Originally Posted by
Elvo
I'd say 90% their fault, 10% your fault. Unless there is evidence to the contrary, I assume everyone that I pass is a complete moron and announce my passing.
^^^^ This....
...plus I always slow down and use caution anyway. I always assume I'm about to encounter someone who's about to do something dumb.
I've had joggers pull that crap on me. On an MUP/MUT very recently there was an older couple I was coming up on from behind as I was coming down off a freeway overcrossing (so my speed might have been up above a bit over normal). About 10 yards away I announced my presence ("On your left" or, maybe, it was "Bike on your left!"). They appeared to move to the right...for a moment. The husband (I assume), moved across the trail in front of me to get over to a side trail. Unsafe move but not critical. If that wasn't bad enough, at the last possible moment he reached over, grabbed his wife and pulled her across right in front of me. If I hadn't assumed this guy was about to do something stupid I wouldn't have swerved at that last moment and all 3 of us would have gone down. Someone(s) would have been severely hurt.
This was in the SF Bay Area where people are supposed to be intelligent. However, doesn't matter race, color, religion, gender, etc. etc. people do stupid things and lack the common sense to avoid creating risky and hazardous situations.
Like I imply (or is that "infer") in my signature...always assume the worst possible thing and make alternate plans to avoid that outcome.