I am mostly familiar with the MUPs of the East Bay Regional Park District in the SF Bay Area. I almost always use my bell when approaching from the rear, and from the front if other users don't seem to be paying attention. I ring several times as I approach (e.g., ding-ding ding, ding-ding-ding, ding-ding-ding) before passing as far away as possible. And I always say thank-you to those who move over, often getting a thanks in return. If anyone is nasty, they still get the thank-you
Several rules for EBRPD trails that are relevant to this thread include: *All Trail Users:* For everyone's safety, *keep to the right* (so no real reason to call out "on your left"). For your safety, headphones are not advised (but not prohibited -- this has consequences). *Bicycles: * Bicycles shall not be ridden at an unsafe speed, or greater than the posted speed limit. (The speed limit is usually 15 mph. However even a walking pace could be considered an "unsafe speed" and a cyclist held responsible for an accident even if proceeding with the utmost caution. As a corollary these trails are NOT for high speed training. If you want to go faster then at least slow down when passing others, or find another venue.) Bells are required on bicycles on Park District trails. (I've known several people who have gotten tickets for not having bells!) - Bicycles always yield to pedestrians. Before passing, SLOW DOWN, ring bell and establish verbal contact. (Yes, slow down. MUPs are for all users. No one should use them in any way that endangers others. But how do you establish verbal contact with the idiot on, for example, an i(diot)Phone with the volume turned up? *Pedestrians: * - Keep to the right when approached by others. (Again, stay to the right unless passing.) - Look behind and to both sides before changing course. (As mentioned elsewhere, runners are particularly bad about this. I had one at the back of a large group literally turn on their toe to reverse direction. I had slowed to a walking pace while waiting a chance to pass the group, so was able to stop. Cheers. On Tuesday, December 27, 2016 at 5:33:06 PM UTC-8, Tim wrote: > > Do you think it's ok, when riding on the path, if you can pass a > walker/runner/family, safely with 3 feet to spare, to go by without > warning? That means not saying "on your left" or something else, or not > ringing your bell if you have one. I ask because I was riding my Roadeo > today (50 degrees here in KC!) and it doesn't have a bell yet. A bell is my > much preferred method of warning that I'm there. But I find that many > people are startled by a bell just as much as "on your left." Or they have > earbuds in and don't here you. Also, my experience with "on your left" is > that 50% of the people who hear that, move to their left. I ALWAYS ride > with the knowledge that pedestrians have the right of way, NO MATTER WHAT. > I give a wide berth to others, really slow down when there's a family, and > try to smile and be friendly. But the more I think about it, it really > seems to me that a warning of any type only works with about half of the > people out there. On the other hand, I passed a woman one day without > warning her, she was on the far right and I was on the far left, at least 5 > feet away, and she was pretty nasty about letting me know she didn't like > it. So sometimes it seems like you just can't win. What do you all think? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
