MUTS: How to sing along

[Too Tall]

More properly "Multi Use Trails: How to get along and not get the stink eye from strangers".

This is a little game I've been playing for my own safety and sometimes amusement these past 20 some years of daily bicycle commuting. The game is to find ways to herd walkers, runners, baby strollers, "IPOD Clone Silent Army" and others who share the MUT.

The one thing I want to accomplish, with my silly little game, is to get people to acknowledge me in any way shape or form. What this accomplishes is to convey their intentions eg "I'm hear you and promise not to hook a crazy Ivan" or "thanks pass me on this side" you get the idea.

I'm laughing while typing this because it ain't really a life or death situation, if I get nothing back I'll slow down and make it safe and than it's me giving these chuckleheads the stink eye ;)

Why am I sharing this? Because I have reached the end game and I freaking dare you to have the nerve to try this. Double dog dare you.

Try singing in your best Crusty the Clown impersonating Pavaroti. Sing to them what is happening and what you want them to do like this for example: Hi Ho Walker I'm passing you on your left hand side so please hold still thank you OR Here comes a crazy bicycle rider just keep walking OR Good morning little IPOD I'm riding a bicycle past your left side I know you can't hear me but you'll see my lips moving in song and laugh maybe.

There you have it. This is the end and this is the one method that works nearly 100% of the time....it is just so d@mn embarrassing.

[palincss]

But if they've got their headphones on, can they hear you?

[Bkat]

I never seem to get any acknowledgment when I alert pedestrians, runners, etc. to my rolling presence. Heck, I consider myself lucky if, when I say "I'm on your left!", the nitwit doesn't take one giant step to the left, directly in front of me.

[Too Tall]

I can sing pretty loud and it's no big deal if nobody hears...but the results are in pal and this is working and I'm laughing my @ss off.

Ahhhh, no need to share your own personal story about ipod goofballs ruining your day I've heard them all before. xxoo

[Tom]

If I sing it makes them cry.

So I found that "Good Morning!" said in my most cheerful and accommodating tone works better than any other greeting. All I ask is they know I'm there, the rest we can figure out.

[Britishbane]

There you have it. This is the end and this is the one method that works nearly 100% of the time....it is just so d@mn embarrassing.

Witness here.

TT once got a jogger to sing back. It was weird.

[chasea]

"On your left" yields mixed results.
Saying nothing is a craps shoot.
A bell on a race bike is dumb.

But if you bark "MOVE, BITCH" in your best DMX, they'll leap off the MUT.

[Saab2000]

A bell on a race bike is dumb.

Agreed, but I had a tiny Incredibell on the Zank once for a while in DC and there you use the MUTs all the time. The bell was like magic. But I upsized my bars and now I can't find the same tiny bell for the larger bars. It wasn't too big and it was 95% effective.

[palincss]

And although 90% of the tourists in DC, especially around the Tidal Basin, don't seem to speak English, everybody speaks bell.

[Chance Legstrong]

"gimme all your money"

[Gummee]

After riding the WOD and yelling 'on your left!' only to have someone turn left in front of me, I standardized on yelling 'passing!' as I was coming up on someone.

My theory is that what the peds heard was 'left!' and not the 'on your' part. ...and *everyone* knows that you pass on the left just like in a car.

Seems to work all right. Only problem arises when you run up on the brain-dead zombies with the earphones in. Then all bets are off 'cause they're not paying attention to anything outside their own headspace.

M

[sine]

I cycle slow and silent when I ride (rarely) MUTS. Works every time (since I stopped saying on your left many years ago) and I could give a shit if users get pissed that I said boo or didn't dingle a bell.

Oh, and if you are riding, don't expect me to say boo either when I initiate a pass. I might say hi when we make eye contact.

Sorry Tall one, I don't sing.

[Gradient]

For me, MUTS have been the WORST for having cycling accidents. If it's not being terrorized by momstrollers, it's rollerbladers that cannot skate without taking up the whole trail and juking runners, all of which are subject to pulling a Crazy Ivan at any juncture. But I save the worst swearing for all the little lancealots that decide they can eschelon two abreast and never break formation for any oncomming traffic. I've got a bell on the commuter, noting on the road bikes. Haven't tried the singing part but "on your left" works about 66.66% of the time, "passing" sounds like a good one to test out.

[EricKeller]

I was singing "moving to Montana soon" on my way down the bike path the other day. An older guy seemed concerned for his safety even though I was almost track standing behind a jogger

[steamer]

I was singing "moving to Montana soon" on my way down the bike path the other day. An older guy seemed concerned for his safety even though I was almost track standing behind a jogger

was the next line "gonna be a dental floss tycoon"?

I dont sing when I ride, people think I am weird enough as it is.

[clunk]

I was singing "moving to Montana soon" on my way down the bike path the other day. An older guy seemed concerned for his safety

Zappa had that effect on some.

[nahtnoj]

Its sooooo much better in the winter months when only the hardcore remain outside.

The joggers are rarely connected to an ip-odd, and warning from me gets an acknowledgment in most cases.

But OK, I will start singing.

[Too Tall]

Its sooooo much better in the winter months when only the hardcore remain outside.

The joggers are rarely connected to an ip-odd, and warning from me gets an acknowledgment in most cases.

But OK, I will start singing.

Attaboy, channel your inner crusty the clown. Try not to fall off your bike laughing.

[miwuksurfer]

I always say hi and wave but really just treat the bike paths like a flat mountain bike trails with moving trees. I enjoy my commute more that way.

[Tom]

I made up a new song this morning. "Oh, I wore the wrong f-ing gloves, oh yes I diiiid, I'm so gla-a-a-a-aaad my fingers went numb so they don't hurt no more and my bottle, my bottle is froze."

The runners in shorts called me a pussy. At least I entertained them.