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Cyclists: Please pipe down!
An email from a woman annoyed by disruptive cyclists caught my attention this week.
“In Northwest Austin, what could be a pleasant early Sunday morning on Heathrow Drive is ruined EVERY weekend by chatty bicyclists who aren’t aware that their voices boom for at least a hundred yards — yes, a hundred yards at least!” Carmen deGonsalvetz emailed me this week. “It’s as if they are yelling at a football game.”
Yikes — I can yell pretty loudly at a football game!
I’m occasionally guilty of this, I admit. I’ve found myself trying to talk to a fellow cyclists a bike length or two away. I’m probably hollering without even realizing it.
And, fellow cyclists, believe it or not, not everyone in Austin is up as early as we are on weekends.
DeGonsalvetz has a suggestion on how we can hone our manners.
“To all riders: please encourage your cycling partners to be considerate of the peaceful environment through which you are riding. Share the quiet by saving your chatter for elsewhere later. Please realize that your voices are booming most likely because your helmets cover your ears, and because your lungs are working a bit harder.”
Point taken.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment Categories: cycling
Comments
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By Mark Cathcart
September 14, 2011 12:41 PM | Link to this
It’s a reasonable request, except by and large cycling helmets don’t cover your ears for exactly that reason, so you can hear traffic and other road noises.
I don’t ride up there, but if there is a group ride that goes through her road, its much more likely that what is being heard are traffic warnings, shouts of “glass, “gravel”, “clear”etc. These are unavoidable and necessary as they can’t be passed from rider to rider quicker enough…
By This field is not marked required
September 14, 2011 1:21 PM | Link to this
Maybe visual cues might help better to warn others. Yelling can be more annoying to people than cars driving by. Are we humans or dogs? We can find other ways to communicate without driving our fellow beings crazy.
By Dennis Little Jr
September 14, 2011 1:44 PM | Link to this
lady, why don’t you complain about something really important…
By R Williams
September 14, 2011 2:21 PM | Link to this
Whiners!
By Michael
September 14, 2011 3:16 PM | Link to this
This is likely one of the most useless articles I have read in a long time.
One woman can complain about noise that doesn’t violate any law/rule/statute and it makes your news? The Noise Ordinance is found in Chapter 9-2 of the City of Austin Codes and Ordinances. It briefly states that a person may not make an unreasonable noise between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 7 a.m. or create a sound or vibration more than 30 feet from a vehicle.
So, this woman would rather have tens of cars driving through her neighborhood polluting her air, using non-renewable fossil fuels, and without providing the healthful exercise that cycling does. Carmen deGonsalvetz, get a life. Pam LeBlanc, please keep reporting on useful/relevant topics - not this.
By rat
September 14, 2011 4:15 PM | Link to this
Get some ear plugs and quit bothering cyclists. Do you complain about loud planes in the sky and loud cars passing by too? Jeez…
By joeyTWOwheels
September 14, 2011 4:24 PM | Link to this
I can’t think of anything more inane than the annoyed woman. Wait, no, this post is quite inane because it brought the “news” to light? Or maybe it’s just my inane comment that is pedestrian.
Le sigh.
(was that too loud?)
By debra crosby
September 14, 2011 5:14 PM | Link to this
This is why I ride in the country. No traffic. No crabby neighbors complaining of the sound of my voice. But I agree — this woman needs to get over herself and get some earplugs if she really wants to sleep.
By Loud mouth biker, inspired to yell more.
September 18, 2011 4:40 PM | Link to this
Maybe you can best advise me on when and where to chat with friends, but i won’t listen. I’ll be up on your road as loud as i can, with all of my friends you are inspiring the new “Yell- Ride,” Yell-Yeah!
By Loud mouth biker, inspired to yell more.
September 18, 2011 4:42 PM | Link to this
Maybe you can best advise me on when and where to chat with friends, but i won’t listen. I’ll be up on your road as loud as i can, with all of my friends you are inspiring the new “Yell- Ride,” Yell-Yeah!