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When encountering walkers or cyclists coming towards me on a trail, I've always passed on my left, i.e. the same way cars would (in the UK). Seemed to work well enough for the last 35+ years. But over the last couple of months I've been encountering people steadfastly picking the opposite line; enough that it's a 'thing,' forcing me to swing right round them (or, in the case of a couple of e-moto ****s on my canal commute, stop for a few words). Did somebody change the rules and not send me a memo?
there are no rules so there was no memo to send - but... passing on the left is normal imho and anyone who tries to go the other way gets a sharp stare and a grunt from me. Just the same as people trying to walk straight through you in the street really, happening more and more often.
While you'd be advised to do something similar to the road, there is no rule that applies when off road. Trail conflict happens when two users have opposing views - my mantra is slow down, be polite, smile. Try to leave a good impression and retain the high ground to other trail users.
my mantra is slow down, be polite, smile.
Absolutely, do all that (except when someone on an illegal motorbike rides at high speed straight at me on a shared use path). It's just a recent weird uptick I'm seeing.
Or walkers coming towards you, see you, then split to opposite sides of the path, and then realise they're split and do another swap, ending up on the opposite sides to each other again, act confused and look like they're about to swap over again, and then wonder why you've stopped 😆
Yeah that, a tug on the arm means swap sides, not move to one side.
And it is the law that dogs have to walk on the other side as walkers.
And also the law that small children have to ride on the other side as accompanying parents.
I'm in Germany, and worked out that if you have brakes the wrong way around, then when you slow down with front brake to pass you actually end up doing a massive rear wheel skid on gravel and startle them out of the way 😉 Even when Mavis or Herbert didn't hear the bell 50 metres earlier.
Confusingly, when walking on the road you should be on the right hand side, facing the oncoming traffic. Perhaps that's part of the explanation?
Yes, I'd considered that, but it doesn't explain the change in behaviour. Chain of thought sparked yesterday by a walker on the PBW below Stoodley Pike who seemed somewhat tense and angry, and not conducive to any pleasant interaction...
I don’t expect to pass pedestrians on the left; I understand that they may feel they should face the oncoming (bike) traffic and am prepared to pass them either side. I know what you mean about bikes though - a load of people seem to want me to ride to the (my) right of them. This seems to have been happening for a while though on the cycle track that I commute along. I have no idea why. Sometimes they get grumpy about me automatically sticking to the left side of the cycle path.
Just say "Bonjour" if they insist on riding on the right. They may or may not get it.
And it is the law that dogs have to walk on the other side as walkers.
Usually with an extending lead connecting them.
Or walkers coming towards you, see you, then split to opposite sides of the path, and then realise they're split and do another swap, ending up on the opposite sides to each other again, act confused and look like they're about to swap over again, and then wonder why you've stopped 😆
This is my favourite, always makes me chuckle.
On waterways, is there not some kind of pecking order where the least powerful boat gets priority? I might have dreamt this. I kind of apply this to the canal path - on my bike, I think I should yield to everyone (except the motor-powered); when I'm running I yield to pedestrians but expect cyclists to yield to me, and so on.
I've always moved to the left when something is coming towards me (unless I'm on a path at the side of the ride and then I move to the right so I'm at the road and the person passes away from the road).
I found out on Sunday that not everyone does as the jogger who didn't spot me until the last minute moved to the right to then block me (after I'd moved to the left to avoid him). I moved left again and caught the Heras fencing and got launched over the bars...
On waterways, is there not some kind of pecking order where the least powerful boat gets priority?
Power gives way to sail.
Which is an argument that slowly looses its appeal as the unstoppable tanker is baring down on your Mirror.
Everyone was behaving and obeying The Law today, equilibrium is restored.
Slightly off thread, but I had a lady say that "how rude I was using my bell, when a simple excuse me would have been fine!" You just know that next time I say excuse me, they'll have a pop that I didn't use my bell..
And don't get me started on the couples that split then stand either side of the pathway!
You can usually tell the miserable types, so I always get a cheery hello in before they can have a moan 🙂
Looses Loses.
Rivers are opposite to roads, you cruise on the right. The redways of Milton Keynes work well most of the time but you do get the odd belligerent cyclist who will ride straight at you if you stick to the left. It's the phone zombies meandering along the middle of the path that annoy me most. I have a bell but it's useless against those Beats headphones and head down stance.
It's why closed road cycling events are so popular. You can go round roundabouts the wrong way - even if you're turning left. Especially if you're turning left.
Or walkers coming towards you, see you, then split to opposite sides of the path, and then realise they're split and do another swap, ending up on the opposite sides to each other again, act confused and look like they're about to swap over again, and then wonder why you've stopped
You forgot the final flourish, with one stood on either side, and almost exactly a bar-width for you to pass through, they then look shocked and offended when you do exactly that and it's a bit too close for their comfort.
I didn't intend this thread to be a general debate about womblie behaviour on the trail, but I do wonder if I'm conflating this passing issue with something else that's been bothering me: peoples' complete lack of awareness of what's going on around them. It's definitely got worse. There are people who must be surprised not just once but multiple times every single time they go out for a walk. Imagine how stressful that'd be. How many times would that have to happen before you'd think 'yeah, maybe I need to start paying attention'?
I am still trying to work out what you might by passing on the left, becaise you keep describing it as passing on the right
He means riding on the left.
Power gives way to sail.
Which is an argument that slowly looses its appeal as the unstoppable tanker is baring down on your Mirror.
Also about when you realise said tanker, which appears to be barely moving, is actually doing 30 knots.
