How to excuse your self in the path of pedestrians

[Rainu]

The swiss solution:

 

 

[meepmeepmayer]

On 3/18/2019 at 11:49 AM, Rainu said:

The swiss solution:

Way ahead of you

 

[Leswheelers La BD]

It reminds me some pages of my comic book 
 

 

Edited March 19, 2019 by Leswheelers La BD

[Bluefield]

I very much like @mrelwood 's solution. A simple bicycle bell. Here in Europe, everyone knows 'the sound'.  It's in a universal language. Horn's, yelling, loud music ... startle people. They pause too long before they react.    I'm not too keen on the idea of wearing it on my finger, in case of a fall.  Maybe attach it on your wrist guard, waist belt or backpack strap. 

The funniest solution (Air Horn) was posted by @Enthusiast  :  "It's a cycle lane, you prick!"

 

 

[Rainu]

Yess, works perfect!

 

[Seba]

I use simpliest possible solution. When approaching, I call loudly enough to be heard but with a polite tone:

- Excuse me Madam/Sir!

Rarely I need to repeat. This always causes pedestrian to give way, often with a smile. So I finish the overtaking manoeuvre by passing pedestrian and responding, also with a smile:

- Thank you very much!

That's all!  It works all the time. No additional gear needed. No risk on injuring the finger with bell on, no risk of the reactions to such unusual jewelry  Sometimes I get additional benefits in form of charming smiles sent by cute girls that I overtake or pass 

[Rainu]

The bell is easier. People hear it, and sre thinking it is a bicycle and go to the side. They do not turn around.

[Seba]

1 minute ago, Rainu said:

The bell is easier. People hear it, and sre thinking it is a bicycle and go to the side. They do not turn around.

Probably it depends on country. In Poland, for example, using a bell for pedestrians walking on the sidewalk is seen as an expression of arrogance or rudeness.

[Rainu]

Yes, true. Here it is well known..

[meepmeepmayer]

2 hours ago, Rainu said:

Yess, works perfect!

I can't speak from experience, but I'd be terrified of the bell ripping on my finger (or my finger off) in an unlucky crash. I'd always affix the bell on the top side of my wrist guards instead.

Not a problem in your case as it seems to be held only be a rubber band, thought I'd just mention it for the general case. I'd be very afraid of a "bell ring" on the finger.

[Smoother]

1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

I can't speak from experience, but I'd be terrified of the bell ripping on my finger (or my finger off) in an unlucky crash. I'd always affix the bell on the top side of my wrist guards instead.

Not a problem in your case as it seems to be held only be a rubber band, thought I'd just mention it for the general case. I'd be very afraid of a "bell ring" on the finger.

When I can find it (not very often) I have a small bicycle bell which I wear on a finger too.  BUT...to reduce/prevent injury in a fall, I removed the bolt that is usually used to tighten it to a bike handlebar.  It grabs my finger through the stiffness of the plastic alone, and can be pulled off in any direction, as the plastic gives under load.

I have two problems with bells or any high frequency, monotone device:

1. some people STILL do nothing, or move the wrong way, or stop dead, blocking the path, or one moves left and one moves right, and still block the path.

2. Some people don't hear the bell, either from deafness, hearing loss in higher frequencies due to old age, or wearing headphones (ear buds), or noisy environment, or any combination.

My recommendation is to use your bell well in advance of the time you would need to take avoidance action if the response was unfavorable, and keep using it ( the close you get the louder it sounds to them) until the desired reaction is achieved or you have to take avoidance action. Always have a plan if they act in an unfavorable way.  Running into people from behind, who you can clearly see, is not an option.

There are  additional advantages to ringing early...people appreciate it, because it doesn't take then by surprise, and it gives them more time to react, and you more time to counter react.

Sneak up behind people and suddenly make a loud noise and people get shocked and sometimes angry (witness air horn cyclist video above) and there is less time for them to do the right thing before you are right up on them.

FYI, when I have the bell I often ring it for people who aren't blocking the way, so they don't get a shock when I whizz by (never too close). Failing that the old standby "on your right/left" works fine.

[Guest PogArt Artur]

33 minutes ago, Smoother said:

When I can find it (not very often) I have a small bicycle bell which I wear on a finger too.  BUT...to reduce/prevent injury in a fall, I removed the bolt that is usually used to tighten it to a bike handlebar.  It grabs my finger through the stiffness of the plastic alone, and can be pulled off in any direction, as the plastic gives under load.

I have two problems with bells or any high frequency, monotone device:

1. some people STILL do nothing, or move the wrong way, or stop dead, blocking the path, or one moves left and one moves right, and still block the path.

2. Some people don't hear the bell, either from deafness, hearing loss in higher frequencies due to old age, or wearing headphones (ear buds), or noisy environment, or any combination.

My recommendation is to use your bell well in advance of the time you would need to take avoidance action if the response was unfavorable, and keep using it ( the close you get the louder it sounds to them) until the desired reaction is achieved or you have to take avoidance action. Always have a plan if they act in an unfavorable way.  Running into people from behind, who you can clearly see, is not an option.

There are  additional advantages to ringing early...people appreciate it, because it doesn't take then by surprise, and it gives them more time to react, and you more time to counter react.

Sneak up behind people and suddenly make a loud noise and people get shocked and sometimes angry (witness air horn cyclist video above) and there is less time for them to do the right thing before you are right up on them.

FYI, when I have the bell I often ring it for people who aren't blocking the way, so they don't get a shock when I whizz by (never too close). Failing that the old standby "on your right/left" works fine.

I'm appreciate very much your tale @Smoother...

You've touched good points, we just can't predict which way they'll move, lol

Today I was just asking them politely - excuse me please - so they did

But I'm keep thinking to start using some kind of bicycle bell or such, to start ringing as you said @Smoother in advance, earlier ...

So they will start hearing the alert from far , and the sound level will get increasing while I'd getting closer...

Just to make them aware, that something is going on behind them

[Marty Backe]

 

[Rehab1]

 

[Smoother]

17 minutes ago, Rehab1 said:

 

"DING DING"

[Marty Backe]

41 minutes ago, Rehab1 said:

 

[Marty Backe]

24 minutes ago, Smoother said:

"DING DING"

Hey, people dressed as bushes that jump out at people scare the sh!t out of them, but it's still funny and they laugh at it 

Edited April 14, 2019 by Marty Backe

[Smoother]

5 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

Hey, people dressed as bushes that jump out at people scare the sh!t out of them, but it's still funny and they laugh at it 

They sometimes get punched in the face too  Now that's funny

Edited April 14, 2019 by Smoother

[monocle]

On 5/15/2018 at 4:16 AM, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

Yell out loudly "AhhhhhhhHHHhhHH  LOOK OUT!!!!  OUTTA DA WAY!!!!" while waving your hands all around and weaving randomly.  (Doing it on one leg works even better!)   I find that people jump clear real fast when you do that.  

This is like my driving technique for getting people to let me merge. Works especially well if they have a nice car.

[Rehab1]

2 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

Hey, people dressed as bushes that jump out at people scare the sh!t out of them, but it's still funny and they laugh at it 

That sounds fun! If we ever going riding I’ll need to remember that. 

[Rywokast]

ill usually just ride up somewhat close to them (not dangerously or enough to scare them) and 99 out of 100 times they will hear or know im there and kindly shuffle aside a bit.. bonus for having a kingsong, unless youre totally deaf youre gonna hear that motor lol.. if theres enough room (1.5x the size of the euc) i will pass them going slightly faster than they are walking.. if for whatever reason they dont hear me at all ill cough or clear my throat or something lol, if not ill just ride behind them until the chance to pass comes up.. i dont have a problem going walking speed or slower if i have to

Edited April 15, 2019 by Rywokast

[NylahTay]

With me continually at the max speed of my Ninebot S1, they hear the constant beep of the wheel telling me to slow down way before I pass them lol. 

[Heyzeus]

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 4:27 PM, Marty Backe said:

Hey, people dressed as bushes that jump out at people scare the sh!t out of them, but it's still funny and they laugh at it 

I bet she was on the right and you were like, "hmm the left looks like a good side to pass on" and then as you got closer she just moved across the path narrowing your passing window space before you could re-adjust.

 

I swear this thing has like some sort of gravitational pull to it that causes pedestrians to meander on over to the side you want to pass on.  If i'm not getting stuck dealing with people walking in the bike lane on campus, then i'm getting stuck dealing with people who walk all over the sidewalk rather than staying to one side or maintaining a straight-ish line.

On campus, we have 2 side by side bike lanes, one for each direction...

The other day a guy was walking in the middle of the bike lane, in the bike lane for going the direction I was going, except he was walking towards me, looking at his phone.  I just slowed down real slow, like walking speed, stayed centered in the lane, and when I was a few feet away was like,  "dude, bike lane"....he goes, "oh sorry" and moves.  le sigh

[Marty Backe]

4 hours ago, Heyzeus said:

I bet she was on the right and you were like, "hmm the left looks like a good side to pass on" and then as you got closer she just moved across the path narrowing your passing window space before you could re-adjust.

 

I swear this thing has like some sort of gravitational pull to it that causes pedestrians to meander on over to the side you want to pass on.  If i'm not getting stuck dealing with people walking in the bike lane on campus, then i'm getting stuck dealing with people who walk all over the sidewalk rather than staying to one side or maintaining a straight-ish line.

On campus, we have 2 side by side bike lanes, one for each direction...

The other day a guy was walking in the middle of the bike lane, in the bike lane for going the direction I was going, except he was walking towards me, looking at his phone.  I just slowed down real slow, like walking speed, stayed centered in the lane, and when I was a few feet away was like,  "dude, bike lane"....he goes, "oh sorry" and moves.  le sigh

Exactly! I think you can see that in the video. We usually pass on the left anyway, so that was my trajectory. But of course she does as you say 

I don't blame people too much (I am one after all). They aren't expected bicycles or anything else that could rapidly over take them. I am surprised however in the number of people in urban settings that don't look before crossing paths 

[Daley1]

I have decided to use the off road capability of my KS 16s and ride over the top of them!