Heckling, not helping

Bike path cyclist Holly Landgren has had a rant published in today’s SMH that comes across as an information-free whinge. (But then, what more can you expect in a column entitled “Heckler”?)

On returning from a recent ride she reports that

I was fuming, not relaxed, having had several close calls with pedestrians in my path – yet again.

She needs to get a bit more relaxed about things. The quid pro quo of riding on shared pathways is—surprise, surprise—that you’ve got to share them with pedestrians. It’s a no-brainer, really.

The paths are well signposted, so why is it that pedestrians insist upon using the cycle path, sometimes two or three abreast?

Because people who are out walking together like to hold a conversation and they don’t necessarily appreciate that they are in a traffic lane.

Certainly, ringing the bike bell to signal we are coming up behind is an option, but I have found from experience there is a dilemma: to ring or not to ring? I have been abused for doing both. And ringing the bike bell doesn’t guarantee a response.

Ringing the bell in not an option, it’s the only option. I’ve found it consistently reliable for making groups of pedestrians sometimes two or three abreast collapse immediately into single-file or at least bunch-up to give room to overtake.

Holly should keep ringing her bell regardless of some occasional abuse. And instead of just complaining about it, she could have explained what the ringing of a bike bell really means—a missed opportunity to educate thousands of readers and maybe even change their attitudes.

The worst offenders are those who listen to music while they walk. They have no idea of what is going on around them. They amble along, oblivious, and then hurl abuse for startling them as you try to edge past.

Unfortunately many cyclists are also guilty of this one. It doesn’t really matter whether headphone-wearers can hear or not, when you approach them from behind you must assume that they can’t.

After she’s also railed at dog-walkers and pram-pushers, Holly finally comes across as not particularly willing to share. It certainly sounds like she’s not enjoying her riding.

Who knows? Perhaps it would be less stressful riding on the road.

Yeah, perhaps she should give it a try.

If any letters are published in follow-up to this it will be interesting to see their tone—no doubt they will be at the same level of reasoned discussion…

Incidentally I don’t agree with the conclusions Phil makes about this over at Spinopsys. I think that bike paths do serve an important purpose—as I’m sure the 4000-odd daily commuters on Melbourne’s trails would agree. But I don’t believe for a moment that they will lead to a magical world of cycling, they are merely another public resource that must be shared will all kinds of users. Just like the roads.

More on related topics

• Just ring it
• For whom the bell tolls?
• Get back into the car, you environmental vandal!
• Turn-and-look: some data
• Ring my own bell