How often do you use your bell?

[gavroche]

When I ride on a cycle lane, if there are pedestrians ahead of me, I always use mine so that they know I am about to pass them , especially if they have a dog.
This morning, I went for a walk on the promenade in Rhos on Sea, which has a cycle path running along it. I saw a few cyclists and none of them used their bell before they passed me. I think this is a very irresponsible attitude as I could have changed direction as they went past which would result in a collision.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Almost exclusively on shared use paths. How often depends on how often I encounter walkers with the anti social long leads stretching across the width to their dog. If it’s distracted pedestrians in the road it often gets heard more easily shouting to overcome the car noise.

 

[Drago]

Don't have a bell on any of my steeds.

A polite "excuse me" invariably works. Not once in decades has it failed to elicit the desired response, and a polite and cheery wave of thanks as I trundle by spreads the love.

A mimicked "ding ding!" makes them smile.

If im in a waggish mood then screaming, "my brakes have failed!" as I barrel towards them usually has the peds scattering like bowling pins.

 

[fossyant]

Daily for shared path use. Just stops people crapping themselves when you whoosh past silently.

 

[PaulSB]

Never on road rides. Frequently on gravel rides in every situation where a pedestrian needs warning or the view ahead is obstructed - usually canal bridges.

 

[numbnuts]

I have a bell and a large 12v horn on my trike, the latter get's them moving

 

[Ian H]

I don't have a bell. As above a polite greeting works fine. But I avoid shared-use paths whenever possible.

 

[Psamathe]

I have a bell but hardly eve use it. Don't use shared paths.

I find calling out eg "Good morning" far better accepted". I cycle mostly rural lanes so cyclists are lower numbers and I've found for walkers bell can be a bit shocked by bell and interpret a bit as "get out my way, I have priority" whereas a greeting called out is a friendly not that I'm here behind you.

Also, I probably come across more horses than walkers and calling/voice far better for a horse.

I accept that things might be different in towns/cities.

 

[cyberknight]

I dont have a bell although i do know some ends that could do with one ....

 

[PaulSB]

I have a bell but hardly eve use it. Don't use shared paths.

I find calling out eg "Good morning" far better accepted". I cycle mostly rural lanes so cyclists are lower numbers and I've found for walkers bell can be a bit shocked by bell and interpret a bit as "get out my way, I have priority" whereas a greeting called out is a friendly not that I'm here behind you.

Also, I probably come across more horses than walkers and calling/voice far better for a horse.

I accept that things might be different in towns/cities.

That's interesting as my experience is the opposite. Walkers know the sound of a bicycle bell but the human voice could be coming from anyone, anywhere. I find a couple of rings from 30-40 yards back works far better than a voice which might not be heard from more than 15 yards or so.

We get a lot of positive reactions to bell ringing.

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

I rarely use mine. half the people that use the shared path believe bicycles don’t belong and have rude comments they feel they need to make if I have the nerve to ring my bell.

they outnumber the ones who complain if I don’t.

I just do my best to give everybody all the space I can and be polite.


except chihuahuas… I shoot those nasty things on sight.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

🎵I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like
It's got a basket, a bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it🎵

 

[BoldonLad]

I don't have a fixed routine:

if approaching pedestrians, with or without dogs, or slower cyclists (rare) with their back to me, I either ring bell, or shout out a friendly greeting (sometimes both, if the first choice shows no visible sign of being heard)

If approaching pedestrians who are stationary, same as above

if approaching pedestrian(s) who are walking toward me, I make a judgement on if they appear to have seen me, before following the bell/friendly greeting routine

If approaching pedestrian(s) who are walking toward me, and, visibly engrossed with their mobile phone, I typically stop, and, allow them to collide with me.

 

[HLaB]

I don't have one to use but I'm rarely in a place where anything beyond a noisy freehub and a friendly excuse me is needed, and I'm not there often.

I could have done with a 20decibel horn today when an old woman decided the parking space on the road outside a 'Health Spa' (about 15m from its access) was to far from the 'Health Spa' and pulled out in her Panzer Waggon when I was directly parallel to her on the road, before pulling into the said Access. A poor ped cutting his grass next to the pavement, at first thought my loud, "On Your Left" was aimed at him.

 

[Psamathe]

Joggers are hardest, friendly shout, bell, foghorn, nuclear explosion all ineffective now Apple have released their noise cancelling AirPods™ (or any brand with or without noise cancelling). Basically everybody, everything, even meteorites have to keep out the way of joggers as they certainly won 't be noticing any hazards.