Hostile reaction to cheery greeting - Is it just me?

[Ben@Forest]

I think I've posted this before (or maybe even read it from someone else on this forum) but I also heard it at a 'I cycled round the world' talk. In North America or Canada the rider was told to get a bell so he could ring it if suddenly approaching a bear - the bell would warn the bear who would likely amble off, if the rider approached the bear without warning it might be scared and decide to chase him.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

. . . my father used to toot the horn, on coming home, as he drove up the driveway. This was a summons to someone in the house to come out and open the garage door. This was of course long before the days of remote-controlled garage doors*.

You had a garage ?

Lived on a council estate, seven in the family, moved to another council estate which had a prefab type garage.
At old house my father had a car and only one other working in same factory (worker) plus a sales man, my mates dad had cars in our street.

Father was in WW2 as a vehicle mechanic / inspector, so no surprise he had a car.
One day after some other similar looking cars we had a -

http://www.db-lagonda.com/26-litre-saloon/4585104595

How on earth a factory worker ended up with a car like that I have no idea
Remember the leather interiors and wood window surrounds, it broke his heart to part with it when the half shaft broke and no where to fix or store it to repair, my memory on all the details are a bit vague.
Before that he had a Armstong Sidley, I don't know the model, another car from similar era..................

[pete75]

I think I've posted this before (or maybe even read it from someone else on this forum) but I also heard it at a 'I cycled round the world' talk. In North America or Canada the rider was told to get a bell so he could ring it if suddenly approaching a bear - the bell would warn the bear who would likely amble off, if the rider approached the bear without warning it might be scared and decide to chase him.

On the other hand for a hungry bear who's heard a bicycle bell before - like kids hearing an ice cream van......

[mercalia]

i vocalise ding a ling ling then at the humorous response . . . .. seems to go down well

[661-Pete]

. . . my father used to toot the horn, on coming home, as he drove up the driveway. This was a summons to someone in the house to come out and open the garage door. This was of course long before the days of remote-controlled garage doors*.

You had a garage ?

Huh?

[ChrisButch]

This may be my deteriorating hearing, but there's one characteristic of the bicycle bell which I've noticed recently, when (for various health reasons) I've had to resort to lots of walking on the local shared use canal towpath. This is that (at least with the simple, single-ping type bells) it's quite difficult to locate the nature and source of the sound when it suddenly occurs. I've often found myself looking around vaguely for an explanation of this strange noise, and by the time I've worked out what it is the bike is upon me. If that's a common reaction, and not just me, it might partially explain some of the apparently irrational behaviour by walkers when a bell is rung from behind.

[Postboxer]

I think I may try to find room for a bring-bring bell on my bars instead of (or as well as) the single ping bell I have in the bar end.

The thing that annoys me is when there's a group of people chatting and walking and one sees you approaching but doesn't announce your presence to the rest in the group.

I've had different reactions to my single pinger, although I do try to ring it several times. I always start at a distance too but lots of people either don't hear it, don't react or don't associate it with a cycle. I remember one guy on a canal path leaping sideways upon hearing it, even though I was some distance off, wondered if he was used to cyclists blasting past him with little or no warning, or if one had once knocked him into a canal.

[661-Pete]

Here's a variant.

Yesterday Mrs P and I are riding up to a pedestrian crossing with T/lights at red. So we stop. Woman with child crosses, as she passes us she remarks in a fairly loud voice, so that we can both hear: "How nice to see cyclists stopping at the lights for a change..."

Why does this annoy me? I ought to be even-minded about anything that's not actually hostile. I suppose it's the "for a change". Generalising. I felt, with hindsight, like I ought to have retorted something like "How nice to get a thank-you from pedestrians, even if it's a bit patronising".

But I don't. What I say is "WE ALWAYS DO" in a somewhat louder voice, slightly shirty. Woman replies "Yes I'm sure you do....." and whatever she says after that gets lost in the traffic noise. End of story.

Am I too touchy? Do I need 'anger management' therapy? If so I'm sure many fellow-cyclists will need likewise. Trouble is, cyclists get such an awful press - and sounding or not sounding bells is certainly part of it - that it's too easy to flare up.

[Graham]

"How nice to see cyclists stopping at the lights for a change..."

The comment conveys underlying hostility. I'm not surprised you felt need to react.

"We always do." Is quite disarming and gives little reason for the idiot/person to entrench their view.

The possibility of changing the perception ( with whatever "right words" ) . . . . . close to zero.

[661-Pete]

gives little reason for the idiot/person to entrench their view.

I've no reason to call this person an 'idiot'. But she was probably a Daily Fail reader - most of the denizens of Burgess Hill are.....

(*sigh*)

[BakfietsUK]

On one level 661-pete, the lady has a point when she implies that "cyclists" don't seem to stop at crossings. However, she generalises and makes a sour and sarcastic comment based on anger at the cyclists unlike your considerate self and Mrs. P. that do not stop.

It is the person crossing that needs anger management, not you 661-pete. I guess it may be that having to put up with "abuse" like this is annoying because it feels like taking the rap for the behaviour of less well intentioned cyclists than yourself. I think the way you handled her comment was assertive and showed your self respect. Her reply was drowned out by traffic noise, - probably for the best as I reckon it was possibly negative and redundant.

The lady has a point because some cyclists do not stop at crossings, red lights or respect road traffic law. It does not mean that she has a right to personalise an general perception though. Neither do I and I have to work quite hard to maintain a "professional" stance when I get tempted to say that motorists are idiots. Anyway, a lot of pedestrians are just motorists who have managed to park their cars and you know what they are like. Perhaps I am now generalising?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
No conclusion to that is there.

It probably at the time has more weight with tone volume and attitude, but still difficult so make a judgement.................