quote:
Originally posted by ShortBuSX:
I just dont believe that you will find a cycling enthusisat that agrees that you should ever honk at "walkers" whatever the situation...
You're reading the post of one of them right now.
Im often on both ends. My fiancee and I bicycle and run in Fairmont Park, in Philadelphia, on the same trail for both.
I shall postulate a few things:
-when exercising outside, the necessity of an ipod or whatnot to pass the 'boringness' is negated... thats why you're outside and not in somne gym facility
-when you are with friends/significant others, thus the need to go two by two, you have each other's company, plus the lack of monotony per my first line, thus doubly less need for ipods or whatnot.
-when you don't have your ipod/cd player/portable radio on, you can hear normal voiced comments from bicyclists behind you, let alone normally hear them coming from behind.
So, what do those three add to? The fact that people on foot just plain don't care and are rude, and thus a safety issue.
The rules of the park permit bicyclists. Bicyclists are typically charged to follow the rules of the road, and then, by extension, pedestrians should be charged to follow their end - stay to the far, far side of the road when moving, and keep in mind that you have the right of way, but it doesnt mean that you won't be killed if using it excessively.
When my fiancee are running, we run side by side. We dont need to wear ipods or whatnot, and when we go, and we hear someone approaching, or tey yell out, we adjust immediately to single-file. problem solved, in fact, no problem.
When we are bicycling, we are aware of pedestrians, and when we are within ten yards, always shout 'on your left' as a matter of awareness, even if they have looked behind and are aware that we are there.
However, there are always the cases where fat broads are chugging along, careless, and dont move, or require three shouts and then get spooked and jump six inches in the air before moving over. What gives? It really isnt 80% of the people on the path... most have the common sense and ability to handle going out and along, even in groups, without issue. It is that last 20% of people who dont care and think they are entitled to do what they please, and that everyone should look out for them.
These people exist on the park paths, on the roadways, in the shopping malls, and every other location that one can think of, except (hopefully) your own house.
For 80% of the pedestrians that are traveling in a group (if youre not in a group, you can be t the far right regardless, and shouldnt need to be alerted to the presnence of a biker at all), there is no issue. For the other 20%, they really do deserve to be hit, or at least honked at.
People dont like irresponsible drivers going below the speed limit in the left lane on a major highway... it is really an analog to the irresponsible, careless pedestrian taking up too much path with bikes trying to pass.
JMH