" You should have a bell "

[hondated]

...............I'm afraid I'm one of those people who hears a bicycle bell and thinks, oh, here comes some self-important C word who wants me to get out of their way..............

Spoken like a true motorist bez - an expression of the contempt that motorists, whether behind the wheel or not, have for cyclists..............and who believe that cyclists shouldn't even be on cycle-ways - never mind have a right to live!

We have a 7+ mile long Greenway in these parts - one which would still be a derelict railway line reserved for motorcyclists and quad-bikers if it wasn't for the hard work, dedication, tenacity of a group of cyclists and 'Sustrans' some 20ish years ago which took 5 years to persuade the various 'powers' to act for the better. We still get motorists walking down the Greenway, but luckily whilst probably 75% of the adult walkers are in fact people who drive, they act as good humans ought to do on the Greenway. However, there's always one!!!!!!!!!

Recently on the Greenway I was approaching a fairly large family group from behind - there were children on little bikes, middle-aged women chattering away, younger adults watching for the safety of the children, a couple of elderly ladies, a dog which seemed to like everyone - the sun was shining, the birds were singing.........................you get the picture. I slowed down to their very slow walking pace, and said "hello, I'm just coming past you". They all turned around to look at me. The kiddies pulled over onto the grass, the middle-aged ladies smiled at me, one of the old ladies said "thank you for letting us know" the dog ignored me (which I took personally) and one of the older kiddies rode down alongside me, smiling up at me. Unfortunately they also had this middle aged to late middle aged bloke with them who'd obviously just had his injection of acid drop. The kiddie who'd ridden along with me for a few yards stopped and waved to me and Mr. Grumpy said : "by, I bet that took some doing!" (in this instance, "by" being an abbreviation for by-gum - it's a Yorkshire term). I asked him what did? - he said "bl**dy cyclist having to slow down for kids!" I didn't respond - a pi**o*k like that isn't worth wasting your breath. But there's always one. I could fill a thread with tales of encounters with mainly lovely folk and the occasional disgraces to the human race. This particular disgrace's parting mouth-shot, when I didn't rise to him, was "this is no place for you - we're goin' to 'ave cyclists stopped on 'ere".
Very descriptive John and clearly just like mine your ride was ruined by one idiot. After I rode off from my idiot I encountered another dog walking couple a mum and daughter so as I had previously i offered up a Good morning, and its a fair point that some has written about approaching from behind. and the girls returned my good morning and moved over. Seeing this I stopped and asked if they thought my protocol was rude and they just said that they welcomed knowing I was approaching as they could call their dog to heel if necessary but as I was riding slowly they didn't need to. Their comment when I told them what had just happened was just like we know there's always one.

As for sounding your bell - Sustrans and local authority signs in these parts do say something along the lines of "Cyclists, please ring your bell". I find the little fairy tinkerbells useless. So many of the walkers on the Greenway have earphones plugged in, and can't hear you - others are groups of women chattering the world into oblivion and don't hear you - others are children who are excited and playing, and in a world of their own. I once tinker-bell'd a couple of women from behind, and one of the shouted : "oooooh - that sound does madden me - it's so annoying". We can't win. Also - has anyone else noticed - there's a species of local bird that mimic the tinker-bells wonderfully.

What I use is a plastic hooter - bought from the National Railway Museum years ago, which does sound like a locomotive whistle. This usually does get heard, and usually gets a load of smiles, and comments like "I though it was a train" and "OOOH - Tank Engine Thomas" - although I'd prefer Flying Scotsman or Royal Scot!

As for legality - I hope someone who really knows will put us all right on this, but as far as my limited knowledge goes, cyclists are required to have "an audible means of approach" on the highway, but that comes from the time when motor traffic on the roads didn't drown all other sounds, and we'd need a helluva bell to be heard on the road above that nowadays.

The behaviour of some cyclists on the Greenways is another matter...........................

[hondated]

I have a bell, and a voice that says "Good Morning", Hello" etc.

I've had the odd grumbly complaining that I didn't ring the bell far enough away, that complained about the "good Morning" instead of a bell, about the bell instead of a "Good Morning".

Basically. like the guy that told me on the motorway service area when I was pulling away with my caravan in tow "You should use your mirrors mate" (I had, that's how I avoided him hitting me as he went past on the left) - some people are just in a bad mood and want to hit out/complain about something, and you just happen to be in the wrong place!

Fair point rmurphy195.

[hondated]

The last angry encounter I had was a while ago. I was out running around a local park when someone’s dogs charged at me and jumped up and caught the back of my leg. I went over to the dog’s owner and politely told him that he should have controlled the dog and not have let that of happened. Words went back and forth, including some choice words from him, but ended when he said if you want to run you should be on a track. I knew it was time to be on my way, you can’t educate idiots.

Your right VO. Personally I will now avoid using this part of the trail and any future encounter with this fellow or his like I will just ride on.

[PH]

There long followed a long dialogue during which he used the C word towards me several times and when I approached him immediately informed me that he would sue me if I did anything physical to him. To be honest been there got the tee shirt so can do without all that so another handbags
at dawn time then.

Why? You've got a bike, just ride away. Did you think you were going to persuade him of something? No chance.
Two of us were riding along the cycle path at dusk, both with decent lights, two gentlemen were standing in the middle of the path, one looks up when they see the lights, starts calling his dog which responds by running rings round him, as we approach he tells us we should have rung a bell, to which I replied "But you saw us" only to be told we should have rung it for the dog!
My stock response to being told I should have a bell is to tell them they should have a cat or banana or whatever else amuses me.

[windysmithy]

or

"You should have a Mirror".

that confuses them.

[matlockmark]

Just taken up fishing ! Thinking its a less stressful pass time ! Anyone know differently ?

I frequently cycle on the tow path of the Kennet and Avon canal. People fishing there often block the path with their long carbon fibre poles which it is their fashion to use. I'm tempted to bunny hop over them (the poles that is), but I guess a mistake could be costly. Then there are the boats which threaten to hit the poles, which seem to reach almost to the far bank.

So the cyclists are in conflict with the anglers and the walkers, the boaters are in conflict with the anglers and the anglers are in conflict with the walkers, cyclists and boaters.

Less stressful - I doubt it

[Bez]

Love that bez I will definitely be getting one.

Missed your chance, I'm afraid…

[mjr]

Firstly that a hierarchy should exist whereby those whose vehicles have more mass and/or speed should be taking care of those with less. So, pedestrians top of the heap, then users of non mechanically powered vehicles, then users of mechanically propelled vehicles.

Secondly that people approaching slower highway users from behind should pass without expecting an impersonal audible signal to assist them. Which applies to drivers honking horns behind people in cars or on bikes, people on bikes ringing bells behind people on foot or on horses, joggers shouting at people walking, and so on.

Firstly, that hierarchy means the more dangerous vehicle should emit an audible warning noise. Motorists are currently noisy enough but Cycles are almost silent.

Secondly, if we can pass , but it'll be close enough to startle, an audible warning is preferable to startling others.

In principle, I don't mind if you call good morning rather than use a bell, but few people have a voice loud enough to carry over an adjacent major road without sounding angry, including most of the people who think they do!

[JohnW]

Well Bez - it's a braver man than me who would call my womenfolk idiots

Unless they hate you simply because you ride a bicycle, I think you're missing the point somewhat

Well actually Bez, no...............I was trying to lighten it up a bit - I thought you were in jesting mode - sorry for missing the seriousness of your comments.....................but you are a motorist - you've said so somewhere else.

[Bez]

Firstly, that hierarchy means the more dangerous vehicle should emit an audible warning noise. Motorists are currently noisy enough but Cycles are almost silent.

You don't need a warning noise if you're passing at a comparable speed and at a good distance, which is exactly what I do when passing anyone on foot: slow to jogging space and leave as much space as possible*. If there's not enough space to leave good distance then I'll say something from a few yards behind.

Basically, exactly as I'd do if I were jogging. Not that I do that very often, but I do walk quite quickly

If I were to use a bell, then either:
a) I'd be using it at a distance, in which case I'd not really have slowed down yet and hence I would imagine myself to come across as the self-important you-know-what expecting people to get out of his way, or
b) I'd be using it close up, in which case I personally think it's both pointless and impersonal when I could say something just as anyone on foot would do.

YMMV, obviously, but that's how it looks from my viewpoint.

Besides, being the first to speak disarms people. It's easy for people to turn round and respond grumpily to someone whose idea of communication is ringing a bell; much less so to someone who's just cheerily said "morning!" and is now grinning at them




* This is one reason I very rarely use shared facilities when they're even remotely busy: cycling on them with adequate respect for the people walking on them means mostly doing a speed where I pretty much might as well not bother with the bike. I guess I could just get a bell and ding-a-ling everyone out of my way

[Bez]

Well actually Bez, no...............I was trying to lighten it up a bit - I thought you were in jesting mode - sorry for missing the seriousness of your comments.

Sorry. If you had missed the point then you wouldn't have been the first, hence me getting the wrong end of the stick

[JohnW]

...................It's easy for people to turn round and respond grumpily to someone whose idea of communication is ringing a bell; much less so to someone who's just cheerily said "morning!" and is now grinning at them

Oh yes - experience certainly confirms that...........although I'd say smiling, rather than grinning.

[Heltor Chasca]

..
Motorists are currently noisy enough but Cycles are almost silent..!

A chain of carbon bikes the exception to the rule. As for 'noisy vehicles' go: A group of us on a recent ride had a close encounter of a third kind when a coach passed us. It was barely audible. It passed like some sort of sci-fi teleportation module. Our shock at the close pass was short lived as we enthused how technology has improved. Gaseous pollution, noise pollution etc. Cars are very quiet these days which often frightens me. I would still prefer this to them tooting before they pass.

[francovendee]

You just can't win. If we don't sound the bell we get people saying 'sound your bell' and when we do ring it they are quite startled and give you the daggers look as you pass.

[JohnW]

...............I'm afraid I'm one of those people who hears a bicycle bell and thinks, oh, here comes some self-important C word who wants me to get out of their way..............

Spoken like a true motorist bez - an expression of the contempt that motorists, whether behind the wheel or not, have for cyclists..............and who believe that cyclists shouldn't even be on cycle-ways - never mind have a right to live!

We have a 7+ mile long Greenway in these parts........................................What I use is a plastic hooter - bought from the National Railway Museum years ago, which does sound like a locomotive whistle. This usually does get heard, and usually gets a load of smiles, and comments like "I though it was a train" and "OOOH - Tank Engine Thomas" - although I'd prefer Flying Scotsman or Royal Scot!

As for legality - I hope someone who really knows will put us all right on this, but as far as my limited knowledge goes, cyclists are required to have "an audible means of approach" on the highway, but that comes from the time when motor traffic on the roads didn't drown all other sounds, and we'd need a helluva bell to be heard on the road above that nowadays.

The behaviour of some cyclists on the Greenways is another matter...........................

..............................what was your comment, Hondated?