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Comment by sva_ | Hacker News Reader

Yeah, the comment about bells struck out to me as well. I didn't have one on my MTB in the beginning, but it just felt so stupid to yell 'sorry' at people. I don't see what's the reason, saving a few grams of weight? While riding recreationally? Makes no sense. First I got one of those minimalist designs that blend in with the handlebar, but it didn't work too well. So I just got a huge one, in black color like the handlebar, which is very loud. Sometimes people get scared for a moment but it's much better than them jumping as you ride by them silently. And I don't think it looks bad at all.

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Why yell "sorry" instead of "hi there", or something as you come up to them.

I'm Canadian, and as the saying goes "we say sorry 50 times a day, and we're sorry we can't say it more", but still...I don't understand why you're apologizing rather than giving warning, and is ringing a bell really any better in this instance?

>Why yell "sorry" instead of "hi there"

The local racing biker etiquette here seems to be yelling "AUS DEM WEG" (make way) in a very rude tone. "Hi there" or even "sorry" would be a definitive improvement over what we have now. ;)

Instead of yelling "sorry" at people, I try to stick with "on your left", "on your right", or most importantly "can I pass you when the trail widens out". All of which are safer and friendlier than the vauge "move-outta-my-way" signal a bell sends.

> "on your left", "on your right"

I wouldn’t know what these were supposed to mean!

Are you telling me that you’re going to pass on my left or are you telling me to move onto my left? How do you expect people to know?

If you hike any sort of trail where you will come across bikes, you’ll quickly get that it means they will pass on the side they mention.

They should say it when you have a bit of time to take a look and assess, but there are some who say it a couple of feet behind you

Maybe you aren't a native english speaker, but have you ever heard someone ask you to move over by saying a phrase even remotely like "on your left" ?

If something is "on your left" <side>, I'd hope it should be easy to realize that you should either move to the right, or be aware of someone passing "on your left".

I’m a native speaker and I still get confused if folks shout it at me without giving me more than a second to think about it.

> Maybe you aren't a native English speaker

Lol I'm English.

> If something is "on your left" <side>, I'd hope it should be easy to realize that you should either move to the right

But it could just as likely mean 'please step off the path on your left so I can pass by your right side'.

People make up these conventions and then assume everyone else knows them!

Ideally I'd say don't cycle where people are walking in the first place!

Those are the idiomatic phrases for cross-country skiing, biking, trail running, and pretty much every other sport where a slower competitor is required to yield the trail in North America. It’s a pretty reasonable expectation that trail users would be familiar with them.

(The main alternative used in competition is “track track track!” which is distinctly less helpful.)

Many 'trail users' are just normal people out for a walk, not part of any competitive sport. You can't assume people know your lingo.

It’s not about assuming other people know your lingo, it’s about it being the most widely understood phrase with the desired meaning; there isn’t something else you would say that’s more clear to more people.

You should not assume that the other person will understand it and act immediately, but it’s absolutely the correct thing to say in this scenario. You just also need to slow down to be able to respond if they don’t.

> there isn’t something else you would say that’s more clear to more people

How about 'I'm passing you on your left'?

I had people express appreciation about having a loud and clear bell, over some unclear yelling from behind. Maybe it's a cultural thing.

I think there may be a thought a bell isn't cool enough for mtb bro's? Or maybe it's just that they aren't fitted to mountain bikes as standard (they should be) and so people don't think to pick one up.

Obviously not cool enough! Same thing with racing bikes. All that gorgeous gear and Lycra and then you're supposed to announce yourself to the slow masses with that ridiculous sound!? No way!

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