Bicycle Diaries
30 years riding, 15 years writing
The Perils of Earbuds
Common courtesy while riding your road bike is to yell out “On Your Left” when passing fellow riders. When I began riding my mountain bike, yelling out didn’t seem to have much effect on the trails. I soon purchased a bicycle bell, and it’s how I inform walkers, runners and bikers that I’m about to pass them.
The reason yelling out has little effect on the trails is that most people are wearing earbuds and listening to their portable devices. Most hear my bicycle bell and acknowledge it by waving their left hand, some never hear me coming until I pass them going at a high rate of speed.
Today on one of the inner trails, a lone woman jogging never heard me approaching and just about jumped out of her skin as I passed her. This woman would of never heard an approaching dangerous animal or human attacker until it would be too late. Heck I’m carrying a pocket knife these days just because of recent coyote sightings.
When I go for a bike ride on the trails, all I want to hear is the wind blowing past my ears, the sound of my tires going over rocks and gravel, and the sound of birds and native animals frolicking in the forest. I hear enough man-made noisy distractions when I’m in my home office, why would I want to bring them along on a therapeutic ride?
MTB: distance 23.08 miles, average speed 13.7 mph.
Charlotte, NC
Spent 10 years in Charlotte, a block away from an entrance to the McAlpine Creek Greenway.
Switched to a mountain bike from the road bikes I was accustomed to riding for 15 years.
The time spent on these trails was most appreciated.
Trek Fuel 70
