Responding to bike-on-ebike harassment

[Fran Fabrizio]

So I had my first truly negative interaction with a biker yesterday while riding my e-bike. :-(

I commute to work (22 miles round trip) and in order to make it an everyday thing, this year I started doing this on a Juiced CrossCurrent S. This is a class 3 e-bike but I electronically limit it to Class 2 specs (so, 20 mph top speed). I do this specifically because I use a lot of mixed-use and bike paths on my commute and I want to be a good path citizen and share our infrastructure safely.

I was on a bike path on the way home yesterday, and I came up behind an older guy on a bike. There was room to pass but the path is a bit narrow at this point and there was an oncoming bike, so as is my habit I slowed down and cruised for a bit behind him. When the oncoming traffic passed and the path widened and there was ample room to pass, I sped up, called out my pass, and started to go around him. I was probably going about 17mph.

As I passed him he looked at me and said "Hey, that's cheating!" I laughed and replied "Yeah, well, for me it's either this or a car. Which would you prefer I use?" I've used this line in the past and it's usually gotten a chuckle and a "good point" or "fair enough" and that's the end of it. However, this guy responded with "you don't get any exercise that way!" Alright, he's really going to dig in and take seeing an ebike on "his" trail personally I guess. So I said, "Well, I'm not doing it for exercise, I'm doing it for daily commuting." By this point I was a decent distance ahead of him, so it was getting louder and more awkward. I figured that was the end of it, but then he shouts "Ride on the f&*%ing street!"

Now, there's no good street alternative anywhere near here, this is a path that cuts through some woods and railroad land. And also, I'm using the path safely and courteously, and I'd also like to take the safest alternative, so I stay out of traffic where I can. Plus, I certainly encountered more than one pack of road bike group rides that were moving faster and more aggressively than I was on this trail this same night. I doubt he was yelling at them (since in his mind they weren't "cheating") so I guess he was just objecting to the fact that I wasn't working as hard as he was?? I don't really know.

I'm not proud of this, but after having given him two chances to come back with a more reasonable reply I kinda lost it at this point, gave him the finger and kept riding. Then I proceeded to feel crummy about the whole experience since then, which sucks.

Now, I realize there's just going to be no satisfying some people, but... anyone got any suggestions about a better response or something I should have done differently (besides I obviously should have just ignored his last comment and not flipped him the bird.) I really don't want to do anything to encourage anti-e-bike sentiment in my local biking community, but riding on the street at all times is not always practical or as safe.

 

[rich c]

Do nothing different on the ride, but my opinion is to keep your mouth shut. It defuses the situation very quickly if you just ride on. I've had people yell at me to ride the street when I was on the sidewalk along a main thoroughfare and give them more warning when I pass. The loudest warning to give them more warning was someone wearing ear buds, walking basically in the center of the path. I don't say anything, nor do anything. I just ride on!

 

[Barry S]

I agree wth @rich c . Don't respond in any form to such comments. Mouth closed, hands on the grips and ride on. The guy is probably just pissed that he's stuck on his NON e-bike.

 

[J.R.]

It's just words and words don't hurt. I'd let it go next time. I do find, for some odd reason, people like to hear the tinkle of a bike bell over the voice yelling "on your left". I've had people get angry at me over that. I'm trying to use the bell more, saving the call for the really stubborn or oblivious path users.

You're never going to please all the people all the time.

 

[Fran Fabrizio]

Yeah, I guess I need to resist my urge to advocate for acceptance of e-bikes. I suppose that's not the time or place to do it.

Interesting on the bell. I also have a bell on this bike but am having trouble breaking my old habit of "on your left".

 

[MisterM]

Yeah, I guess I need to resist my urge to advocate for acceptance of e-bikes. I suppose that's not the time or place to do it.

Interesting on the bell. I also have a bell on this bike but am having trouble breaking my old habit of "on your left".

Yelling "on your left" startles people and often they move exactly the wrong way as it requires mental processing to think "which way is left?" A couple flicks of a good bell seems to be more effective for me, especially when someone has earbuds - that distinctive high pitch seems to pierce thru music much more effectively than speech.

 

[michael mitchell]

I prefer a bell as well, and I'm not even a huge fan of that unless there's little room to pass. "On your left" strikes me as one those things that prevents cycling from being accepted as alternative transportation. Can you image if people had to say "on your left" every time they passed someone walking in a mall, or driving in a car? Does everyone say "on your left" in places like Copenhagen? I like to give pedestrians some warning, but people on bikes shouldn't be terribly surprised if someone else on a bike passes them.

And I agree with other comments, you're better off not engaging folks who are looking for an argument. Same thing with drivers. None of them are ever going to stop and say, "oh, you're right."

 

[Fran Fabrizio]

I guess the thing that caught me off-guard is that in the past, when someone has said to me "that's cheating" or "taking the easy way out" or whatever, they're doing it more as an joking ice-breaker, not an insult. Usually it's from someone who's actually curious about e-bikes. I've had a number of good conversations come out of that kind of thing. This guy was, as you said, just looking for an argument.

I've never had an adult turn the wrong way in front of me or get startled (at least not obviously) by an "on your left", but have seen kids do that. Not sure if a bell helps in that case. I have often wondered if just passing a bicyclist silently is actually the safest thing to do, but I've seen some near misses that way, particularly on trails with lots of left-hand exits (which are common here in Minneapolis since the trails around our city lakes run one-way clockwise, so you're always exiting left).

 

[Barry S]

I agree with @MisterM that voicing, "On your left" seems to have more of a startling effect. The only time it works for me is with other seasoned cyclists and joggers. I installed a bell after a guy taking his morning power walk yelled at me for not warning him that I was going to pass. The "multi-use" path was wider than a golf cart, but like most pedestrians he didn't care to share with a cyclist and a non-ebike one at that.

I've tried using the bell, but with folks burying earbuds so deep in their ears they grow roots, they don't hear it. I could install something louder, but then I'm back to scaring the person I want to pass. For now, I use the bell when I think it will work. Otherwise, I keep to the left and pass when the opportunity presents itself.

 

[mrgold35]

I use my ebike as a car replacement with almost 4500 miles after 18 months of riding. I'm trying to get to work as fast as I can in any type of weather. I figure 4500 miles on my ebike probably translate to 7500-10,000 miles not on my car. Sometimes I might take a detour if I want to ride longer and get some exercise along the way. I still ride in the evening or weekends for fun/exercise. I think the pedal guy is not realizing an ebike has multiple uses other than exercise. I'm not trying to get to work at 6am and being soaked in sweat after a hard ride (save that for the evening heading home).

I like using my bell instead of "on your left" because of headphones. I sometimes go completely off the bike trail into the grass/dirt with my fat tire bike if I get no response from the walkers/joggers/bikers that hog the bike lanes 2-3 across sometimes.

 

[TForan]

I try to kill them with kindness. Extra courteous and never pass other bikes on the trail under most circumstances. If they say anything, I just wave.

 

[Curious George]

“Hey...that’s cheating!”....Me: “Why, Yes.....yes it is”. And I continued on my way in a peaceful, expedient fashion.

Second Time, same guy.

“Hey....where can I get one of those things?” And I proceeded to discuss a few things and pointed out this site.

True Story.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

I lik George’s response a lot.

 

[Fitzy]

... I kinda lost it at this point, gave him the finger...

And this, my friend, is where he beat you. I totally get the frustration, however his negativity is most likely the result of other issues unrelated to you. You just gave him another reason to be $#!++y to the next guy. Pity him.

On a related note; we should consider ourselves ambassadors of this new hybrid revolution. We must be patient with the philistines...be positive examples for them. I have an excellent hands-free bell on my bike which I turn on when riding populated trails. It's like an adjustable cow-bell what jingles as you roll along. Gives everyone plenty of fair-warning you're approaching, and it's not obnoxious. I ride quite often on a crowded university campus infested iPhone-distracted Millennials wearing headphones everywhere, and the high-frequency bell seems to do well getting their attention.

Here it is:


In any case, in my "maturation", I've learned to take the high-road in these types of interactions; defending one's ego is ALWAYS a waste of energy. Also, you mentioned you'd felt crummy afterward...I get that...I've definitely "been there". It's the feeling a good person gets after veering into a bad area. I've rectified such discretions in past by apologizing to the person I'd "flipped off" if I came across them in the world at a later date. It's quite disarming, and you may be surprised that you end up with a new friend.

 

[Chris Hammond]

Had a friend ask "does the "E" in E-bike stand for easy. I chuckled and said, "Yes I rode 60 'easy' miles yesterday."

 

[Fran Fabrizio]

Thanks for the group therapy, everyone. I will try harder to stay on the high (and mouth shut) road the next time this happens.

 

[E-Wheels]

I’m not meaning to slur any of the commentators in this thread but in a situation like this my view is to let the fool have the last word......my reaction decides who the fool is

 

[Fran Fabrizio]

I'm not offended. The whole reason I asked here is that I'm disappointed in my reaction and realize I was foolish to let myself get engaged like that. Live and learn.

 

[LS3Miata]

One of the things I learned years ago as a consultant working with some difficult clients is “ I cannot control their behavior, I can only control how I react to it”. I believe this can be applied almost daily in our personal life.

While a totally different scenario, I think it can apply. This early evening I was sitting on my deck on the Kennilworth trail on which the OP (Fran) rides, A woman was walking her dog and he did what dogs do and she started to walk away. My initial reaction was to ask “aren’t you going to pick that up”, fortunately I paused and instead said “ I have a plastic bag if you would like to pick that up”. She greatly appreciated the offer and said she had run out of bags.

 

[michael mitchell]

And this, my friend, is where he beat you. I totally get the frustration, however his negativity is most likely the result of other issues unrelated to you. You just gave him another reason to be $#!++y to the next guy. Pity him.

On a related note; we should consider ourselves ambassadors of this new hybrid revolution. We must be patient with the philistines...be positive examples for them. I have an excellent hands-free bell on my bike which I turn on when riding populated trails. It's like an adjustable cow-bell what jingles as you roll along. Gives everyone plenty of fair-warning you're approaching, and it's not obnoxious. I ride quite often on a crowded university campus infested iPhone-distracted Millennials wearing headphones everywhere, and the high-frequency bell seems to do well getting their attention.

Here it is:
View attachment 21854

In any case, in my "maturation", I've learned to take the high-road in these types of interactions; defending one's ego is ALWAYS a waste of energy. Also, you mentioned you'd felt crummy afterward...I get that...I've definitely "been there". It's the feeling a good person gets after veering into a bad area. I've rectified such discretions in past by apologizing to the person I'd "flipped off" if I came across them in the world at a later date. It's quite disarming, and you may be surprised that you end up with a new friend.

This is interesting. How well does it perform if you're on a smooth surface, going straight?