TiHabanero

Out riding this morning around 10am and come up on a woman walking her dog on a 15 foot leash. Approaching from behind I watch her steadily move from the right tire track to the middle of the road as that is the direction the dog is pulling her. She is face down into a cell phone, oblivious to her surroundings. I let out a whistle and go around her. As I go around I simply say to her, "You are going to get hit". The dog barks and she starts yelling at me as I pedal away.

Sure, I may have startled her, but I may also have saved her life. Ungrateful.

CliffordK

Did she yell back to you that you'll get HIT?

I see a lot of walkers on bike paths, but generally those on the roads are pretty well off on the road shoulders, except at least one low-speed road up in Portland with no road shoulders that people just walk down the middle of the road (and generally move aside for cars).

I did see a guy a couple of days ago happily walking down the bike path, right next to the sidewalk.

Daniel4

This thread is in the same line as the one about seeing other cyclists doing something wrong do you tell them?

Opinions are split.

Milton Keynes

Just another social media zombie. They're everywhere... people wandering around with their heads down looking at their phones, totally unaware of their surroundings.

rumrunn6

sounds like a harsh reaction. I'm not a dog owner/walker, so I wonder if they are regularly subjected to criticisms from ppl about their dog, in general, that would cause such a reaction

indyfabz

I have physically grabbed two different cell phone zombies to prevent them from walking out into traffic at corners.

The way I see it, she owes you a pizza. The reality is is that she probably continued her same behavior.

During my commute home yesterday afternoon I had to smack a minivan. Driver was on the phone. It was pressed against the right side of her face. She was in the bike lane, moved out as I was approaching her from behind and then drifted back as I was starting to pass her. I yelled. Got no response, so I gave the side of her van an open-handed smack and yelled "Hang up and drive!". She moved left, but at no time did she alter her behavior vis-à-vis the phone.

TiHabanero

Perhaps the best move would have been to whiz past her and the dog out in the middle of the road and let natural selection take its course.

Paul Barnard

The devious side of me wants to get one of those canned air horns one day and serve a good wake up to the oblivious.

Daniel4

Speaking of ungrateful, have you read the thread about niceholes?

Moe Zhoost

Wow! Why not just accept that some folks are in their own little world and just ease past them in the safest but least challenging way. You got the reaction that you prodded her for and now it's bugging you.

Tulok

I don’t think it helps to say stuff. An extra friendly good morning from deep within will temporarily snap a zombie out of it and simultaneously, hopefully, help them realize that other people actually get up in the morning too.

MikeyMK

Never try to drive your point during an argument. Defensiveness makes a very solid wall. Leave it to hindsight. It penetrates like WD40.

genec

Airzounds are wonderful for this.

Paul Barnard

The best chain lube available!!!

Miele Man

I got dumped on a MUP a long time ago. How? Woman had her dog on a very long retractable leash that was not visible due to its colour and thinness. She was on one side of the path and the dog was in the the bushes on the other side of the path. As I passed her whilst giving her plenty of room, the dog moved further into the bushes, the leash snapped taut across the path and went above my front wheel and down I went. I got some scrapes from the dirt and crushed limestone trail surface. She never even said she was sorry. I detest those long retractable dog leashes and think people allowing them to run all the way out on a MUP are inconsiderate idiots.

Cheers

Rollfast

It strips grease IIRC, not the best.

OldTryGuy

Every bike I have has a BELL. Dog + Human = Bell rung about 100' away. If only the dog responds by looking at me I ring again and again until the inattentive human responds.

Problem averted.

howardv

Retractable leashes aren't meant for the sidewalks or streets. Here is a video I caught on my dashcam showing a dog running into the street and almost getting run over because the owner wasn't paying attention with the retractable leash (keep your eyes on the right side of the screen)