Author Topic: Keep left or keep right?  (Read 2696 times)

gunwharfman

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #15 on: 18:48:18, 20/03/21 »
I have run a circuit, first clockwise then anti-clockwise so many times over the past year but I've never been bothered by people. I've had a couple of irritations, for example when a wire was stretched across the stems of an electricity pylon that I run under (no idea who did it), people who just throw their rubbish away and the odd dog, but I can't say I've met anyone who I would judge to be difficult.

I've always been surprised and still am, by how few people I meet on my route, most seem to walk no farther than 100 yards from their cars to get to and from the two burger bars nearby. If I meet anyone it's in the first mile, after that I rarely if ever meet a soul. And in terms of how the crow flies on this route, I am never more than 500 to 800yds from each of the three car parks at any one time. The only noticeable thing about the footpaths in the first mile is that they have become wider over the past year and most of the grass is now dirt.

I meet bike riders at another place I start to run but they are usually past me in an instant.

I ran today, 5km and saw one person, as I looked towards two of the three carparks nearby I could see loads of people, but no one near me.

vizzavona

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #16 on: 18:54:01, 20/03/21 »
I am both a cyclist and a walker. The majority of my cycling is done on the trails and paths within the Cairngorms Park.
Must say that I where possible cycle on these paths as I would on a tarred road....on the left as far as is possible.
Awareness is what I would adopt especially so during the several holiday periods.  Many sections of these trails are used by families with small children and with dogs often spread over the width of the path. I always strike a friendly attitude with groups of folks out for a pleasant day walking. Slow down when in these, to me well known pinch point areas, and I use my bike bell to also announce my presence....never yet had any conflict except that with another cyclist steaming his way through between walkers with children and dogs. He did not like my intervention but I did let him know strongly that the trails have to shared with many different users.
My bell ringing usually brings about a memory to the older folks whom I come into contact with....'Yes we used to have bells on our bikes when we biked in a past age.'
The known areas where I am 'cooling down my bike speed' are the East side section of the Loch an Eilein path prior to reaching the Rothiemurchus section and later on the Southern side of the Loch Morlich track where there are on most days numerous walkers. The descent from Glenmore on the Logging trail care has to be taken when meeting the 'uphill folks' cycling or walking from Aviemore.
I am aged and mostly travel alone so time and speed are just not important to me....I am out for a pleasant day of exercise. :)  
Additionally My wife and I heading up the West Glen Feshie road this morning to reach a walk....a very narrow surfaced road that is in the early stages rising fairly steeply. On a blind bend a young lady cyclist came flying towards us at a fast speed and just managed to avoid a collision by getting from the middle of the road to the verge as I braked.
Perhaps she had been watching the Grande Tour guys on television who ride on closed roads. ::)
« Last Edit: 19:04:40, 20/03/21 by vizzavona »

ayjay

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #17 on: 19:37:40, 20/03/21 »
I keep to the left when other people are around, as we are all supposed to drive on the left it should just come naturally to everyone, but if necessary, I tend to make my move first and let the others follow.

 If I have the freedom to wander where I will, then I look for any slight left to right slope on the path as my left leg is 10mm shorter than my right and it's better for my back/hips. (All of the gravel tracks in the NF that are regularly subjected to vehicular traffic will have a camber in the wheel tracks).

It did surprise me when I started at senior school that we were required to walk on the right in corridors.I never understood the logic at all.

richardh1905

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #18 on: 20:22:00, 20/03/21 »
I mountain bike as well as walk and believe in consideration for other path users at all times by both hikers and cyclists. I tend to walk or ride on the left, but will change as circumstances dictate e.g. large puddles, mud, more room on one side than the other because of bushes, configuration of the walking party etc.

On my bike, I always slow down for walkers, especially if they have dogs or kids with them and let then know I'm there if I'm coming up behind them and agree with Richard that pedestrians have priority. As a walker I am happy to give cyclists an earful if they don't show me the same respect.

IMHO Sustrans have it about right: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/get-active/2019/everyday-walking-and-cycling/advice-on-using-shared-use-paths


I too have in the past been a keen mountain biker (and hope to get fit enough to be so again); as a biker I would always be respectful of walkers. As a walker, I will gladly step aside to let a mountain biker past if they respectfully make me aware of their presence - there really should be no need for conflict, either way.
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archaeoroutes

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #19 on: 08:13:28, 21/03/21 »
Part of the problem is shared use cycle paths. Are they a pavement or are they a road? If a pavement, then no written rule but walkers keeping to the left makes sense. If a road then walkers keeping to the right apart from on right hand bends is correct.

Personally, as a walker, runner, cyclist or driver I will step/pull/reverse out of the way of oncoming traffic of any kind when we can't just pass safely and also for traffic from behind unless they are rude (e.g. honking, ringing bell*, hollering). If I come up behind slower traffic I will in most cases slow down and keep a respectful distance behind until safe to pass, the exception being when on foot where I'd also see if they wanted to engage in friendly conversation.

* Sorry, but I cannot feel that a cyclist ringing their bell at me as anything other than a "I'm more important than you, get out of my way" somewhat akin to clicking fingers for attention.
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ayjay

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #20 on: 10:16:13, 21/03/21 »

* Sorry, but I cannot feel that a cyclist ringing their bell at me as anything other than a "I'm more important than you, get out of my way" somewhat akin to clicking fingers for attention.
By law, a bicycle has to have "an audible warning of approach", there must be a reason for that. It makes sense to let someone know you are there, it may save them from deviating into your path at the last moment.


When I'm driving on narrow country roads, I always sound my horn when approaching sharp bends, (learnt from my father) it has prevented many a pedestrian (and cyclist) from becoming a statistic.

vizzavona

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #21 on: 10:33:12, 21/03/21 »
As a 79 year old cyclist/hillwalker who uses the network of paths in the Cairngorm area, rather than for me, dangerous  roads to get about for leisure and to connect with my local villages to purchase food etc. I appear to fall into the category noisy and 'pushy' users of said paths. :)
Yes I do use my cycle bell to let folks on a path know that I am nearby. In situations on the busy sections of a path where I see a group of folks spread over the trail with their backs to me, as they have a right to do, engaged in talk with each other or whatever I am slowing down usually to walking pace when tiny bell ping announces my presence.
Most times we exchange a few words and I don't find any annoyance to my bell use. All quite civilised really and if a dog is also in the group I am awarded with an extra pleasant meeting. ;)
In recent times a great deal of money has been spent in my area upgrading former footpaths into cycling, walking tracks and on many to make them suitable for child pushchairs....or whatever the modern versions of these are called?
I guess that now when a major road is upgraded as recently happened on my doorstep a parallel section of Walker/Cyclist path is part of the deal in the dualling of a section of the A9. Complete with a surface that the thin tyred cyclists would be happy to use.
However, at the moment, this is a seven kilometre stretch that leads one from the Wildlife Park entrance to fizzle out with a wooden barrier and a deflection under the A9 and through a farm track to come out onto the B9152 where I can engage with the Speyside Way at the Dalraddy holiday park.
At the moment when using this new trail I feel that several millions of taxpayers money has been spent to provide me with a way of cycling seven kilometres with just the noise of the vehicles fighting with each other for overtaking space on the A road. Several months of last year's summer was bliss. ;)  
« Last Edit: 10:38:26, 21/03/21 by vizzavona »

WhitstableDave

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #22 on: 11:45:37, 21/03/21 »
...
* Sorry, but I cannot feel that a cyclist ringing their bell at me as anything other than a "I'm more important than you, get out of my way" somewhat akin to clicking fingers for attention.

I too believe that ringing a bell is just plain rude.

By law, a bicycle has to have "an audible warning of approach", there must be a reason for that. It makes sense to let someone know you are there, it may save them from deviating into your path at the last moment.
...

...as a 'retired' cyclist, that must be a relatively new law. I certainly never had a bell on any of my bikes, mainly because I've always preferred to call out a greeting - "Good morning!" - or an, "Excuse me please! Thank you!".

As a walker, lost in my own thoughts, a bell will often make me jump, whereas I find a voice less startling. And in any case, if the bell is being sounded because the cyclist wants me to step aside, then it clearly fails to convey that meaning and I'll just ignore it...   
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ayjay

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #23 on: 11:57:40, 21/03/21 »


...as a 'retired' cyclist, that must be a relatively new law.


It was in the Highway Code back in the 50s when I first read it, and there has been debate about the human voice being an acceptable substitute.


Checking up on google, it may not be law, but bikes do have to be fitted with a bell when new.


Rule 66 of the Highway Code states “Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by ringing your bell if you have one.

ninthace

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #24 on: 12:07:19, 21/03/21 »
The problem I had with bikes behind me was the default sound announcing an email on my phone was the same ping as many cyclists bells made so I would ignore it or reach for my phone.  Cured by changing the sound on the phone, it seemed easier than buying every passing cyclist a new bell.
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richardh1905

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #25 on: 12:31:44, 21/03/21 »
I don't understand why some walkers get so annoyed about cyclists ringing a bell to let them know that they are approaching - it is the correct thing for the cyclists to do, either that or a clear "Excuse Me Please" or something similar. Just be more tolerant, and it will be better for all.
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Skip

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #26 on: 12:39:41, 21/03/21 »
I don't understand why some walkers get so annoyed about cyclists ringing a bell to let them know that they are approaching

I don't understand that either. I wish cyclists would warn me when they are approaching from behind, especially when they pass very close and fast.
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Eyelet

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #27 on: 13:18:16, 21/03/21 »
I don't understand why some walkers get so annoyed about cyclists ringing a bell to let them know that they are approaching - it is the correct thing for the cyclists to do, either that or a clear "Excuse Me Please" or something similar. Just be more tolerant, and it will be better for all.

+1 for that. A single ping on the bell as soon you get into walker's hearing range is common sense and far from rude. I have tried both the bell and the cheery Good Morning (and sometimes both) and its the timing as much as anything - I don't want to startle walkers and I don't want to creep up on them silently either. I just want to give walkers an early warning of my approach for both our benefits.  As a walker I would like an early warning too so I can decide on my course of action.

As Richard says: Just be more tolerant, and it will be better for all.

jimbob

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #28 on: 14:42:18, 21/03/21 »
If I was a cyclist I would put a foghorn on the handlebar.
The reason, I might come across a walker just like me. I truly daydream when walking and my hearing is not the best.
I am often shocked back into the real world by cyclists, other walkers,  sheep, cattle and probably worst of all once a very friendly horse probably used to getting mints off other walkers.

As Richard said be tolerant, there are all sorts of reasons for problems in this respect, not all the fault of cyclists. (Actually not all the fault of my gormless behaviour either)
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pdstsp

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Re: Keep left or keep right?
« Reply #29 on: 15:01:09, 21/03/21 »
Another plus 1 for Richard's common sense post. As both a cyclist and walker I just don't see the issue with a bell and/or voice warning.  As with most traffic incidents, the problems arise with speed and aggression. Shared use paths are just that, shared.

 

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