General Cycling Discussion - horn makes them MOVE

I ride a MUP on part of my daily loop. In the evenings it's packed with peds, bladers, runners and bikers. Sometimes the peds make it difficult by walking 3-4 abreast. Signs say bikes must yield to everyone.

I recently wired my bike with a 12V light system and included a small 110dcb car horn. Last night on a crowded part of the trail there was a group of teens blocking the whole lane and part of the other. Just rapping, drifting along with their hands in their pockets, holding up their pants. ;-)

As I approached from the rear I decided this was the ideal time to try my new toy as there was just enough room to pass before oncoming traffic if only I had a little squeeze in the middle.

Two short taps and the seas parted. They literally jumped to the side. One said he thought it was a car or motorcycle on the trail as I breezed past.

I don't plan on using it much, it is obnoxious, but seems to work. A couple of cars pulling out of driveways and hooking got the horn too, and they both stopped.

i'd like a schematic for your wiring... how big a battery do you carry?

thanks...

Sounds cool- tell us how to do it.

First I rung my bell and then I yelled "watch out" and they parted to make just enough room for me to get through on the MUP I was riding yesterday. What you have is a great idea, perhaps I should arm my bike too with a horn. I was thinking of using one of those air horn for marine use after the incident yesterday but what you came up with will do the trick.

Horns are rude. Use a bell.

Schematics are beyond my brain power. ;-)

Negative runs direct from the battery to horn, positive through a 10 amp fuse to horn button on handlebars and then to horn.

The "Total Geekiness" thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=42629) has all sorts of ideas and maybe even a schematic or two.

I use a 12V 5ah gell cell battery, just under 5 lbs. But I am also running a 20watt halogen front light and a rear xenon blinker, could probably do with a much smaller 12v battery if using the horn only.

Also check out "Bicycle Lighting Systems:
http://tinyurl.com/2etdbs

Horns are rude. Use a bell.

Bells won't work when they have earbuds in, are jivin with their homies, or in the car. I'm sorry I didn't get a novelty horn, aaaaaoooooooooogahhhh!

I have a similar setup on my road bike.

12v sla batt with a 132db fiamm highway blaster horn.

kicks total ass.

Horns are rude. Use a bell.

Pedestrians with their heads up their asses are rude.

Horns are rude. Use a bell.

Yes, they are rude. But when peddys aren't paying attention, and the bell doesn't work... I wish I had a horn as a backup.

Once on a DC MUP, a pod-person was walking smack in the middle of the path, blocking the way. The bell didn't penetrate, neither did yelling "on your right". I slowed to a walking pace, put my hand on his shoulder and said, a little too loudly, I fear, something like "may I pass please?", although I would have like to say "pay attention, idiot!". A horn would've helped. I've always been loathe to carry the weight of a large battery, though.

I ride a MUP on part of my daily loop. In the evenings it's packed with peds, bladers, runners and bikers. Sometimes the peds make it difficult by walking 3-4 abreast. Signs say bikes must yield to everyone.

It sounds like this would even include peds with their heads up their asses. I wouldn't ride there when it was busy.

Negative runs direct from the battery to horn, positive through a 10 amp fuse to horn button on handlebars and then to horn.

10 Amps?!?!?

This seems awfully high. What is the internal resistance of your horn? On a 12 V supply, the internal resistance of the horn would have to be about 1.2 ohms to pull 10 A.

Using a 20W bulb on a 12V supply, you will be pulling about 1.7 A, maximum.

If you are running 10 amps, you need to be using a wire size of AWS 11! That wire is .091" in diameter.

...or am I missing something?

a riot shotgun with beanbag loads would work even better...

but i fear the horn is a teeeeeeny bit more legal :D

10 Amps?!?!?

This seems awfully high. What is the internal resistance of your horn? On a 12 V supply, the internal resistance of the horn would have to be about 1.2 ohms to pull 10 A.

Using a 20W bulb on a 12V supply, you will be pulling about 1.7 A, maximum.

If you are running 10 amps, you need to be using a wire size of AWS 11! That wire is .091" in diameter.

...or am I missing something?

I used 10 amps as recommended here, under fuses:
http://nordicgroup.us/s78/construction.html

Wire size is 18 gauge

In fact, my whole system is built from that website.

Great, we need another way to increase the antagonism between cyclists and the rest of the world...especially since the "MU" in "MUP" means "Cyclists Only." The nerve of those skaters, joggers and old folks in walkers, using the path just as though it were intended for everybody.

Horns rule. Give 'em hell.

There. Fixed it for you. :)

Great, we need another way to increase the antagonism between cyclists and the rest of the world...especially since the "MU" in "MUP" means "Cyclists Only." The nerve of those skaters, joggers and old folks in walkers, using the path just as though it were intended for everybody.

It is intended for everyone but some of the walkers etc..think MUP is My Unique Path and don't have enough common courtesy to stay to one side. But good point.

I used 10 amps as recommended here, under fuses:
http://nordicgroup.us/s78/construction.html

Wire size is 18 gauge

In fact, my whole system is built from that website.

Well, I believe that is wrong, but I'm not an electrician. You won't electrocute yourself, but in the event of a short, you will burn up your wire before you burn up that fuse!

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

For your information, wire sizes and amp ratings...and those are for solid core wire, not stranded.

Enjoy your horn!

18 gauge won't burn up with 10 amps.

people should stay to one side, but they don't. i find singing in falsetto helps on bike paths. you hear a guy squealing "puff the magic dragon" in falsetto coming at you, and you get the hell out of the way. i'm not kidding.

:roflmao: Only you. :D

Keep Right, Pass Left

This is the concept all MUP users must understand. The problem is making everyone understand it.
Comparing good paths to bad ones, behavior-wise, The good ones have a yellow stripe down the
middle and big signs every couple miles saying "keep right, pass left".

The MUP I frequently use is marked "Stay to the right" with a solid yellow line in the middle dividing left and right. The bell is not good enough sometimes since they are busy listening to their portable music players or just plain ignoring the sound of the bell. Approaching them close from behind and yelling "watch out" or "coming to your left" help get their attention but not always, so maybe a single blast of an air horn as a last resort is ideal to use.

I use a light weight bell on my bike. It never works. Especially with someone in a car with their windows rolled up. But personally I just yell at the top of my lungs when required. I may yell something polite like "excuse me", or something a lot meaner. :D

I have people on the MUP who obviously think the center line is there to follow. They walk, run or skate right down the middle.

On being rude. Last night I didn't use my horn once. Check my OP, I admitted it was obnoxious, and I don't intend to ride casually honking the horn at every "perceived" MUP infraction. But if it's use gets their attention, and gets them to scoot over...toot toot!

I've also used a hand-held marine horn to alert people that I'm approaching and that they need to move.
I strap it to the handlebars with elastics. Although the horn needs to be replaced once a year or so, it's been very effective with pedestrians, dogs, and motorists. It's so loud that even truckers take notice.

Try a simple whistle, like the old traffic cops used to use...get right up on their tail and let loose...Watch 'em scatter!!!


Woe

I've also used a hand-held marine horn to alert people that I'm approaching and that they need to move.
I strap it to the handlebars with elastics. Although the horn needs to be replaced once a year or so, it's been very effective with pedestrians, dogs, and motorists. It's so loud that even truckers take notice.

Same concept as an Airzound horn. Just the Airzound is adapted for bike use and is rechargeable with a compressor or pump.

the only "MUP" i ever use is a bike/pedestrian lane on a local bridge. it has a dividing line, one side for peds and one for bikes. it has pictures of a biker and a ped on the corresponding sides of the line.

so none of the peds can manage to stay on their side, of course.

i'm liking the car horn idea. (and the shotgun, but the bridge is "patrolled" by police. on Segways, no less.)

maybe i'd manage to frighten them over the side.

why not a nice little truck horn such as this one... would look classy too (maybe mounted on a chrome front rack?)


(whats the most compact way I could power this... hoping that i would not need to use it all the time)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=130160043311&rd=1

Horns are rude. Use a bell.

Best place for a bell is in your pocket- Then when they don't hear you yelling at them- Throw the bell at them.

Best by far is an air horn- that works

Try a simple whistle, like the old traffic cops used to use...get right up on their tail and let loose...Watch 'em scatter!!!


Woe


I do also carry a whistle that is clipped to my jersey. It's been effective on pedestrians and some people in stopped motorized vehicles. However, a horn is what I need to use to alert people in vehicles...especially truckers.

people should stay to one side, but they don't. i find singing in falsetto helps on bike paths. you hear a guy squealing "puff the magic dragon" in falsetto coming at you, and you get the hell out of the way. i'm not kidding.

Well, I know that I would get out of the way!!! :D

I have the Airzound which works well, and as someone else noted, can be recharged with a pump. It works VERY well, and can be kept attached to the bike.

I don't use it unless there is someone who is just being inconsiderate, or rude, as others have described them. It does happen, and only if necessary, I'll give 'em a blast from the horn. On the path, I've only used it three times in the two years I've owned the horn. I've used it more times on the street though to alert vehicles to my presence.

http://www.deltacycle.com/product.php?g=1

I used my horn the other evening on a flock of geese. They were resting on the MUP. Slowing down and beeping got them to move out of the way and towards the canal.

Horns are rude. Use a bell. Blocking the path is rude.

I am not saying horn should be your #1 signalling device, but when a bunch of *****holes take up the whole path and refuse to move after you ring the bell or say something, then a horn is very justified.

In fact, taking up the whole path is very inconsiderate even if you do move after you hear the bell. But I'll still use a bell on such a group first. Cause I'm a nice girl.

Try a simple whistle, like the old traffic cops used to use...get right up on their tail and let loose...Watch 'em scatter!!!


Woe

I concur. I just started using a fox 40 whistle the other day. It saved me from colliding with a jay walking pedestrian in downtown Toronto. This guy was yapping on his cellphone as I was riding down the road with a buddy of mine. The dude looks for traffic, looks right through me and steps out into the road about ten feet in front of me. I gave him a blast of the whistle and he jumped back onto the sidewalk. I keep it on a long chain around my neck and let it hang until I'm in a busy area. Then it gets clenched between the ol' teef, ready for the dopes not paying attention.

I have a natural whistle that I can get loud enough to hear over a jet engine, and I don't even need to use my fingers. It has always worked until one day I tried to whistle and warn someone and I couldn't because I was so out of breath. ;)

I now have a ding, dong bell. It sounds cool to me and annoys my son. :)

Steven

The one thing I've found that is guaranteed to get people to hop outta the way, is to briefly skid the rear wheel. Works best if you have a fatter tire (Town & Country) to get a nice loud sound. You can be half a block away, and the lawyer breathing onto his cell phone will hear it and scurry.

Horns are rude. Use a bell.

Bells don't work. Mine never has. People are off in a fog and only YELLING "passing" or a horn will work.

I have a cheap little bulb type horn on one of my old Schwinns, and if I'm feeling naughty, I'll come up behind some fool who's taking up the whole path and honk it. Surprising how high some people can jump! :)
I've had a couple of jerks who will stay all over the path, when I know they are aware I'm there. I've passed so close that I "accidentally" banged their elbow as I went by. Works for golf carts with people hanging over the sides, too.

Are whistles legal? Is there a risk that one might resemble an officer of some kind?

http://www.stormwhistles.com/

These are very loud. If blown from a distance it can be heard without having to startle people up close. The extra distance also gives dog owners more time to reel in their pet. They work good in traffic too. They aren't accessed quite as quickly as a horn, but are less expensive, lighter, and don't require putting any extra junk on your bike. I keep mine on a key card recoil attached to my waist band.

For those of you who may be interested in acquiring an air horn, check the earlier posts to purchase the Airzound or look in bicycle shops. You can also buy air horns at www.falconsignalhorns.com They sell air horns for marine or personal safety use. Some falcon horns can be found as accessories in marine or boat shops.

Bon Chance and Good Luck on the trail, everyone.

Bells don't work. Mine never has. People are off in a fog and only YELLING "passing" or a horn will work.

I have a bell and regularly ride on MUPs. What really amazes me is how many people can be walking in my direction and be completely oblivious to the fact that a cyclist is coming straight at them. I ring the bell to catch their attention - and they look behind them. I have fewer problems generally passing a pedestrian if and when I ring, than if I am going straight at them. Strange but true.

The one thing I've found that is guaranteed to get people to hop outta the way, is to briefly skid the rear wheel. Works best if you have a fatter tire (Town & Country) to get a nice loud sound. You can be half a block away, and the lawyer breathing onto his cell phone will hear it and scurry.


+1. Works great with knobbies, too.

[QUOTE=csr;5474727]Are whistles legal? Is there a risk that one might resemble an officer of some kind?[/QUOTE

Illegal in Indiana. Or, used to be and probably still are.
I use a Honka-Hoota horn, which is more noticeable than a bell but not loud enough for motorists, in many cases.

You mean this?
http://www.amazon.com/Honka-Hoota-Horn-Bicycle-Squeeze/dp/B000OF6JQ0/

sounds an awful lot like you are just doing the same thing most of hate cars for doing ... that is, trying to startle or scare us when they believe we are moving to slow, or are in the wrong position on the road. In many states (i'm not familiar with the laws of all), such use of a horn, bell, or other noise-making device is a no-no.

in any case, if there are signs saying that you should yield, wouldn't it just be better to take a different route if it's too crowded?

After several near disasters recently (hit twice), I'm finally going to yield and buy some sort of signaling device. Frankly, I don't care what the laws state. I'm trying to preserve my life and my bikes. The storm whistle looks interesting, but I'd rather not have to carry more items around on my person. The AirZound seems like an option, but it looks gaudy. ;) I'd prefer an electronic horn of some sort, maybe with programmable skid sounds that would awaken the dead. :)

(falsetto)" puff the magic draaagon lived be the seeeaaa.....":roflmao2::lol::roflmao2: