveling that section, you just have to prepare to slow down and take your time. Lots of pedestrians in those areas are beginners or tourists and they simply don't expect there to be bicycles or know the general rules. Fortunately for much of that stretch there are two paths side-by-side: A paved path favored by cyclists, and a crushed gravel path favored by pedestrians. Unfortunately that's not a hard and fast rule, so you get gravel grinder cyclists on the stone and pedestrians on the paved portions. But it does spread out the traffic. In this example, the stone path is closer to the river and the concrete path is further from the river.