Pedestrian

I sometimes wonder about the pedestrians in this town. Apart from the fact that most of them can't walk in a straight line to save themselves, they act like they've never seen a bike before in their lives.

When you ring your bell coming up behind them (to warn them that randomly wandering from one side of the path to the other is temporarily a bad idea), they get this look come over them as if they're thinking:

"A bell? I'm almost sure I heard a bell. But what could possibly make that sound? Why am I hearing a bell on a bike path?"

And they slow down and start drifting across the path in the direction a bike is most likely to pass them.

And then get get incredibly startled, and sometimes downright cranky, when a bike "suddenly" overtakes them.

It's bizarre. I know they know it's a bike path, because everyone in town calls all of the off-street paths "bike paths". And that does indicate that bikes might use the path. Also, bikes use the paths all the time, and when they overtake people without using a bell, they shake their fists at the bikes and mutter things about "use your *bleeping* bell, you bleeping beep!" under their breath.

Or really loudly.

But when you do use a bell to give them plenty of warning, I'd say about half the pedestrians I encounter are just thoroughly confused.

The remaining half is split between people who seem offended that you would have the audacity to ding a bell at them (but they look like the kind of people who would be offended by the fact that you exist and are on a bike), and people who step neatly to one side, let you pass, and then go back to wandering aimlessly across the path.

I like the last group. They're pretty neat. Occasionally, one of them will even give you a cheery wave and say "thanks!" for giving them the heads-up. Those are my favourite people.

I've just ridden to work for the first time from my new place, by the way, and while I still have a few kinks to work out with the route, and will have to work with a few more hills than I'm used to, I'd say the experience is O.K.

Which is good, because one of the reasons why I bought this house was because it's close enough to ride to work.