almost hit by a cyclist this morning

[KellyHabersham]

(This actually happened on the sidewalk area near a shopping center.....just pissed me off a little because it seems like many of the cyclists in my area do this)

Without getting into all the details, I was walking to the grocery store this morning, and as I was on the sidewalk near the shopping center its in, I heard a guy yell "Hey you.....mffeepluyuyewew!" (at least, that's what it sounded like) from behind me, and I didn't turn around to look because I figured he wasn't talking to me.

A few seconds later, he blurts out "mfghhhss.......your left!" and swerves past me on his bike. A woman was mopping in front of one of the stores, and she commented "You almost got run over by a bicycle!". I just replied "Well, I couldn't see or hear him coming", and she shook her head........I couldn't tell if she was agreeing that he shouldn't have expected me to see/hear him coming behind me, or was thinking that I should somehow have been more "aware" of my surroundings.

Not a huge deal, but since my left ear IS the one I have the worst hearing loss in, and it always seems that's the direction cyclists seem to come at me from.

[kpzra]

You are supposed to pass on the left. Most cyclist I know will holler "On your left" when coming up to walkers.

[Draper Mel]

When I used to ride a bike more regularly, I'd try to call out "passing on your left" or something a good 20 feet or more behind walkers, and they'd jump out of their skin and jump into my path. I couldn't win for losing.

[Andara Bledin]

I'm thinking that cyclists need to invest in bells more often. I don't think anything sounds like a bike bell, and it's less likely to be ambiguous or confused for something else.

^-.-^

[PepperElf]

bells or small horns even, or an air horn (with a caveat that it's used well in advance of approaching pedestrians, vs say... right next to them).

i mean sure it sucks when you're riding a bike and have to stop for people walking ... but it's one of those things you have to accept the responsibility for if choosing to go biking where there's a lot of people walking.

[Aethian]

This is why in my area bikes get ticketed if they are on the sidewalk.

[kpzra]

This is why in my area bikes get ticketed if they are on the sidewalk.

Bike/walking paths around here, can't win half the time. I'll let them know I'm coming up to overtake them and they will decide to play chicken.

[Merriweather]

Bike/walking paths around here, can't win half the time. I'll let them know I'm coming up to overtake them and they will decide to play chicken.

Thanks for that info, I kept envisioning people with bikes running down pedestrians on sidewalks Most places I've lived, sidewalks are for people, and bikes are on the edge of the street (and in a few roads, there's a bike path that's just an extra very narrow lane on the road next to the curb). so the bikes & the people are never together, or at least, aren't supposed to be

[Andara Bledin]

We have some nice bike lanes near where I live.

I still check for them on the sidewalk when I turn, though, because some people are too speshul to obey the laws. >_<

^-.-^

[PepperElf]

no sidewalks here period. we have "share the road" ... tho the cars get really pissy and start honking when you dare to ride close to the edge of the road.

[MadMike]

I almost got hit by a couple of idiots on bikes at the beach last year. I was crossing the street on the way to the boardwalk, and I had both a green light AND a walk signal. Next thing I know, the two idiots flew right across my path, maybe a foot away from me if even that. I guess they thought that red lights were only for other people.

[dragon_wings]

no sidewalks here period. we have "share the road" ... tho the cars get really pissy and start honking when you dare to ride close to the edge of the road.

We have sidewalks here and there in town. Mostly newer or nicer subdivisions. The sidewalk I run on near my parents' house will have bikes occasionally (my parents' bike up to the grocery store on the sidewalk).
I was running once with headphones on and all of a sudden a bike passes me on the left (I try to run as close to the right side as comfortable). I was startled but realized I probably didn't hear a warning cause I was listening to my music.