Joe Bikerider

I want to start a new thread about encounters I have had that day along my usual roads and MUPs.

Starting now. This morning the weather (SF Bay area) is just great so I went out for a ride. I like to go in a loop that includes a major MUP (Iron Horse Trail) and then off of that through some quiet neighborhoods. I usually get a snack at Larkey Park and then go back home on a smaller MUP that runs along a canal. (Contra Costa Canal). So everything was very nice except coming along that trail I encountered two runners, male and female, standing blocking the path. So I tried to be kind of polite and said "Get out of the way". Not that loud. I got a "you get out of the way" response from the male and dodged past them. No big deal but do you really need to stand there? I understand that running can also be a form of mating ritual that would explain the male's response but hey can't we all just get along?

Your turn.

rumrunn6

some ppl, yeesh

FBOATSB

Do cyclists have the right of way and can tell peds to "get out of the way" on the MUPs in the SF Bay area? Just trying to learn here.

shelbyfv

I wasn't able to ride today but maybe I'll have something to post in tomorrow's thread. Or Friday's....

Iride01 

"Get out of the way" probably sounds more like a command no matter how politely you try to say it. Because pretty much it is a command. Might have done better with a "heads up" or "bike up" or for a more friendly way to alert them of your presence, just say "hello".

csport

I have recently been in the Bay Area and rented a bike. Encountered some hills.

SpedFast

2 teenagers on motorized dirt bikes followed by 9 adults all on ebikes varying in age 20's to 60's plus coming straight at me on the wrong side of the road going what appears to be at least 20MPH. The only ones with helmets or riding gear of any kind were the 2 kids on the dirt bikes and they were the only ones that seemed to have a concept of road etiquette as they quickly swerved over to the proper side of the road. Even though I have the right of way, I'm not sure what to do here.so I held my course and slowed down to a crawl while all the adults passed by on other side of me while giving me dirty looks for not getting out of their way. One of the older gentlemen even called me a rude ahole before I responded very loudly with "Your on the wrong side of the road you $#@$ idiots!" I was polite and smiling up to that point.

rsbob 

A study was recently release about how to get people to comply. One group had commands - similar to the OP. The other had people ask nicely, using the word please and thank you. People commanded to comply immediately became resentful and stubborn - no surprise. Those asked politely 90% of the time complied with no issues. No rocket science there.

I watch a lot of Pro tennis, and when the crowd gets loud and crazy, rather than the referee yelling, shut up, they always use Please. Works every time.

indyfabz

That’s what passes for kind of polite these days? Sad.

Do you say the same to someone needlessly blocking, say, the grocery store aisle?

rsbob 

And today’s Get Off My Lawn award goes to Joe. Congratulations.

alcjphil

In the past, I used to teach new riders to our cycling club sensible rule to adhere to when riding on the roads. One of the most difficult lessons to teach was how to get them off the road when the group had to stop for any reason. Me? if I have to stop on a road or bike path I get out of the way of others

datlas 

I usually say “excuse me! Rider coming through!”

#diplomacy

CAT7RDR

Mups...

Chuck M 

I've always been successful with just announcing bike or on your left. It gets me a friendly wave instead of the hostility the OP received.

indyfabz

One pet peeve of mine when leading club rides is when experienced riders would stop and block the road when someone had a mechanical.

On one organized club metric I had to pass 3 guys who were changing a flat in the roadway when there was at least 6’ of nice grass to accomplish that.

It’s amazing how so many people don’t realize how their actions affect others.

mpetry912 

I ride thru a park on my daily route and there is a tarmac trail about 20 feet wide. people with pet leashes take up the entire width of it, oblivious to the possibility that there might be oncoming traffic.

I find that a bell works well. If not, click the brake levers. Or say something like "coming up"

strictly speaking peds have the "right of way" but most people get it that it's there for all so mutual accomodation is a generally accepted principle.

non confrontational.

/markp

SpedFast

Self absorbed.

squirtdad

get out of my ways does not seem productive

Mups are a pain

I like a bell, can do a light ring and get louder

I got a new bike and the when coasting the white industries hub has that loud buzz that my previous hubs did not that seems to help,

so 1) coast 2) ring 3) repeated rings 4) On your left

mschwett 

no, of course not. peds have the right of way, bikes yield to peds. of course there are still rules of the path that peds should abide by, but even if they're not abiding, you have to yield to them.

same. 99% of the time "excuse me" gets the desired result.

yep.

SurferRosa

Next time, scream it at them and append an "I can't stop this crazy thing!" onto the end of it. They'll move.

Wildwood 

Move to Santa Cruz - no question that the wandering sightseerers, surfer dudes, skateboarders and dogs always take the right of way. Bicycles are vehicles, best ridden where pedestrians seldom trod and often take their pets and children when they do.

edit: Does Walnut Creeked still have the stigma of snootiness? Or is it trending Martinez? Been a while since I was there.

wolfchild

You said the wrong thing and you got what you deserved....Next time ring your bell and if you don't have a bell then go buy one.

indyfabz

livedarklions

Bells suck in a situation like that. A simple "excuse me" would have sufficed.

nomadmax 

Zactly ^.

And would be shocked when someone rapped him on the beak for it.