“You didn’t hear me shouting in your ear so you wouldn’t hear a bell either.”

Rather restrained of me I thought.

I know how you feel, how difficult is it to understand Rider Passing on the Right. Seems to sound like scatter to anyone walking on the local old railway path.

It also gets old pretty quick getting shouted at you are going too quick you may hit my dog. Wouldn’t be a problem if they had the do on a lead like they are supposed to.

I think walkers should have bells, round their necks like little cats have.

I’ve got one but it’s not on my bike. I do intend to put it on though to see if things improve.

This lot were kind of ripping the arse out of it to be honest. Six of them walking in twos taking up the full width of the path and each pair around 10 feet from the next one. When I’m around 20 metres from the first lot I give it the usual “excuse me”, they don’t hear it, so I try again louder, the first lot move. Get behind the second lot, shout 4 times getting louder each time – 4th one is pretty much a full lungs worth of air and as loud as i can go.. Third time is a repeat of the second.

How have these people survived into their fifties with such a lack of awareness of themselves and others? I’m also not buying it that all six of them were deaf.

I had a couple just walk out into the road without looking. I went absolutely mental on them (in the few seconds it took for me to pass them) swearing and yelling. They said I should have used my bell (which I don’t have). What, am I just meant to ring it constantly while I ride so idiots that are too lazy to look left and right don’t get hit?

“**** off” would have been easier.

a rude retort for a rude question 😉

I did leave with a positive thought though – the world is full of ignorant muppets and for today at least i am not one of them.

Someone used to make an airhorn that you pumped up with a bike pump, supposed to be super loud! That might work… or it might just make them freeze like frightened rabbits…

Really?

Walkers have right of way.

You should try using a bell – it really does work. Walkers hear a bell they expect a bike.

TJ – see this right of way thing, it doesn’t give them the right to deliberately impede the progress of others.

twaddle TJ, my girlfriend has a lovely 2 tone loud bell one bike that gets used on the same old railway path and is ignored just as much as my shouts!
The number of times she rings and rings that bell and they do nothing or simply step out infront of us would suggest to me they are too caught up in there own conversations they are not prepared for anything else that shares the path with them.

Riding to work on the canal,I got shouted at too often by little old ladies and gents walking their little darlings. It’s generally what they want, the angry shouty ones, so I decided it was more trouble than it’s worth and got a pinger. It seems to pacify them, although I get worried that other users, who otherwise wouldn’t give a toss, might think I’m being too aggressive by ‘pinging’ my way thru them. 😕

agree with rusty mac, it makes no difference with the dreamers.

i made an old lady jumpout of her skin yesterday when passing her, plenty of room but she didn’t hear me at all, felt quite bad about it. must refit my bell

TJ – what do you suggest when walkers/ramblers are deliberately ignoring your bell, ignoring your repeated exhortations of “excuse me please” at full volume and are – quite blatantly – deliberately blocking a BW in order to prevent you from passing?

This has happened to me several times & it’s sodding ignorant.

TJ – my daughter has a bell, she uses it and the reaction of walkers is to often completely ignore it and the ones who do hear it often complain it frightened them. some people are just **** and there is no reason to have a bell when you have a voice in your head.

Today I was pushing up a short lumpy, peaty track that twists between tussocks, hoping to whizz down it. The trail is made by the local fox hunt and ramblers. But it was very boggy so I had already decided against riding down. A couple of classic “ramblers” passed me going down and I said ruefully:

Me: “it’s a bit boggy”.
Fella: “Yes and it’s all cyclists fault!”
Me: “Er no – the trail was made by horses. Look at the trail – deep hoof prints, and loads of foot prints and one bike track”
Fella: “There are no horses around here”
Me: “You are an idiot”

And we left it at that.

One of the times i’m referring to was on a section of BW above Todmorden. About to set off down the trail (often photo’d in ST) & saw a horse rider coming the other way. I waited as you do, & when the rider came alongside she warned me that there were a particularly bolshy group of walkers further down. Apparently (on a BW where she had the RoW) they had deliberately blocked the trail for her, causing her to have to take the horse up a steep & dangerous embankment.

I waited for a while hoping they had moved on, but when i came to the most tech section of the trail there they were, i stopped and shouted down that there was a bike behind them only to see them look at me & deliberately move into such a formation that i was unable to pass at all.
They then held that formation all the way down whilst i balanced at stalling speed on the trail ringing my bell & shouting ” excuse me please” in their ears – all to no avail.

Perhaps i should have released the brakes & hit them?

Perhaps i should have released the brakes & hit them?

I would go with get off the bike and stop one, then ask them to get out the way.

To hell with all the replies saying we have to treat walkers like gods so they don’t end up hating us. These guys obviously already hate us, and everyone else. Sod them.

In that situation I tend to ask people, nicely, what their problem is. If I have time to spare that is. But I must be quite fortunate, I hardly ever encounter the awkward ones. Last time was in the summer on the Dalby Red! Dog walker refused to acknowledge our presence when I said that bikers wouldn’t be expecting them & therefore they might get run over! But, seems to me that there are just a certain percentage of such people in all groups, even MTBers…

I agree completely.

Ramblers (not walkers) seem to be motivated by the belief that the countryside must only be available to those on foot.
Respect is earned & i’m sick of the idea that ramblers must forever be placated, everyone should indulge in give & take, it’s not a one-way street!

i recommend getting a big air horn with lacookaracha.that should work well…..

I like my bells on my bikes. They annoy ramblers and gnarcore rad mountain bikers in equal measure!

I use a bell all the time and it works. Its not 100% – nothing is. HOwever it works well most of the time

However you can alert walkers to your presence from a distance away without startling them.

Urban pedestrians often step into the road without looking if they can’t hear an engine. Since I started taking babyfish to nursery on my bike, I fitted a bell and use it in earnest. I don’t want her to hear my colourful language…

If electric cars do ever become more prevalent, there’s going to be a few more squished pedestrians methinks.

😆 @ tootall ^^

I use a bell, and to be fair I’ve never had a problem with walkers giving me attitude, even on the canal path which isn’t very wide. When I’m out walking with the family or whatever, and I hear a bell I immediately move over. If I hear someone shouting from behind, I’d presume it was a runner, as thats what I do when I’m running. Theres nowhere on my running gear to fit a bell unfortunately! 😀

A bell is best I think, as some people have those voices that, no matter what your shouting, you sound like your looking for a punch up!

I only seem to have problems with walkers when its 4+

Rusty Mac – Member
twaddle TJ,

much as I really can’t be bothered to get drawn into a debate on this subject ever again in my whole life… I feel I must say a few words on the subject..

I have to disagree with you Rusty..

I have been using a bell out of neccessity in the areas that I ride… Because I have discovered that without fail.. in every single instance that I can recall.. responsible use of a bell has 100% better results than using my voice… I use shared urban paths.. sustrans routes.. bridleways.. footpaths.. and sheep tracks on land used by local dog walkers.. ramblers.. rollerbladers.. joggers.. kids on crack and grannies out shopping and people just out for a bijou strollette after their sunday lunch..

I am often thanked for having the decency to use one as ‘most of you ignorant buggers these days just wizz up behind us shouting’ as one grateful couple put it last week..

bells are good PR for cyclists.. that is a fact

I personally would prefer it if you swallowed your adolescent sense of pride and misplaced ‘cool’ and fitted one because in the greater scheme of things.. it makes me look better to people we share our countryside with..

rant over
thanks
ciao

TandemJeremy – Member
you can alert walkers to your presence from a distance away without startling them without a bell.

😉

If electric cars do ever become more prevalent, there’s going to be a few more squished pedestrians methinks.

Quite likely.

From wikipedia

Unlike buses or trams, trolleybuses are almost silent…with some pedestrians falling victim to what was also known as the “Silent Death…”

I’m going to counterpoint my previous post where I called a rambler an idiot to his face.

I stopped twice on my ride today to give navigation advice to confused rambling couples clutching guide books, pointing out where they were and where the most scenic trails were in the direction of where they were going. They were lovely.

I’m with TJ on this one. Generally being patient and ideally having a bell helps keep the peace. You’ll always get idiots but they’re a minority.
My one bike without a bell is a singlespeed as I couldn’t ruin it’s simple looks with accessories. Luckily as I am unfit my wheezing approach alerts all.

+1 for MTG on this

Urban pedestrians often step into the road without looking if they can’t hear an engine. Since I started taking babyfish to nursery on my bike, I fitted a bell and use it in earnest. I don’t want her to hear my colourful language…

Buses are dam near silent until they’re past you. And oddly enough, the place where I get the most trouble from jaywalkers is a road that has buses going up and down it constantly. I’d hate to be a bus driver on that route. Unless I was a serial killer, then it would be quite fun.

I had a group of young fit girliees on a run trot into the road bang in front of me this morning. When alerted to my presence by squawking fom me and brakes they gave me a disdainful look and simply carried on.
Collapse of stout party!

Unlike buses or trams, trolleybuses are almost silent…with some pedestrians falling victim to what was also known as the “Silent Death…”

Natural selection at work…

On riding past a couple walking along a cycle path, a friend of mine was asked “where’s your bell?”
His reply was “up your wife’s arse”
Of course I do not condone this kind of thing.

As a young lad, when I first bowed to fashion and removed the bell from my bike, my mother asked me how I would let walkers know if I was behind them. My answer was that I would politely inform them with my voice. She then said something along the lines of “but what if they’re deaf?”

i stopped and shouted down that there was a bike behind them only to see them look at me and deliberately move into such a formation that i was unable to pass at all.
They then held that formation all the way down whilst i balanced at stalling speed on the trail ringing my bell and shouting ” excuse me please” in their ears – all to no avail.
Perhaps i should have released the brakes and hit them?

“AAAAARGH! MY BRAKES DON’T WORK!” would have got them out of the way sharpish I bet.

Actually, on reflection, that’s not a bad candidate for a general greeting to ramblers all the time…

Some of you are old enough to remember when there was a cycle week on the Isle of Man. Apparently the locals referred to the cyclists as the whispering death. No bells on racing bikes, which must have got up to a fair lick coming off the Mountain.

I use one of these far superior than a bell

I took mine off after having people go nuts at me for ringing it, “****ing cyclists, why should I have to get out of your way”. Shouting “scuse me” has never done that, so that’s what I do instead.