Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
And, in my experience ... wait for the rider to glare at you and tut.
Not all the time mind, I had a nice conversation with a guy on a horse near Groombridge once.
Ringing bell on footpaths
- Thread starter ebikeerwidnes
- Start date
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- Tags
- bell
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Not all the time mind, I had a nice conversation with a guy on a horse near Groombridge once.
Great name for a village.
theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
ordered a couple of these foe the r+m bikes https://urbanandhawk.com/collections/cycling/products/minimalx-bell really nice and they have a lovely tone ..... very non aggressive 
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
If you want to make good progress you need to ride on the road. If using shared paths accept that you'll need to slow to walking pace or even stop if necessary. Many are not paying attention, maybe deaf, or not realise how close behind you are. Extended dog leads are the devils work.
I have ping bells on all my bikes. I consider ping bells a completely non aggressive sound and never had anyone get stroppy about me sounding the bell when coming up behind them.
Of course you have to make allowances for hard of hearing people and shout out at phone zombies with headphones.
Of course you have to make allowances for hard of hearing people and shout out at phone zombies with headphones.
- Location
- London
I'd swear out loud at them. Probably the sort of jerk cyclist (fair few in london) who silently shaves past me when i'm on a bike. And who would never use let alone carry a ping bell. All of my bikes have bells, some 2, and i use them respectfully at a distance with peds and also when overtaking cyclists.
In answer to op, yes some peds will object to bells, but i reckon a fair percentage of those will tell you to get a bell if you don't use one. Some folk are just professionally offended.
If someone walks out in front of me i yell at them. No time to reach for a bell and the sound would be too weak.
- Location
- London
I dont get it at all.... why would any cyclist not use something that goes someway to avoid conflict with pedestrians.
When i'm on foot on a shared path or a park, usually with my dog, i rarely know a cyclist is behind me until they are only a few feet behind me. Not even giving me a chance make sure my dog isn't in their way.
D
Deleted member 26715
Guest
I hate bells, to me they give off the feeling of entitlement, "Oi you I'm ringing my bell get out of my way" I slow then ask, but then people still jump when I ask as they have no idea I'm behind them.
I dont see bells in that way at all. I see them as a non threatening sound that just alerts pedestrians of your presence.
DaveReading
Don't suffer fools gladly (must try harder!)
- Location
- Reading, obvs
presta
Guru
When I hear a bell it usually startles me, and when I turn my head suddenly I lose my balance and stagger sideways, possibly into the path of the bike. That's one reason why I tend to only ride on cycle paths as a last resort.
This. I don't have a bell, I usually find that letting my brake levers click is a more subtle option, and then "excuse me" if that doesn't work.
On a quiet country lane, I came round a blind bend to see a pedestrian walking toward me on my side of the road. He looked alarmed, and then jumped headlong out into the road across in front of me. When I looked behind, there was a dog on the far side of the road, with an extending dog lead stretched across from one side of the road to the other.
Jody
Stubborn git
To us maybe but it does seem to happen quite a bit round here. The vast majority of people are civil but a bell can easily rub some people up the wrong way.
My new approach is just freewheel from a distance as Hope hubs are incredibly loud.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Doesn't everyone have one of these attached to their bike?
