Many of you may recognize the phrase in my title, especially if you are an avid hiker, jogger or cyclist, like my blogging friend Mary.
It makes a lot of sense, especially considering many people are lost in their thoughts, listening to music or perhaps even enamoured of the beautiful world around them as they walk or run…or push strollers, wheelchairs and try to reign in pets.
We had to stand and wait about ten minutes to get a shot without half a dozen people. I love people. I work with them every day. But people out of doors can be, well, very non civilized at times.
The thing I take issue with is that, in my recent experiences, these cyclists often shout this phrase more like a command than an alert, they never are prepared to stop on a dime, nor do they make any attempt to ever slow down. It is as if the world might stop and spin the other way if anyone or anything broke their cycling stride.
I’m sorry. That is just rude. To make matters worse they fly by within a hair’s breath of you. (I swear I can smell their breath too). Seriously, what if one of them should be coming up “on the left” of a seriously deaf person.
We recently hiked a beautiful paved trail near where we live, but I doubt we will go back. There was not a five minute stretch that we weren’t having to climb to the grassy curb due to convoys of cyclists, all shouting,
“On your left!”
It’s kind of hard to stay in a Zen Zone when you fear for your safety. What say you about this dilemma, Mary?
Happy Wednesday. This post is brought to you by Linda Hill’s One Liner Wednesday prompt. Visit her blog page for more details.
Happy Hump Day everyone!
Dreaming Reality 
21 responses to ““On Your Left!”#1linerWeds”
Yikes! I’ll pay attention better now, or stick with dirt paths. Dirt feel better on my feet, or maybe it’s my spirit. Thanks for the tips.
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I agree about dirt! It was what I loved best as a kid about the first day of Summer!
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🙂 Nice memory!
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😊
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I love your trail, Cheryl, it’s very beautiful! Sorry your walk was ruined by too many people and rudeness. As a cyclist and a person with manners, I try to be very considerate of everyone on the trail. Yes, I yell “on your left,” but I don’t ride past walkers at 90 mph…I slow down and make sure walkers are aware of me, especially those that are attached to earbuds. What I hate as a walker is when bikers ride 90 mph past me and say absolutely nothing. That scares me because I think that’s a definite accident waiting to happen if a walker absentmindedly happens to veer left on the trail. I’m not sure what they’re thinking. Sharing a trail is about common courtesy and understanding no one person owns the trail. It’s there for all of us to use carefully, wisely and graciously. If there are bikers that want to travel fast and not be concerned about walkers or anyone else, they might want to consider road biking.
Thanks for the link to MJM! I hope you find a trail where you can enjoy some peace and quiet, sans speeding bikers.
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Thanks Mary. I’m sure there are some of those around. I agree about cyclists hitting the road for high speed riding. The feeling is that we on foot are simply in the way. And it irritates hubby so that ruins my zen. Oh well, we were outside! And I saw a hawk too. 👏🏻
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Sadly, good manners and common courtesy seem to be a thing of the past. Cyclists don’t own the hiking trails. An emergency vehicle you should move over for. But when was a law passed that these cyclists never have to stop and wait for the hikers to move on? Rude, inconsiderate people take the fun out of everything. Looks like a beautiful place to walk. Hope you give it another try. Maybe carry a foghorn with you and treat them to a blast as they race by. That oughta give them pause!! 😂😂
•••Ginger•••
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Shhh…hubby might hear you. He’d be all over that idea! Lol!
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I don’t walk or hike on paths that have a lot of different types of use walking/hiking, biking, strollers, runners it’s too busy and I want more silence to commune with nature so I hear ya!
I hope you find a quieter path, or a time when this one is as crowded.
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Yeah. I’ve dubbed this one utilitarian. Even on the rustic yrails joggers are sometimes overwhelming. 😕
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Our metropark has a multi use path for walkers, runners, and bikers. It also has a horse trail that tolerates walkers. And hiking trails around the interpretive center. The interpretive center trail is well worth the drive for exactly the reasons you mentioned. No ‘on your left’ just a pleasant walk in the woods!
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Just saying ‘ pleasant walk in the woods’ makes me feel good.
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Me! Since moving to the city.
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I feel ya. 😩
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Too many people think that by simply being outdoors they are communing with nature. Problem is they aren’t actually looking at the nature.
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I knoooow… there were people rinning and talking on the phone!
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I understand, Cheryl, and I sympathize.
I get this when I am riding, because apparently, as on the highway, there’s always someone who wants to go faster than me. The scary thing, is that I tend to veer to the left when someone says this. I know, not good, but I can’t change. I grew up being told “no, your other left!”
I always try to slow down, and I always try to be able to stop if I have to.
I would rather everyone have one of those little bells.
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I agree. A bell would be better. And even a separate trail for cyclists. They even trudge up rocky narrow trails with signs that designate them for hikers only. People amaze me all the time and I’m sorry to sound old but the newest generation feels there should be no rules whatsoever.
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Nope, not old. There are rules for a reason. You can’t always go to the right in those trails.
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Sometimes it is a hair’s breath shy of a downhill tumble!
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Exactly.
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