Stuff the EU regulation handlebar bell.

[Dave 123]

You could try yelling "get out of my way you f*^&^%) stupid p)$%%£"! W!*&^% B*^$£ PLEASE!"
It wouldn't do to not say please now would it?

 

[Accy cyclist]

I have one of these http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_757073_langId_-1_categoryId_210161 on my general use bike. I find that the ones i want to warn of my presence respond to it. It also has a novelty affect so no one seems to find it offensive.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Bell is ideal for alerting pedestrians, it makes them think 'bike' and look for one. My commute is partly on quiet roads round UCL and the LSE, students constantly wander into the carraigeway. Aim is to get their attention in time to make eye contact and 'negotiate' how we pass before they get startled and start jigging back and fore.

Horn would be overkill for that. Drivers get bell followed by a shout.

 

[Chris S]

I've got a bulb horn from Poundland (you can also get them from 99p Store). It's a lot more effective than a bell and compliments my traditional British roadster quite nicely!

 

[byegad]

The scene:
I'm on a single track quiet country lane, approaching two pedestrians from behind who are walking side
by side in the centre of this 2.5 meter wide road ... but with a meter gap between. (Common round my way).
I 'm aiming for the gap between them as it is the wider option.
I ping my EU regulation handlebar bell but they're too busy yakking to hear it.
I ping it again, getting closer, this time they both turn around to look, both in the same direction, both
making that "gap" in between them disappear!! Brakes on!!

So i chucked the bell.

I want to sound like a car ... so i fitted a car horn and tiny 15 volt lithium battery pack.
After 2 weeks the pedestrians were out.
The horn was used ... it worked ... pedestrians didn't bother looking, they just instinctively moved to the
edge of the road.
I suspect anything not sounding like a car (airzound, squeezy horn, etc) would invoke the usual
curious "look round to see whats coming because that isn't a car" response rather than a "oh there's a car coming, i'd better move" instinctive response.

Has anyone else tried a car-horn on the bike?

Yes I use an Air Zound on my town bike and squeezy ones on my other rides. I also have a bell when I want to be polite.