[Doesn't Matter]

I'm headed south on the Los Gatos Creek Trail on my cx bike. I see two joggers up ahead, one on the correct side of the trail (right side of yellow lane) and the other on the wrong side. Additionally, the one on the wrong side had a dog on a leash that was walking on the wrong side's shoulder. Essentially, the entire trail is blocked.

I was miffed.

I rode up along the right side of the trail and passed them both before they realized what had happened.

I then hear them yelling at me. I stopped. The one with the dog on the leash yells at me, "Come here, let's talk!" I said, "Sure, let's do it."

She comes up in my face yelling and screaming. After about what seemed like 5 minutes of finger pointing and let-me-make-my-point discussion, her friend says, "Hey, let's calm down. You're (her friend) wrong. Let's go."

She persists. I put my hand on her shoulder, looked her in the eye and said, "Merry Christmas. We're both right, we're both wrong. I'm sorry."

Wasn't enough, apparently. I asked her what her name was because I'm sure it was written on the sign as "{whatever her name was} Creek Trail," and that it belongs to her, sorry to inconvenience her, it's your trail, do what you want with it, blah blah.

I rode off, perplexed at the skirmish that just ensued.

I accept part of the blame. I could have prevented this fiasco had I yelled out "On your left" or something similar. However, as I told her, all things being equal, she should have been considerate of other trail users and stay on the right side of the yellow line (this is the section of the trail between Vasona and Hwy. 9).

I laughed about it as I rode on and into the mountains, still trying to figure out the details of the encounter and what could have been said to ameliorate it. Her friend and I tried to calm her and her dog down (I almost ran into her friend, not her, but I was well aware of how much space I had on the right side and knew 100% that I would not touch her, much less crash into her), but she wasn't budging.

Anyway, I know I'll get both lambasted and praised on here, but I had to throw this out to the wolves.

 

[Ryan G.]

Were you wearing a helmet!

 

[Doesn't Matter]

Were you wearing a helmet!

:thumbsup:

Now that I think about it, what if I was some ultra-violent droog from the hood? She had some guts yelling at me, "Come here, let's talk!"

 

[justbob]

I am confused. What supposedly was your transgression? Not saying anything when you passed? It doesn't sound like you made physical contact with either of them or the dog.

 

[Doesn't Matter]

I am confused. What supposedly was your transgression? Not saying anything when you passed? It doesn't sound like you made physical contact with either of them or the dog.

I scared them?

I did ask them, rhetorically, if I had touched either one of them, which I didn't.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

It sounds like you buzzed them since you were pissed off they were blocking the trail. What exactly did you do? How close and how fast?

Yesterday on Jones trail, I was blocked about 6 times (dogs, kids, couples). I just chilled and smiled. Holiday traffic... better than mall traffic.

fc

 

[Portola Vince]

Back in 1990 or so I took a trip down to LA. In general I think the riding is better up here but I was pleasantly surprised about one simple thing they had over us. The bike trail that runs along the coast has well marked lanes in it. At the time I just figured they have so many people down there that they needed it and we didn't. Now though I think we are just in denial about how over crowded that trail is and the lanes should have been painted long ago.

 

[Random Drivel]

Did you call out before passing? If not, even tho you were in the right (does not sound like you did anything wrong) you have some culpability, perhaps.

Hikers and dog walkers have a different perception of sharing the trail. Most of the doggie folk that I hike with seem to think that they should be able to string fido across the whole trail, regardless of other users being present. To them, traffic flow is an unknown concept. It's not that they don't care, it's just that they don't get it, and don't give it any thought. Bondaries, for them, don't exist. At all. Go ride up at Phoenix lake sometime and you will see what I mean.

But the gal saying "Come here, let's talk!"? Talk about hubris, or perhaps someone just a little too self-sensitive.

 

[Doesn't Matter]

It sounds like you buzzed them since you were pissed off they were blocking the trail. What exactly did you do? How close and how fast?

It was probably a culmination of it happening many times, over and over again. I did try the "Merry Christmas, I'm sorry" line, but, as I pointed out, it didn't work. :rant:

About a foot away on the right side of the non-dog holder. I was in the shoulder and on the dirt. I slowed down considerably and wasn't going much faster than they were walking. It wasn't an egregious "fly-by."

I hope she learned her lesson and suffice it to say I learned one as well. Like I said, I take part of the blame. I'm not area strafing all hikers with dogs, just trying to make a point to someone who wasn't, like the Dude does, abiding.

 

[zorg]

BB, I think that you're a jerk. You should have kneeled and begged for forgiveness. Your complete disregard for other users gives us all a bad name. You should be banned from MTBR. (end of sarcasm).

Sometimes, sh!t happens and there's not much you can do about it. Next time, give the angry hiker a treat, I heard that it works for horses.

 

[rho]

I wouldn't worry about blame or any of that crap on the lg creek trail.
Half the time you call out on your left and people still wont move if you try to pass them there.

I've found there really isn't a whole lot I've been able to do in regards to making passing safer, or to make people try to use the trail in a way that is respectful to others.

Frankly I don't really care anymore if people get startled or upset if I pass them in a manner that they feel is unfit for the conditions of the trail, and their perception of their own use of the trail. Because really, you have to try to take up as much space as they did...

Btw... was the dog the hysterical woman waking a some sort of hyper herding dog?

 

[pisiket]

Were you wearing a helmet!

And was that a full-face helmet?

Ali

 

[Blastard]

I always like it when i say ""on your left" then again I say "on your left" and they still don't move. And when I pass them they are startled and get pissed. Come to find out that they are wearing headphones.:madman:
Blastard!!

 

[d-bug]

I always like it when i say ""on your left" then again I say "on your left" and they still don't move. And when I pass them they are startled and get pissed. Come to find out that they are wearing headphones.:madman:
Blastard!!

Or when you say "on your left" and they move left thinking it's an instruction......

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Okay you passed on the right not asking the person in the wrong to move, shame on you. Shame on the pet lover for blocking the wrong side of the trail and being oblivious to others. You can't make everyone happy especially when they're walking. Next time you may as well get ahead of the game and just call out first and see if they're courteous once awakened from their state of pedestrian slumber to let you pass correctly (or not).

Why is it that most people when walking just turn off their brains? I see this all the time on multiuse paths let alone sidewalks or crosswalks. My favorite is when they enter or cross the path without looking whatsoever at what's going on on the path, kinda how many people drive, necks too atrophied or something to turn their heads I guess....

 

[SinglePivot]

you just need one of those loud @ss portable air horns.

It was probably a culmination of it happening many times, over and over again. I did try the "Merry Christmas, I'm sorry" line, but, as I pointed out, it didn't work. :rant:

About a foot away on the right side of the non-dog holder. I was in the shoulder and on the dirt. I slowed down considerably and wasn't going much faster than they were walking. It wasn't an egregious "fly-by."

I hope she learned her lesson and suffice it to say I learned one as well. Like I said, I take part of the blame. I'm not area strafing all hikers with dogs, just trying to make a point to someone who wasn't, like the Dude does, abiding.

 

[g-funk]

I then hear them yelling at me. I stopped. The one with the dog on the leash yells at me, "Come here, let's talk!" I said, "Sure, let's do it."

She comes up in my face yelling and screaming.

Hilarious!! Go get her tough guy.

Actually in my hood it's the chicks that will punch you in the face. Especially if you don't respect their manhood by passing on the side of the trail her girlfriend was on. Morons have just as much right to the trails as you do, it's just funny they aren't on the yeild sign........

 

[Doesn't Matter]

I'm glad that most (all?) of the posts here support my position. The sentiment is the complete opposite over on hikerreview.com.

Oh well, I'm done with it. Next time I'll just yell and save me the hassle, although, like others have pointed out, it doesn't work a lot of the time. I simply need to live up to my signature--I'm still practicing its tenets.

I'm just glad it happened in Los Gatos, and not in the Story and King area of East San Jose.

 

[spec306]

Was she hot?

 

[keen]

Over the past seasons I have grown tired of employing passive tatic's w/ hikers. Want me to be the big bad biker ok - Not to say I won't still call out and respect multi trail use but if you want to exchange words bring it on. I spend half my time watching out for other trail users and feel they spend bearly anytime looking out for me.