Who uses a bell on their commute?

[AndyCh]

See my thread "First Ever Crash" - a few bell rings would have probably resulted in there being no need for such a thread today!

 

[Trail Child]

I don't use my bell on my commute to or from work because I rarely see another bike/ped at that time & if I do, they are going the opposite way. I do use it a lot on shared paths & sometimes on roads. It's the law here to have a bell on a bike and the fine is $125, which is enforced, especially by the bike cops we have here.

 

[Drago]

See my thread "First Ever Crash" - a few bell rings would have probably resulted in there being no need for such a thread today!

Doubtless a quick "excuse me" would've done the same.

 

[AndyCh]

Yep Drago, if I'd done a lot of things differently it wouldn't have happened, but then "if my auntie had balls, she'd have been my uncle ..."

 

[sabian92]

Crane Bell Suzu. Loud but pleasant tone, and surprisingly penetrating of headphones, ime.

Runcorn, HC 206 might apply;

"Drive (ride) carefully and slowly when... turning into road junctions; give way to pedestrians who are already crossing the road into which you are turning"

Paul Gannon laments that this rule is observed more in the breach in this piece for Camden Cyclists; http://camdencyclists.org.uk/info/tforum/pedestrianpriority (albeit talking about drivers rather than cyclists).

That is based on the driver or rider seeing the pedestrians crossing, I imagine? She only started to cross when I was half way round the corner leaning over and I'll be buggered if I'm going to brake then. I swerved around her and missed her thankfully but if she had been wearing headphones and not heard me scream at her to move she'd have been on the floor.

 

[potsy]

No

You were correct - a bell is for girls (and Potsy)

How did I know my penchant for ding ding bells would get a mention on here?

I'm not ashamed to 'ding' my bell when on the shared use paths and trails, some people obviously have hang ups about them

 

[Drago]

Yep Drago, if I'd done a lot of things differently it wouldn't have happened, but then "if my auntie had balls, she'd have been my uncle ..."

Hey feller, no ones knocking you. Brown stuff happens.

I'm pleased you lived to fight another day.

 

[Seryth]

I have a bell on my one (I know, I'm breaking all the rules here) bike that I use for commutes and rides. I don't use it nearly as much as I used to, as I prefer going on the roads to the cycle paths now, but I do find it handy sometimes!

 

[Recycle]

I have a bell & an airzound but I normally shout "coming through". With peds a bell or warning call always seems to apply to someone else so I compliment the shout with squealing brakes which tends to have a more immediate effect.
The airzound I use for cars not peds.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

As far as I was concerned she wasn't going to cross

You were wrong though weren't you?

That's your bads not hers, you're blithely assuming pedestrians are going to, and should, give way to you and when they don't you get all aggressive and start screaming at them? Of the two people in this incident your 16st+11kg represents the greater risk, you need to therefore adapt your behaviour.

what am I supposed to do? Crawl along at 3mph "just in case?"

ride at a speed appropriate to the more vulnerable road users around you certainly.....

HC 205 - There is a risk of pedestrians, especially children, stepping unexpectedly into the road. You should drive with the safety of children in mind at a speed suitable for the conditions.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I have a bell & an airzound but I normally shout "coming through". With peds a bell or warning call always seems to apply to someone else so I compliment the shout with squealing brakes which tends to have a more immediate effect.
The airzound I use for cars not peds.

Do those who shout at pedestrians also shout at pedestrians when they themselves are walking?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Do those who shout at pedestrians also shout at pedestrians when they themselves are walking?

Only if I am walking faster than they are... or at cyclists to let them know there is a dog around which has no sense of cyclists and is the size of a small horse... usually along one particular section where the dog's owner is the land owner and the route is a permissive bridlepath they are using, and at that point fenced in and quite narrow... Coming face to face with a male Irish Wolf hound which is larger than a minature shetland pony who has suddenly decided he needs to catch me up and is galloping like a horse can sometimes be a touch off putting...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Only if I am walking faster than they are... or at cyclists to let them know there is a dog around which has no sense of cyclists and is the size of a small horse... usually along one particular section where the dog's owner is the land owner and the route is a permissive bridlepath they are using, and at that point fenced in and quite narrow... Coming face to face with a male Irish Wolf hound which is larger than a minature shetland pony who has suddenly decided he needs to catch me up and is galloping like a horse can sometimes be a touch off putting...

You jest.

 

[Recycle]

Do those who shout at pedestrians also shout at pedestrians when they themselves are walking?

I've had aggressive responses to a bell, to some its a "get out my way" signal. "coming through" is a more neutral warning.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I've had aggressive responses to a bell, to some its a "get out my way" signal. "coming through" is a more neutral warning.

"Excuse me please" even more so.