> I have a really nice brass bell and I use it. Constantly. Especially thru
> the campus portion of the path behind Kohl Center. I'm nice about it with a
> friendly ring-ring... then I pause to see if the pedestrian or rider is
> aware. If their ears are jammed with ear-plugs (about 98% of runners and
> about 50% of bikers), I slow down, move as far left as I can, and proceed. I
> will often use 'passing left' with the bell. About 5-10% of pedestrians or
> bikers will wave and thank me for alerting.
>
When I am passed (dropped is a better way to describe it... in the
racer's lingo), and I don't get any alert by the passing biker, I ring my
bell twice and in a very calm voice say 'passing left.' It's funny, because
they often stop pedaling and look around confused as if someone is passing
them. It's my own educational program... or at least a reminder program. At
times I think I should just give it up, but not doing it is just condoning
unsafe cycling practice. (plus I believe that the paths are not places for
bikers to ride over 12 mph or so)
I commute everyday and I can count on maybe 3-4 hands the number of times
over the past 4-5 months that a passing biker announced 'passing left.'
Fixies are cool but they are the worst; they don't make any noise, so un
announced they really scare the dickens out of me.
Perhaps there is a horn that sounds like a whoopee cushion that I could
reserve for the most aggregious offenders.
Mark E
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 15:46:11 -0500
> From: "Ross, Arthur" <[email protected]>
> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: [Bikies] A Modest Proposal, Bikers Take the High Road /
> Biking Rules Street Code
> Message-ID:
> <
> 36d0bef9a132b14082fb0529343f227c011e71940...@exmbx.cityofmadison.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> B.C. Brown wrote <I'm one of those folks (whether on bike or on foot) who
> is easily auditorily startled (and maybe kinesthetically dyslexic) and
> liable to veer left when I hear "left.">
>
> This is why the recommended passing procedure includes this not quite
> haiku titled Passing
>
> Passing
>
> slow down first
> give audible warning
> wait for reaction
> .
>
> Arthur
>
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