Modern-day hazards

[rsc]

During the summer, I try to get some healthful exercise by riding my bicycle about the neighborhood every couple of days (weather and schedule permitting). I have a few preferred routes that get me out there for 20-40 minutes, depending. Each has its own particular pluses and minuses.

The (mostly) paved path around Goose Cove Reservoir is a ride that takes me about 35 minutes (about 10 minutes each way to the gate, and 15 minutes for the circuit around the reservoir itself). Its advantages are that (1) because the reservoir is more or less surrounded by forest, the path is mostly in the shade, and (2) it's not open to motor vehicles.

Its disadvantages actually derive from advantage (2) above: (1) the pavement isn't in very good shape, and so makes for a rather rough ride (and inhibits me on downhill streatches); (2) it's a popular place for people to take their dogs for walks and/or runs.

This latter isn't usually a problem, but some dogs get excited in the presence of a cyclist, and some owners (not many) aren't very alert (or effective) about making sure that the sharing of the pathway between dog and cyclist is safe and convenient.

But today I encountered something I'd never seen before.

Shortly after I entered the path, I was climbing a hill when I saw a man a short distance ahead walking up the center of the path. I called out to let him know I was coming up behind, in the hopes that he would move to one side or the other to give me a little more room, but he stayed squarely in the middle of the pathway, and as I passed him on the left I saw (and heard) why he hadn't heeded me -- he was engaged in a no doubt highly important conversation on his cell phone.

I got past him safely, and I noted that there was a dog with him. The dog took no more notice of me than the man had, but at least the dog was over on the edge of the path.

I don't really quite understand what it is about cell phones that basically cause people to shut out the rest of the world, and not notice that they are sharing it with other people.

He must have reversed directions at some point, because toward the end of my loop around the reservoir I met him and his dog again, coming the other way. He was still talking on his phone (nearly 15 minutes later!), but since this time we were approaching face to face it was easy enough for us to stay out of each other's way.

Comments

[chrishansenhome.livejournal.com]

Not being a cyclist (and not wishing to take my life in my hands by trying it in London), I at first thought there asn't much to comment on for me. However, the relatively recent spectacle of a person walking down the street talking to him/herself has me flummoxed (I love that word.) Years ago, if someone was walkign down the street talking to him/herself, you assumed they weren't all there. Nowadays, they're talking to their partner or whomever.

I have found navigation problems with such people even just walking. They do not take any cues from what's going on behind them (as you discovered).

I wonder when it'll be mandatory for pedestrians talking on their mobile phones to stop and move out of the centre of the pavement/pathway.