Bells

[Drago]

Sorry to resurrect this - but I assume it is uncool to have one on a road bike?
I live close to where there are lots of walkers and most of the time walkers have no idea I am approaching them?
Should I just hurl expletives?
I honestly don't know whether to purchase a bell or not?

I find that you can't win.

Use a bell and you get accused often of being rude.

Use your voice and you get accused of not having a bell.

However, I stumbled across a tactic that seems to work well. I use my velvety latw night Radio 2 tones to say "ding ding", and at worst it seems to work effectively, and at best it seems to have people laughing and waving,

 

[IaninSheffield]

I find that you can't win.

Use a bell and you get accused often of being rude.

Use your voice and you get accused of not having a bell.

However, I stumbled across a tactic that seems to work well. I use my velvety latw night Radio 2 tones to say "ding ding", and at worst it seems to work effectively, and at best it seems to have people laughing and waving,

So long as it's not a Leslie Philips "Ding, donnng", you should be OK.

 

[Lovacott]

When a bike is first sold it is a legal requirement that it has to have a bell.

The Tarka Trail in North Devon is a mixed use pedestrian/cycle path and it gets very busy in decent weather.

I never use my bell when approaching pedestrians from behind. To me, a bell is me saying "get out of my way".

I drop down my gears and slow down to just over a walking pace. The noise of the gear changes is usually enough for the walkers to know I'm there. As I pass, I always say "thanks".

I've walked the trail the two miles to Instow on a Sunday to go to the pub and the number of cyclists that hare along at 20mph with just a last second flick of a bell before they whizz past you. Jeez.

When I was learning to drive, my instructor showed me the horn button on the steering wheel and said "that's the horn button. If you ever think you need to use it, forget it and put your foot on the middle pedal. You can't kill a pedestrian when you're not moving".

 

[welsh dragon]

If i approach people from behind, I tend to just say mind your backs. Much better than a bell although I do have the one that was fitted to it when I bought it. I just think it's better to let them know I'm there rather than dinging a bell.

 

[DRM]

If i approach people from behind, I tend to just say mind your backs. Much better than a bell although I do have the one that was fitted to it when I bought it. I just think it's better to let them know I'm there rather than dinging a bell.

Tends to work for me, I just say bike on your left/right after slowing to pass, followed by a thank you works well

 

[Lovacott]

Tends to work for me, I just say bike on your left/right after slowing to pass, followed by a thank you works well

On the Tarka Trail, English cyclists and walkers tend to keep left with overtaking done on the right. However, come Summer, we get a lot of American and Euro tourists who walk and ride on the right of the path.

The bike hire place on the trail near me has a sign explaining the keep left etiquette, but as it's unnatural for yanks and Euros, they soon drift back into their established habits.

The local paper letters section is always filled with angry pedestrians whining about "lunatic" cyclists nearly killing them, but the reality is that the vast majority of people cycling the trail are once a year bike riders who've either just rented a bike for a few hours or dug one out of the shed which they bought five years ago and has 35 miles on the clock. Club cyclists and people training, tend to use the road which runs parallel which then pisses off the car drivers who think they should be using the cycle path.

If I go out on the trail for an exercise ride, I got at cocks crow when there is nobody about. It's also a good time to see Otter in the river.

 

[mjr]

I never use my bell when approaching pedestrians from behind. To me, a bell is me saying "get out of my way".

It is not. It is saying "I am here". Do not allow motorists misusing their horns to rob us of bells.

Maybe gear changes work on your clunky bike and that trail but it often won't. Skimming walkers is wrong, I agree, and your driving tutor sounds daft.

 

[Leedafeeder]

Sorry. All of you must think I am satan, for asking such a divisive question. 🙂🙂🙂

 

[Oldhippy]

I always seem to be behind someone with headphones on and they don't hear me ringing my bell.

 

[Salad Dodger]

On my mountain bike, I have a little "ping" bell. But generally I am less likely to encounter pedestrians where I ride the mountain bike.
On my ebike, which I often use on local shared pavement/cycle paths, I have a proper bicycle bell, which gives longer and louder rings, to alert pedestrians to the imminent arrival of the mighty Powacycle!

 

[fossyant]

I do use my bell on shared paths - usually from a little distance away when approaching from behind, then excuse me and thank you as I pass. You still get the deaf pensioners or ipeds that don't hear. Once rang my bell three times - from a distance, bit nearer, then near, then excuse me. Old guy said 'you should ring your bell' ! I replied 'I did, like this, and dinged the bell three times'. You can't win.

Locking up the rear tyre works best with a gang of yoofs though !

 

[BoldonLad]

This popped up today in a local cycling group.

 

[Lovacott]

It is not. It is saying "I am here". Do not allow motorists misusing their horns to rob us of bells.
Maybe gear changes work on your clunky bike and that trail but it often won't. Skimming walkers is wrong, I agree, and your driving tutor sounds daft.

On the mixed use path, the habit seems to be to ring the bell and then expect the walkers to move left with the cyclists making no attempt to temper their speed as they whizz past.

Where I work, we have forklift operators who speed in and out of the warehouse with just a couple of toots on entry and exit. I hate that. Much better to slow down and make sure there is nobody there.

Same in cars. If a pedestrian looks as though they might walk in front of you, the first thing you should do is apply the brake. The horn is useless if they have earphones in or are deaf.

The best safety device on any moving object is the thing that stops it moving.

 

[DRM]

On the mixed use path, the habit seems to be to ring the bell and then expect the walkers to move left with the cyclists making no attempt to temper their speed as they whizz past.

Where I work, we have forklift operators who speed in and out of the warehouse with just a couple of toots on entry and exit. I hate that. Much better to slow down and make sure there is nobody there.

Same in cars. If a pedestrian looks as though they might walk in front of you, the first thing you should do is apply the brake. The horn is useless if they have earphones in or are deaf.

The best safety device on any moving object is the thing that stops it moving.

It’s part of the requirements to give a couple of toots on the horn when driving a forklift through doors or round corners, what isn’t is doing it while going at full speed without a care in the world for anyone else, then when they collide with something they state that the brakes don’t work, or the steering is faulty.

 

[BoldonLad]

On the mixed use path, the habit seems to be to ring the bell and then expect the walkers to move left with the cyclists making no attempt to temper their speed as they whizz past.
...........

There seems to be an assumption that sounding a bell (or verbal alert) precludes slowing down, or, at least showing increased awareness of the pedestrian's actions.

What is wrong with:

Make your presence known ...) at a suitable distance from pedestrian... suitable distance would be dependant of relative speeds
Slow down..................................)
if pedestrian shows no sign of awareness of your approach, show down some more, to a stop if necessary

Although I have said "pedestrian", I would take this approach to anyone (including another cyclist) I was about to overtake, on a narrow or shared path.

I am not. the fastest cyclist, having another cyclist speed past, without warning can be unnerving. I have mirrors, and, do shoulder checks, but, depending on the relative speeds, it is still quite possible to be "caught out". Similarly, if walking, it can be mose disconcerting to have a cyclist pass, at speed, without warning.