Should I get an AirZound?

[661-Pete]

Hitherto I've been rather opposed to these gadgets - think them anti-social.

I'm sure it's only coincidence, but twice in the past 3 days I've had a pedestrian step out in the road before me, suddenly without looking - forcing me to yell and 'drop anchors'. Perhaps it's time to deliver a warning they won't ignore?

[thirdcrank]

IMO, if there is any group of road users for which a strident horn is completely inappropriate it's pedestrians. (I'd be prepared to consider an exception for dog walkers )

[Cyril Haearn]

You could get one and be ready to use it
Or you could ride a bit further out, like riding outwith the 'door zone'
Singing "one song to the tune of another" or whistling might be good, I was once known to everyone in the village as "the whistling cyclist"

[pwa]

It's tempting, Pete, but if you used it on the wrong person you could end up in a brawl. I find the voice very effective. "Whooah!" works quite well if you do it loud enough. As if trying to instruct a deaf horse to stop.

[Cyril Haearn]

Horses for courses: several different bells!
Maybe you could ride a bit slower

[Bez]

I've had a pedestrian step out in the road before me, suddenly without looking - forcing me to yell and 'drop anchors'.

If this is a sudden thing which forces you to brake immediately, why are you thinking about getting a device which introduces an additional conscious action into your emergency response, which requires you to use one of the hands you'll need for braking? You can shout, if need be, without affecting your braking response in the slightest: it's instinctive and it doesn't involve your hands.

Personally I think wanting "to deliver a warning they won't ignore" is at odds with the fact that you "think them anti-social". To me, warning people to get out of your way is kind of anti-social, and deciding that "they won't ignore" it even more so. YMMV.

[Mark R]

I also think using an airhorn against peds would be unacceptable in the extreme - please don't do it!

Motorists on the other hand....just thinking about the times recently I've been treated to blast on the horn from some some self-important ***** in an SUV who objects to me taking the lane as recommended by the highway code. How sweet it would be to pull alongside the next junction and BAAAAAAARP

[NUKe]

If you think of horn as a method of rebuke then no. If you think it would be useful to worn of your presence, then why not. Its not the sort of thing you would use on cycle path to say excuse me like you might with a bell. But it could be useful to alert a pedestrian just about to step out by mistake in a town envirnment. The Air zound is a good for warming motorists of your presence. Though even that can be misunderstood. I remember once at junction about 300 yards from home, I gave a bip on the horn (Motorcycle) . I had just pulled up when this rather red faced, chest puffed out spoiling for a fight motorists turns up "what is your problem" with at least 3 expletives in there. I was totally mystified as to his manner until I looked behind him and realised it was the car from the junction. I just replied your the car from the junction at.. I was just making sure you realised I was there, its getting dark and I wanted to make sure I wasn't invisible. He deflated rather quickly and skulked back to his car. BTW the AIr zounds can be blipped just like a car horn.

[661-Pete]

Hmmm.... perhaps not, then, at least not for the time being. As per the consensus. But it's tempting! Incidentally, I was well out of the door zone. And on the second occasion, yes I was going fairly fast because it was downhill - but not lunatic-fast!

Yes I know we've had discussions about 'jaywalking' before, on this forum, and yes I know that 'jaywalking' doesn't actually exist in British Law, but still .... if anything could be done to curb the kamikaze pedestrian syndrome...

[mjr]

What are you currently using, if anything?

[...] it could be useful to alert a pedestrian just about to step out by mistake in a town envirnment.

No. Absolutely no. If you are passing close enough to someone that them just stepping out would be a mistake, slow down. I tell motorists the same.

The main use of an airzound, in my opinion, is to warn idiots who have intentionally obstructed their hearing by such actions as listening to loud music, on headphones, while in a glass and metal box... but you've probably got to watch out for them for other reasons, too

[esuhl]

I'm very pleased with my AirZound. Previously I'd had a few near-misses where I had to shout to avoid being struck. Drivers either didn't hear me, or stopped the car to hurl back abuse. Shouting anything seems to instinctively make people want to shout back. Drivers also respond to the AirZound far quicker as it's louder and sounds like a car-horn (which they are used to hearing and reacting to).

One of the best effects I've noticed from using the horn in busy areas is that nearby pedestrians will turn to look. When I've used it to warn cars who are putting me in danger, they seem to much more readily back off if there are lots of witnesses turning their heads to look.

In years of having the horn (ooh-er!) I've only used it twice to alert pedestrians. Once when a group of kids, who I'd braked and given plenty of room to cross the road, suddenly leapt back in the road, arms outstretched as if to scare me into swerving or falling off. A quick beep startled them, and they froze, giving me enough room to veer out of the way.

Another time was behind someone taking up the whole shared path and listening to deafening music on his huge oversized headphones. The bell hadn't worked, shouting hadn't worked, and after five minutes, I was getting seriously fed up. Fortunately, his music was so loud that a quick toot didn't startle him. He calmly turned round, saw me and politely stepped to the side.

So... the AirZound could be a life-saver in busy traffic, but there's no justification to get one just for pedestrians.

Another thing to consider is that (on my bike, at least) the button to activate the horn has to sit to the inside of the brake/gear levers, so you can't reach it whilst gripping the handlebars for dear life. Because of that, in some incidents, you don't get a chance to use the horn safely.

If you are passing close enough to someone that them just stepping out would be a mistake, slow down. I tell motorists the same.

Round here motorists routinely drive at 30+ mph, only a few feet from pedestrians. There's no way most drivers allow enough time to stop if a pedestrian were to step in front of them.

[Vantage]

I've used an Airzound in the past but gave up after a while.
It can be useful in traffic if you want to alert drivers to your presence but it only works after they've completed their cyclist killing manoeuvre. Using it before is pointless as time on the horn is time not spent on the brakes.
Same applies to peds who suddenly jump into your path. The horn would be pointless unless it was blazing all the time which is not nice or even possible (30 second run time between refills).
Your best bet is to just expect the worst and be ready to drop the anchors.

[millimole]

I've used an AirZound in the past on my commuting bike. I agree it's inappropriate for pedestrians.
I stopped using it when I began to adopt a more relaxed attitude to my commute - the horn was all part of the aggression and anger I built up during the ride - it was almost as though I was looking for a reason to use the thing!

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly using hovercraft full of eels.

[mjr]

If you are passing close enough to someone that them just stepping out would be a mistake, slow down. I tell motorists the same.

Round here motorists routinely drive at 30+ mph, only a few feet from pedestrians. There's no way most drivers allow enough time to stop if a pedestrian were to step in front of them.

I know but other people's bad driving doesn't excuse anyone else's bad driving or cycling. "Other people are also guilty, m'lud" isn't an accepted defence (in theory).

[[XAP]Bob]

If you are passing close enough to someone that them just stepping out would be a mistake, slow down. I tell motorists the same.

Round here motorists routinely drive at 30+ mph, only a few feet from pedestrians. There's no way most drivers allow enough time to stop if a pedestrian were to step in front of them.

You don't need to copy them - you can look at mechanisms to ensure that your driving is safe all on your own.

Pretty sure that the concept of slowing down where there are vulnerable road users around, and where you can't see that the road is clear (and will remain so) are well established methods of reducing the danger you cause on the road.