Gidgmom

Sounds like a sociopath.



.

mr_bill

The very first "Mom with stroller" on the Minuteman Bikeway was actually a "Dad with stroller," before it even officially opened.

The bridge decks were only rough finished so I had to carry the stroller with my child across the bridges.

One person on a bike who complains about close passes by people in cars saying "we really need a 3 foot passing law" also complains about people talking with their hands while walking on the bike path, and how they "hit me in the shoulder while I passed."

Actual King of the Mup segment - "Stroller Slalom".

-mr. bill

Coasterbrakefan

Yep.

squirtdad

some especailly those who do not slow down when conditions warrant it, but lots of or the typical non bike user behavior is dangerous.... walking 3 or 4 abreast so they can talk, taking both sides of the MUP, dogs of leash, kids off leash, kids who can barely control their bike, skateboard, scooter not being closely watched, dogs on long leashes darting across the path, people darting across the path without looking, people stopping suddenly in the middle of the patch.

which is why i ride hyper aware and will always slow or stop if in doubt and use a bell or call out "on your left.....or on your right if more accurate"

jefnvk

Agreed on your last point, however none of those actions are dangerous in and of themselves. They aren't even dangerous when a cyclist riding appropriately is around them. It is the act of operating a vehicle faster than conditions permit that is the dangerous act, those other actions are simply actions that increase the likelihood that incorrect vehicle operation goes wrong.

All are very inconsiderate and possibly against park rules, though.

Robert C

mumble mumble LEFT!

I don't consider it as effective as saying "passing"


I still sometimes wonder how the convention of shouting "LEFT!" at people, from behind, became the signal for "Please move a little to the right."

I do find it a bit amusing that some cyclists think that they are justified in getting angry at people who, when shouted at, from behind, with the word, " LEFT!" actually move left.

Yes, I think it is a stupid convention.

As far as the topic, like many others, I am suspect of a cyclist with that many injuries.

FBinNY 

It's an example of how something that makes sense in one context fails completely in all other.

On your left didn't start out as a demand that the listener did anything. In fact is was sort of the opposite. It was a simple courtesy called out when there was room to pass, so the passee wouldn't be startled, and also served as a reminder to hold one's line.

As such it represented the utmost in courtesy, comparable to saying excuse me as you passed someone in a crowded super market aisle.

However, it' seems to have become corrupted by cyclists who expect folks to keep the way clear for them, and now is uttered as a command comparable to "get the $%&^ out of my way, *&^%$!!!!!.

The question isn't what to say or not to say, but what are reasonable expectations of clear right of way in heavy traffic.

We are not fire engines or ambulances who can order up a clear road whenever necessary. Those in our way were there first, so as the passer, it's our responsibility to give every courtesy to the passees.

Abe_Froman

Is it just me, or was he singing to the tune of the star wars theme song for a good stretch? Also...it seems pretty poor form to even be riding a bike there in the first place, regardless of the markings...

FBinNY 

Why bad form?

It is a designated bike path, not an MUP, and there's a pedestrian path right next to it. (bikes on one side, pedestrians on the other (but no fence)

So, if there's any bad form involved, it's on the pedestrians not the cyclists. All in all, he's showing good grace and patience. We need more like him on crowed paths and roadways.

Abe_Froman

Well, it was 100:1 ratio pedestrians to bikers. I'm not saying he was a dick or anything, just that a different route would have been more prudent. Doesnt seem like a smart place to take a bike.

Coasterbrakefan

Um, if that's the case, then I guess it's "prudent" of me to ride on the road. Lot's of times it's a 100:1 ratio cars to bikes. What about when 99% of people are breaking the law and going over the speed limit? It's "prudent" of me to do the speed limit because I'm a minority?! WTF is this? Majority rules?! There are rules! Whether everyone follows them, everyone disobeys them, somewhere in between, whatever! The rules stand. I have a right to the road, he has a right to the trail. They're breaking the law, he and I are not! Seriously, WTF.

Hoopdriver

I believe he was riding over the Brooklyn Bridge. Not many options for a different route unless he has one of these:

FBinNY 

not that many choices unless he can swim. This is coming ogg a bridge.

Abe_Froman

I'm not familiar with the area obviously. is the street on the bridge a normal surface street, or is it an expressway of some sort? It's sort of hard to tell from the video. If it's not a safe-ish street, then yea obviously he's fine and I'm wrong

FBinNY 

This is a pedestrian and bike lane, elevated above the roadway of the Brooklyn Bridge. There's not enough space to build the Champs Elysees, so we make do by dividing it, bikes on one side, pedestrians on the other. This is what it's supposed to look like, but of course it doesn't.

nycphotography

If I have to pass someone who seems unpredictable, FIRST I MOVE to the left*, THEN I simply bark "hyup! hyup!" as I approach. They hear that I am coming and am on their left and instinctively know to move right, or at least to cringe in place and NOT move left. I find people are unprecitably stupid and since words take thought to understand, process then respond to, I prefer to communicate directly with the reptilian brain.

* or on the right, depending, as (some) people are stupid and randomly walk wherever they please without thinking or looking, and (some) cyclists are also stupid and ride wherever they please without thinking or looking. I sometimes force my (lower speed) pass with whatever sliver of pavement they leave available, and bark to let them know where I'm coming.

If someone is walking on the right, or a group is walking single file, I don't expect them to move. They have a right to be there, they have a right to be SAFE, and they have a right to not be harrassed or buzzed for being there.

If they are two abreast, but only blockng one side, and traffic is light, I'll just pass them on the other side of the path/trail/"mup road".

However, if some gaggle of morons is meandering along blocking the whole path, I will yell MOVE! as I approach or pass. Sometimes more than once.

And if they are two abreast and traffic is heavy, and everyone else is having to swerve and dodge to get around them (ala the GWB path, or the QB path) then I will yell "SINGLE FILE!" as I approach and/or pass.

And I think that even when walking around NYC widealks, let alone a shared path, women w/ double wide strollers walking two abreast are really. effin. self. absorbed. and. rude.

But mostly its about traffic. No traffic, and I can work around one blockage of idiots and keep going no problem. Lots of traffic, and the idiots (both walkers AND idiots on bikes) just wear me out.

I almost never ride shared paths... I'd rather be in traffic on Riverside than ride on the west side bike path. But at the river crossings there is just no alternative.

nycphotography

Bad form? Basically, there are 4 ways into manhattan for a cyclist coming from the east: Brooklyn Bridge (which this looks like, Manhattan side by City Hall / Chinatown), Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge all go into downtown. Queensboro bridge goes into Midtown.

The problem with the Brooklyn Bridge crossing is that it is a tourist thing to walk across the bridge, and they clog up almost every available inch of space. The only real way to solve the problem would be a $5 toll and not letting more than X people onto the bridge until someone gets off the other end. Not really gonna happen.

Most commuters use the Manhattan bridge because there are few pedestrians. A lot use the Billyburg, because its wider and you can kinda get around the pedestrians. No sane uses the Brooklyn bridge during the day by choice, so I can't say why this guy is there. Bad form? I dunno maybe. But really you just have to yell at the tourists. Just because.

TenSpeedV2

I would much rather ride on the road with traffic than on an MUP with what I call white cord zombies - those plugged in, ass deep in their phone or the ever familiar white cords of headphones dangling from their ears. When I leave my apartment complex, there is just under 2 miles of MUP that I use to get to the road and 90% of people are plugged in and not paying attention.

mr_bill

You do know that some of the people who are distracted by things in their ears while walking are also distracted by 1.21 gigawatt (DBR, actuall wattage may be lower) ICE while driving?

-mr. bill

ZmanKC

Personally, I say "Passing on your left".

rumrunn6

ha! I remember when my Dad once said: "your Mother & I don't like it when you refer to us as your folks"

Coasterbrakefan

Love Sunday comics!

Gallo

fact is indeed stranger than fiction

dude has a broken hand with no intention of slowing down because he simply does not like to and because of his broken hand cannot

Yells "hot Pizza" still working on this one

pedestrians are on right so he passes on far right

plows into the pedestrian then yells at her but in his defense according to him he was yelling a babies in strollers which makes perfect sense in bizzaro world

cannot fathom others do not know what hot pizza means as they should turn smile and get the hell out of his way in the land of hot pizza

faceplants (becomes somewhat pizza face like) and posts on facebook how stupid the lady was for being on the trail the same time as he was there (agreed folks should know better to be there if hot pizza is on the trail)

Wishes he had a go pro to record it all ( don't we all wish that as well oh brother that would get some hits)

Then complains that folks are pissed because he is a man and if a woman yelled hot pizza ran over an old lady off trail on the right and then screamed at babies nobody would be upset

Is this guy on Strava because I want to follow him at this point. I think that section should be named Hot Pizza from this day forward but only on the climb fro pr's of course