This is a great summary - I couldn't have said it better.

Only when needed (similiar to what AmyCo said.) On the bike my nose is usually running nonstop, so there's usually enough sniffing, blowing and spitting to warn people. Keeps drafters away in a race too.

clm

---

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Just yell "I hope you brought yer wood screws!"

---

<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

I never say it for all the reasons people have mentioned...those that need to hear it are the least ready to process it. I've been riding for years and the situations I come across where I need to pass someone and can't do it safely without shouting at them (including assuming that they will do something unpredictable and stupid) are rare indeed. I usually say "Good Morning" just because it's nice.

When people pass me and say "on your left" I always find it irritating. I assume they are a newbie who is psyched to be passing me and wants to be damn sure I know it. All the cyclists in my area with experience don't find it necessary to announce their arrival "on your left"...they can tell by the way someone is riding what is going to happen when they pass. Experienced riders will already know someone is there, and it's best to give inexperienced riders a wide berth no matter what.

If you are behind me and anywhere near passing me, trust me, I know you're there.

Leigh

It's been a long hard winter but I am finally back in the saddle...

Related to this I had a huge surprise the other weekend when I was going mod hard (about 34ks, flat road, no wind) on a main highway on my Sunday solo ride, and I sat up to turn off to the right...there were two bikers right up my arse! They were so close to me that they nearly crashed into me as I slowed to look over my shoulder to assess the traffic situation. They weren't passing me - they were right in the draft. Sheet they gave me a fright.

If you were following someone that close, and you had a good idea they didn't know you were there, would you not say something? I think to be all stealthy about it is courting disaster.

---

kiwipat

per ardua ad astra

I have found that most people will look over their left shoulder when they hear a voice spoken to them, causing them the swerve to thier left.

Even when you yell "On Your Left" very loudly, they look and swerve.

I try not to sneak up on anyone and I do give them as much room as possible, making it my responsability to look for on coming cars and wait until it is safe for me to pass. I start planning my pass well before I am on thier back wheel. Possibly slowing down or speeding up well before I am on thier back wheel to time that break in traffic.

In a race if there is a need, I will yell "passing" -- it is shorter and less effort to say and saves my breath for the race. If there is plenty of room on the road to go around someone - I will not say a word and just pass.

If people would just worry about their own progress and ride a straight line 3/4 of the chatter wouldn't have to be said. I am not exactly sure when this all started or maybe because I was in the front of the pack instead of the middle I just didn't hear it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree. The problem arises when there are (1) wave starts and (2) tons of new triathletes in a race who do not know that they are required to ride to the right. I did 1/2 Vineman in a year when my AG (men's 30-34) was starting late in the morning (the race rotates what AGs get to start early and avoid the heat). The bike was mayhem. I switched from the advisory "on your left" to the imperative "Move right!" very early that day. I was admittedly a bit of a jerk (though I did try to yell "Thanks" as I passed), but the people I passed were not confused about my meaning and we all stayed safe.

It seems pretty simple: When you're just out riding and are passing someone let them know in a gentle, quiet way that you are blowing by them on the left. A calm "Morning" or "Hey" or "How ya doin'?' will let them know that someone is now coming up on them. Unless they're had of hearing they can tell by the direction your voice came from what side you are on. A quick word about the weather, the road, etc takes care of civility and you're free to motor on past. In a race, however, "On your left" is essential. 99% of those racing will know what the hell is happening and react accordingly.

Frank.
PS: I, of course, have never actually had those words yelled at me! No, never.

Funny how this has come up today. Riding to work this morning I noticed the shadow of a cyclist come up behind me so I moved over to my left (pass on the right in NZ) to allow them past only to find they were coming up my left hand side already...
No real drama and not a word was spoken but it did amuse me anyhow....

As far as calling out when I pass, I don't, I stay back and assess the available room and behaviour of the cyclist I am about to pass before moving up on them, then as I am alongside enunciate a simple "How's it going?" just to be friendly.

Or when they yell "On the left" give them a big hook and tell them you were doing your kerin finish practice for Nats this year. Just Kidding guys, no flames please. G

well, I have never had anyone fallen into my path because I tell them I'm coming up.

I ride on a somewhat narrow flat paved trail, where alot of people aren't considerate or aware of traffic at all. These are the people that walk 4 abreast, which takes up the entire trail...or those riding bikes zig zag style, or stop (not kidding) dead smack in the center of the trail to look at a snake on its way to the river or to look at a slow moving turtle.

So, in general I say, "coming up beside you", or "comin up on your left" and it's in a friendly tone. as I pass I generally say some sort of friendly greeting--nice day isn't it? or enjoy your ride...something to this effect.

I don't think this is rude at all, and is necessary for those who aren't aware or considerate of traffic (alot of people are aware, but just as many aren't)...particularly on a path that is narrow with moderate to heavy traffic. If I were on the road I would have plenty of room and probably wouldn't say anything except for a friendly greeting.

I go with this as well. I was in an MTB race the otehr week and some guy nearly put me into a tree because the didn't get the difference.

I guess the key is to get out of the water and go before the mid pack forms !!!

"In a race, however, "On your left" is essential. 99% of those racing will know what the hell is happening and react accordingly"

You're kidding right. Have you been in the middle of the pack at a big triathlon - it's a scary place? I hope that I don't offend anyone here and I say this with the utmost respect, but the bike handling skills and on-the-road acumen of your typical triathlete is terrible. I know that I will get into a great deal of trouble saying this, but I will say it.

Here's what I experineced mid-pack at a big triathlon a year or so ago: People weaving radically ALL OVER the road. It would appear that few that I saw knew how to ride in aero-bars safely and properly. People wondering all over the road as the reached behind the seat to get at water bottles. Water bottles regularly being ejected out of behind the seat cages. People continuously riding on the left near the center-line. People having no idea what, "on your left" means. Some would do nothing others would move left! People walking their bikes up a hill in the middle of the road. People changing flat tires in the middle of the road. I gave up counting centre-line violations after about 10K. I even had to cross over a couple of times myself to avoid collisions. People taking corners, either, way to fast or way to slow . . and on and on. Is this the way it is in the middle of a pack in a big triathlon? Yikes!

Fleck

---

---

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

You must be referring to the Loveland Bike Trail.

What's amusing to me as someone who is new to this sport, is the great variety of responses to this question. Person A thinks it's rude not to say "on your left," person B thinks it's rude to say it. Etc. Etc.

Surely Congress should intervene, eliminate all the confusion.

i find saying "hold your line" to be more effective, especially in a race situation. there is no confusion resulting in the rider being passed moving left into you.

---

"Failure is an event, not a person."

[reply]well, I have never had anyone fallen into my path because I tell them I'm coming up. I ride on a somewhat narrow flat paved trail, where alot of people aren't considerate or aware of traffic at all. These are the people that walk 4 abreast [snip]
I don't think this is rude at all, and is necessary for those who aren't aware or considerate of traffic [snip][/reply]

Exactly. I ride most of the time on a similar bike/run/rollerblade path not too far from my house. For the most part people are at least somewhat aware of other users of the path, but they are unprepared for me going through at 25+mph. I have taken to using the disc more often because they can hear me freewheel from a long way away (the Renn still has a shockingly loud freewheel) and are more likely to move out of the way. I rarely say anything to runners or walkers unless they are acting erratic or blocking the path. However, I almost *always* say "On your left" to other cyclists, at varying distances depending on their level of skill in keeping a straight line and their speed. I frequently say "thank you" as I go by (depends on my level of exertion and how fast I am going).

I almost never get passed on the path, most of the people are fairly slow. One incident that really pissed me off though was about 2 weeks ago. I am at about mile 75 out of 80 for the day, tired, left calf cramping, and am going to spin out the rest of my ride at about 18mph or so to rest. I'm going through the twisty section of the path (which didn't need to be twisty...it just looks nicer that way....grrrrrrr) and hitting all the apexes on both sides to even out the turns. Three of the local racers come flying past me in a pace line at about 25-28mph without saying a word, right as I was heading to cut the next left hand turn, and with a runner coming our way (who was quite frightened). M*THERF*CKER!!!!!! I sprinted up with my cramping leg and caught them in about 10 seconds, yelled "ON YOUR LEFT" about as loud as I could, and as I came up next to them I said "Is it so f*cking difficult to warn someone who has been out here for the last 4 hours that you are passing?" I think they could tell how pissed I was, both dropped off the pace and stammered "er, sorry" and stuff like that.

Like some of you guys posting here, I don't think they had a clue how startling it is to be suddenly passed at high speed. If you yell "on your left" from far enough away, in my experience 99% of people know the rules of the road and immediately move to the right. The other few are the ones requiring the brakes. To *not* say something is incredibly rude and dangerous.
/end RANT :)

---

---

I particularly like the joggers/walkers/and yes, even bikers wearing headphones which you often can't see when coming up from behind.
I enjoy watching them jump out of their shoes when you go by.

This morning had an older lady walking her dog with one of those retractable leashes, her on one side of the bike path, the dog sniffing away on the other with the thin little cord stretched across the path. She just watched me come on for about 100 yds, then skid to a stop barely short of the leash when I realized it was there. Not sure what the ettiquitte suggests calling out in this situation...

I'd say that is what you get from the widespread use of computrainers. Just think about liability....

What race was that?

Was there USAT officiating?

---

adrialin

(BOMK, racing drug and supplement free since 1985)

No, I wasn't kidding. And you need to either pick smaller and better races or not ride so far back in the pack. You sure you were in a triathlon and not one of those fund-raising-charity-rides-thru-the-City-on-a-Sunday-afternoon-in-the-Spring?

Frank

It's not the race - it's a very well run event put on by the best race managment team in our area. It was the participants.

I have seen this at other events as well. If triathlon races were run with the full and absolute administration of the rules, I bet 25 - 50% of the field would have a DQ next to their name.

Fleck

---

---

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

>>And you need to either pick smaller and better races or not ride so far back in the pack.<<

That's a pretty stupid remark Frank.

So, what do you propose to those who want to race in a top-notch race, a Kona qualifier, BUT, there are wave starts (of which the athlete has no control over) and 2,500 people in the race? Oh, don't race. Right.

Fleck is spot on for MANY, if not most, races. At least around here. When you are in one of the last waves, you ride far back in the pack. At least until you pass the slower people in front of you.

clm, who will be starting in wave 15 of 18 at HVM and will be passing some and being passed by others

---

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

yes that's the one! I get burned out riding on it, but do feel pretty safe. I'm sure if I wasn't so afraid of the road I would be a better cyclist...but it just scares me so much. maybe early sundays in indian hill would be ok--I've done that before, along with the great buckeye challenge course.

what I hate is when people ride through old loveland going fast, even though it's full of leisurly pedestrains...it's just not safe to fly through there like some guys do.

As a matter of fact, Frank it was one of the largest( 1300 participants) triathlon events in my area. It was being run by one of the best event managment teams in triathlon. I, a former not to bad triathlete who is now retired, was taking part in a relay - my girlfriend was swimming and running and I was cycling. The relay wave was towards the back. Not to brag, but to give context, at one time I could cycle a 40K TT in under 60 minutes with ease. I am not in great shape now, but still, I was moving considerably faster than everyone else. Having cycled for over 20 years, I think I have OK bike handiling skills and these were put to a high test during this bike leg. It was an interesting and eye-opening experience and if nothing else, completely put to rest in my mind any thoughts that drafting could EVER be allowed in the general triathlon ranks. If it was, there would be total and absolute carnage!

Why would someone put aero bars on their bike if they really did not know how to ride them safely. Ditto, with the behind-the-seat waterbottle cages. There seems to be a real follow-the-leader, without-learning-the-basics-in mentality in this sport.

Fleck

---

---

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

When I'm coming up on someone, I usually say "on your back" or "behind you." This way they know I'm there and they have an opportunity to get right in my way!!!

I then have the same opportunity to avoid them.

---

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin