I just go as fast as I can past walkers in the forest, the more time you give them the more likely they are to do something stupid.
Pro tip: walkers cannot detect movement at speeds of 20mph or more, so by going more quickly, you are in effect, invisible. Using a bell in these circumstances just causes confusion.
If you are having 'issues' like the OP, you are probably simply not riding fast enough. Beware dogs though, bikes are invisible to at much lower speeds.
Pro tip: walkers cannot detect movement
FTFY.
Sheep are a more highly evolved species than your average rambler.
If you are having ‘issues’ like the OP
I don't get any issues, I am going too fast to hear what they are shouting at me. I am guessing it is something about how good I am on my bike.
Was it one of those stupidly expensive bells only bought by mugs? You can tell they are cos you can hear them over 100metres away as they are so much better than cheap bells. SO I always shout at people with those.
me? buy something stupidly expensive? Nope. Does have a delightful ring tho - nice and loud with a really long sustain.
My bell sounds exactly like the ones you get free in a box with your enduro bike for legal reason but never fit.
fit a hope hub - so bloody noisy no need for a bell!
I have. Bell is better if for no other reason its stops the "where your bell" shouts
Riding along a busy shared path I was catching up with this mamil.
Translation: A cyclist that doesn't share my views, and had the temerity to be wearing a helmet and other cycle specific clothing was taking it easy along a path, minding his own business. when all of a sudden his quiet spin was disturbed by
As usual giving a ping on my bell when fifty metres or so behind walkers.
Translation Oh dear lord, though the regular person, a self righteous cyclist who thinks that ringing a bell means that everybody in his way has to part like the red sea in front of him. I hope those other normal people don't think it's me...
The mamil was ten m infront of me.
Translation I still couldn't catch him regardless of the fact he was clearly taking it easy
After the third time ( all the walkers moved over and one thanked me) he gave me a mouthful of abuse. ” don’t ring your bell they might jump in front of me”
Translation, All right mate, we all heard the first ring, we're all going to get out of your way, as you're clearly much more important than the rest of us...
Who is right?
Who knows, in your head, you seem to be right all the time, why you chose to inflict the rest of us with it, seems more difficult to work out TBH.
Bell is better if for no other reason its stops the “where your bell” shouts
There's a contradiction somewhere in this thread but I just can't put my finger on it.
me? buy something stupidly expensive? Nope
Good. I'm pleased with this answer. Definitely the mamil was in the wrong then.
I got a Bell from Wilko for a couple of pounds. Works fine offroad too. Keep using your bell TJ. They make alot of difference. Old fork though cannot hear them i recon.
You can get new Recons. Chain Reaction do them I hear.
nickc not a TH fan then?
FWIW I think TJ is doing exactly the right thing, giving people plenty of warning that he is approaching. No different from what any other normal person would do. MAMIL is the one with the problem.
Just be aware that you might look like a knob horsing it up behind someone dinging away from 100 meters away!
Unfortunately, riding a bike means someone will think you're a nob regardless of what you do. Even on cycling forums...
I do exactly as TJ does, and ring a bell as soon as I'm within an audible distance. And I do it because over the years I've found this to be the most pleasant experience for everyone.
I've been told off for not having a bell, despite slowing to walking pace, literally following behind for a few paces before giving a polite excuse me. All too often, my experience is that people are startled by this approach. If you shout from further away it comes across as aggressive. But a single ping on a bell from a distance makes people aware of your presence and gives them time to prepare, call their dog, round up the kids, finish the conversation they're having, and just generally removes all stress from the interaction. People usually appreciate it and often thank me. That's why I do it.
As always though, what a cyclist should and should not be doing, is strictly defined. The problem is, it's defined differently for everyone.
In this incident if I had waited until he was past the walkers before pinging my bell I would have been pinging it from maybe 10 m or less away - far too close in my experience. My choice was to do as I did and pee the mamil off, not use a bell and pee the walkers off or ping it from too close and make them jump.
As I also said - " polite cycling" "ping" ( sometimes a " just letting you know I am here, I'll squeeze past when I can") then a "thank you " when they move over. I reckon I get thanked by walkers for this approach at least once a day often more.
any excuse:
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thank you Port Melbourne Council, compulsory bells, signs on shared paths telling cyclists to ring their bells, lots of ped' keep left signs all so easy (NOT) still get ped's all over the place and riders overtaking as you slow because you know someone is going to jump the wrong way or scream and grab their child...
Actually I'm of the opinion that on a path like the one TJ is on, you really shouldn't need to ring a bell. It's a busy cyclepath. If you walk down it (& I often do) you should be expecting to have bikes going past you (not at 20mph, 2 inches away obvs). I find it irritating that some pedestrians on that sort of urban, obviously frequently used by bikes, path react like an alien has landed next to them on hearing a bell, or seeing a bike.
I would have been pinging it from maybe 10 m or less away – far too close in my experience
In my view following a cyclist through pedestrians isn't always a good idea, they are never expecting 2 close together.
I find it irritating that some pedestrians on that sort of urban, obviously frequently used by bikes, path react like an alien has landed next to them on hearing a bell, or seeing a bike.
Ditto, or the jump around panicing, as if you like to mow down peds.
I have some cat collar bells attached to bike and a comedy pet squeaker to reduce pedestrian conflict. If it’s a bumpy canal path I don’t need to ring bell.
He was wheezing quietly when 2 m behind the folk
FIFY
As someone who walks occasionally along things like canal tow-paths and Peak District rail trails, I'm quite happy for cyclists to ping bells - I prefer the Timber Bell approach, but let's not split hairs. The two things that I find a bit odd are the presumption by some cyclists, that just ringing a bell gives them some sort of right to scream past inches off my shoulder and the thing where folk can't be arsed to say thanks when you've moved over to let them pass.
Oddly, the one cyclist who really irritated me was a woman with her family who was riding up behind people on a narrow canal tow-path, then actually saying 'ding, ding' like some sort of village idiot. It was an odd mix of being incredibly patronising and supremely ineffective. I guess people were mostly surprised that an adult insisted on pretending to be a bell rather than, you know, actually using words. Mostly they just looked at her incredulously.
I would suggest that saying 'ding, ding!' is not an effective substitute for having a bell.
Edit:
Who is right?
Is that a trick question?
I tinged my bell at a young woman walking along in front of me engrossed in her phone, whereupon she promptly walked straight in front of me, resulting in both of us crashing to the ground.
People can be idiots and wearing headphones is another issue but as much as I get frustrated with people because I may have to slow to a walking pace because they clearly havent heard or seen me, I think you were going to fast to knock her to the ground. If people are idiots you should really slow right down.
I was hurrying to an appointment 2 miles away,
Hurrying on a shared path? Ringing your bell to clear a path, very bad form, should have left adequate time for your journey Mr Toad
saying ‘ding, ding’ like some sort of village idiot. It was an odd mix of being incredibly patronising and supremely ineffective
When I am bell-less, I find it works better to say this than "excuse me" etc.
How does this thread of the bell end?
Hopefully with a ring peace.
Next time this happens just loudly ring your bell right next to MAMIL and shout "END!!"
