We’ve all had it, minding your own business when one of that lot, in there special clothing comes hurtling up behind us and scares us half to death. Now though, all walkers can be fitted with a bell to alert innocent MTBer to their presence!
It’s stylish, ergonomic, and comfortable to use. Also comes in grey, beige and a dull off-white. This device will available from UnkeyHomey Industries (internet only) from July 2013.
We hope to have legislation passed on a mandatory pedestrian bell law by 2015.
*yes, sorry filmed in portrait, please don’t burn me…
On the local sustrans bike motorway,
dog walker- “you should have a bell! Its against the law to not have a bell!”
me- “actually, while it is illegal to sell a new bike without a bell there isn’t any legal requirements for a bike to have a bell, so make sure you know what you’re talking about before you go round lecturing people”
I’m sure he fully appreciated me stopping to correct him on this….
I got some grief for dinging my bell on Sunday night from some walkers, they said it was too quiet and by the time they realised I was “upon them”. **** ’em, bought this on Ebay, let the fun commence. 😀
Out with the family on the Longdendale bit of the Transpennine Trail on Monday, towing the boy on a trailer bike, I came up behind an old feller on a very shiny new hybrid thingy. He was weaving about at bit so I slowed right down, fortunately as it turned out, because he then slammed his brakes on right in the middle of the path without any warning, looking behind or anything. I said “Whoops!”, smiled, and rode slowly past him giving him plenty of space. He gawped at me and then gave my wife a load of “Where’s your bells?!” (she rang hers at him, good lass).
When did ramblers start buying bikes, that’s what I want to know?
Oncoming dog walker (ie one that’s seen me and therefore doesn’t need me to ring my bell) – “Where’s your bell?”
Me – “Where’s your bags for picking up your dog shit?”
9 times out of 10 they don’t reply.
The 1 in 10 that do show their poo bags get a ring of the bell, then everyone’s a winner!
When did ramblers start buying bikes, that’s what I want to know?
You’ll find there’s a lot of crossover and has been for years. Even on here there’s climber/mountaineer a plenty, who in reality are all ramblers, it’s just that rambler doesn’t sound quite so macho as climber/mountaineer. Anyway, the issue is age related IMO, there’s far fewer under the age of 50 who’ll have a rant about bells and your existence.
“Excuse me please” x3
Pass giving very wide berth
“Where’s your bell”
” I did shout excuse me three times, politely”
“We’ll I’m deaf I can’t hear you shouting”
“Ok so a bell would have been useless then really, have a nice day”
I don’t ever really seem to have this problem – must just be something you lot are doing!
I guess you must just be riding where there are no pedestrians. Over the years I’ve been riding the local Sustrans network, which is pretty much since I bough my first mountain bike, in 1988, I’ve had every experience given above.
I’ve even been told off for using a bell because it’s impolite!
I’ve been told off for going too fast when I had to make a sudden grab of the brakes when an off-the-lead dog suddenly wandered in front, as I was about to pass the owner; I’d actually rung my bell, and been forced to practically track-stand behind him as he dawdled along, oblivious to my presence three feet behind him!
Then there’s the group of four walking abreast in front, who turned and stared in a bovine fashion, after I was forced to call, very loudly, ‘excuse me!’, when they ignored my rather loud bell I’d been ringing from thirty or forty yards behind them. ‘Oh, sorry, didn’t hear you. You should use a bell’ AAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!
As a volunteer Sustrans Ranger, I have to be careful how I react, but the temptation, oh, the temptation… 😈