Commuting - What is your Bell Ringing Style?

I have a pretty standard thumb bell, but sometimes it seems quite ineffective against some of the peds out there.

I have tried to tailor my bell ringing style so as to not to be too polite and not overly agressive, my strategy consists of two dings straight after each other. (strategy..lol)

Success Rate: 80%

My dilemma is if I get no response, do I go for a speedy quadruple thumb flick? shout at them "coming through" or even revert to my telescopic cattle prod!

I'd be keen to know fellow cyclists style and what you do when you get no response.

Puff

ding, ding, ding

one ding, followed by disc brake squeal

So, would you think it was ok if you were on your bike and a car honked a couple times and the driver yelled "coming through"? Not saying pedestrians cannot be a PITA because I had two this afternoon walking side-by-side seemingly arrogantly when they could have taken up a lot less space. I believe its all about attitude and courtesy. If people make a small effort to show respect for others I am generally satisfied, but arrogance deserves, "coming through with my cattle prod MFkers". I wouldn't do that myself, but am quite happy to see all the discourteous arrogant types wiped out.

Cars can't actually hear a bike bell through all the glass and metal; and I dont ride on mups. So no real use for a bell. I just scream 'move!' or somesuch depending on the rare need.

I generally whistle or yell. It works better than a bell. It is louder, more directed, and can easily be followed up with choice language.

z

No bell here. Normally, peds will actually move to the left when they hear "On your left," therefore, "On your right," allows space on the left to pass safely.

In most cases, my little bell going ding ding works really well. Then there is those who wear oversized headphone listening to their music. For these folks, I have used my Airzound but only after I backed off 15 to 25ft behind them. Then there are the zombies who are simply and totally unaware of their surroundings. For these folks, a simple "ahem" or a fake sneeze usually wake them up.

airhorn works WONDERS!!!!!!!! I can control how loud and how long or not long I press it.

I give them two sets of "ding, ding" and then figure they're plugged in to a music player turned up too loud, and therefore deaf.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxJZVHlxwLY&feature=related

Here's a novel idea, slow down and ride around them leaving a wide enough berth so as not to hit them should they move or you take a tumble.

I'll be sure to bring my cattle prod for the next time I hear "onyourleft" as a JAC blows by me on a MUP ;) Same courtesy applies from cyclist to pedestrian as it does from motorist to cyclist.

I have the Grip bell on one side, grip shifter on the other..
But, Even I cannot hear the bell when I have my rain cape draped over my hands.

I think bells are really helpful on the MUP, and they seem to be pretty well accepted around here. People hear them and just move over without freaking out. I usually go with 2 quick dings, the pitch of the bell carries pretty far ahead. It's not aggressive sounding, I consider it a courtesy for awareness to others when passing and for the most part people seem grateful for the heads up. All in all it seems to work.

Pedestrians and skaters more often that not are wearing headphones on the MUP so they typically don't hear the bell or your voice so I simply pass giving them as wide a berth as is safe. If they flip out and are startled then that's their own fault.

one ding about 50' out.

if no reaction, 2 dings 25' out.

if still no reaction, "coming around on your left", while giving as wide a berth as possible and slowing down.

about 75% of the time i have good/amiable results. the rest of the time i get the finger/stare down/"f'u" from those that refuse to move. last week was the best: single pedestrian on a paved trail with two dogs off leash and headphones so loud i could hear his music.... *sigh*

"On your left"

If no response...

"RIDER BACK!"

If still no response...

Airzound horn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_MphtzCOEc

I don't use a bell, just announce, "On your left." or "Coming up behind on your left." I've had pedestrians thank me, but then again I've been spat on and had rocks thrown at me too. FWIW, I don't zip by; I always assume they're going to startle and jump in front of me, and so take it easy until I'm past.

Loving the "Bike Bell" Video, can't believe how well they are trained to move out the way when such a small bell is rung. Even on an escalator!! Next time I'm grocery shopping with the missus, I'm taking my bell with me.

I prefer " passing left" with a bell, gives the i-pod zombies an idea of where you are.

There are quite a few inflammatory posts on this thread that I cannot help comparing to the constant back and forth between cars and bike on the road, there seems to be a few hypocrites on this site who believe bikes should have priority no matter where they are.

I find the best way of avoiding altercations with peds, I just avoid MUPs as often as I can. On the rare occasion when I find myself on a bike path, I treat the peds the same way I would treat a bike if I were in a car: I slow down, and provide plenty of room to pass. If the peds are clearly blocking my path, I will give them a couple of dings with my bell.

I've been using a 'ding ding' bell. In quiet MUP surroundings it is a polite way of letting pedestrians know there's a bike around. But I've given up on NYC pedestrians, and ordered an air horn (airzound). I've always hated them, but it is a necessary step.

There are quite a few inflammatory posts on this thread.

So far, only one - yours.

I'm a double dinger on the bell. My general impression is that I get less than a 50% acknowledgement of my presence, but all I hope for is the person I want to pass will just keep doing what they were doing before I rang. If I there is more than one person, I will frequently add, "bike passing on your left," and go as wide around them as there is space. Again, I don't expect them to move over for me, and just want them to hold their line.

What is your Bell Ringing Style?

"WATCHOUTA**H***!!"

ROFL. No really. I never need a bell around here. There's very rarely anybody around unless they're in a car. And they wouldn't hear a bell even if I had one. Now, I have found that quite often they can hear me yell at them. They can also see the middle finger salute. But the necessity of doing those things is also very rare.

If I were encountering situations that a bell would be useful I would like to ring it to sound like striking the bells which mark the passage of time on board ship. ding-ding, ding-ding, ding-ding

The other thing I have thought about is to tie a cow bell to my handlebars that would ring constantly.

I have observed that bells that go ding are not as happily received as bells that have a happy jingle and ring... with that being said there are a small number of people who do not understand right of way and courtesy when you are sharing a multi use path or trail and will either jump in front of you or fail to yield an inch.

As bells are mandatory equipment for bicycles here it seems that people are used to hearing them and most respond accordingly.

In many places I prefer to take the road and ride in traffic rather than deal with the pod people who fall into that category of people who just don't get it.

I have a revolving bell which is great because you can keep it spinning for an unending stream of ringing if need be. But normally I just press the lever once and that's all you need.

The single ding bells aren't very good IMO because it's easy for the single ding to get lost in the din downtown, and some people even when they hear it don't associate it with bicycles. The classic ringing bicycle bell, the revolving bell, and even the ding-dong type all seem to be better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxJZVHlxwLY&feature=related


SkippyX! ...What the hell is the matter wit chu, man?

:lol: :roflmao2: :lol:

This morning I started my daily commute to work, bearing in mind that of late it has been chucking it down with rain. The dirt path I have to navigate has some seriously big puddles, so on approaching this section, some young peds were walking in front of me, I gave the 2 ding courtesy warning to let them know I was coming through, but they stopped on the only dry section of path adjacent to this huge dirty puddle. They refused to budge and wanted me to cycle through the large puddle. I didn't argue and rise to it, so knowing the ground in the dry conditions (which has been a very long time) I did oblige and may have accidently got them a bit wet, oops. Time to avoid that route for a week.

This morning I started my daily commute to work, bearing in mind that of late it has been chucking it down with rain. The dirt path I have to navigate has some seriously big puddles, so on approaching this section, some young peds were walking in front of me, I gave the 2 ding courtesy warning to let them know I was coming through, but they stopped on the only dry section of path adjacent to this huge dirty puddle. They refused to budge and wanted me to cycle through the large puddle. I didn't argue and rise to it, so knowing the ground in the dry conditions (which has been a very long time) I did oblige and may have accidently got them a bit wet, oops. Time to avoid that route for a week.

Oooops! :innocent: :lol: