Advocacy & Safety - Bicycle Bells: How Usefull Are They?

At a recent Maine bicycle rally, bicycle bells were for sale for a low price. These bells, I was informed, came at a lower price then than if I were to buy one in a bike shop.

After installing mine on the handlebars of my bicycle, I found that I could only ring the bell once or twice each time I used it and that it wasn't terribly loud. Using logic and my imagination, it would come in handy if I were riding along a well-used bike path or MUP and wanted to let some pedestrians know I was there without startling them or driving up driving up their blood pressure. The same would apply if I were pedaling through the streets of a town and wanted to let pedestrians know of my presence at crosswalks.
Alerting other cyclists on the same trail might also be helpful.

For cagers, rednecks, trucks, and other yahoos in motorized vehicles, I've often equipped my bicycle with an air horn but these are expensive and tend not to last very long.

What is your advice? Please discuss. I welcome your suggestions.

If you're riding somewhere with a lot of pedestrians and other cyclists, bells are immensely useful. If it's cars you're worried about get an air zound or a good whistle.

Discuss? What is there to discuss? They are of use only on a bike path, where I don't ride, and even so, my voice can be clearly heard when used.

An airhorn on a bike is simply obnoxious.

They are great for alerting pedestrians of your presence. I ride on a MUT often and it is great to go "ding, ding" and Mr. and Mrs Krispy Kreme will magically part and let you by.

Saying something like "on you left" just causes them lots of confusion, and me having to come to a complete stop most time.

Mr. and Mrs Krispy Kreme


That's pretty harsh. Wouldn't Mr. and Mrs. Krispy Kreme be driving or sitting on their butts instead of being out walking on a MUP?

I got one of these: http://www.honkahoota.com/

I had to kind of jerry-rig it to my bars, but it's dang loud (sounds either like an old fashioned car horn or a clown horn, take your pick). I got tired of yelling "on your left" on a particularly busy and LOUD stretch of road/MUP, they couldn't always hear my voice, but they sure jump at the horn. You can hear it through a car window too, so that's a bonus. It may look a little dorky, but the red one matches my grip tape. :D

Bells work well for most pedestrians, and other cyclists.

Very loud horns are a frequent requirement for getting the attention of inattentive motorists. FWIW when I drove sports cars I almost always had two horns, the little meep-meep horn and a high frequency high powered air horn. Same general uses.

Aaron:)

I have found them to be not very useful. startles and confuses peds about what they are supposed to do. "SCUSE ME, PLEASE! " works much better.

I have one simple reason for keeping a bell on my bike - they are required by NY state law, therefore I have one on my bike. I may never use it, but at least if I ever get into an accident some cop or lawyer won't have any ammo claiming my bike was illegal and therefore they I may get less compensation.

On my main commuter bike I noticed my bell was starting to work poorly. I opened it up and saw that most of the teach that shredded. I don't care too much because at least a bell is presant. When it comes to getting the attention of a driver my I have no problem being lound enough to be heard.

Happy riding,
André

Most of the people on the MUP don't want to hear you, bell or voice. Then they jump a foot high when they do, the older the person the higher the jump. "on you rleft" or "Passing on you left" or "behind you" just causes as much confusion as ringing the bell does. I like to ring mine as I pass my wife, she usually then gives an indication of what will NOT happen after the ride.

I find my bell to be useful and effective on mup's. Don't usually have people getting in my way by moving suddenly, and I often get a wave or a thank you as I pass.

Also works on the road, although I don't rely on it. Used it several time on cars pulling slowly out of parking spaces and even on cars doors starting to open (note- I wasn't in the door zone or any in danger, but I was letting the drivers know that I was there and they should pay more attention)
This past weekend I was at a 4-way stop sign. Arrived at the same time as the car on my right. I stopped, yielded to him and started to go next on my turn. The car after the first car tried to do a rolling stop-and-go while I was crossing. I gave the bell a loud DING DING and it got his attention. He stopped and let me thru. If he hadn't, I was ready to stop and give him a round of loud angry shouting.

If you're riding somewhere with a lot of pedestrians and other cyclists, bells are immensely useful. If it's cars you're worried about get an air zound or a good whistle.

In WV, it is illegal for bicyclists to use whistles.

I use my bell at intersections to alert my wife (I've zipped ahead of her by twenty feet) that cross-traffic exists and she'll actually have to put one foot down and stop.

They are great for alerting pedestrians of your presence. I ride on a MUT often and it is great to go "ding, ding" and Mr. and Mrs Krispy Kreme will magically part and let you by.

Saying something like "on you left" just causes them lots of confusion, and me having to come to a complete stop most time.

Ive had the same experience, but I took my bell of because I was tired of hearing it ding every time
I hit a bump. I then went back to saying "on your left", and got so tired of stupid people who let
their dogs lead them that Im now riding mostly on smaller streets.

only cheap bells ding for every bump you ride over, there are bells available that won't do this

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SVCHVCRYL._AA280_.jpg
cheap bell, rings for every bump

http://www.bikesomewhere.com/images/variations/big/C506680F-F1F0-408F-1499712F95044B74.jpg
better quality bell (http://www.bikesomewhere.com/bikesomewhere.cfm/product/461/4450/22847?g=1) does not

I find my bell very useful when it comes to pedestrians. I thought it was a bit tacky at first but when I compared reactions with or without having used the bell I now use the bell. I also try to be timely to prevent them from jumping in my way. People seem to panic no matter what I do, so I try to let them panic well before I pass them by. ;)

A bit off this topic...
Short part of my Wednesday ride to work is on a path.
The one's that crack me up are pedestrians with iPod, turned up so loud they can't hear you no matter what you do.
AND they often seem to be wandering all over the path.

Jeff, still fat

I bought an "incredibell" a few years ago. Sometimes, it is useful. Frequently, it isn't. MA law requires cyclists to give an audible warning to pedestrians, when approaching from the rear. I have found that on the mups, whistling a tune seems to work best, and it doesn't startle anyone. The theme from "The Addams Family" is one I can do well. I've even gotten a few friendly smiles and waves with it.

I think gun powder devices are necessary to get the attention of cars. You can barely hear ambulances in some of those things.

DISCLAIMER: I'm kidding.

I use my bell to scare the deer that seem to pop up on my commute to work in the morning. They react better to the bell then my voice.