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

[Boudicca]

A bell is one thing. I like the idea of a bell, I understand the idea of a bell (even if I tend to yell at people if I can't get to the bell in time to warn them of something).

I might even put reflective tape on my commuter bike one day, to supplement the reflective tire walls.

But I don't want to put reflective tape on an all-ti, logo-less Merlin that I don't ride after dark.

[Rion]

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?

When I was 15 I was once riding my bike with no hands down the sidewalk with no hands and no helmet when a cop jumped out of the passenger side to do something and I nearly hit him.

I didn't have lights
I didn't have a bell
I didn't have working back brakes
I didn't have a helmet
I didn't have reflectors of any kind
I went through a stop sign
on the sidewalk
AND got into a yelling match with a cop

That ticket was like $1300

I also got a speeding ticket a year later for BOMBING down a hill in highest gear at 58km/s in a 25 zone at night without lights.

So now that you have a bit of a back story, I now have a bell, an airzounds horn, lights, a mirror, reflectors, working brakes, and a cyclocomputer to log my speed and distance per week. The horn looks ugly as all hell, and scares the crap out of cyclists on the MUP, so I got the bell and mounted it on my stem. the horn is mostly for when I'm riding on the street and see someone about to door / right hook me, and occasionally if someone is being a bully I'll sneek up on the left side at a red light, unclip the horn, and honk right in the window.

if you think the sleek look of your bike is worth $110, go ahead, but no one on the street is gonna see your bike and say "Oh, that bike would look SOOO much better if it didn't have a bell"

[neilfein]

if you think the sleek look of your bike is worth $110, go ahead, but no one on the street is gonna see your bike and say "Oh, that bike would look SOOO much better if it didn't have a bell"

That about sums this up. Your call, but if you think a bell is ruining the sleek look of your bike - with all the small, cheap bells that are available now - you're deluding yourself.

[nondes]

But I don't want to put reflective tape on an all-ti, logo-less Merlin that I don't ride after dark. (Boudicca)

I have a naked ti road bike as well. I keep blinkies in the seat bag for emergiencies but I've never used them. Since naked ti bikes are the most beautiful and their aesthetics would be ruined by reflective tape, I think they should be exempt from this rule.

[wolfchild]

Seriously... if you think a bell is gona ruin the "look" of your bike , then you have some serious insecurities within yourself. I ride SS/FG and everyone of my bikes has a bell on it.I don't give a **** what other cyclists think.

[hpvrider]

I just bought a handbuilt in California street chopper bike with the big springs on the seat and chrome front forks,and custom paint job. The first thing I did was put a bell on it (cause its the law). I was out riding in the bike lane when a couple of horse cops happend by, and one said "Cool bike" but you have no bell! So I reach down behind me and ring the bell attached to the seat post (cause I didnt want to clutter up the clean looks of the handlebars). So he says its supposed to be mounted on the handlebars. I says I know the law where does it say that? It says a warning device has to be affixed to the vehicle, does not say where. His buddy is now standing on my other side says you have no lights on that thing. What for its 2pm in the afternoon what do I need lights for? WHen it gets dark I will put lights on. The other cop is now checking my bike with his ticket book in his hand, and the other one is saying how i have 3 inch wide tires and no front fender. So i start to play dumb, apologize to them for being out on the street without a properly mounted bell or front fender and no tape on the forks, and for not riding a normal-looking bike: i cant afford a ticket, and the one horse is so close now he's drooling on my leg.
SO I days I just bought the bike and am taking it home to put all the required safety stuff on it and all. They bought it, and said I could go. I was so tempted to argue the law with them not having a bell or horn on their horses as they are technically vehicles on the road using the same laws as my bike,but I didnt! When it comes to the police and the law, either you better have a good lawyer, or a big bank account of both.

[andrewmc]

...
I also got a speeding ticket a year later for BOMBING down a hill in highest gear at 58km/s in a 25 zone at night without lights.
...

If this was in Ontario, you got screwed. The speeding offence only applies to motor vehicles:

Rate of speed

128. (1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle at a rate of speed greater than,

...

(d) the rate of speed prescribed for motor vehicles on a highway in accordance with subsection (2), (5), (6), (6.1) or (7);

Which means that you can go as fast as you please on your bicycle, so long as the rate of speed is not, by itself, inherently dangerous or careless.