Take off the earbuds!

This morning’s ride was a cool 18.46 miles of cool-breeze and sunny skies, thanks to our mid-south location and climate change.

It was also an experience in frequent stalls, stops, and near-misses:

  • If you jog, don’t cross the line. When we’re saying “on your left”, it doesn’t make much sense if you can’t hear us.
  • Many walkers bring their dogs, which is great. Many dogs also like to go wherever the fun is, which isn’t too difficult to navigate as well. However, if your dog makes contact with another dog (which is also expected) that is also being walked by another being zoned out by earbuds it can result in two leashed dogs completely blocking the path. one of you needs to remove the tunes in order to hear what is going on
  • Parents with kids. I wish I brought my son on the path early like you, but a child that you can’t hear is an accident waiting to happen. Even if they are already riding your support will be needed. Leave the music at home, a child’s happiness should be enough
  • Riders experiencing fatigue need to be aware of their surroundings. Some will manage their energy and stop safely, but if you frequently push yourself to the limit it is important to understand how your reaction time is reduced when distracted. Listening to the latest music is fun, but can lead to an overall unpleasant ride and accidents if you are aggressively training. Motorcycle Riders learn reaction time variables in basic training.
  • Stopping in blind curves is something everyone is cautious about, but today’s listeners aren’t aware of their surroundings. It seems that those listening for long periods exhibit a perception that one part of the path is no different than another. If you find yourself stopping without stepping off, that a risk for others

The solution is easy, either turn down the volumne or leave it at home.

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