Bells on bikes

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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sjs
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by sjs »

drossall wrote:I have bells on one or two bikes, but never use them. To be honest, I think the periodic posts here telling others what to do get a bit repetitive. There are various ways of being polite and considerate. A bell is just one, and is not required by any rule of the Highway Code etc.

My personal preference, for pedestrians and horse-riders, is to whistle a happy tune (preferably one that is itself as inoffensive as possible!) while still 100m or so away. The sound carries well, and people seem to get the idea that there's someone around and they need to check behind them, without getting at all offended. Usually gets a smile in fact.




Isn't this whole thread a verbatim repeat of at least one previous one?

Speaking as someone who does as much pedestrianing as cycling, I can report that I find bells mildly irritating. Just can't help interpreting them as a "get out of my way" message. I find general rattling, coughing, farting and belching, etc, much friendlier.
PH
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by PH »

mjr wrote:They're probably reluctant to use bells because of all the criticism from CTC types who think bawling at walkers cryptic stuff like "Anya Wright" is more polite than a melodious ring. ;)

I've never met a single one of these CTC types you frequently harp on about, despite a couple of decades riding with several different member groups, something local to you perhaps? Or just as accurate as any other stereotype.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Mick F wrote:Riding along a quiet lane. Not flying along, just riding nicely.
Two walkers in front going the same way as me.
I dinged my bell.
I dinged my bell.
I dinged my bell.
I dinged my bell.
I came up behind them and said, "Excuse me please"

They jumped out of their skin!
.......... and one of them said, "I wondered what that ringing noise was!"!

I never leave home without one :)
What do you do when they are wearing ear phones, I have passed many and at last resort I do it slowwwllllyyy, as I am sure you do.
I have yet to get a remark using my bell.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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Spinners
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by Spinners »

Cycling UK Life Member
PBP Ancien (2007)
drossall
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by drossall »

sjs wrote:Isn't this whole thread a verbatim repeat of at least one previous one?

Yes. As I said, because some people cannot accept that others might have had different experiences. Some people are happy to be pinged at, some are not, and people here have variously encountered pedestrians in both groups. But still some insist that everyone is like they are, or like the people they have encountered.

And every now and then a new thread starts to go over it all again :roll: :lol:
DaveGos
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by DaveGos »

If you are riding tandem this may be a good solution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwaXjtRybhI
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Let's take it from here –
Search the Internet for "highway code "plus Either one voice two bell three horn :?:
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by Bonefishblues »

DaveGos wrote:If you are riding tandem this may be a good solution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwaXjtRybhI

Brilliant :mrgreen:
Bsteel
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by Bsteel »

drossall wrote:Some people are happy to be pinged at, some are not, and people here have variously encountered pedestrians in both groups.


Completely agree, I get positive and negative reactions from either voice or bell, it depends on the awareness of the person to their surroundings (have you unintentionally surprised them) and how they perceive the intent of you communication.
poetd
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Joined: 16 Jul 2019, 6:12pm

Re: Bells on bikes

Post by poetd »

Whatever you do - Do not use your bell to slow ding-ding a Policeman!


I like my bell, use it mostly for humerous greetings when I see people I know out and about. Rarely use it to get pedestrians to move, there's usually space to get passed them after a short while, so I hang back.

Was going through the cycle lanes in Leeds last week. Policeman had stopped on his bike and was blocking both lanes of a 2 way lane and appeared to be texting.
As I pulled up close to him, I gave a sarcastic slow "ding..... ding" at him. Intending it to be taken as a humerous jibe at a fellow cyclist.
It was not taken that way.
He just stared at me. After a tense few seconds he moved the rear wheel of his bike enough for me to get past.
Thank God.
Not sure how my employer would have responded to me being late due to "Aggressive dinging".
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
poetd wrote:Whatever you do - Do not use your bell to slow ding-ding a Policeman!


I like my bell, use it mostly for humerous greetings when I see people I know out and about. Rarely use it to get pedestrians to move, there's usually space to get passed them after a short while, so I hang back.

Was going through the cycle lanes in Leeds last week. Policeman had stopped on his bike and was blocking both lanes of a 2 way lane and appeared to be texting.
As I pulled up close to him, I gave a sarcastic slow "ding..... ding" at him. Intending it to be taken as a humerous jibe at a fellow cyclist.
It was not taken that way.
He just stared at me. After a tense few seconds he moved the rear wheel of his bike enough for me to get past.
Thank God.
Not sure how my employer would have responded to me being late due to "Aggressive dinging".

The police man was wrong!
Otherwise why did he not say anything?
Why did he move out of your way?
Were you aggressive in your ding dong?

Last time a policeperson blocked my path.............on a road I shouted "Thanks A lot Mate!"

He did not acknowledge my presence at all, just stared blankly at the windscreen, which was not in my direction.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
John Holiday
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by John Holiday »

Am amazed at the range of response to my query!
Particularly enjoyed the trombone.
Not sure that my visually impaired stoker is quite up to that however.
I am rarely in a rush on my bike,so am quote happy to slow down & greet those I pass,either cyclists or pedestrians.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
We are back to a shared path.

My local cycle path, shared path, has had notices put up (not sure who or whether authorised) "cyclist please ring your bell" - "Dog walkers keep dogs close"

Just last week I now see additional notices............" along the lines of (will get photo later) "Cyclist ring your bell or say hello"

Why don't we just standardise notices and be done with it?
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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Cunobelin
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by Cunobelin »

Never mind the TRombone ...

[youtube]jIQfY-drlYg[/youtube]
Mike Sales
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Re: Bells on bikes

Post by Mike Sales »

The easy going affable ockers down under get a bit rigorous on the bell question. You can be fined 100 dollars for not having one.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/aug/24/sydney-australia-war-cyclists-fines
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
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