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Instead of yelling "sorry" at people, I try to stick with "on your left", "on your right", or most importantly "can I pass you when the trail widens out". All

Instead of yelling "sorry" at people, I try to stick with "on your left", "on your right", or most importantly "can I pass you when the trail widens out". All of which are safer and friendlier than the vauge "move-outta-my-way" signal a bell sends.

chrisseaton 5y ago
> "on your left", "on your right" I wouldn’t know what these were supposed to mean! Are you telling me that you’re going to pass on my left or are you telling me to move onto my left? How do you expect people to know?
- djitz 5y ago
  If you hike any sort of trail where you will come across bikes, you’ll quickly get that it means they will pass on the side they mention. They should say it when you have a bit of time to take a look and assess, but there are some who say it a couple of feet behind you
- butwhywhyoh 5y ago
  Maybe you aren't a native english speaker, but have you ever heard someone ask you to move over by saying a phrase even remotely like "on your left" ? If something is "on your left" <side>, I'd hope it should be easy to realize that you should either move to the right, or be aware of someone passing "on your left".
  - iamacyborg 5y ago
    I’m a native speaker and I still get confused if folks shout it at me without giving me more than a second to think about it.
  - chrisseaton 5y ago
    > Maybe you aren't a native English speaker Lol I'm English. > If something is "on your left" <side>, I'd hope it should be easy to realize that you should either move to the right But it could just as likely mean 'please step off the path on your left so I can pass by your right side'. People make up these conventions and then assume everyone else knows them! Ideally I'd say don't cycle where people are walking in the first place!
- deleted 5y ago
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- stephencanon 5y ago
  Those are the idiomatic phrases for cross-country skiing, biking, trail running, and pretty much every other sport where a slower competitor is required to yield the trail in North America. It’s a pretty reasonable expectation that trail users would be familiar with them. (The main alternative used in competition is “track track track!” which is distinctly less helpful.)
  - chrisseaton 5y ago
    Many 'trail users' are just normal people out for a walk, not part of any competitive sport. You can't assume people know your lingo.
    - stephencanon 5y ago
      It’s not about assuming other people know your lingo, it’s about it being the most widely understood phrase with the desired meaning; there isn’t something else you would say that’s more clear to more people. You should not assume that the other person will understand it and act immediately, but it’s absolutely the correct thing to say in this scenario. You just also need to slow down to be able to respond if they don’t.
      - chrisseaton 5y ago
        > there isn’t something else you would say that’s more clear to more people How about 'I'm passing you on your left'?
deleted 5y ago
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sva_ 5y ago
I had people express appreciation about having a loud and clear bell, over some unclear yelling from behind. Maybe it's a cultural thing.

chrisseaton 5y ago

> "on your left", "on your right" I wouldn’t know what these were supposed to mean! Are you telling me that you’re going to pass on my left or are you telling me to move onto my left? How do you expect people to know?

djitz 5y ago
If you hike any sort of trail where you will come across bikes, you’ll quickly get that it means they will pass on the side they mention. They should say it when you have a bit of time to take a look and assess, but there are some who say it a couple of feet behind you
butwhywhyoh 5y ago
Maybe you aren't a native english speaker, but have you ever heard someone ask you to move over by saying a phrase even remotely like "on your left" ? If something is "on your left" <side>, I'd hope it should be easy to realize that you should either move to the right, or be aware of someone passing "on your left".
- iamacyborg 5y ago
  I’m a native speaker and I still get confused if folks shout it at me without giving me more than a second to think about it.
- chrisseaton 5y ago
  > Maybe you aren't a native English speaker Lol I'm English. > If something is "on your left" <side>, I'd hope it should be easy to realize that you should either move to the right But it could just as likely mean 'please step off the path on your left so I can pass by your right side'. People make up these conventions and then assume everyone else knows them! Ideally I'd say don't cycle where people are walking in the first place!
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
stephencanon 5y ago
Those are the idiomatic phrases for cross-country skiing, biking, trail running, and pretty much every other sport where a slower competitor is required to yield the trail in North America. It’s a pretty reasonable expectation that trail users would be familiar with them. (The main alternative used in competition is “track track track!” which is distinctly less helpful.)
- chrisseaton 5y ago
  Many 'trail users' are just normal people out for a walk, not part of any competitive sport. You can't assume people know your lingo.
  - stephencanon 5y ago
    It’s not about assuming other people know your lingo, it’s about it being the most widely understood phrase with the desired meaning; there isn’t something else you would say that’s more clear to more people. You should not assume that the other person will understand it and act immediately, but it’s absolutely the correct thing to say in this scenario. You just also need to slow down to be able to respond if they don’t.
    - chrisseaton 5y ago
      > there isn’t something else you would say that’s more clear to more people How about 'I'm passing you on your left'?

deleted 5y ago

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sva_ 5y ago

I had people express appreciation about having a loud and clear bell, over some unclear yelling from behind. Maybe it's a cultural thing.