One of our group rides nearly ended with a hospital visit due to manic dog bounding in front of our bikes on an official bike trail. A bell would not have made a difference. The owner was watching well before we got there and we’d past her before anyway. Stupid woman was just laughing at her manic untrained dog, joking that it would teach the dog if we ran into it!. Later bumped into her again and had a polite word and she suddenly took offence and went off on one ranting about how mountain bikers are destroying the area.
Anyway… on the subject of bells, if I have a bell it’s usually on a tow path or places I’m likely to find a lot of walkers and I’m always prepared to slow down and stop & wait for them. If they’re coming towards me I’ll make room and when following I’m prepared to wait, but ringing a bell and even stopping some will jump out of their skin and stand well back as if I’m about to charge through with a bus, often giving me a dirty look. Others look at me and continue walking ignoring me.
Not all though. The majority tend to be friendly.
Out in the Surrey Hills it’s far friendlier also, and rarely find anyone moaning. Most are happy and have a joke or two with riders especially seeing them exhausted on a climb. Except for crazy woman with manic dog, as found in the Surrey Hills 😉
If it’s a trail ride though, I don’t have a bell. They fall off, get broken off, and are an extra thing to dig into you when you fall off. Generally the trails are separate from walking paths too.