Saved by the Airzound

[ufkacbln]

Properly set up using the AirZound does not preclude braking and / or evasive action.

It is a useful supplement

One incident I had resulted in the driver being cautioned, simply because the AirZound had attracted the attention of half a dozen witnesses who made statements thatthe driver was driving dangerously

 

[SRSE]

AirZound is very good for alerting drivers and pedestrians. The grumble for me is fitting it on my handle bars

 

[Crankarm]

No

No!

 

[Crankarm]

I like my Airzound. It has saved me on a number of occasions from being flattened when frankly a pingping bell would have been utterly useless, meaning I would be dead. It is a warning that easily counters the might is right philosophy that some drivers seem to adopt. Mine has lasted nearly 2 years and works best when pumped up to 90psi although a sticker on it indicates max pressure is 80-85 psi. Vehicles give way and pedestrians literally jump out your way and out their skins which is better than them becoming impaled on your handlebars.

To compliment the Airzound I recommend x2 Exposure Max D lights as well.

 

[jonny jeez]

I like my Airzound. It has saved me on a number of occasions from being flattened when frankly a pingping bell would have been utterly useless, meaning I would be dead. It is a warning that easily counters the might is right philosophy that some drivers seem to adopt. Mine has lasted nearly 2 years and works best when pumped up to 90psi although a sticker on it indicates max pressure is 80-85 psi. Vehicles give way and pedestrians literally jump out your way and out their skins which is better than them becoming impaled on your handlebars.

To compliment the Airzound I recommend x2 Exposure Max D lights as well.

this is the kind of thing I'm talking about.

Crank clearly like's to ride in a certain way, its not the way I like to ride but that's not to say its wrong...its just wrong for me.

I cant see any benefit in making pedestrians "jump out of their skin" and have never...ever felt I was about to be flattened and that the only thing that could save me was a zound, I dont even use a bell, I just use the tools that come as standard (.i.e.my own voice), to either politely alert people to my presence "on your right" and suchlike, or to give a hearty "WHOOOA!" which I suspect works as well as a zound and is a lot less impersonal.

the personal thing is important. it allows those around you to gauge your intent. a soulless HOOONK from a zoud is just, well...so rude.

I've become quite adept at bellowing very loudly, loudly enough to gain many peoples attention, including errant drivers

 

[Cycling Dan]

I used to have a airzound but I found I became a better cyclist without it, not needing to reply on brute nose but my forward planning and situational awareness.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I found the OP a scary watch, but there is much to be said for either outsprinting the bus to the bend or letting it go. Buses are scary ,onsters on a dark, wet night, but they do make enough noise to advertise their presence and there is a strong case to be made for adapting one's riding to besnds and buses (and both).

It is the driver's responsibility but as others have said, being right doesn't shorten your stay in hospital.

I am not convinced by the Airzound. To my mind it is the preserve of the (now reformed) Shouty Vigilante of Rhyl and his ilk. In forty years of cycling, I cannot think of an occasion when I'd have died without one. Which is lucky, as I've never had one.

Many people will tell you that an Airzound saved their life. I recall the same compelling argument being made when ABS started to be fitted on modestly-priced cars. Suddenly, after incident-free decades with no ABS, almost every keen driver one met had a story about how he or she would be dead without ABS.

 

[glenn forger]

If you have time to hit a horn you have time to take evasive action,

Disagree.

I have an Airzound and use it maybe three times a year, over ten thousand miles. Typically, in a clear left lane where traffic's queueing in the right and a car changes lanes suddenly without indicating just as you draw level. There is no evasive action you can carry out, there's nowhere to go, and drivers respond to the sound of a horn better than to a shout.

 

[Nigeyy]

I'll join this discussion..... were you wearing a helmet when you used the Airzounds? And in case anyone didn't know, "Cyclecraft" very much supports* Airzounds. However, to be fair and balanced, this is muddied somewhat statistically by the fact that cycle fatalities in the latter half of the 12th century were much lower when Airzounds were not available or not used. These statistics are really quite irrefutable.

*you can place an Airzounds on a copy of this book and it won't fall off.

 

[Arfcollins]

the personal thing is important. it allows those around you to gauge your intent. a soulless HOOONK from a zoud is just, well...so rude.

I've become quite adept at bellowing very loudly, loudly enough to gain many peoples attention, including errant drivers

That is just, well...such rubbish. Presumably you've disconnected the horn on your car and fitted a megaphone, for that personal touch.

I rarely use the Airzound. I don't avoid its use because it is soulless, merely because I rarely need it. But there are occassions when its piercing sound lets an idiot driver know that it is a vehicle that's making the noise, not someone shouting who could be anyone or anywhere. I'm thinking of the driver last week reversing his steamed up car out of his driveway. I could have avoided him by slamming on the anchors, but instead the noise made him slam his on.

 

[gaz]

That is just, well...such rubbish. Presumably you've disconnected the horn on your car and fitted a megaphone, for that personal touch.

I rarely use the Airzound. I don't avoid its use because it is soulless, merely because I rarely need it. But there are occassions when its piercing sound lets an idiot driver know that it is a vehicle that's making the noise, not someone shouting who could be anyone or anywhere. I'm thinking of the driver last week reversing his steamed up car out of his driveway. I could have avoided him by slamming on the anchors, but instead the noise made him slam his on.

What if they didn't hear your airzound and didn't slam on his brakes but you presumed that he would?

 

[Arfcollins]

What if they didn't hear your airzound and didn't slam on his brakes but you presumed that he would?

His brake lights came on immediately, I had covered the brakes and still had time to stop. The only thing I had presumed was that he was an idiot.

 

[SRSE]

What if they didn't hear your airzound and didn't slam on his brakes but you presumed that he would?

I agree with Gaz as got AirZound and I cant hear it personally so maybe that because I am totally deaf, no point me yelling at people because i might sound like an angry person and escalate a situation. Personally I do as other poster mentions better to have an idiot infront than behind. So beware there are other deaf people who ride and drive too.

It is estimated that 10 million deaf or hard of hearing people in the UK have some level of deafness (1 in 6 of UK population) source of information

edit: spelling duh

 

[Trickedem]

Well, I took the time to report this to TFL. Not sure if this is just a standard template letter, but hopefully could lead to some more consideration by the bus driver in question. A bit worrying that they suggest that they may not be able to identify the driver concerned.

Dear Mr Trickedem

Thank you for your email regarding the driver of the 277 bus on 8 February. I appreciate you taking the time to bring this issue to my attention.

I am very sorry to learn about your experience. I apologise for the shock and upset caused by the driver’s actions. The safety of our passengers, as well as that of other road users, is an issue we take extremely seriously. Our drivers receive comprehensive training to enable them to perform their duties to the highest standard. As you would expect, safety is a vital part of this training and drivers are expected to give cyclists ample room. I can only apologise that the driver did not do this on this occasion and put you in danger. Please be assured that this issue will be taken very seriously.

I have passed the details you have supplied to East London Bus and Coach Company, who operates this route on our behalf. They will try to identify the driver, and if successful they will interview the driver and take appropriate action. For confidentiality reasons we never release details of an interview and any subsequent action taken. However, please rest assured the operator will endeavour to ensure that a repeat of this does not occur in the future.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding this issue. If I can be of any further help in the future, please feel free to get in touch.

Yours sincerely,

...........

 

[SRSE]

@Trickedem.. I hope your letter has the desired effect and they are not just giving the standard lip service.. Keep up the good work