General Cycling Discussion - My Ding-a-ling!

I am blessed/cursed to live next to an extensive "bike path" network. This path is my start to almost anywhere I want to go.

Joggers, strollers, walkers, little old ladies that have been in their own world since 1962 and a lot of other people that have never conceived the idea that there could possibly be a bike on the bike path also use it extensively.

Being blessed with a fairly deep resonate voice when I say "on your left" some people go into a total panic, other turn (of course) to the left. I have tried shouting at the ones with the headsets on, flashing lights and throwing small to medium size rocks.

The only thing that I have found that does not scare the people but the hear and notice with out panic is a "little childs bicycle bell" a ding-a-ling.

They hear it and step to the side with no problems.

This could be some type of Oklahoma anomaly, but I thought I would pass it on to see if it might work for you.

The only thing that I have found that does not scare the people but the hear and notice with out panic is a "little childs bicycle bell" a ding-a-ling.

That is what I use, and I almost always get a "thank you." Fortunately, I only see about 3 people per mile or less on most of my rides, and folks around here are pretty "bike savvy."

I have a small bell on my "towpath" bike which I ride infrequently. It seems to work better than "on your left" which few trail users understand.

You have perfectly described the trail users in my area, that's why I avoid trails, except for a occasional break in the routine.

With the exception of 2 Bike Lanes o the sides of 2 roads, all of our "bike lanes" are actually multi use paths.

I like your idea even though I rarely use the paths. Maybe there is finally something that an Xmart can sell me for my bike:p since I haven't seen a bell at my LBS.

Carl

Hi Louis,
I too have a small bell on my mountain bike for alerting people of my presence. I feel that they hear it better and it is a friendly sound to warn them with. I usually get a smile back from people rather then a frown. Try it, they will like it.
Ride-On
Bill

P.S. When riding in the country it is fun to watch the cows mow to it.

Originally posted by webist
Xmart can sell me for my bike:p since I haven't seen a bell at my LBS.

Carl

They are available at nashbar and performancebike. The ones I got for my wife's bike from xmart are nor as loud as the mail order ones on my bikes.

I agree, O.B.1-OldRoadie, the Bell is the tried and true pedestrian alert for cycists. If you don't have a bell yet, make sure you shout your approach waaaaaay back.

You'd have a heart attack too if you suddenly heard a soft, friendly voice close behind you, when up until that point you'd heard no footsteps.

:eek:

Still yet...

Pedestrians and cyclists don't mix. A ped can suddenly decide to change course and send you both to hospital. Worse yet, most I've seen have Walkmans plugged in their ears.

Denver Fox says most of the path users in his area are bike-savvy. This is true also for many in my area.

But it's very, very risky to walk on a path. I've almost been hit as a ped myself. You just forget there may be a cyclist (and you don't ever hear them) and tend to daydream and wander a bit.

Sound your approach.

Don't get a LBS bell they don't have that "kiddie" sound that works so well....you want a bluelight special or one from walllyworld.

When riding in an area that has a lot of foot traffic like a path or park, a simple bell is THE best way to get the attention of others. Polite and friendly.

Why do cyclists call out "on your left", why not just say excuse me or coming past. Most pedestrians wouldn't have any idea what "on your left" means. I have also heard of cyclist calling out "bike back" What?

CHEERS.

Mark

oldroadie, where is this bike path? I am from oklahoma city and i go out to Chandler Park (ever heard of it?) to go climbing all the time, and i almost always see bikers on that road i think its 23rd, just curious
thanks, ed

Bells are great and wonderful but for those morons blasting Celine Dion thru their headphones the only solution is this. (http://www.deltacycle.com/airzound/hornbody1.php) 115 dB of "Wake up and smell the coffee chuckles"


"Ding softly but carry a big horn"

Originally posted by Raiyn
[.....115 dB of "Wake up and smell the coffee chuckles"
"Ding softly but carry a big horn"[/COLOR]

Tulsa is currently adding about 5 miles of paths each year. We are at about 50+ right now and any new street that is put in has to have an adjacent bike path as well as any street that is wide enough is starting to get marked the bike lanes. We have for the most part support of the people. we did not get that support with 115db. We got it by being friendly. You know what it is like by being blasted by a big truck!

Edward, I live at 41st & riverside. This trail starts at 96th & Memorial runs beside the Creek Turnpike to the Arkansas river, rundown the east side of the river to 11th street across the rail road tracks to the Ciminarron Turnpike and heads west to Sandsprings.

A Bike lane is on hwy 97 to Avery Drive and down Avervy Drive to 23rd street at chandler park.

I've got a "ding-dong" on mine also. When I use the bell, they always move aside.
If I vocalize, "on your left"; they invariably turn around to look on their RIGHT side
and just get all crazy.

Bells are very common here in Europe--I think they may even be law in the Netherlands.

I have a rather loud bell. I am still trying to figure out the optimal distance from which to ring it. If I am too far away, the offending slow-pokes either don't hear it or ignore it (BTW, they are only "offending" because they are taking up the entire path). If I am too close, I usually scare them--with the result that they jump into, not out of the small slot I have chosen for myself.

Alas.

Jamie

Originally posted by jmlee
...I am still trying to figure out the optimal distance from which to ring it. If I am too far away, the offending slow-pokes either don't hear it or ignore it ....

I have the tendency to get rather aggressive with MY DING-A-LING on occasion!

BTW aren't any of you old Chuck Berry fans?????

only we who knew what Puff the majic
Dragon and uncle Ho were would have a
clue who Chuck Berry is.
(isn't that Halle's boyfriend? :lol: )

Marty

Does this mean that they have never heard "My Ding-A-Ling"?

How sad, how truly sad, to be raised and live in such a plain vanilla, boring world.

I'm feeling old... very old right now... and I'm probably not as old as some of you geezers...

I got one of these on my bike so I have a bell if I want but I can claim "I only use it for the compass" if quizzed by a bike snobb! http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=115&subcategory=1130&brand=&sku=2387&storetype=&estoreid= :D

Originally posted by velocipedio
I'm feeling old... very old right now... and I'm probably not as old as some of you geezers...

Old, yes!....but can you sing "My Ding-A-Ling?????

and can you ride as far as me and LOTEK can with out your heart medicine??????????and then party all night long with the ladies, while sing about your Ding-A-Ling?

Originally posted by 1oldRoadie
Old, yes!....but can you sing "My Ding-A-Ling?????
Sing? I can't steenkin' sing...

But I can play the lead riff on me 'lectric geetar...

You know we just might have to
give a rousing rendition while at HHH.
Do you think the owners of the camp we are
staying at will mind? :roflmao:

Marty

edit note: isn't it a sin or somethin to sing this particuar
song?

Old, yes!....but can you sing "My Ding-A-Ling?????

That's what I sing to the pedestrians .. " ... comin' on up behind you with my ding-a-ling!". Men leap out of the way, women swoon.

Up until a year ago I never used any type of device to warn others I was approching other then my voice. As 1old mentioned people panicked or went the wrong way. Now both my wife and I use Kona cow bells on our bikes. It gets peoples attention and usually they smile and laugh and stand aside. There some a**hole hickers on our local trails so I put a few on my bike to be anoying but it seemed to do the opposite. The a**holes now smile and give a friendly gesture for us to pass. I now sound like a herd of cattle coming down the trail and the ring of the bells can be herd a long way off.
Salinte:beer:

Originally posted by 1oldRoadie


...... we did not get that support with 115db. We got it by being friendly. You know what it is like by being blasted by a big truck!



I try to be friendly but for the most part the headphone wearing crowd have their noses so far up in the air that a horn becomes an unfortunately necessary thing. I agree that a bell IS the best approach but when a bell doesn't work, when shouting at the top of your lungs gets you nowhere, when KEEP RIGHT, THIS MEANS YOU!! signs are ignored sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do stand up gird your loins and for thier own safety let 'em have it. I'm not saying to wait until you're inches from their heels some distance must be allowed so you can swerve in opposite directions so as to avoid leaving treadmarks up the rollerbladers butt. I have had to swerve off the path because of these morons blithely (sp) skating along TOWARDS ME not paying one iota of attention to what they are doing or the 250+ pounds of screaming biker hurltling at them at 25 MPH. It is for these that I reserve the horn (also used in traffic against cars).

REASONS BIKES ARE BETTER THAN BLADES by Sheldon Brown


We don't break our wrists as often.
Bikes have been refined over more than 100 years.
Blades are trendy.
We can ride over bumps without slowing down.
We don't grab onto the nearest person while falling down.
Faster.
More precise steering.
We can stop.
We can ride over bladers without slowing down.
Can't strap 32 ounces of water to roller blades.
Can't strap 40 ounces of beer to roller-bladers.
Never need to buy 8 new wheels.
We can sit down.
We were here first.
Don't need to change shoes after getting somewhere.
Never rack our nuts on a stair-rail.
Replace our brakes like once every 3 years.
Can get more air.
No need to swing arms, aimlessly.
We can go farther.
You can lock a bike to a lightpost.
You can lock a bike to a tree.
You can lock a bike to a parking meter.
You can lock a bike to a sign.
You can carry a lock on a bike.
Joggers don't hate bicyclists.
We look cooler.
We don't have to see a big, fat blader ass in spandex pass us.
We can change gears.
There are no crazy, roller-blade messengers.
No such thing as a bicycle rink.
Biking is better exercise.
Nothing special about blading "no handed".
1 blader takes up the space of 2 bikers.
1 blader takes up the space of 2 joggers.
Never see bikers riding along, holding hands, taking up the whole damn road.
Never see bikers pretending to be ice skating.
Never see bikers riding backwards, oblivious to oncoming traffic.
If we wreck, we are not strapped into the bike.
Never forget how to ride a bike.
1 word, suspension.
Another word, cadence.
Nobody has ever bladed across America.
Bicyclists have raised millions of dollars for charity.
There are several magazines devoted to biking.
There are several books on biking.
There are several movies about biking.
Can't do a "wheelie" on blades.
Some bladers wear BICYCLE helmets.
Some bladers wear BICYCLE shorts.
Some bladers wear BICYCLE gloves.
Blading isn't an olympic sport.
No such thing as a roller-blading cap.
No such thing as a roller-blading jersey.
Easier to see a bicyclist during the day because we are bigger.
Easier to see a bicyclist at night because of reflectors.
Can strap a light, or lights, to our handlebars.
People who ride bikes in public, already know how to ride a bike.
The Tour de France.
NORBA
Can't blade around Moab Utah.
There are no famous roller-bladers.
Bladers don't pass bicyclists, laughing at how slow they are.
If a blader and a bicyclist run into each other, the blader will be hurt more.
No such thing as "extreme" blading (but it would be fun to watch).
Poor kids in Africa, don't want roller-blades.
Nobody born before 1985 ever asked their parents for roller-blades for Christmas.
Bikes come in more colors.
Can't roller-blade in snow.
Can't ride roller-blades on the beach.
Can't roller-blade (if you want to stop) in rain.
Bikes have front and rear brakes.
Never seen a car with roller-blades strapped to it's roof.
Nobody ever rode a bike to disco music.
A triathlon does not include blading.
You can still ride a bike that isn't your size.
Can't use your arms to help you blade uphill.
Bikes cost less to maintain.
Aluminum roller blades would be stupid.
There are no plastic bicycles.
If you hike into the mountains, there are no roller-bladers.
Bicyclists outnumber roller-bladers.
Riding roller-blades in the street is a bad idea.
Riding roller-blades on the sidewalk is a bad idea.
No such thing as a roller-blade pump.
No such thing as roller-blade shoes.
A bicycle u-lock makes an excellent weapon.
Can't roller-blade on the highway.
The Power Bar was invented by a bicyclist.
Never seen roller-blades with an onboard computer.
There are no free standing roller-blades in health clubs.
Never seen roller-blades with a basket.
Never seen roller-blades with a bell.
Never seen a tandem set of roller-bladers.
No such thing as roller-blade cops.
You are taller on a bike.
Imagine if everyone in China traded in their bikes for roller-blades.
Bikes don't smell like sweaty feet.
Bikes last longer.
Some bikes actually appreciate in value.
There are no roller-blades in museums.
So get rid of those dangerous, smelly, plastic shoes with wheels and buy a real form of transportation. And for the love of Pete, LEAVE THE HEADPHONES AT HOME OR THE GYM WHERE YOU WON'T GET RUN OVER. My 2 cents

One more thing. Yes I know what it's like to be blasted by a big truck, the difference is I heard the F'ing thing a block back and was prepared for the horn so that I would NOT do the OMIGOD swerve directly into the path of the mechanical monster.

Originally posted by Raiyn


Never rack our nuts on a stair-rail.

No such thing as a bicycle rink.


Whilst I agree with the majority of that list, there are a couple items I'd have to disagree with.
1. Rollerbladers don't carry that stair rail around with them.
2. Uh, Velodrome?

And also, decent pair of rollerblades don't cost fifteen hundred bucks or more. ;)

Not all of us skaters are bad, if you stop treating us like red headed step children, we might be nicer to you on the trail:D

Well I am going out to buy my own ding a ling!!!!!!!:)

I went on a leisurely towpath ride today (40 miles). I came up behind an old man walking with a small boy. As I approached I gave a friendly "ding", no response. A bit louder "DING", no response. Slowing to a walking speed I said in a calm voice "bike passing please".
The guy about jumped out of his socks, gave me a dirty look and said "ya know those damn bikes are too quiet, we cant hear 'em".
"I realize that" says I, "that's why I gave you a ring on my bell(DING), about a hundred feet back and another at fifty feet back."

The man then said "well I'm almost deaf."

:rolleyes: :confused: :irritated :lol:

A loud ding-a-ling bell :D

I bought an amazing air horn a couple of weeks ago (air zound 2). I think its about 120db. Its great for tooting at cars, trucks or buses - and giving old people heart attacks (altho the volume can be turned down).

You should see drivers faces when your horn is about 5 times louder than thier car horn!


http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/detail.cfm?ID=1329