Hoz

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.

mad mike

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

thanks...

Hobartlemagne 

Sounds cool- tell us how to do it.

wrafl

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.

Phantoj

Horns are rude. Use a bell.

Hoz

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 (https://www.bikeforums.net/electronics-lighting-gadgets/42629-total-geekiness.html) 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:
https://tinyurl.com/2etdbs

Hoz

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!

fordfasterr

I have a similar setup on my road bike.

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

kicks total ass.

Hobartlemagne 

Pedestrians with their heads up their asses are rude.

neilfein

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.

AlmostTrick

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

eubi

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?

nymtber

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

but i fear the horn is a teeeeeeny bit more legal

Hoz

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

Wire size is 18 gauge

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

Velo Dog

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.

Stacey

There. Fixed it for you.

Denny Koll

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.

eubi

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!

https://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!

colombo357

18 gauge won't burn up with 10 amps.

Zinn-X

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.

Stacey

Only you.

Hobartlemagne 

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".

wrafl

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.

Nachoman

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.

Hoz

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!