Bells on bikes
ademort
Posts: 1,924
HOW MANY COMMUTERS HAVE BELLS ON THERE BIKES
ademort
Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
Giant Defy 4
Mirage Columbus SL
Batavus Ventura
Chinarello, record and Mavic Cosmic Sl
Gazelle Vuelta , veloce
Giant Defy 4
Mirage Columbus SL
Batavus Ventura
0
Comments
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I do. Do I win a prize, just as long as it's not another bell?0
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Mog Uk wrote:No, I can shout louder and quicker....
I have a bell as I can never think of anything polite to shout without it sounding like "Oi! you ducking idiot! what the duck are you playing at?"
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I don't have one and don't need one cos i only ever ride on road and a bell seems a bit pointless compared to a car horn or my voice - much easier to shout0
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luke2792 wrote:I don't have one and don't need one cos i only ever ride on road and a bell seems a bit pointless compared to a car horn or my voice - much easier to shout
But sometimes you don't need to, or have no reason to shout, and a polite Ding! Ding! is a good way of alerting people to your presence just to make sure they don't step out in front of you, especially on shared paths such as those in Hyde Park.
Bells rule, I use mine all the time, but I do resort to vocal cords in emergencies as a good "OI"! can make somebody stop dead in their tracks which is sometimes helpful, I'd neve use an "OI!" to bully somebody out of the way though.0 -
I'm not saying im not polite
I just say excuse me and they dont seem to mind - the only time ive ever needed to is on a cycle path and the people generally realise that they are in the wrong for being there and let me through0 -
I don't have one. I'd kind of feel rude going round ringing a bell at people. I don't know if it's just me but when someone goes past ringing their bell it makes me want to punch them (maybe I have a problem). I just use a good old fashioned "excuse me" if I need to get someone's attention.Bianchi Via Nirone Veloce/Centaur 20100
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Yes I do. I do ring it but usually while shouting EXCUSE ME at the same time<a>road</a>0
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Have a bell for commuting but it's only really useful for a polite sociable "excuse me" or "hello". If someone steps out right in front of you the louiest "OI" you can do is the best way of allering them, ideally followed by a very calm and polite "thank you".
p.Never order anti-pasta to arrive at the same time as pasta.0 -
having ridden allong an old railway line with my girlfriend over new years, she with a bell on her bike and me without, most of the time she took the lead to get past people because the noise of the bell carries further than a voice, people don't look round to see who's talking and generally it works
guess i might have to fit a bell to my seat post (dont want it on my bars)My signature was stolen by a moose
that will be all
trying to get GT James banned since tuesday0 -
I've got one.
I find it useful on shared cycle/foot paths.I am a mountain biking god.
Unfortunately, my bike's an atheist.0 -
I have a bell, but it says "Passing on your left!"
Or maybe it says "On you're left, their."
It has a Freedonian accent, so some don't understand it that well.0 -
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Belv wrote:No bell, but would like an Airzound.
Exactly what I was about to say.0 -
Isabel really necessary on a bike??
sorry first thing that came to my head... no I don't have one, cars don't tend to hear them. a warning to peds is enough to wake them up or let them know I'm aroundPurveyor of sonic doom
Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
Fixed Pista- FCN 5
Beared Bromptonite - FCN 140 -
Having grown up in Holland where all bikes have bells and most use them I've got to say that a bell alerts a pedestrian much faster than any voice. However, here in England, with cycling not so usual I can see why most cyclists don't bother with them. Also pedestrians here don't really expect to confront cyclists either......as for cyclists on footpaths - NO0
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C/W voice. the sound of a bell says unmistakably "cyclist", it carries further than a voice, and stops people turning round (and walking right in your way) to look at who's shouting. I admit it is of no use to alert car drivers but they are invaluable in alerting peds, especially on cycle paths. I think using a bell before passing peds is polite, and is appreciated by many.
Nothing to stop you using voice in emergencies, but often the bell is more helpful.0 -
No bell as I just use either my voice or my clown-type horn! I find that my voice is more effective in emergencies and my horn seems to be heard better than a bell and is taken with more humour (both in relation to peds on roads, cycle paths, etc.).
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.Now living happily at http://www.uk-mtb.com !!0 -
alfablue wrote:C/W voice. the sound of a bell says unmistakably "cyclist", it carries further than a voice, and stops people turning round (and walking right in your way) to look at who's shouting. I admit it is of no use to alert car drivers but they are invaluable in alerting peds, especially on cycle paths. I think using a bell before passing peds is polite, and is appreciated by many.
Nothing to stop you using voice in emergencies, but often the bell is more helpful.
Exactly!
I ping my bell when approaching peds on shared paths, then say thanks as I go past - the ping lets them know a bike is coming, rather than a jogger etc.
When on the road though, the bell is a tool of warning, then anger (after a few pings). After that, loud swearing is the key! 8)0 -
i have a bell and use it. i agree with those above who have said it allows for better distiction between cyclist and say somone wanting to mug you, (which is an issue in my area). the bell is more poilite and most people from europe recognise it but in my area some people are stupid idiots that have never heard a bell where they come from and so don't react straight away and when they do react by which time i have had to either stop or go around they act like it is so ducking hard to move aside! and if it ain't the idiots it's the drunkards that get in my way. i must that having a classic style bell has the downside of people taking the mick, some folk in my area shout at me or hurl abuse at me.
try living in east london where the mayor has kindly layed out cycle paths that don't flow or actually go anywhere usefull and parking cars on busy and narrow roads is common. i really do have to go on the footpath in one area, luckily it is a wide one (3m i reckon, perhaps it is meant to be shared), and only a short part of my commute, but that just gives some inconsiderate people in a group the chance to take up the entire path.......as for cyclists on footpaths - NO
so yes i have a bell but i live in cycle hellIn the valley of high oil prices the cyclist is king!0 -
I find that "passing on your left" always gets me a "Thanks" from the peds.
"....but in my area some people are stupid idiots that have never heard a bell...."
ThatGuyOnABike, how can one be stupid, or an idiot because they have never heard a bell? :?0 -
Not got a bell, got an Airzound.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=20105
Best price I found.0 -
I'm saving all of my cigarette money for one of these.
http://www.trainhorn.org/
'Don't need no steenkeen bell.0 -
bikers46 wrote:I'm saving all of my cigarette money for one of these.
http://www.trainhorn.org/
'Don't need no steenkeen bell.
Look nice, but a bit of a weight penalty?
Remember seeing a youtube vid where a car had a proper freight train horn fitted. Going past queues at bus stops etc and giving a blast. Not nice, but funny :twisted:0 -
I don't care about the weight, I just want to be annoying.0
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I think it's really important to have a bell on a shared path. My old route to work included some tight bends where you couldn't quite see around the corner. I avoided many a crash with a pedestraian thanks to ringing my bell before the turn.
MR0 -
Agreed, ditto with the canal path that has several bridges where the path becomes less than 1m wide and the view of the path ahead is obscured - a colision there could end up very wet!magicroundabout wrote:I think it's really important to have a bell on a shared path. My old route to work included some tight bends where you couldn't quite see around the corner. I avoided many a crash with a pedestraian thanks to ringing my bell before the turn.
MR0
