When passing another cyclist... etiquette suggestions

The Gazette's always excellent personal fitness columnist Jill Barker's column today is about one of our favorite topics, bike etiquette (and some other sports too).

The bike etiquette subject she presents is how to pass another cyclist. Should you just burst past someone and pretend they don't exist (possibly scaring them), or should you warn them that you are passing with a friendly "On your left!"

The answer is you should say "On your left." And you should say it in a friendly voice, not in a command-to-the-slower shout.

Not mentioned in her column is the bicycle bell, which as we know no self-respecting cycling "athlete" would put on their fancy bike. We like the bell a lot, and have a bell on some (but not all) of our bikes. We like the sound of our bell. And we can tell you that when people hear a bike bell they willingly get out of your way. It's amazing, and friendly too.

We strongly recommend a loud Dring-Dring style bell.

And we like to say "Hi" or "Bonjour!" to people as we pass them.