Bells !

[SteveH80]

I've got a bell on one of the bikes but rarely use it, I would rather say 'good morning' or similar. People are conditioned to respond to human voices so if they don't I assume they haven't, or can't, hear me.

 

[scotsbikester]

^^^^^^^ Wot E Sed

Reflectors are also mandatory front/rear and on pedals and wheels but most people remove those also (I know I do*) although a lot of cycle clothing/shoes have some 'retro-reflective' flashes or motifs on them.

* The one exception being bikes with cantilever brakes where the reflector bracket also acts as a safety bar for the straddle wire, if a brake cable fails that will lock the wheel instantly.......................Ditto 'centrepull' brakes on old road/touring bikes

Wouldn't mudguards solve that problem?

 

[fwgx]

I found that ringing a bell will make pedestrians vere from their straight walk in to a wobbly weave as they look over their shoulder and lose the ability to continue in the same direction. This is amplified if there's 2 or more people together.

I'd rather call out "excuse me" or "on your left" or similar as a bell is quite impersonal, which people dont like IMHO. Especially as you're so close you could have a conversation.

The worst ones are those wearing bluetooth earbuds, especially if they're black buds, as you can't tell they won't be able to hear anything. Big obvious headphones you know you're not going to be heard from a distance away so can plan accordingly.

 

[Drago]

I just scream, "aaarrrggghhh, my brakes have failed!"

 

[Alex321]

On the rare occasion I use my bell, it doesn't seem to have much of an effect. It rings and they might look up into a tree, wondering if it was a wind chime they heard, but it's a little 'ping' bell, not a proper dring-dring bell.

Mine is a "ping" type bell, but it is surprising how well pedestrians ahead of me seem to hear it.

 

[EckyH]

Mine is a "ping" type bell, but it is surprising how well pedestrians ahead of me seem to hear it.

Made the same experience yesterday. At a guess the pedestrians were in their seventies and heard it very well, despite the bell tone is at a fairly high pitch and the distance was roughly 30 metres.

E.

 

[Drago]

You cant win.

Use a bell and some folk ignore it.

Use your voice and some prat inevitably demands to know where your bell is.

 

[fossyant]

Mine is a "ping" type bell, but it is surprising how well pedestrians ahead of me seem to hear it.

Unless they are old and can't hear high pitch noises - seem to have a lot of that locally (i.e. deaf old duffers). Been told 'why didn't you ring your bell' when I'd had to say 'excuse me', and my freewheel isn't that quiet. Should take the full sus out with it's "angry hornet's nest" in the rear hub.