Appproach attitude - ?

[Ming the Merciless]

Signage and perhaps a couple of people monitoring traffic along the trail if you can’t close it. Definitely sounds like a few health and safety lapses.

 

[Jody]

IME there's a level of confidence required to shout or ring a bell. Lots of peopleare too "British" to alert their presence, as they think it's rude

A lot of peds think ringing a bell on approach is also very rude.

 

[T4tomo]

Seriously, even if you didn't go through formal processes, then a bit of H&S style thinking wouldn't come amiss.

Maybe inform workers not to go onto the path without first checking that it's clear. Also common sense would suggest that if you're going to obstruct the path then some signage is in order. Those simple precautions should prevent workers from (nearly) colliding with users of the path.

yes \i was only half joking - some sort of "warning workers on path / cycles slow down" signage definitely in order, that's just common sense

 

[presta]

I was walking towpaths & railways around Liverpool & Manchester a while back, but I didn't really notice there was a difference until I got back home and walked the Beeching Memorial Path here in Essex. Then I realised that up north the cyclists were all ringing their bell and speaking, down here nobody does.

 

[Punkawallah]

Mostly sociable up ‘Ere. Only the odd ’Strava stare’.

 

[sheddy]

Horses are unpredictable.
Stop and talk to the rider.
Don't ride past until instructed.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Some people react badly to my bell (it's a ringa-ding-ding type) and I am concious of that,

Indeed. My wife got assaulted by a middle aged man when cycling home a few years ago. On a shared path he and his partner were walking in the area marked for cycling so she dinged her bell to make them aware of her approach. He stepped in front, stopping her and forcibly pushed her to the ground. Despite video evidence, which was passed to the police, he was never found.

I use my bell sparingly, moderating my speed and position instead and staying aware.

 

[Gillstay]

Some people react badly to my bell (it's a ringa-ding-ding type) and I am concious of that, on Saturdays ride I said sorry profusely to an older lady and another pushing a pram who both nearly jumped out their skin when I rang. So its not always that I might be perceived as being rude by myself that makes bell use a confidence issue, but more that I might accidently startle someone.



Someone once said to me horses react better to voices so I normally call out to horse riders rather than ring, I don't know how true that is.

Yes I asked the local horse riders and they say the horse is trying to work out what you are so if you talk t works it out sooner that your not a threat.