taking the bell off my bike in toronto, should i do it?

[hule]

so you know if you get caught without a bell on your bike in toronto the police officer can give you a fine ($100? is it still?) if he/she chooses to.

I really would like a clean look on my bike so I dislike even the small bell i have on the handlebars and I would really like to take it off, however since i am making min wage right now and I bike to work (1 hour round trip) each day if i get caught and fined the fine will be painful since that is pretty much my whole days worth of pay and more.

anyone, here or from toronto want to chime in on what to do?

[1weasel]

Alarm bell to be sounded
(5) Every motor vehicle, motor assisted bicycle and bicycle shall be equipped with an alarm bell, gong or horn, which shall be kept in good working order and sounded whenever it is reasonably necessary to notify pedestrians or others of its approach. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 75 (5).


The fine is $110. It isn't our place to give you permission to go without an alarm bell. I expect you're big enough to make that decision on your own.

[DCB0]

Not just Toronto - the law is Ontario wide.

My advice - keep the bell, and try to use it regularly. You might find that you like it and it won't be such a bother.

Another option - mount it somewhere that is is less bothersome... underneath your stem or on the back opf your seatpost or something... the law says you have to have a bell, 'gong' or horn on your bike... it does not say where it has to be mounted. It might be advantageous to mount it somewhere you can still reach it in case you are in an argument with a pi.... police man.

[renton]

Another option - mount it somewhere that is is less bothersome... underneath your stem

That's where I have mine, you can barely see it and it does come handy sometimes.

[J T CUNNINGHAM]

"since i am making min wage right now and I bike to work (1 hour round trip) each day if i get caught and fined the fine will be painful since that is pretty much my whole days worth of pay and more."
QUOTE hule.


Champagne taste, beer budget.

Regards,
J T

[Spudd]

I use my bell all the time; I would keep it.

[lucille]

Sorry, but that's a pretty silly question. You know the rules, you know the fine, go at your own risk.

[nondes]

The bell on my road bike helps me go faster. What else are you going to do - just yell at people? Once I saw a cyclist on Jarvis with a whistle hanging out of his mouth - perhaps you can try that.

[alanknm]

Cool doesn't cut it. Even roadies like myself have bells on our carbon fiber bikes. There were times I wish I had an air horn because of the idiots who ride with their iPods running at full volume. Keep the bell and avoid not just hassles with the police but any potential insurance liability.

[Ras Alhague]

I’m installing an air horn this week on my bike. After (almost) TWO consecutive road rage collision from behind by an electric scooter this weekend. I wish I had an air horn with me so I can blast her pea brain out of her empty cranium.

Detail of the collision: Leaving a crowed area after the firework. I was following my girlfriend to leave the area. Going with the pace of the pedestrian not in any aggressive manner (my gf is a beginner cyclist, she was wearing flip-flops and a dress... I know... I tried to tell her it’s not safe, but she’s PMSing). We came across this one family. Husband on a bicycle pulling a baby in trailer with another little girl dragging on the end on rollerblade. The wife on electric scooter with another girl riding pillion, following very closely behind the girl on rollerblade, with no headlight on. At one point we came to an intersection where police cadets are directing traffic, the husband gone through but the wife didn’t. I guess she thought that I have prevented her from crossing, she deliberately ran into my rear wheel. Luckily I had unclipped my shoes and standing firmly on the ground. I didn’t fall over but it felt enough force to upset my balance. The cadets saw what happened and asked the women to get off the pedestrian/bike trail. When we came to the next intersection, again, she wanted to hit me. But this time I was aware of her and manage to escape the collision.

[alanknm]

It's also the idiots who insist on riding side by side on a bike path taking up the full width of the path going into a blind corner. Or the idiot who rides on the wrong side into the same corner.

As an old roadie who as a teenager, grew up riding in pace lines with my friends, I'm amazed at what people (all adults) will do when they are on the road or worse on a bike path.

I tell them, stay on the right in single file , if you're going to stop, get off the road/path and try to ride in a straight line. Most of them aren't even wearing a brain bucket but I usually leave that little fact out because it seems to be too much information for them to digest at one time.

[Ratzinger]

Here are your options: Keep the bell and don't risk the ticket, or take the bell off and risk a fine.
I'm not sure what kind of answer you're looking for.
The risk of getting a ticket is miniscule anyway.

[1weasel]

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsr...pdfs/21563.pdf

Bit of a media show, don't know how far the police are carrying this past yesterday's photo op.

[gemcxx]

unless you are unlucky and get caught in a bike ride check, or ride like an idiot, i dont think the police will give you much hassle...

[hpvrider]

sure go ahead, take it off and get a nice clean look on your handlebars!
then mount the bell on your stem or somewhere else you can reach on
your bike. The cops and the law state that you must have a warning device
on your bike, it doesnt say where!

[gemcxx]

in a somewhat related story i saw on the news last night that today, the police will be cracking down on 'road users' disobeying TTC rules. Since its raining maybe the cops decided to stay indoors and will try again tomorrow.

Watch Out!!

[Alfster]

It drives me nuts when I'm walking, and a cyclist flies by me from behind without using a bell. Keep and USE the bell.

[Soma Roark]

Do you have a hideous bell? Pic please. How about compromise, get a nice brass Japanese bell and put it on your stem.

[hule]

this is the bell i have

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cyclin...cling-bell.jsp

still pretty big by my standards

[Soma Roark]

this is the bell i have

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cyclin...cling-bell.jsp

still pretty big by my standards

Big and ugly, how about THIS! I found it while I was looking for another bell for you, lol, it's perfect! You can put it on the seat too, rivbike.com.

[nondes]

From today's City of Toronto's "Cyclometer" web publication:

Toronto Police "Cycle Right" Campaign
A Toronto Police Cycle Right campaign is currently underway. Police officers are ticketing cyclists who are not in compliance with the Ontario Highway Traffic Act. The HTA states that bicycles need:

• A steady white light on the front of the bicycle and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between half an hour before sunset and half an hour after sunrise, and at any time when your bicycle is not visible from 150 metres or less.
• Rear brake capable of skidding the rear wheel on dry, level pavement.
• A bell, gong or horn in good working order.
• A strip of white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on the rear forks - each strip no less than 250 millimetres in length and 25 millimetres long and 25 millimetres wide .

I wonder how many of us have the reflective tape?

[urbanlegend]

that reflective tape law would get me for sure. other than that, whether i look like a geek or not, i have the rest.

[neilfein]

Now I want a bike with a gong!

[1weasel]

Looks like the reflective strip part was added to the OHTA in 2009. Fine would be $35.

http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/pdf/hta.pdf

[hpvrider]

Urbane Cyclist down on John Street in Toronto sells tape packages with 2 strips of white tape 1/2 inch X 6 inch for the front forks and 2 strips of red tape 1/2 inch X 6 inch for the rear seat stays. The idea is to mount the tape a couple of inches above the axle so that it will reflect light to the front and to the side. The tape pack costs $4.00 plus tax. A pretty cheap alternative toa $35. ticket! They also sell bells starting at $5.00