So I’ve been out on the Pudding Creek Trestle pretty much every day on my bike, and I’ve noticed some interesting things about people, cars, bicycles, and dogs. I’m fairly certain that these observations apply to other regions of the world as well as my own, so I thought I would talk about them. Consider this post a public service announcement, and please pass it on to all your leg, car, bicycle, or dog owning friends.

People, it seems, are incapable of dealing with the emotional stress of being around someone on a bicycle. I actually wrote a letter to the editor about this because it’s been such a source of irritation for me; we’ll see if it gets published. Given that the last time I was mentioned in the Advocate, they misspelled the name of this website and didn’t give a URL, I don’t have high hopes. At any rate, here’s the thing, pedestrians:

When you see a bike, keep right. It’s really that simple. Bicyclists really do not want to hit you. If you hear a bicyclist shout “on your left,” keep right, and everything will be just fine. Honestly. It will. If you’re, say, walking with a large group of people on a narrow bridge, you might not want to take up the entire bridge. This will allow pedestrians going the other way to get around you without making a fuss, and it will allow bicyclists to move up from behind you. If you want to stop and take pictures, by all means do it, but don’t leave your camera bag in the middle of the road/bridge/street/trail/whatever.

Please do not jump out in front of cyclists. While we can stop fairly quickly, we cannot stop that quickly. Also, when someone waves at you and says “good morning,” the correct response is something along the lines of “good morning” or “hello,” not an icy stare and a grumble. This is known as common courtesy, and while it can be difficult to grasp, it will make your life much easier.

Cars and I seem to get along fairly well. The only thing that really annoys me, as a cyclist, is when a car stops to yield to me and it shouldn’t. While this is very nice, it is not safe, smart, or legal. Bikes are traffic. When I stop at a four way stop and you get there before me, you get to go first. Likewise, you shouldn’t stop for me in the middle of highway one because a car could slam into you. Also, I probably won’t be able to go because of the car speeding from the opposite direction. Please do not stop and then shout at me to go when there is another car coming, because I am not going to put myself in the way of something which will kill me.

Cars, be smart. Be aware of cyclists, try to remember to check your mirrors, and treat them like traffic, because that is what they are.

Bicycles are pretty awesome, although sometimes their riders are not so awesome. We all know that I have a short temper, and therefore the potential to turn into an angry cyclist, but I try to greet people I see, signal my intentions, and to be aware of what’s going on around me. Cyclists who zoom past with no thought to old ladies, children, pets, or other cyclists are lame. Cyclists, don’t do that. As traffic, you need to be responsible about signaling and making smart decisions. Also, please be careful around people in wheelchairs; it is not reasonable to expect them to magically hear you coming and move out of your way in 10 seconds.

Dogs: please do not poop in the middle of trails and roads. Your owners are usually too lazy to clean it up, and then it smells bad, and sometimes I don’t see it in time and I run it over with my bike and then there is poop on my bike tire and then it flies back and hits me in the face, and it is really gross.

People who own dogs: please clean up after them when they poop. Especially when doggie clean up bags are so kindly provided. Along with trashcans. That goes for people with dogs in cemeteries, too.

In short, gentle readers, a little awareness goes a long way, and it will make your life much easier. Help stamp out motive stupidity!