[Closed] People who want to spoil your day, I don’t get it!

I usually reply “you didn’t hear me shouting excuse me from 30m away so you wouldn’t hear a £&:£;&? bell would you”

I've had this before as I do the same as you, a polite hello or morning, rather than an entitled ding on the bell and going past stupidly quick. This is all on about 2 miles of canal tow path at the end of my commute. In over 5 year of commuting I've had one guy moan at me. Saying that I need a bell and it's illegal etc. Anyway just said "ding ding" and told him to have a nice day. He was more annoyed at me for not getting a reaction!

Sadly I went straight to defcon 10 and gave them an absolute round of *****

Sounds like you spoiled your own day to be honest.

I have had exactly this. Virtually carbon copy. I don't have a bell, but do the same. A nice loud 'excuse me' of 'morning/afternoon' and I always take it steady aproaching people. 99% of people are fine. I sonetimes have a ride down route 6 when the trails are soaked and I just fancy a run out. Its always the same. Its always a group of pensioners.

Last time I did the same as you. They're all stood there chatting with their dogs all off the leads, taking up the whole (very wide) trail. They can see me approaching

'Excuse me'
Look at me. Nobody moves
'Excuse me' - on the brakes now
Look at me. Nobody moves
'Excuse me' - now stopped in front of them
Look at me. Nobody moves, then 'wheres your bell? In my day bikes always had a bell

Cue a volley of expletives from me, which I then felt a bit shitty about, but then didn't because what it displays is not just being cantankerous but selfishness and an absolutely ridiculous sense of entitlement!

On a related note, its always those same bitter, miserable old giffers who watch their dogs curl out a huge log in the middle of the trail and would never dream of picking it up in a bag and binning it, despite there being dogshit bins the lenghth of the trail

Why not use a bell? I( ride a lot on shared use paths like you describe abd using a bell smooths the way greatly. The way is to ping it when 50 m or more away. Its puts you in the right, it keeps most folk happy and avoids confrontation and has no downside

FFS guys - I know it seems daft to us but just use a bell!

Some people just can't help themselves. I just expect the worst from people in situations like that so when people do come up with a smart Alec comment I'm not bothered by it and just ignore them or retort with a sarcastic quip. Life is too short to get annoyed over minor things like this. If anyone can't hear my Hope hub coming up behind them from 20 feet away, then they haven't got a chance hearing a little bell.

just don’t get why people would want to spoil their walk and my ride

Ask them. Why do they want to wind you up, so you shout at them and wind them up? might make them actually think about not being dickheads next time.

I have a bell. I also have a toddler in a WeeRide, so he rings the bell. You wouldn't believe the number of people that look like they want to fight him for daring to ring it!

Wobbliscot / others - its what the noises signify. A bell they think "bike" anything else confuses them

I get thanked for using the bell regularly.

Why not use one?

I haven’t got a bell

There's your problem, then.

Sadly I went straight to defcon 10 and gave them an absolute round of *****.

Congratulations on reinforcing the negative stereotypes of cyclists.

I used to think like this but as TJ says why not use a bell?

Since fitting a bell it makes life so much easier, you can bing it from miles away and folk hear you and gladly move out the way. Before I used to say "morning" or whatever and sometimes people would get a fright others annoyed and some would be fine. Since using a bell all the aggro has gone and life is easier and better. The only reason to not fit one is because they aint cool!

P.s, only got it on my Gravel bike as that's the only one that sees regular use on shared paths, no way my MTB is getting one!

I’d have ridden past them, then stopped 10 feet in front and raked in my pocket to check fb.
I know that would make me just as bad as them, but hey ho, it’s the little things that get you through the day eh

EDIT: a bell is probably easier though.

I find people jump out if the way when I use a bell, they are considerably slower when I voice my approach.

A bell is a friendly non-confrontational way of alerting walkers but unfortunately older walkers sometimes can't hear bells.

As Defcon 1 is the most severe I'm assuming that Defcon 10 is a cheery wave and "have a nice day"?

Pedantry aside, I always go for a "excuse me" rather than a bell as well

I had this once in the Lakes. My reply was 'I think good morning is more polite'
but if I was regularly using busy paths I'd get a bell (or an air horn)

Hope hubs do the trick for me, not out as much as most on here but dont think ive ever had a problem.

It's a no win situation, some people expect a bell some people jump out of their skins on hearing one. I use a bell, starting some distance back and repeating as I get closer. But the oddest folk are those walking towards you. You can ride straight towards them, slowly, they stare at you and some how don't understand the link between "see bike" and "move to one side".

I have cool bell that has a compass on top. Just sayin.

unfortunately older walkers sometimes can’t hear bells.

Not can they identify where a sound is coming from as easily as younger people can. Lower toned bells work better, as does "behind you on you're right/left (depending which side you intend to pass).

Can we not move past this constant us/them stuff and start appreciating that maybe people are not trying to be a$$holes all the time. Ascribing more generous explanations as to why people do what they do is a great way to not let them ruin your day.

Calling out is perfectly reasonable.

Plenty of the "why don't you have a bell" brigade on here and the paths it seems!

I’ve had: “Thank you for ringing your bell. Quite a lot of people don’t” Followed by someone else literally 200 yards later : “Ting Ting yerself pal”. You can’t win. If someone wants to take offence, they will find a way.

I have a timber bell - seems to get a less grumpy reaction from ramblers.

Still grumpy sods though, I guess it's got something to do with them having to walk everywhere.

gives them time to sort themselves out and I don’t lose much momentum

Or, perhaps, consider slowing down when coming across other path users rather than assume they will immediately move out of your way just because you shouted 'morning' at them and you have assumed a priority of right of way?

Trouble is Al it doesn't work as well and upsets dafties. so why not use a bell?

I find people jump out if the way when I use a bell, they are considerably slower when I voice my approach.

YOu need to ring the bell from further back.

This is one of the common complaints about cyclists that they don't have bells. There is no downside to having one so why not?

Anyway just said “ding ding”

I don't think that they've set out on their walk with the intention of spoiling anyone's day. Going all 'defcon 10' at them has certainly ruined yours though and with absolutely no benefit except to those who appreciate the reinforcement of the lycra hoodlum alluded to elsewhere here today.

Perhaps you should just shout 'STRAAAAAAAAAVVVVAAAAAA' at the top of your voice all the way down the track? That way everyone will instantly jump out of your way as they won't want to spoil your ride. 😉

I ride an NCN to work and I use a bell.

I deliberately picked a nice small one that makes a single polite high-pitched ping. I ping it from a reasonable distance and then usually stop pedalling to get the hub clicking as well. I also cover the brakes and slow down as required. As I pass I give a nice cheery "Morning" plus a "Thanks" if they've brought a dog under control or had to move out the way.

This polite approach rarely gets me anything beyond a tut and often results in thanks.

My ride is enjoyable. My day unspoiled.

Basically, it's nice to be nice.

Why do some of you insist on not having a bell?

+1 on the Timber bell, it's great. Although i do have to wiggle the bike around sometimes of the path is not bumpy enough.

Sadly I went straight to defcon 10 and gave them an absolute round of *****.

I have a bell and the groups of pensioners with dogs are the only people to ignore it. They may be deaf.

russl - I also don't have a bell because, frankly, it seems a bit rude to ring a bell in a "get out of my way" sense (and there is zero intonation in a mechanical sound). But here is a translation of what happened to you today:

I chose not to use the accepted standard equipment [for potentially valid reasons]. All going well until I come across 3 other shared path users who were entitled to be there. I shout morning, they stop, turn around to look at me surprised by my stealth-like presence and had the audacity not to move out of the way of the faster path user. I went straight to defcon 10 and gave them an absolute round of *****. I just don’t get why other people would are on my path.

You are effectively the cycling equivalent of the car driver who expects cyclists to get out his way.

I’ve had this before as I do the same as you, a polite hello or morning, rather than an entitled ding on the bell and going past stupidly quick.

I was cycling through a car park a while back and like you I feel a bell is a bit "ding ding, get outta my way" so I just do the coughing, back-pedalling, slowing to a track-stand thing. On this occasion I got the, "oh, he doesn't have a bell .... oh, he does" because I do, but don't like to use it (see above). Hey ho. I've tried the US-style "coming through on your right" but with the oldsters that just induces rabbit/headlight syndrome. I think all this stuff only ruins your day if it was on its last legs already.

Why do some of you insist on not having a bell?

Because some people (both cyclists & pedestrians ) interpret a bell as being aggressive & entitled. A voice is seen as being polite and engaging in personal contact. I don’t personally see it that way, but it seems a pretty common attitude

Poly - I know its daft and ringing a bell seems rude to us but it really does smooth the way. so why not?

I used to have a timber bell but found the reactions were very mixed and I get on much better with a friendly “morning”. Johndoh did you not read the bit where I said I was going for a bimble? I’m not riding anywhere fast on this route, it’s a shared use path, I’m happy to share and don’t expect people to jump out of my way but then I don’t expect to be blocked from going on my way either.

You cant win. I've had hassle with and without bell ringing at people, some hear it, some dont know what the noise is, some think its rude, some people are hard of hearing, some (thankfully a minority) are just twits.

Agree with TJ on this one. Just get a bell. And for those that say 'dont need a bell, i just call out'...well i can do that too so i have that as a second option if the bell doesn't do the job.

It’s a no win situation, some people expect a bell some people jump out of their skins on hearing one.

This. Or the third reaction which is to either completely ignore it or start looking up in the sky trying to work out where the dinging is coming from. Granted, some folk might not have great hearing, but low flying cyclists aren't all that common are they?

the (scottish) canal code of conduct suggests either use a bell or shout ahead, but also bikes give way to pedestrians.

Why do some of you insist on not having a bell?

I do use a bell but some people still insist on blocking the way/shared pedstrian cycle routes, and then either pretend they didn't hear it or feign deafness, especially the older ones. Some people just like to stand in the way of cyclists, it must do something for them inside, like give them a little tingle of excitement.

have bell, use bell - "ooooh, that really scared me"

don't have bell, say hello, hiya, good morning, excuse me - "where's your bell?"

on a shared path yesterday i had an old couple deliberately walk towards me and then brush past, i was right on the edge of the path going 1mph, there was plenty of room to pass

i have got used to the fact that i'll encounter at least one person on a ride that wants to be miserable and confrontational just so they can chunter about something for the rest of the day to a chorus of "oooh, i know"s and tutting over tea and custard creams

Trouble is Al it doesn’t work as well and upsets dafties. so why not use a bell?

In your experience...others, including mine, are different.

You are effectively the cycling equivalent of the car driver who expects cyclists to get out his way.

Not even remotely similar.