The Chainlink

Passing other cyclists

Is there a reason that no one ever says "on your left" anymore? I was actually called out for not doing so by a messenger about 3 weeks ago passing him on his left over the brigde heading southbound on Milwaukee, just before Grand/Halsted. I was embarassed but realized that no matter how close or far (I thought I left plenty of room for him to swerve) you are to someone it helps/doesn't hurt to let them know you're there. It's just courtesy. In the weeks since I have been keeping a mental inventory of how many people (generally) actually say anything when passing. So here is my unofficial count from three weeks of rush hour commuting:

-1-

Do cyclists not like doing it? Do they think it is rude itself? I decided to post this today finally after being passed in the rain this morning (9.27.11) on my RIGHT by about a foot, with no warning. 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on September 29, 2011 at 1:37pm

On the other hand, the vehicle (boats, planes, cars, whatever) being passed has the right-of-way. So if you're passing someone, THEY have the right-of-way.

I guess that means that they can swerve, turn, stop . . . whenever they want.

Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on September 29, 2011 at 2:01pm
I always ring my bell
Permalink Reply by Rhea Butcher on September 29, 2011 at 2:57pm
Agreed. I have realized since posting this that making some sort of warning at all is helping out the OTHER person and putting them first. Which we could all use a bit more of on the road, no?
Permalink Reply by Rachel Miller on September 29, 2011 at 3:00pm

First of all, I am one of those cyclists wearing headphones, but I keep the volume so low (and they aren't noise cancelling) that I can hear people talking at a normal level, so I can definitely hear call outs and bells.  In short, don't blare one of those fuggin horns at me or I'm going to be pissed.  There IS a way to be safe while riding with headphones (regardless of the law, which I know.)

 

That said! 

 

I call it out if I have to pass even slightly closely.  If I can overtake a lane to pass, I'll do that and not call it out.  If someone is going to cut hard to the left they'd BETTER look behind them first, anyhow.  I've never had a problem with this.  I have also been behind a cyclist with headphones on the path who couldn't hear me, which is why I will take any route necessary to avoid the LFP.

 

Permalink Reply by Rhea Butcher on September 29, 2011 at 3:12pm

I don't usually have time to look over my shoulder when a car flings their door wide open. I say this because you never know what the OTHER person is dealing with.

 

Headphones are dangerous, imo.

 



Rachel Miller said:

First of all, I am one of those cyclists wearing headphones, but I keep the volume so low (and they aren't noise cancelling) that I can hear people talking at a normal level, so I can definitely hear call outs and bells.  In short, don't blare one of those fuggin horns at me or I'm going to be pissed.  There IS a way to be safe while riding with headphones (regardless of the law, which I know.)

 

That said! 

 

I call it out if I have to pass even slightly closely.  If I can overtake a lane to pass, I'll do that and not call it out.  If someone is going to cut hard to the left they'd BETTER look behind them first, anyhow.  I've never had a problem with this.  I have also been behind a cyclist with headphones on the path who couldn't hear me, which is why I will take any route necessary to avoid the LFP.

 

Permalink Reply by Rachel Miller on September 29, 2011 at 3:31pm

When I said I overtake a lane, I mean that I get all the way over into the center of the left lane.  If someone was in danger of being doored and had to swerve, they'd a. have enough room with me passing that far over and b. would have the same problem if someone shouted "on your left" and proceeded to pass and then someone flings a door open in front of them....

 

I know that I am living outside the law when I wear my headphones, even as low as I do with non-noise cancelling buds.  I'm just saying, maybe one (don't mean you specifically) shouldn't assume that a person with headphones on can't hear you as they might actually be on very low.  I've had conversations at red lights with my headphones in without any trouble.


Rhea Butcher said:

I don't usually have time to look over my shoulder when a car flings their door wide open. I say this because you never know what the OTHER person is dealing with.

 

Headphones are dangerous, imo.

 



Rachel Miller said:

First of all, I am one of those cyclists wearing headphones, but I keep the volume so low (and they aren't noise cancelling) that I can hear people talking at a normal level, so I can definitely hear call outs and bells.  In short, don't blare one of those fuggin horns at me or I'm going to be pissed.  There IS a way to be safe while riding with headphones (regardless of the law, which I know.)

 

That said! 

 

I call it out if I have to pass even slightly closely.  If I can overtake a lane to pass, I'll do that and not call it out.  If someone is going to cut hard to the left they'd BETTER look behind them first, anyhow.  I've never had a problem with this.  I have also been behind a cyclist with headphones on the path who couldn't hear me, which is why I will take any route necessary to avoid the LFP.

 

Permalink Reply by Kyle Gilde on September 30, 2011 at 11:03am

What percent of these riders were using ear-buds? That's also relevant to this topic.

 

I only only say it when I can't leave enough room and zip by quickly. I usually only use my bell to make cars aware that I'm overtaking them.

Permalink Reply by Rhea Butcher on September 30, 2011 at 11:07am

I would say it's about 50%. I don't know on my route that there is a correlation between earbuds and no warnings, as I have been passed super close/rudely by earbud wearing messengers, non-earbud wearing spandex racers, and everything inbetween.


Kyle Gilde said:

What percent of these riders were using ear-buds? That's also relevant to this topic.

 

I only only say it when I can't leave enough room and zip by quickly. I usually only use my bell to make cars aware that I'm overtaking them.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on September 30, 2011 at 11:37am

And has been mentioned earlier, we can't make assumptions about earbuds. Not everyone has them turned up loud enough to block out other sounds. I often wear one in my right ear (the less-trafficky side) and listen to NPR pretty quietly (but not this week as I can't stand the pledge drives). I can definitely hear traffic and bells and greetings from other bikers. So as I pass you (probably not often!) it may look like I'm wearing earbuds, but when you pass me (more likely) it looks like I'm not. Either way I can hear just fine*.

 

* except for the slight hearing loss from the Van Halen concert in Madison in 1984

 

Permalink Reply by David Lieb on September 30, 2011 at 11:40am

I tend to hesitate to use the "on your left" bit because I can't seem to find a non-threatening way of doing it. I never see people moving into my way, but I regularly see people who are not in my way inconveniencing themselves to get out of my way unnecessarily. "Bike back" seems to work better for me, but I was really hoping that a bell would be relatively inoffensive and perhaps penetrating enough to reach the people with earbuds. Maybe not after reading these comments. I do have a "bicycle horn" that I have not carried in years. It is a conch shell (blown like a trumpet) which will simply pick things up and move them aside, but it doesn't make for happy fellow travelers ;-)

 

Permalink Reply by John S. on September 30, 2011 at 12:10pm

I always say "Passing on your left."  When I pass them, I say "thank you."

 

I don't like it when someone passes me without some kind of announcement.  A bell, a whistle, "bike back", some noise, any noise is better than silence.  Especially if a rider is passing at a high rate of speed, it keeps the two of us from colliding.  The rider has no idea if I'm about to move into their lane.  If they announce their presence, we are less likely to collide.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on September 30, 2011 at 12:18pm

I definitely don't like people coming within a foot of me while passing, but it's the responsibility of the person changing a lane to look behind them before doing so.


John S. said:

I always say "Passing on your left."  When I pass them, I say "thank you."

 

I don't like it when someone passes me without some kind of announcement.  A bell, a whistle, "bike back", some noise, any noise is better than silence.  Especially if a rider is passing at a high rate of speed, it keeps the two of us from colliding.  The rider has no idea if I'm about to move into their lane.  If they announce their presence, we are less likely to collide.

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