Ding dong bell or electronic shrill?

[Crackle]

What kind of bell do you have? Out walking on the shared use path this morning with the dog and at that time there's not too many cyclists about, a few commuters is all.

Anyway I generally look back over my shoulder and keep an eye out. Spotted the first guy and brought the dog to heel before he got to me and he gave a gentle ding on his bell, very pleasant sound and we exchanged waves and past he went.

I was daydreaming a bit as it was a lovely morning, so the second guy took me by surprise. All of a sudden, this kind of shrill alarm went off. I jumped up, then left and right and panickly looked over my shoulder to try and pick a direction to go in, moved to one side and just had time to tell the dog to stay as he was about to lurch out the undergrowth.

I've never heard such a bell before and recommend if you've got one to ditch it and get yourself one that makes a gentle ding and doesn't scare the bejeesus out of people, sheesh, I'm still traumatizeed.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I don't have a bell at all. I'f I ever use a shared path, I slow down and exchange friendly greetings, or wait until the pedestrian has seen me. But if I did use a bell, it would be a "ting ting" - style one.

 

[allen-uk]

At the moment I use the noise my front brake makes (shoes might need adjusting) as it gives off a squeal.

If I'm riding round the local park path and see several dogs and their owners stopping for a chat, I slow right down and often stop, or at least go past them at 2 mph, on the basis that they have as much right to be there, walking or chatting, as I do.

If I ever get round to adjusting the brakes, then I'll get a dinky non-aggressive bell...


A.

 

[User482]

"ding dong" bell for me. But the air horn is deployed for car drivers and joggers with ipods.

 

[tyred]

Ding dong bell. I don't think I've ever felt the need to use it.

 

[Crackle]

I quite appreciate someone dinging their bell, at least I know they're there and can move over. I prefer that to someone just ghosting past me, especially if I've got the dog, who is often ahead of me and tends to take a wavy path when called back. So if someone ghosts past in that situation I tend not to call him because the result can be a little unpredictable, whereas left to his own devices he tends to sniff in a straight line.

 

[Wolf04]

Airzound!!
I don't use it on pedestrians though, I've got a voice for that.

 

[Crackle]

I think I'd need new underpants if you'd airzounded me this morning.

 

[Wolf04]

I think I'd need new underpants if you'd airzounded me this morning.

I learned that lesson, going along a shared path two workmen a hundred yards in front, I gave them the briefest of toots. They nearly jumped out of their skin! Ever since I just slow down and ask politely if I can squeeze past.

 

[thomas]

Airzound!!
I don't use it on pedestrians though, I've got a voice for that.

Yep, one of the reviews for the airzound read something like, "There was once a group of ramblers and I'd said excuse me a few times and they weren't paying attention. I said it a bit louder and one of the walkers commented that "shouldn't the cyclist have a bell?". So I held down the Airzound and they all jumped out of my way".

I can't find the original review, but that was one of the reasons I bought it

 

[dav1d]

I have a tiny bell (it still makes a decent noise though) that came with the bike. On the Peugeot Carbolite 103, it has an old bell, one of those silver coloured massive types that look ridiculous. The bottom bit fell off before I bought it though (whoever had it previously lost it), so it doesn't really work. Still, the bike isn't bad for a tenner!

 

[Dayvo]

Don't have a bell.

If someone knocks at my door, well, they, er, knock at my door!