Beginner advice - bear left

[downfader]

Just watched some sad story about a young woman who died because of a narrow shared path (another reason I hate them)... so heres some advice for beginners and even moderately experienced riders alike:

Bear left when you see another cyclist approaching from the opposite direction. If there isnt room to pass then pull in as far left as you can and stop. If it looks like the other cyclist is confused then politely shout out "bear left!" to give them some course for action.

Then proceed safely on your way.

http://www.itv.com/meridian-east/killed-in-bike-lane45560/

 

[fossyant]

Hence not to use the bloody things.

Two way cycle paths are a mare. During the snow/ice we had the last two winters, I took to the Trans Pennine to get to work, folk don't know where to ride - this keep left doesn't happen like on roads.

This is a tragic accident caused by folk not knowing what to do on a bike - it's hard enough for serious cyclists encountering 'wobbly bob'....

Tragic.....

 

[HLaB]

I've seen narrower cycle paths so I wouldn't blame it for this particular tragedy; that said they're best avoided. It made even worse by the fact in the UK most shared use cyclepaths are just reallocated pavements which are too narrow for even walking. As well as feeling sorry for the cyclist and her family, I feel really sorry for the van driver.

 

[downfader]

Sometimes I think its a very good idea to plan your route to avoid sections like that.

Wobbly Bob, I encountered him about 4 months back.. came flying at me on a local off road cyclepath (which often has pedestrians walking in it so its best to be careful), he panics and cant figure out which way to go so I shout bear left as we both brake, but he shot around me into the pedestrian side to MY left. All happened in the space of about 2 seconds... longer to describe.

 

[HLaB]

Agreed. I stupidly used one over a year ago (its either that a short detour and a 70mph road or a detour of 40 miles). I went round the right hand bend on the left and wtf somebody came straight into me; its uphill for me so I wasn't going too fast and it wasn't a bad collision; his excuse was he expected me to wobble to the right! Although I said it was innocuous and I never really felt much at the time a couple of days later my shoulder was agony, it felt like I'd caught a ligament or something. For a while I thought it might force me of the road bike, I couldn't put my hand behind the back to take something out of my jersey. Thankfully and eventually after a few weeks, it snapped back into place (the shoulder stopped clicking). It was then replaced by a ache in my bicep area. After a week or so that disappeared to be replaced by a small pain in my lower right chest. Eventually after a few months the pains disappeared completely and for over a year I never felt a thing until last week it feels the exact same except its going between the separate phases. After that I decided whenever possible its better to take the 70mph dual carriageway.

 

[Bman]

You mean, like this? :

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCV1_cVTnn8[/media]

 

[Mad at urage]

You mean, like this? :

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCV1_cVTnn8[/media]

That's no Ninja: That is a Pinball Wizard!