How often do you use your bell?

[AlBaker]

I seldom need to use a bell but when I do, it's just one gentle ding and then I say: "On your left" (or right as the case may be). I used to have a very loud buzzer that I bought from an LBS, but it was enough to wake the dead, and would have probably upset people, so that devilish thing had to go.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The people with ear phones and those deeply engrossed in their phones - you're on feckin' walk - are the worst as nothing alerts them. All one can do is ride by as wide and quickly as possible.

Then we have elderly couples and families with small children. A moving hazard. Two possibilities here:

The couple split one going to left verge, the other right. Then at the last moment one will have a change of mind and cross to the opposite side.........when I'm about five yards away.

I'm waiting for the glorious day when both change their minds simultaneously and meet in the middle.......sprawling on the ground.

Families with small children. Ah ha! Generally the kids are excellent, jump to one side and stand still. Then Mummy calls "come here Genevieve" now poor Genevieve is expected to cross the path as a gravel rider bears down on her. Often they get halfway, hesitate, change their mind and move back to where they were just as I've adjusted my direction to the same side.

One learns to anticipate........

I also see a rare but not rae enough , extra typoeof couple

normally an older man and woman

they are generally first seen walking along the middle of the path
they do not react in any way to a bell - despite of not wearing headphone or hearing aids
and happily talking to each otehr quietly - so not deaf

they often also do NOT react to a second bell ring

then you saay "excuse me"

AND SUDDENLY THE WOMAN REACTS
she dives for her husband's arm in TERROR and grabs hold
he generally guides her off the path to safety as you scream past at 90mph pass slowly at 3 mph

I don;t see them very ofetn and they don;t all go all the way

but there was one a year or so ago that actually SCREAMED "Oh My GOD!!!!!!!!"
as I passed on the grass with a clearance of about 10 yards!!

I always imagine that type telling the whole of "her group" at the Church Ladies committee about the terrible aggressive young man who tore past them with no warning wearing black and with a mask

when it was just this old fat bloke wearing hi-vis and going just over walking speed

still

 

[Andy in Germany]

A bell is mandatory here, so people generally react, and they are generally appreciative when I ping early so they have time to react. Several decades of riding means I can usually predict what they'll do next.

Horse riders here are expected to keep their animal under control and do react differently here to other users: pinging early again seems to be appreciated.

Oddly, in northern Germany, people didn't react to the bell and told me I should whistle at them.

 

[MontyVeda]

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.

If you're changing direction without checking then signalling before your manoeuvre, is it really the fault of whoever you collide with?

 

[Andy in Germany]

If you're changing direction without checking then signalling before your manoeuvre, is it really the fault of whoever you collide with?

Over here, yes: I'm responsible if I hit a pedestrian unless I can prove otherwise, and "They changed direction, and I wasn't expecting it" probably wouldn't be accepted if I'm on a shared use path.

 

[YMFB]

Two weeks ago on the Tarka trail I used it many times. Since coming back I’ve ridden 120 miles and haven’t used it once.

 

[MontyVeda]

Over here, yes: I'm responsible if I hit a pedestrian unless I can prove otherwise, and "They changed direction, and I wasn't expecting it" probably wouldn't be accepted if I'm on a shared use path.

The point was regarding cyclists though. We should at least be checking before making manoeuvres.

EDIT... sorry... missed the 'walk on the prom' bit, i thought Gav was cycling

 

[gavroche]

If you're changing direction without checking then signalling before your manoeuvre, is it really the fault of whoever you collide with?

As a pedestrian, we don't always walk in a straight line and suddenly moving to the left or right, even slightly, for whatever reason, is a regular occurrence by most people
It isn't like driving a car , with mirrors to check what is behind.
That is why I never take walkers for granted unless I can give them a wide birth.

 

[PaulSB]

As a pedestrian, we don't always walk in a straight line and suddenly moving to the left or right, even slightly, for whatever reason, is a regular occurrence by most people
It isn't like driving a car , with mirrors to check what is behind.
That is why I never take walkers for granted unless I can give them a wide birth.

Yep, which makes pedestrians a real hazard to cyclists. When we are on trails, towpaths, shared use, in fact anything which isn't a road, the bell is essential. Without giving warning how can we expect pedestrians to behave in a predictable manner?

The harsh reality is 99% of cyclists I encounter in these areas behave very badly; no bell or other warning, generally don't slow down, acknowledge me and expect priority in a similar manner to a certain type of driver.

When walking if I can see a cyclist approaching and there's somewhere to move to I will stand aside, otherwise I hold my line as the rider should stop.

If approached from behind by one of those riders who thinks the sound of his/her wheels is adequate warning I don't deviate from my line. In most situations I genuinely can't hear them until the rider is perhaps ten yards away. I know this isn't enough time to react. My reasoning is this;

Holding my line is safer, I can't see what the rider is doing but he/she can see me. With perhaps seconds to move I need to be predictable, straight is better for both parties.

Secondly the rider shouldn't be so self-entitled as to expect me to jump out of the way. Cyclists should not behave as car drivers do.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yep, which makes pedestrians a real hazard to cyclists. When we are on trails, towpaths, shared use, in fact anything which isn't a road, the bell is essential. Without giving warning how can we expect pedestrians to behave in a predictable manner?

The harsh reality is 99% of cyclists I encounter in these areas behave very badly; no bell or other warning, generally don't slow down, acknowledge me and expect priority in a similar manner to a certain type of driver.

When walking if I can see a cyclist approaching and there's somewhere to move to I will stand aside, otherwise I hold my line as the rider should stop.

If approached from behind by one of those riders who thinks the sound of his/her wheels is adequate warning I don't deviate from my line. In most situations I genuinely can't hear them until the rider is perhaps ten yards away. I know this isn't enough time to react. My reasoning is this;

Holding my line is safer, I can't see what the rider is doing but he/she can see me. With perhaps seconds to move I need to be predictable, straight is better for both parties.

Secondly the rider shouldn't be so self-entitled as to expect me to jump out of the way. Cyclists should not behave as car drivers do.

Good response
if we want driver to behev reasonably on roads
then we should also treat walker the same way on shared paths and trails

and in the same way that a cyclits might wander off a perfect straight line due to road inconsistances (e.g. potholes) then we need to realise that walkers (and especially those with dogs ) are also not totally predictable
AND we need to give them time to realise we are there and work out how to react

a quick ding at 5 yards distance and 15 mph on a paths 1 yard wide is never enough

but we have all seen cyclst who think this is OK

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Yep, which makes pedestrians a real hazard to cyclists. When we are on trails, towpaths, shared use, in fact anything which isn't a road, the bell is essential. Without giving warning how can we expect pedestrians to behave in a predictable manner?

The harsh reality is 99% of cyclists I encounter in these areas behave very badly; no bell or other warning, generally don't slow down, acknowledge me and expect priority in a similar manner to a certain type of driver.

When walking if I can see a cyclist approaching and there's somewhere to move to I will stand aside, otherwise I hold my line as the rider should stop.

If approached from behind by one of those riders who thinks the sound of his/her wheels is adequate warning I don't deviate from my line. In most situations I genuinely can't hear them until the rider is perhaps ten yards away. I know this isn't enough time to react. My reasoning is this;

Holding my line is safer, I can't see what the rider is doing but he/she can see me. With perhaps seconds to move I need to be predictable, straight is better for both parties.

Secondly the rider shouldn't be so self-entitled as to expect me to jump out of the way. Cyclists should not behave as car drivers do.

I agree that cyclists in general should be more considerate of pedestrians, and specifically going slower on shared facilities. You can't safely go full pelt, and many seem to try to.

My experience on bells, though, is that you can't win. If you use a bell (I have a loud one), pedestrians often remain totally oblivious. Equally, they often are affronted that you've startled them...

A cheery "coming through" is generally better, though sometimes you get a "where's your bell?" in angry response!

Pedestrians are often amazingly possessive; I was recently approaching a group of half a dozen or so stopped in a crowd on a very popular trail completely blocking the way. I slowed right down and established eye contact; ped moved out of the way at the very last moment before I would have had to stop (I'm going at sub walking pace at this point). I smiled and nodded in acknowledgement and go a sarcastic "No, thank YOU" in response. He was blocking the path!

 

[All uphill]

I agree that cyclists in general should be more considerate of pedestrians, and specifically going slower on shared facilities. You can't safely go full pelt, and many seem to try to.

My experience on bells, though, is that you can't win. If you use a bell (I have a loud one), pedestrians often remain totally oblivious. Equally, they often are affronted that you've startled them...

A cheery "coming through" is generally better, though sometimes you get a "where's your bell?" in angry response!

Pedestrians are often amazingly possessive; I was recently approaching a group of half a dozen or so stopped in a crowd on a very popular trail completely blocking the way. I slowed right down and established eye contact; ped moved out of the way at the very last moment before I would have had to stop (I'm going at sub walking pace at this point). I smiled and nodded in acknowledgement and go a sarcastic "No, thank YOU" in response. He was blocking the path!

Agreed.
If, when walking, I hear somebody call out "coming through " or " to your left" that doesn't tell me what is expected of me and leaves me bemused.

I think there is no good alternative for someone riding a bike than to slow right down until both walker and rider understand what's happening.

It's what we say drivers should do, isn't it?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I think there is no good alternative for someone riding a bike than to slow right down until both walker and rider understand what's happening.

Yes, I agree, that's exactly what I was trying to say, obviously not very clearly, sorry!

But also that as well as cyclists, pedestrians often behave quite unreasonably in these interactions, and that using a bell specifically can either be either totally ineffective, or extremely irritating to pedestrians.

 

[All uphill]

Yes, I agree, that's exactly what I was trying to say, obviously not very clearly, sorry!

But also that as well as cyclists, pedestrians often behave quite unreasonably in these interactions, and that using a bell specifically can either be either totally ineffective, or extremely irritating to pedestrians.

I understood that, but haven't had a coffee yet. Sorry!

 

[Drago]

Oddly, in northern Germany, people didn't react to the bell and told me I should whistle at them.

Id be deported for being nicht in ordnung by whistling the Great Escape theme.