why cant old people hear bells ?

northernneil

cycling along tow paths, bridleways or even on road many is the time I use my bell to warn large groups of walkers, doddery people and the like - I would say about 3 out of 10 actually hear the bell I use until I am 0.0001 metres from them, and its not like I am going like big mig in a time trial either. Its not the bell thats the problem but I find this really annoying, any tips as to what I should do to alert people of my approach ? some kind of cow bell ?

redddraggon

Shout.

Bikerbaboon

fog horn...... if you sound like the qe2 they will move. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Parsnip49

"get the f**k out of my way you old c**t or ill break your hip" usually works for me

SmellTheGlove

Pardon?

cougie

Maybe its like that Mosquito tone - only young ears can hear it ? So given that a bell is high pitched - it could be that old folk cant pick it up very well.

I havent had a bell since I was eight - a friendly greeting usually works so much better.

boybiker

What you want is one of these
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Air_ ... Horn-4.htm
Even the deafest old git will hear it.

dondare

I was once given a bell which I used when riding on canal tow paths. Not once did it have a useful effect, people either ignored it or looked everywhere but behind them. So I got rid of the bell and started giving pedestrians a cheery greeting and this worked every time. Air horns can't be justified on shared paths, I hope that Bb was joking.

whyamihere

boybiker wrote:

What you want is one of these
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Air_ ... Horn-4.htm
Even the deafest old git will hear it.

A friend has one of those, he set it off last week and it nearly deafened me. Good against cars, total overkill against pedestrians. Meanwhile, I have something similar to one of these. I've only had cause to use it once, but when I did, because of it sounding like a comedy car horn (like a clown car), the people I was passing seemed very jovial and good natured when I passed.

Special K

Parsnip49 wrote:

"get the f**k out of my way you old c**t or ill break your hip" usually works for me

Perhaps you could phrase something suitable for my particular problem.

I cycle the Hertford canal as it bisects Bethnal Green. Everyone gets out of the way except female Asian teenagers. A friend has speculated that their headgear may be too tight and disrupting their hearing ability of sounds from behind. However, as a fully paid up Guardian reader I feel uncomfortable with this analysis...

LangerDan

Special K wrote:

Parsnip49 wrote:

"get the f**k out of my way you old c**t or ill break your hip" usually works for me

Perhaps you could phrase something suitable for my particular problem.

I cycle the Hertford canal as it bisects Bethnal Green. Everyone gets out of the way except female Asian teenagers. A friend has speculated that their headgear may be too tight and disrupting their hearing ability of sounds from behind. However, as a fully paid up Guardian reader I feel uncomfortable with this analysis...

"get the f**k out of my way you young c**t or ill break your hijab"?????

At least you won't stand accused of being ageist.

pottssteve

An air raid siren might bring back memories and get them moving. Bit heavy on the handlebars though.

Failing that, yell, "Free tea and biscuits!"...

LangerDan

pottssteve wrote:

An air raid siren might bring back memories and get them moving. :

The problem comes when you get home and find them all hiding in your cellar, playing "Now Thats What I Call Gracie Fields, Vol. 7" on the gramaphone.

pottssteve

True, Vol. 7 wasn't her best....

pottssteve

How about Clackers?

Rob Sallnow

Half fill your mouth with your energy drink and then shout 'Churchills, the name you can trust'....got their attention when Thora Hird used to do it on the telly!!

priory

it is true they can't hear a bell very well. As you get older you will lose all of your hearing gradually, but especially the high frequencies. If you have been exposed to noise you may already have high tone loss, typically at 4000hz.
I remember listening to a bat ( it must have been a 'great bat') hunting round a tree in wales when I was a child. Now I can hardly hear my watch alarm unless I hold it to my ear.
You will have to shout 'Hello, do you mind if I pass please' at them instead.