i know thats a sweeping statement but i,ve had enough of these sanctimonious old biddies.this morning i,m riding on private land on singletrack that runs adjacent to a footpath.some saggy old sod stands in front of me hands on hips and legs akimbo and declares this is not a cycle path.my answer “well it aint a footpath either so we,d best all scarper”why do they think they own the bloody countryside i dont care where they want to drag their colostomy bags so why are they so bothered about me?as kenny everett said i,d like to round em up put them in a field and bomb the bastards!!!!!!

MTBers = Tossers.

Theres a simple answer.
Were all tossers.. virus with feet.

whats wrong with going for a nice walk? If i want to wear red socks let me.

I’m definitely a tosser. And proud.

Come to think of it sometimes I’m a rambler too…..

there only jealous that you can ride a bike and they can hardly walk, knock em over next time xD

I’ve come to think that everyone who uses the outdoors hate eachother.
There’s the ramblers with red socks & walking poles who hate the cyclists for being a menace.
The dog walkers who walk 4 abreast with extention leads and let their dogs poo everywhere that are hated by runners & cyclists.
The runners actually seem pretty unhated so far.
And then the cyclists who it seems everyone hates,
i’ve cycled up behind a walker very slowly, said excuse me, then thanks as i passed and still got abuse for not having a bell.

Why can’t we all just get along man… 😀

baccodaddy – Member
I know that’s a sweeping statement but I’ve had enough of these sanctimonious old biddies. this morning I’m riding on private land on single-track that runs adjacent to a footpath. some saggy old sod stands in front of me hands on hips and legs akimbo and declares this is not a cycle path. my answer “well it aint a footpath either so we,d best all scarper”why do they think they own the bloody countryside i dont care where they want to drag their colostomy bags so why are they so bothered about me?as kenny everett said i,d like to round em up put them in a field and bomb the bastards!!!!!!

You aren’t going to win this one baccodaddy I would be surprised if a lot of people on this site occasionally do a bit of walking. Yes you could be right in this case assuming you have got it right about the right of way (remember walkers are far more likely to have maps). Either way when I am out walking I rarely see cyclist on a footpath (where they have no right to be) as they would have to climb over styles etc bridle paths on the other hand which they are perfectly entitled to use I do see them occasionally. The real problem is with the utter scum who drive illegal on bridle paths note nearly always after heavy rain totaly destroying the bridle paths for cyclist, horse riders and even walkers. The sad bastards think there are on safari or something. Now them I would love to brick I cannot believe how selfish they are.

Anyway your statement is about a tiny minority I don’t believe for one minute that it happens to you regularly. Do you also think all blacks are drug dealers and all gypsies are thieves or for that matter all muslims are terrorists or terrorist supporters? I am sure some of the latter aren’t!!

2wheels1guy – Member

,
i’ve cycled up behind a walker very slowly, said excuse me, then thanks as i passed and still got abuse for not having a bell.

Because when you do that you startle people and are in teh wrong.

get a bell – and use it – a gentle ping from 30 m away alerts them to your presence and puts you in the right

I have had cyclists do what you did and it is very unnerving.

chris_mbuk
there only jealous that you can ride a bike and they can hardly walk, knock em over next time xD

A bit of cowardly remark chris_mbuk I have my doubts that you would back that up if there sons or for that matter there daughters were there. I often go for a walk in the countryside and as I have no car I cycle everywhere quite often off roads as it can save quite a lot of time. Furthermore as I also play Rugby despite being 54 so clearly I can walk and I am sure you would not say that to my face. Spineless might better describe you. By the way if they are out walking they clearly can walk do you not see any contradiction there?

I hate runners! Only yesterday I was climbing an icy groove which I couldn’t have climbed out of without falling off when I meet Mr Sanctimonious Runner running down the same groove. He had all the wide track to run on but oh no he was in this groove and stuff you cyclist. I had to grind to a spluttering halt whilst his embarassed partner ran well wide of me. What a curmudgeon!

Fog – cyclists give way to pedestrians always.

i met a nice rambler this morning and shared a joke with them, is this wrong should i be more aggressive next time

Because when you do that you startle people and are in teh wrong.

Rubbish, in what way would that be wrong?

because you don’t have a bell. That puts you in the wrong. Startling people is wrong

Tossers = Tossers

A little bit of forward thinking goes a long way.

TandemJeremy – Member

2wheels1guy – Member

,
i’ve cycled up behind a walker very slowly, said excuse me, then thanks as i passed and still got abuse for not having a bell.

Because when you do that you startle people and are in teh wrong.

get a bell – and use it – a gentle ping from 30 m away alerts them to your presence and puts you in the right

I have had cyclists do what you did and it is very unnerving.

I have never heard so much rubbish in all my life, do not even consider getting a bell. At a reasonable distance from the walker (depending on how fast you are going) you simply say loudly “coming past”. A bell! never heard so much rubbish. Most cyclist have a limited amount of space on there handle bars anyway. Now I have no doubt you all are car drivers unlike me if you are driving a long a rural road you should not assume that a pedestrian has heard you coming you should give a short beep to let then know you are coming past it is very easy for them to walk into your path. Note a short beep not a long one as that is statement to get out of the way.

Because when you do that you startle people and are in teh wrong.

Rubbish, in what way would that be wrong?

People are less likely to jump if you ride up behing them and then speak, a bell from a distance gives them more opportunity to shift.

I have never heard so much rubbish in all my life, do not even consider getting a bell. At a reasonable distance from the walker (depending on how fast you are going) you simply say loudly “coming past”. A bell! never heard so much rubbish. Most cyclist have a limited amount of space on there handle bars anyway. Now I have no doubt you all are car drivers unlike me if you are driving a long a rural road you should not assume that a pedestrian has heard you coming you should give a short beep to let then know you are coming past it is very easy for them to walk into your path. Note a short beep not a long one as that is statement to get out of the way.

I would if they where in the midlle of the road like the Rambler is with a bike, Plus my bike doesn’t make as much noise as my car. 😆

because you don’t have a bell. That puts you in the wrong.

No it doesn’t! There is no requirement for a cyclist to have a bell.

TandemJeremy – Member

2wheels1guy – Member

,
i’ve cycled up behind a walker very slowly, said excuse me, then thanks as i passed and still got abuse for not having a bell.

Because when you do that you startle people and are in teh wrong.

get a bell – and use it – a gentle ping from 30 m away alerts them to your presence and puts you in the right

I have had cyclists do what you did and it is very unnerving.

Really? I don’t feel comfortable with the bell thing.
I thought it is much more respectful to talk to someone like a human and do the “excuse me/thankyou” thing than ring a bell at them like they’re a dog or servant.
It would be unnerving to have a runner come up behind you and say excuse me if they were coming at speed.
When i come up behind a walker, i go even slower than them, almost track-stand and say excuse me from a good few meters away.

pypdjl

Legally perhaps – morally tho it is the right thing to do

If you speak to them when close behind you startle them

Ramblers expect a bell.

Just do it – it makes life easier.

bell all the way. Brandybollocks = unawesome

I have had several people recently thank me for ringing my bell as an audible warning of approach (familiar phrase?)

Hope Pro II’s.
End of thread.

[/b]No it doesn’t! There is no requirement for a cyclist to have a bell.

Its recommended though under the highway code. I would say its worth it if you constantly find your self receiving hassle from walkers for startling them.

I agree it seems politer to speak to people but try using a bell – it works much better. You don’t get people saying ” where is your bell”

You get so much better results with a bell. I think its foolish not to have one. A polite ting ting from 30 yards away, then a ” thank you” as they let you by.

It takes all the hassle away.

Legally perhaps – morally tho it is the right thing to do

Again, this is rubbish. The fact that you personally like using a bell does not constitute a moral imperative.

it comes down to this:

some people are tossers

i had os digital 2010 mapping trust me they should not have been there as much as i should not.my problem is i didnt care they were illegal so why were they so bothered about me .i didnt affect their lives ,i slowed down to let them pass so why the abuse from them?i,ll tell you why,because mtb,ing is more popular in the last ten years and these people are used to having it all to themselves.generally they are old who moan the same as they moan about how its not like it was 40 years ago.its embarrasing for the english to be honest ,throughout europe (i,m italian)we share the countryside but here the ramblers think they own it.so maybe we should let them have their own way ,shit behind trees,set there dogs on foxes and no bikes,wake up to where we are the world has moved on .

Teh fact that the ramblers expect a bell, the highway code suggests you should, the fact it takes away all the hassle – that makes it the right thing to do.

Why not use one? it really does help smooth the way as anyone who has one will tell you

Sorry – as a regular walker, I think a bell is rude and “pushy”. I’ve had other folk say the same thing to me. A bit like the internet, it lacks inflection.

The normal form of communication between two human beings is voice, so why wouldn’t you just use it?

TandemJeremy – Member
Teh fact that the ramblers expect a bell, the highway code suggests you should, the fact it takes away all the hassle – that makes it the right thing to do.

Foot paths aren’t covered by the highway code, so that’s completely irrelevant.

AGAIN IGNORE THIS MORONIC VIEW

Singlespeed_Shep – Member
Because when you do that you startle people and are in teh wrong.

People are less likely to jump if you ride up behing them and then speak, a bell from a distance gives them more opportunity to shift.
ALL YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DO IS LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE THERE. WHY IN GODS NAME DO YOU NEED TO DO THAT WITH A BELL? A PERSONS VOICE IS JUST AS GOOD. AND I CAN TELL YOU IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHAT YOU USE YOU WILL STILL STARTLE THE PERSON. I NORMALLY WALK WITH MY HEAD MY ARSE IE MIND IS AWAY IN THE CLOUDS SO ANY SUDDEN NOISE AT ALL LIKE A BELL WILL STARTLE ME

STOP SHOUTING!!!

I always say thank you if a walker stands to one side to let me past. I don’t see any reason why a bell would be just as good. I think as long as it’s a friendly ‘ting ting’ 🙂

shut up Eccles

So TJ am I in the wrong for not having a bell and shouting Ting-a-ling from a suitable distance behind them?

I NORMALLY WALK RIDE WITH MY HEAD UP MY ARSE

simply because you can use a bell from much further away thus you give them more time to react.

You can only speak to them when you are a yard or two away ( unless you shout) – you can use a bell from 20 or 30 yards away. Thats the key = ping it when a distance away then smile and thank them.

I have never had anyone complain about using a bell, I have been thanked numerous times for using one, I really missed it when for a couple of weeks I did not have one.

A cyclist speaking to you from close behind startles folk