Bell or speak?

[swee'pea99]

Hmmm...have to say that etymology looks a bit sus to me. First because no-one ever says 'Burksher' (ir's Barksher, isn't it?), and second because the word means a fool rather than a scumbag. I'm not saying it's definitely wrong, just that it looks to me like the kind of thing that gets unmasked by that nice Mister Fry on QI as a myth.

 

[PaulSecteur]

It might just be me or the area I come from, being a Yamyam, but when its spelled Berkshire - its spoken as Berkshire. If I wuz posh and literate and live in Berkshire I think I would want to be creative with pronounciation too. Just as Mrs Bucket...Sorry, Mrs Bouquet!

As a side note when I go in a tub of hot water its know as going in the bath, not barth.

 

[swee'pea99]

So you do say 'Burk-sher' rather than 'Bark-sher'? Well, you learn something new every day.

 

[Arch]

Be prepared for the 'It's the law to use a bell' It isn't. You need to provide an audible warning of your presence but you don't have to use a bell to provide that audible warning.

Yes, call out, and keep the bell on a long string to throw at the back their heads if they don't hear you....

I do whichever seems right at the time, bell, or " 'scuse me!" with "cheers" as I pass. The trike currently has a pathetic ding bell I need to replace with one that goes 'tring tring'. It's fun when they look round and I'm not there until they look down...

 

[BigSid]

I shout "bike behind" from about 30-40 metres back, then it doesn't appear too aggressive and it gives plenty of time for it to register and for the walkers to move.
Usually get a thanks for not "sneaking up" on them or passing without warning.
I always thank them for moving out of the way. Only had one experience like the OP but figured it's their problem not mine.

 

[Norm]

[quote name='swee'pea99']So you do say 'Burk-sher' rather than 'Bark-sher'? Well, you learn something new every day. [/QUOTE]
He might, but we don't. We refer to "Barksheer" when saying the name in full but, when abbreviated, we pronounce it as "Burks".

 

[summerdays]

I grew up around there and it was called Berks when abbreviated for me as well - luckily I lived 100 metres onto the Bucks side....

 

[Norm]

I grew up around there and it was called Berks when abbreviated for me as well - luckily I lived 100 metres onto the Bucks side....

IIRC, Taplow wasn't it?

I was out on the scoot earlier, cogitating this one from a hill on which you can see 5 counties (Berks, Bucks, Middx, Surrey and Herts). We refer to some counties by the shortened name (Notts, Berks, Bucks, Oxon etc) but not others. Does anyone ever say "Warks"? And how do they pronounce it if they do? Or Worcs? Salop?

Anyway, back on topic, I only found one ped on the shared use paths I was on today, who was about 14 and well into whatever was coming through his headphones. He screamed as I passed.