I just rode a ‘calabration’ run on my 36er, and while riding thru the local Wal-Mart, people were jsut walking in front of me like I could stop on a dime. I managed to get around them, but is it really that hard to stop a brief second so I can pass? I know pedestrians have the right-a-way, but damn. Delibrately walking in front of me so that if i’m not paying attention I would hit you is nucking futs! Maybe its me. But if I saw someone on a 36er riding toward me, I would let him/her pass (and this wouldn’t change if I didn’t ride). I wouldn’t think getting nailed by a coker would feel too good.
My guess is that you appeared to them as showing off and cocky. So they felt the need to ignore you?
You should have VIDEOTAPED your ride through Walmart! I plan on doing the same thing but I’ll get mine on videotape!
I’m gona kill the joy by saying: You were in a Wal-Mart!!!
I wasn’t IN wal-mart, i rode past it. besides, here is a shopper’s nightmare since school starts in a couple of days. If i was arrogant or cocky, i would’ve gotten a giraffe. That would give them something to stare at. I plan on getting one eventually. It might be my next uni purchase.
Besides, i don’t have a good camera to film anything yet! But that, too, is in the works!!
oh if you just rode past it then I agree with you
Worse than that, I ride up sidewalks in commercial districts, where people are coming out of shops.
Ever notice how people walk strange arcs until they are finally moving in the direction they want to go? And how they usually don’t even look both ways before exiting a shop and entering a busy sidewalk? They could cause an accident!!!
Walkers should be licensed!!! They should be taught proper on-ramp behavior!
Billy
That’s odd. Usually when I’m riding on a trail or something with walkers, they stand wayyy out of my way and watch me go by. As if I could randomly fall over at any second.
Yeh I get that, people stopping 50 metres in front of me to let me past 
Did you say the pedestrians have the right of way? Then what’s the problem? They could be just testing you.
But probably they are just asserting their right to be in the way. This was the case with some “exercise walkers” that used to hog the inside lanes of the track where I used to practice for unicycle racing. Ladies, timing yourselves? Then why not use the outside lanes? No? Okay, hope you like the wind as I pass you with as little gap as possible…
On my first urban ride in downtown Memphis, we had a guy riding a giraffe. I remember him idling at a traffic light while pedestrians came up and stood right next to him. If they only knew how hard it was to do what the giraffe guy was doing I hope they would have given him some space.
Regarding the purchase of a giraffe, I think most giraffe owners would agree that giraffes are not a good investment. Just borrow one until you get the giraffe-wish out of your system. They are only good for parades, the rest of the time they just gather dust. Next time you come to Memphis, ask about a giraffe, I think someone can loan you one for an hour or two until you get over it.
Ha, I got that when I rode on a parking lot type space. The owner yelled: watch out for the car!
I was 2 meters away
haha I had this guy trying to be gangster with his mates and car as I rode past:
wana be Gangster: Mind my f-cking ride you clown motherf-cker!
me: indeed
I just rode by some gangstas, and all they got out when i rode by was “what the Fu,…?” They were going the other way. I guess you could say I was ‘fly’ riding my 36er.