dozey pedestrians

[Marcus Aurelius]

140 dBs, and a really shrill tone. I’ve found that even the doziest pedestrians take note that I’m around with this.

[thirdcrank]

...

140 dBs, and a really shrill tone. I’ve found that even the doziest pedestrians take note that I’m around with this.

Some disturbing reviews from users here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hornit-dB140-V ... way&sr=8-1

[Marcus Aurelius]

140 dBs, and a really shrill tone. I’ve found that even the doziest pedestrians take note that I’m around with this.

Some disturbing reviews from users here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hornit-dB140-V ... way&sr=8-1

I’ve not had any issues, other than a pedestrian getting the right royal buttock when he was walking in a dedicated, separated cycle lane, with headphones on, and didn’t like my “noisy **** thing”.

[Mike Sales]

A version of 'The Golden Rule' might be useful:

"Do unto pedestrians as you would have motorists do unto you."

Exactly. Anything as aggressive as the loudest horn in the world from a motorist would annoy me.
I do not demand deference from pedestrians, and resent drivers' assumptions of entitlement.

[Cyril Haearn]

A sudden loud noise could terrify a PoF and cause a fatal heart attack, -99
Best to have a 'partnership' based on respect, very often this is possible as described upthread by I and others

As a PoB I have much more in common with PoFs than with PiCs (motrons)

[MikeF]

I agree with some of what you say with regards to a bell but 15mph on a single track with two pedestrians ahead is way, way too fast, you should slow to half that given the circumstances, give an audible warning of your intention/coming from behind. If they don't acknowledge prepare for worst case as they might be hard of hearing/deaf or even mentally diminished, if it were two children would you have ridden at such a fast speed?

No point shouting as the event unfolds, it's too late by then, the shout likely did nothing and was that they saw you at the last second as this reaction is quicker than an audible warning at that juncture.
Basically you got lucky, you are the person overtaking, it is entirely on you to make sure that it is safe to do so and to account for unexpected actions particularly in such a narrow space, what if one of them had stumbled or was avoiding a pothole? If you want that from a motorist whilst overtaking you on a bike then you should offer same to others.

Speeding impatient cyclist should be the subject title IMO

+1
Spot on; this whole incident was entirely avoidable. The pedestrian was absolutely right to ask "Where's your bell". All that's resulted in this incident is the anti cyclist community has had its views reinforced about cyclists (the pedestrian could well have been driver as well). If the OP had used a bell in good time eg 10 seconds before reaching them, he could have "properly assessed the situation" in plenty of time.

I've only once had abuse about bell use and I think the person involved was deliberately trying to obstruct me. I cannot understand reluctance of cyclists to use a bell. One "ting" from quite a distance (ie well before a pedestrian is reached) is all that is needed to assess the situation properly. Most people will hear a bell and react. If they don't then you will have time to react and to ride appropriately. However there are horses for courses and a bell is not always the best warning, but in this case it would have been the best approach.

[MikeF]

140 dBs, and a really shrill tone. I’ve found that even the doziest pedestrians take note that I’m around with this.

And no doubt you drive in a similar manner. Ever wondered why some motorists have little regard, eg close passes, for dozy cyclists blocking their way?

[Mike Sales]

I don't use a bell (don't have one). If walkers on a path or lane are blocking the way, or leaving too narrow a gap to use safely, I slow down to their speed and wait for them to notice me. If they don't realise I'm there I cough, say "excuse me" or some such and "thankyou" when they move.

[Cyril Haearn]

Is not the drrringaling of a bicycle bell one of the most beautiful sounds?

[Vorpal]

Today, first time in a while I've had a near miss with pedestrians, I had 2 in as many minutes.

The first one was about 7 or 8. What looked like a family of 5 or 6 people stood talking on a local cycling / pedestrian bridge. Just as I approached, they started to walk over the bridge, oncoming to me. I was going fairly slow, but slowed down even more. There was plenty of room, but the youngest in group looked at me, looked at the other family members who were moving further away from him, then back at me. I thought he was going to follow them, but he watched me until I was about a metre away, then stepped into my path. One emergency stop later, and Littlest was halfway up my back from his seat on the back of the tandem, and the kid who'd stepped into my path skipping merrily up the bridge to his family (who hadn't seen what happened).

Bottom of the bridge, I turned right to go to the music school. There is a shared use facility along the water front. It's very wide and there's plenty of room, but a group of people who appeared to be about university age were walking diagonally across it, making it difficult for me to pick a path to avoid them. Again, I was going slow, barely above walking pace. They hadn't seemed to notice us, so I said something. One of them was walking backwards toward me, and still didn't notice, so I came to a complete stop. The others said something and the backwards walker turned around a few inches before they backed into me. The group parted to go around us on both sides, and when it was clear again, I carried on.

It's not like tandem + yellow trailer are easy to miss.

[NUKe]

I use a ping bell, I think they are seen as polite and useful on shared access.

My son has a bell of the mechanical dring dring type, a while back we were on a shared path my son was about 10 at the time, we came upon a group of pensioners walking across the entire width of the prom. I told Robert to ring his bell he did no response, I pinged mine, no response, but there was enough room to proceed round So I shouted reasonably loudly excuse me on your left, and my son proceeded at virtually walking pace, The gentleman was surprised started to berate my son for not having a bell at which point I stopped and pointed out that he had, he had used it I had used mine and shouted. He then said “oh sorry I turned my hearing aid off because it was whistling “ fortunately we all laughed and went our separate ways

[mjr]

I don't use a bell (don't have one). If walkers on a path or lane are blocking the way, or leaving too narrow a gap to use safely, I slow down to their speed and wait for them to notice me. If they don't realise I'm there I cough, say "excuse me" or some such and "thankyou" when they move.

So you sneak up on them, in other words. Not good.

[Mike Sales]

I don't use a bell (don't have one). If walkers on a path or lane are blocking the way, or leaving too narrow a gap to use safely, I slow down to their speed and wait for them to notice me. If they don't realise I'm there I cough, say "excuse me" or some such and "thankyou" when they move.

So you sneak up on them, in other words. Not good.

I burst out laughing at this one.

[fastpedaller]

Sometimes it's impossible to do anything..... I recall from years ago a friend was stationary at traffic lights, a bus stopped on his right side. An obese woman stepped straight off the pavement, landed on top of him knocking him into said coach!

[Lance Dopestrong]

140 dBs, and a really shrill tone. I’ve found that even the doziest pedestrians take note that I’m around with this.

And no doubt you drive in a similar manner. Ever wondered why some motorists have little regard, eg close passes, for dozy cyclists blocking their way?

The Amazon reviews of this device suggest to me that the only people that buy it have names like Neal Anderthal. Strewth, the speeling and grammer are orful, not dessent like wot mine is.

Someone who "needs" one of these to survive in public shouldn't be allowed out in public in the first place.