Alerting fellwalkers etc

[stumpy]

Hmmm, I'm sensing from the replies above that a hearty shriek of "get out the f*****g way slowcoach" is not considered good etiquette then?

[wjb]

Hmmm, I'm sensing from the replies above that a hearty shriek of "get out the f*****g way slowcoach" is not considered good etiquette then?

If the walkers are flailing around with poles then yes this would be appropriate.

[Fudge the Elf]

Some years ago now I was running along a (infrequently used) footpath in Macclesfield Forest when I espied a couple "'avin it" literally a few yards off the path. I thought that if I cough, call out, ring a bell or whatever, it might result in some form of horrendous coitus accidentus involving mountain rescue/helicopter evacuation. Not wishing to be the cause of such trauma I just put my head down and charged past - don't think they even noticed.

[MarkL]

Bowland tends to be a lonely, quiet place and I've never had this issue whilst out running.

Cycling is a different matter however. Our group make use of both the canal towpath and the Millenium Path alongside the River Lune.
In these situations, when approaching a pedestrian from behind, I always take heed of which side of the path the pedestrian(s) are on and having slowed I shout a warning to them; e.g. "If you stick to the Left please, I'll pass on your Right."

One elderly lady responded with, "Oh how lovely, a cyclist who's prepared to speak to me rather than just ring his bell at me."

The problem with a bell, in these situations, is that it does not convey to the other party just what your intentions are.

Ian Roberts, Bowland F.R.

P.S. Sadly nothing is helpful when dealing with idiots walking along a shared useage path, in their own little world, wearing headphones injecting a loud "noise" directly into their ears.
I experienced a classic case of this several years ago, whilst riding the 'cross bike on The Ridgeway in Wiltshire. On an overgrown section that was effectively single-track, I came up behind a runner and for 300 - 400 yards I was shouting warnings that I was behind him, with zero response from the lad. When the way broadened to a Land Rover track, I passed him, allowing plenty of clearance, at which he pulled out his earphones and started to berate me for giving him a fright. I stopped and pointed out that I had been shouting warnings to him for quite a while and that his fright was of his own making. He responded that he could not possibly endure (the agonies of) running without a musical accompaniment. I suggested that he found something that he actually enjoyed doing without the need for an aurally injected anaesthetic.

ha ha. Whenever I come upon someone in the countryside with headphones in or on their phone, I do my best to scare the sh!t out of them.

[William Clough]

Some years ago now I was running along a (infrequently used) footpath in Macclesfield Forest when I espied a couple "'avin it" literally a few yards off the path. I thought that if I cough, call out, ring a bell or whatever, it might result in some form of horrendous coitus accidentus involving mountain rescue/helicopter evacuation. Not wishing to be the cause of such trauma I just put my head down and charged past - don't think they even noticed.

You're right, I didn't notice. Sorry I missed you

[Fudge the Elf]

"You're right, I didn't notice. Sorry I missed you"

I'm not surprised you didn't notice - I wouldn't notice if I was playing the piano at the same time!

[anthonykay]

Coming down from Buck Hill, on a narrow path through woods, there was a young couple walking ahead of me. I was still breathing heavily from the effort of climbing the hill, and couldn't muster enough breath to shout "Excuse me" (I'm a Southerner, that's the sort of language I use ). Anyway, I hoped that my breathing would be loud enough for them to be alerted to my presence; but I was within 3 metres of them, wondering which side to pass them, before the girl let out a shriek of horror and sought safety in the arms of her boyfriend. But at least she had got out of my way.