Biking etiquette

[mustang1]

Have done the same, often with dog-walkers who always appreciate you being super-considerate - it show's we are not the imagined enemy....

Yeah ditto. And horse riders too.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You should be shot just for admitting to listening to that.

We don’t all play Beethoven as we ride gently down the road

 

[PaulSB]

I have a bell on my gravel/winter bike and would always use a bell in preference to calling out. My experience is people know what a bell means and can easily here it from +/- 30 metres away. A shout or call doesn't necessarily register as something one should take note of. When I use my bell I get a smile or nod of thanks 99/100 times. A shout doesn't have the same effect. I would ring the bell about 30 metres away when approaching walkers from behind and several times as I approach and enter a canal towpath bridge. I've never found a need for a bell on a road bike.

Smiles, waves, nods, thank yous are of course part of the whole thing.

My bell is not one of these but a very similar idea which works extremely well and fits in multiple positions.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJTrIU2uqmE

 

[steveindenmark]

I try to be as friendly as possible to all other road and path users. Why wouldnt you be unless you are Victor Meldrew. But there are twonkers and people do make mistakes. Just accept it.

 

[simongt]

Interestingly, I never use my bell when approaching a horse. I always call out to the rider.

Something I do as well, in good time. A spooked horse can do a lot of damage to it's rider and the cyclist.

 

[mjr]

Ebay or Amazon for a couple of pounds will get you a simple "single ting" bell, delivered to your door.

They're not great, especially with so many people now mistaking them for phone alert pings. The Lion-style temple bell isn't bad as a ping bell, especially if you hit it twice. The traditional rotary brrrrring or Dutch ding-dong are both better. As mentioned above, Wilkinsons and Wilco both often have good ones, and surprisingly The Range sometimes does, as part of a range of city bike parts under some brand beginning with D not listed on their website.

Also as mentioned above, you can get bells for road bikes that attach in interesting places, such as clip on the lever end of a cable or replace a headset spacer.

 

[BoldonLad]

They're not great, especially with so many people now mistaking them for phone alert pings. The Lion-style temple bell isn't bad as a ping bell, especially if you hit it twice. The traditional rotary brrrrring or Dutch ding-dong are both better. As mentioned above, Wilkinsons and Wilco both often have good ones, and surprisingly The Range sometimes does, as part of a range of city bike parts under some brand beginning with D not listed on their website.

Also as mentioned above, you can get bells for road bikes that attach in interesting places, such as clip on the lever end of a cable or replace a headset spacer.

So, you have one too?

Ours work fine, along with a smile, a good morning/afternoon, and/or a thank you

 

[Fab Foodie]

Yeah ditto. And horse riders too.

I usually approach horses singing 'bring me sunshine'...I've only been kicked twice ;-)

On my last ride a lady was leading a pony down the road on reins, as I went passed she asked me if I'd mind riding slowly back and forth past the horse a few times to get it used to bicycles...I really think she just wanted to gawp at my pert lycra-clad buns....

The advice IIRC is to make some gentle noise as you approach so that the horse knows something is approaching and importantly how quickly. It's always worked for me and exchanging a brief pleasantry again shows we're not the enemy on the roads....

 

[Fab Foodie]

So, you have one too?

Ours work fine, along with a smile, a good morning/afternoon, and/or a thank you

I tug my forelock too for good measure....

 

[BoldonLad]

I usually approach horses singing 'bring me sunshine'...I've only been kicked twice ;-)

On my last ride a lady was leading a pony down the road on reins, as I went passed she asked me if I'd mind riding slowly back and forth past the horse a few times to get it used to bicycles...I really think she just wanted to gawp at my pert lycra-clad buns....

The advice IIRC is to make some gentle noise as you approach so that the horse knows something is approaching and importantly how quickly. It's always worked for me and exchanging a brief pleasantry again shows we're not the enemy on the roads....

What do we conclude from that?:

1. most horses are deaf

or

2. a few horses have no sense of rhythm

 

[figbat]

The advice IIRC is to make some gentle noise as you approach so that the horse knows something is approaching and importantly how quickly. It's always worked for me and exchanging a brief pleasantry again shows we're not the enemy on the roads....

More often than not the horse has sensed you coming long before the rider/leader has, although it is still a good idea to make some kind of noise at a distance to be sure they've spotted you. If I can see that a horse is more sensitive then I will usually speak to it, to let it know that it is a person approaching and not some 2-wheeled, horse-eating predator. I often get thanked for the consideration, to which my response is usually "I've ridden more of those than I have of these".

 

[T4tomo]

Anyone using a hooter or an air-zound is a tosser.

this is an internet fact

 

[mjr]

So, you have one too?

Ours work fine, along with a smile, a good morning/afternoon, and/or a thank you

I've one ping bell that isn't broken yet. They nearly all seem to have thin springs or plastic which breaks fairly easily, but they're all legal token bells that came free with bikes. I think it's currently on the bike with studded tyres and 1. Those tyres are noisy as hell and 2. Fewer people are out when it's icy.

I find speaking ineffective on my most-used routes due to noisy motorists (mostly the A10 and A149) and my shouting scares people, even if I am shouting "good afternoon".

 

[roubaixtuesday]

IAnyone using a hooter or an air-zound is a tosser.

this is an internet fact

Bit worried if I'm a tosser - I use a Sousaphone. Can you offer reassurance?

 

[T4tomo]

Bit worried if I'm a tosser - I use a Sousaphone. Can you offer reassurance?


View attachment 662723

You're absolutely fine, although I'd go easy near horses


I thought for minute the handlebars and instrument were combined, which would have been super cool but tricky to ride!!