Went out for a spin on the road bike this morning, mainly on cycleways, and on the whole most walkers see you before you get to them so no need to use the bell. I used it on one couple twice whilst approaching and still got no reaction, I assumed ipod useage, slowed down to a 10mph ready to hit the brakes and passed withought hitting anyone, bloke suddenly got all abusive, told me to ring my bell, I shouted that I did (twice) to which he called me a bast**d.

I just find it quite depressing how aggresssive people are, even when they at fault. There was loads of cyclists about, so it’s not exactly beyond the realms of possibility to be passed by another.

The only other thing I could have done would have been tap them on the shoulder when I was near them, and that would have still made them jump. Not exactly a rant (would be poor scoring if it was!) just had to vent a bit…..

Went out for a spin on the road bike this morning, mainly on cycleways

😆

I still don’t get why anyone would think using a bell is ever a good idea. Nobody ever pays attention to bells. Ever. No exceptions.

Learn to shout at people or just ride around them. People won’t jump about stupidly if they don’t know you’re coming up behind them, but if they do, quite often they will.

There’s a busy high street that I have to ride down a few times a week at the moment, and despite buses constantly going up and down it, people for some unknown reason (maybe because its paved rather then tarmacked) don’t treat it as a road, and just step out into it with reckless abandon and walk around as they like on it. So I ride fast right past them and shout as I go past. Scares the hell out of them, so I’d assume they won’t do it again. Idiots.

The best one i ever saw was one day we were on a canal boat going along and a guy on a bike on the towpath rang the bell at a dog he must of thought the dog knew what the bell meant did make me laugh,the dog didnt. :roll:Problem with cyclepaths people are in a dream on them very dodgy places.Your damed if you use the bell and your damed if you dont.

you are on a shared paths with pedestrian you have to except that you may have to slow down to pedestrian speed and give way. Sail over steam so to speak it’s pretty basic.

Don’t think anyone was complaining about the speed TheBrick?

slowed down to a 10mph

3 times their walking speed then

A group of us had problems with dozy ramblers and walkers today on a really fun descent on the Cleveland Way – they’d be walking 3 or 4 abreast blocking the trail, some with dogs all over the place, and see us about 50m away and not move or even allow some room. They were all walking towards us so coudn’t claim they were unaware of us. Had to slow to walking pace for most of them until they moved to one side.

This happened with about 6 different groups in a 1km descent.

Next time we’ll just hoon down and they’ll have to dive for it.

Seems like a reasonble rant to me. The majority of people are stupid idiots (you only have to drive a car for 10 minutes to prove this)

Nobody ever pays attention to bells. Ever. No exceptions

I use a bell when I’m out on the bike with my dog, and I find almost all people respond to it (even the stupid ones), with very few exceptions.

To be fair Steve B, that does give them some credit for visibly moving! They were racing a few smails I think 😀

Nobody ever pays attention to bells. Ever. No exceptions.

Simply not true.

Me and Mrs Fruitbat quite often use our local canal path and have had a few ‘moments’ with walking types. We don’t have bells and it can be difficult to get the tone and volume of a ‘shout’ right.

I’ve recently taken to using a Duck Call and the results are fantastic. A couple of ducky type calls, from a good distance away, makes the walkers turn round to look for the duck. While scanning for the elusive duck they usually see the bikes and any aggressive tendencies appear to be waived.

The Duck Call is plastic so it’s weight is not detrimental to the ride.

In Sheff, the council deliberately created a small bike lane in the larger footpath through Endcliffe park so you can get out to the peaks without using much tarmac. Despite this being clearly marked, pedestrians seem to take a perverse pleasure in walking , pushing prams ,walking dogs on leads on the cycle bit rather than the footpath which is twice as big. You then get shouted at for being on the footpath because you have to detour round the walkers on the cycle path! You just can’t win.

Hows about a co2 powered duck call using one of those little tyre inflator thingies and a small push valve (like a push button) on yer handlebars. could have different attachments for different calls and perhaps an air-horn function.

This is idea now in the public domain and therefore unpatentable.

neninja – Member
A group of us had problems with dozy ramblers and walkers today on a really fun descent on the Cleveland Way – they’d be walking 3 or 4 abreast blocking the trail, some with dogs all over the place, and see us about 50m away and not move or even allow some room. They were all walking towards us so coudn’t claim they were unaware of us. Had to slow to walking pace for most of them until they moved to one side.

This happened with about 6 different groups in a 1km descent.

Next time we’ll just hoon down and they’ll have to dive for it.

shouldn’t you slow down for walkers on a shared trail anyway, no matter if the trail is fun or not?

I think its starting to get to the run up to christmas, the traditional season where people become totally self absorbed and oblivious to anything outside their bubble.
Had some ploke get all arsey with me a B&Q this afternoon as he swanned past the self service queue and didnt understand why I was slightly pissed. Lucky for him I was buying pliers not a nail gun….

@ Marmoset

I’m fortunate that i can ride an abundance of trails and hardly meet a soul but I have found that a road bike and mixed use trails are not a good combination – you are probably doing 12-15mph on an MTB and slow to 6-7 whereas on the road bike you’ll easily do over 20mph so “slow” is still fast to walkers – as I have also found out

Most folk in a group are pretty oblivious to others regardless of activity (try going round a busy trail centre as a solo rider and see how much attention the groups are paying to other riders! and theres frequently an @rse in those groups as well* – maybe we just all need to chill a bit

* like the guy(on a bike) at Glentress that told me I should have a bell – my moment of the year

Nobody ever pays attention to bells. Ever. No exceptions.

what rubbish, a bell is a great way to attract attention in a non agressive way as i can attest via the experience of having one on the bike for the last few years

. Had to slow to walking pace for most of them until they moved to one side.

how awful for you to have to show consideration for another trail user, i mean what were they thinking not stepping aside and letting you “DH” the descents, afterall bikesown all the routes don’t they? 🙄

show a little bit of courtesy and consideration and maybe they will do the same next time, you never know

Nobody ever pays attention to bells. Ever. No exceptions.

rant fail.

Admittedly you do get some ignorami but that’s just too sweeping

Cannock Chase yesterday on a fire road/bridleway, me climbing at a slow pace. Older fella coming my way with 3 dogs (no leash), I move over to the boggy shoulder to make room for his dogs who he calls out to half-arsedly to behave. Not even passed the guy yet, while I was pondering whether to say cheers or not, he says “could at least say thank you, you ****t”. First I laughed at him but as he got more abusive for no reason I had to call him a few names.
Seriously, some people.

Passing people is a combination of letting them know your coming verbally and slowing down

If a trail has 6 groups in a kilometre walking up it then your descent is stuffed isn’t it, even if they are getting out the way. Its not reasonable to ride past a group at speed particulaarly if they have a child with them

Also mountain bikers can be really ungreatful about your help. Last weekend I was on a bridleway (on a bike ride). I saw two people descending towards us. I got the dog on its lead (it never gets in the way but its easier if riders can see that its on a lead) got kids and their bikes off the trail so they didn’t even have to brake.

Did they say thanks: no

Did they respond to my cheery question about how many were in their group: no

(in that wood its common for polite groups to shout things like I’m the last or 3 more behind me )

No wonder walkers get the hump when we can’t even avoid antagonising other cyclists

Shared Trail Riding Rules

* The nicer the weather, the dozier the walkers.

* The more people in a group, the slower they are to react.

* Large groups tend to act like sheep rather than individuals.

* Old people move slower.

* Dogs and children move randomly.

* Everyone moves double slow on Sunday afternoons, apart from dogs and children who move double fast.

* Bells can make people jump, ring them frequently and repeatedly, long before you are near.

* Shouting ‘bike coming’ feels weird, get a bell.

* Zipping past people with inches to spare would piss off anyone, don’t do it.

* A smile and a thanks improves everyone’s day.

* Be extra cool with horses.

* Everyone has a right to enjoy their activity. Bikes are the fastest thing on a trail, ride with consideration and you’ll have a better time, as well as everyone else.

* There are always occasional prats. Ignore them.

Rich I know what you mean, some people just can’t grasp that there might be anyone other than them out for a ride/walk/random zig zag across a public right of way.

Last month we had a bloke with a dog ranting at us for riding on the cycle path and not on the footpath!!!
When I pointed out that we would be breaking the law if we did so he took off on us again saying “you F-ing cyclist want it all???

We left him ranting with one of my fellow riders wishing him a really crap time in the rest of his life

* Large groups tend to act like sheep rather than individuals

Funnily enough, in today’s Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8131300/Pedestrians-struggle-to-suppress-their-inner-lemming-when-crossing-the-road.html

coffeeking – Member
Don’t think anyone was complaining about the speed TheBrick?

I took the speed complaint tobe implicit, although plenty of people don’t like you just because you are on a bike to be fair.

I’d say there is a problem that there is a proportion of the population who just don’t like cyclists for some reason no matter what we do. we love to classify people in this country.

A few folk on incredibly high horses here tonight.

how awful for you to have to show consideration for another trail user, i mean what were they thinking not stepping aside and letting you “DH” the descents, afterall bikesown all the routes don’t they?

show a little bit of courtesy and consideration and maybe they will do the same next time, you never know

shouldn’t you slow down for walkers on a shared trail anyway, no matter if the trail is fun or not?

Who said we were DH’ing the descent – where did I say that? Please enlighten me.

This was a technical rocky section where stopping or slowing to less than walking makes stability harder.

Is it too much to ask that on a 4m wide but loose rocky trail with drops and boulders when some riders are coming the other way pretty strung out, that walkers take up one half of the trail instead of completely blocking it? And that they reign in their dogs on extending leads so they aren’t strung all over the place?

We do slow for walkers but it seems a bit excessive to have to slow to walking pace or an almost stop when the walkers have seen you 50+ metres away are determined to use the entire width of the trail until you are only yards away.

When I use cycleways I don’t go fast as anything can happen with walkers from little kids running out but my bell still works fine.

If you were cycling normally OP, then ignore the swearing bloke -don’t get dragged to his level.

Hope hubs seem to get most folks attention 🙂

Rich,

I’m having a guess at the local cycleways concerned but am probably correct, but we’ve got the Dog Walker in Blacon that is threatening to block the track in protest due to “lycra clad thugs riding at 30mph” despite the fact that its based on a disused railway line and most of us in our dreams could only manage that sort of speed with some gravity assist.

I’ve had the walker clad completely in black walking a black Lab the other side of the track on a moonless night who can’t see you approaching them despite a Lupine on full beam and shouting twice at them Hello, who are still shocked to have you pass them and mumble something about bell, on multiple occasions.

The two people who can somehow manage to completely block an 8 foot wide track as they walk along.

The group of people who all smile at you and move to one side apart from one dozy fecker who then proceeds to give you verbal despite everyone else in the group seeing/hearing you in plenty of time.

Top award goes to a family of three, father, mother and teenage daughter all on trendy/expensive bikes riding towards you and even thou their EYES are looking straight at you none of them see you till its reached the stage of imminent impact and you shout at them what the **** are they thinking. I have to add I’ve a shout that can shatter eardrums, they then swerve all over the track and verge in panic.

To be honest the local scrotes on bodged up motorbikes give you more respect and room.

essentially were all a bunch of ****.

I’ve recently taken to using a Duck Call…

I think that this might just be the best idea I’ve seen on this forum to date. Brilliant. I’m pricing one up right now. I wonder, do they make goose calls too? *HONK*

Top tip – ride with kids on your bike (tandem / bike seat). Doesn’t make them get out of your way any better, but at least they don’t seem so upset to see a bike on a bike path (even if you shout for them to get out of your way / buzz them). It’s also not generally me shouting for people to get out of the way on the tandem, which helps 😉

p.s. should add my thanks to mieszko and sc-xc who both very generously contributed to helping mini-aracer ride on the back of the tandem.

RealMan – Member
I still don’t get why anyone would think using a bell is ever a good idea. Nobody ever pays attention to bells. Ever. No exceptions.

Rubbish – I use one a lot. “Ting ting” on the bell fron 50 – 100 m away until they react followed by a cheery “Hello – just letting you know we are here” “may we just squeeze past” “thank you” “lovvely day”

it is well worth getting and using a bell. Walkers appreciate it and it puts you in the right. I have been on the receiving end of a bike coming past with no warning when walking and it does startle you.

Get a bell, reduce confrontations dramatically

Had it with horses yesterday. Three abreast on the fire-road. No effort to move over to make room for two bikes to go through single file, so stopped two abreast ourselves and made them go into single file themselves.

No reason to have stayed three abreast, we could have passed each other but they insisted on acting like twunts.

Horsey types no more to say really.

“Ting ting” on the bell fron 50 – 100 m away until they react followed by a cheery “Hello – just letting you know we are here” “may we just squeeze past” “thank you” “lovvely day”

100% that’s the way. If you smile and thank them and they don’t respond you have won the game. If you smile and thank them and they are friendly back you have also won the game.

The two people who can somehow manage to completely block an 8 foot wide track as they walk along.

It is amazing how wide some people can be.

the upgraded basingstoke canal path in woking area is a real pain and there is much conflict between cyclists and peds…

to be be fair there are nob cyclists and peds that use it… peds that walk in the middle on purpose and cyclists that are discourteous…

biggest problem too many people using the same bits of earth.

Is it too much to ask that on a 4m wide but loose rocky trail with drops and boulders when some riders are coming the other way pretty strung out, that walkers take up one half of the trail instead of completely blocking it?

who gives you the right to command the right of way? especially when you say it’s technical and you could be slowing, speeding up again and changing direction unexpectedly to get round stuff, how do non cyclist walkers know which way you are going? shouldn’t you give way to those climbing up when you are descending?

If anyone gives you verbal, stop an armslength away, off the bike, helmet off and eyeball them like you mean it. Reply in a low voice and VERY calmly.It’s amazing how quick the fight goes out of them.

the upgraded basingstoke canal path in woking area is a real pain and there is much conflict between cyclists and peds…

to be be fair there are nob cyclists and peds that use it… peds that walk in the middle on purpose and cyclists that are discourteous…

biggest problem too many people using the same bits of earth.

I use the Basingstoke Canal towpath probably about three times a week, even when it’s busy I’ve found it fine, just got to remember to leave a bit of extra time when using it though, as you invariably can’t go too fast on it. Someone told me once that it wasn’t really designed for cyclist use above 10mph, not sure on the provenance of that though.

Two top tips – 1) Use a bell, most people react well to it, and those that don’t are wearing i-pods or are just grumpy. 2) Take some off-road lights, those who wear i-pods get a real shock when they suddenly see their own shadow in front of them! It’s great for the darker mornings and evenings too. (I recommend the Dealextreme one on full power, probably best to turn it down to low after you pass them though!)