I'm no downhill racer but my bike handling skills are pretty good. If yours are too ignore this post. If you're new or newer to riding listen up.
Obstacles on the bike can ruin your whole day. Tracks, potholes, gravel, unleashed dogs and loose children, squirrels and so on. Yesterday whilst pedaling to downtown I spied a new rider in the distance. How could I tell? She's tense, shoulders up, arms at an angle I did not think humanly possible, hands clenched and so on. As we approached a squirrel dashed across the trail. Her eyes followed it both with interest, it's nice to see wildlife on a ride but perhaps nervous that the squirrel would get caught in her spokes.
She sees the squirrel, eyes follow the squirrel, her bike wavers that direction, she's kind of leaning left and all this is taking her right smack dab into me. I voiced a reasonably gentle call out and prepared to exit to the right off the path. When she saw me her eyes flew wide open, a sudden look of shock and horror.
Do I look that bad? No, I think I was stylin' in my new purple ankle-high socks from Hub and Bespoke which I'll write about later. It's just that she got squirrel tunnel vision.
See the squirrel, follow the squirrel.
Follow the squirrel, hit the ..... yikes!!
It's the same for any obstacle:
See the pothole you will hit the pothole.
See the broken glass you will be fixing a flat.
See the tracks wipe out on the tracks (word about that next perhaps).
Folks whether you're cruising to the coffee shop or racing always look where you want to go. The descent may be technical, there will be obstacles, keep your eyes on the clear path forward.
You can sight-see and let your eyes wander and we need to do that and appreciate the outdoors. But always have awareness of the clear path you want to take.
Showing posts with label multi use trail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label multi use trail. Show all posts
11/1/12
Miss MUT manners
Maybe you ride a lot already, if so you may wish to skip this. Maybe you want to start. Good. I hope my musings help.
There are unwritten rules on a MUT (multi use trail). They are not hard and fast rules. MUT manners are a combination of behavior based on traffic law and good ol' common sense.
Let's start with a few I feel are based on traffic law.
Most trails are not divided by a center line. If yours isn't imagine the line and stay to the right of it. Within that is another imaginary lane. If you're slower stay to the right. Slower than what? Slower than anyone at any time at any place on the trail. Slower than traffic ahead or even those bringing up the rear (use a mirror for that).
Just like cars we pass on the left.
Ahead of you is a kid with or without doting parents, or me jogging the elderly dog. You're faster than us so you call out and pass on the left.
The traditional cyclist call out is "on your left". I rarely use that. If I'm passing a new or newer rider or a child when I say "on your left" they will move to the left and run right smack dab into me.
Variations we use:
* a cheerful "passing on your left"
* hello! also said cheerfully
* good morning/afternoon/evening ... also cheerful
We prefer to use bells. The bright sound of a bicycle bell is understood by all. It's more fun for you than constantly calling out and it makes people feel good. It's lighthearted and fun.
We often encounter the tri or time trial training cyclist with or without peloton on the MUT. Their call-outs sound like this from afar:
ON.YOUR.LEFT!!!
passing ON.YOUR.LEFT!!!
LEFT.LEFT.LEFT.LEFT.LEFT !!!!!
Dude (it's mostly dudes) the M in MUT is mixed use. Meaning kids, trikkes, roller blades, hybrid bikes, new and newer cyclists. if you're so much faster than everyone else get some sleep and ride very early or late when the traffic is light or get out on the road. Or instead of yelling at us get a cheerful bicycle bell! It will look so Euro racer on your Cervello TT bike.
If you want to ride with us MUT's great!! Slow down, call out or ring your pretty bell, pass and accelerate out. Interval training after all is how you get faster. Insisting on coasting at your same speed to the detriment of the rest of us is not how to train.
There are unwritten rules on a MUT (multi use trail). They are not hard and fast rules. MUT manners are a combination of behavior based on traffic law and good ol' common sense.
Let's start with a few I feel are based on traffic law.
Most trails are not divided by a center line. If yours isn't imagine the line and stay to the right of it. Within that is another imaginary lane. If you're slower stay to the right. Slower than what? Slower than anyone at any time at any place on the trail. Slower than traffic ahead or even those bringing up the rear (use a mirror for that).
Just like cars we pass on the left.
Ahead of you is a kid with or without doting parents, or me jogging the elderly dog. You're faster than us so you call out and pass on the left.
The traditional cyclist call out is "on your left". I rarely use that. If I'm passing a new or newer rider or a child when I say "on your left" they will move to the left and run right smack dab into me.
Variations we use:
* a cheerful "passing on your left"
* hello! also said cheerfully
* good morning/afternoon/evening ... also cheerful
We prefer to use bells. The bright sound of a bicycle bell is understood by all. It's more fun for you than constantly calling out and it makes people feel good. It's lighthearted and fun.
We often encounter the tri or time trial training cyclist with or without peloton on the MUT. Their call-outs sound like this from afar:
ON.YOUR.LEFT!!!
passing ON.YOUR.LEFT!!!
LEFT.LEFT.LEFT.LEFT.LEFT !!!!!
Dude (it's mostly dudes) the M in MUT is mixed use. Meaning kids, trikkes, roller blades, hybrid bikes, new and newer cyclists. if you're so much faster than everyone else get some sleep and ride very early or late when the traffic is light or get out on the road. Or instead of yelling at us get a cheerful bicycle bell! It will look so Euro racer on your Cervello TT bike.
If you want to ride with us MUT's great!! Slow down, call out or ring your pretty bell, pass and accelerate out. Interval training after all is how you get faster. Insisting on coasting at your same speed to the detriment of the rest of us is not how to train.
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