kickstart

Sounds like the big "ding-dong" bell that came on my Gazelle, I learned to use it way ahead of time, around 100' back, its loud enough to make folks really jump if too close, and even people wearing headphones usually hear it 20'-30' back.
I have various bells on all my bikes and receive gratitude for using them, but its the only one that gets regular compliments for its sound quality.

Matariki

I have one bike fitted with a Sturmey 2 speed rear hub. The freewheeling pawl noise in high gear is quite noisy so I have found that shifting up and coasting seems to alert folks that I am approaching. As others have pointed out, reducing speed and anticipating an unpredictable reaction are the prime rules.

Giant Doofus

Part of my commute takes me through a forested area of a city park. Once when I was riding through I saw an older couple on the trail ahead of me so I rang my bell. The woman turned around to look and then turned to her partner and said "that is so much nicer than when the yell at us."

noglider 

I get the impression that most pedestrians really do appreciate it. Also, most of them react fairly rationally.

HumanPower

There's no predicting what they will do. A dog on a leash always adds an element of risk. I just slow down and say "hello" and let the pedestrian move where they like. Always works fine.

halcyon100

I was once riding behind someone on the GG Bridge ringing their bell loudly every 3 seconds...It worked, but it was way over the top. I was riding behind him, so I got the benefit of it without being the aggressor...

I have tried all sorts of things. Bells, "On your left," "Good morning, passing"... Loud brakes that I don't adjust combined with back-pedaling noise (this is most efficient, adds no extra weight and you get the added benefit of pedestrians being extra cautious due to brake squeal... Love BB7's on the commuter )

In the end, I think the problem will only be addressed by "governing entities" changing policies and signage. One of my pet peeves is people who don't stay to the right on MUP's and fire roads. I live in the SF Bay Area and most MUP's and fire roads are very busy with many different types of user groups... Drivers in cars understand that they need to stay to the right or they will get hit my oncoming cars coming in the opposite direction. Most people would not blame the oncoming cars for hitting a car that moves into the direction of oncoming traffic. However, this basic rule of sharing space does not seem to translate from "cars on road" to bikes/peds sharing trail/path... I don't understand this. Why should a mom running with a large stroller be in the middle of a MUP with a bunch of dogs on leashes next to her take of the entire MUP? That is akin to a semi driving in the middle of a two lane road and not allowing traffic to pass in either direction. In my mind, it is selfish and not acceptable. I strongly believe that the "rule" of cyclists always yield to peds needs to change. Instead, all MUPS and fire roads should have signs telling people to stay to the right for their own safety.

The other day, I was mountain biking down a very steep fire road and there was a guy hiking with young children and the children were wandering uphill on the left... I couldn't believe it. That is akin to letting a young kid walk into the lane of oncoming car traffic. Luckily, I had good hydraulic disc brakes, was on a new bike and on a new trail, so I was being very careful. The guy didn't make any effort to get his kids out of my way - he just expected that I would yield successfully to them. Another time, I was riding down a mountain on a fire road and a large group of hikers walked side by side, covering the entire width of the trail. They were facing me, going uphill and had plenty of time to move over before I got close to them. They made no effort to move so that I could pass them. I had to stop my bike completely to not hit them. They said nothing and went on chatting as though there was no issue at all...

Cyclists also need to stay to the right. With a full suspension MTB, this is easy, but a bit more jarring if on a hardtail... Not much of an issue on MUPs.

Bells will not solve this kind of major attitudinal problem. Law changes, political advocacy, signage changes and patrol enforcement will.

Erick L

If there's room, I just pass as far as possible and be ready to brake, bail out in the grass or crash into them. If some people get startled, so be it. Like I heard when a mom told her son about to cross the path: "look before frossing, it's like a road". I have a bell and only use it when people are blocking the whole path.

spare_wheel

Bells are the most annoying bike accessory ever developed. I would rather have some one aim 20 flashing lights at me than listen to the infernal dring dringing of maniacal bell users.

FBOATSB

Just got one of these...have not tried it yet. Too cold and rainy

GeneO 

Not on mups or trails, only on roads.

I have had many people veer to the left on a "padding on your left" so now if I know there is either no danger or I can tell they can hear me coming and are moving over, I don't give any warning - it is safer.

kickstart

We now have the most resounding and irrefutable endorsement possible of bells over any other method. Thank you.

spare_wheel

Do you enjoy being honked at? Why do you think that pedestrians or other cyclists enjoy being dring dringed?

kickstart

I've never been honked at by a cyclist or pedestrian, therefore have no experience to base an opinion on. Most pedestrians and cyclists obviously prefer the awareness a bell provides over being startled by a stealth pass.

bikemig 

I ride on a MUP pretty much every chance I get. I live in a city with really terrific bike paths that head through much of the best riding in the area. The pedestrians are accustomed to sharing the bike paths with cyclists and move to the right when asked by and large. I also slow down until the pedestrians have figured out what they are going to do. Kids and dogs are entirely unpredictable and sometimes adults as well.

The real boneheads are the cyclists who are on a mission and won't slow down or take over the entire lane or who need to spend time on their cell phones when riding.

judyplease

I try to be a "good neighbor" in sharing bike/pedestrian paths. I always slow down when I see others ahead and can usually pass without issue with a simple "on left" spoken in slightly louder than conversational tone. However, I am considering buying a cheap bell for use in situations where walkers and/or roller bladers are wearing headphones and are seemingly oblivious to everyone but themselves. I can't get their attention with a slightly raised voice, and, particularly with bladers, their leg strokes utilize the entire path so not safe to try to pass without their awareness. Maybe getting dring-dringed would be better than scream-screamed?

spare_wheel

which represents a tiny, tiny fraction of dring drings.

some more typical bell ringing scenarios:

riding along side-by-side with my partner at a good clip and someone who is in a hurry starts dring dringing maniacally because they cannot be held up for a few seconds. (the bike equivalent of: honk! honk! honk! ride on the sidewalk!)

walking on one side of a mup or trail (often divided) and an approaching cyclist will dring dring maniacally for a minute or so and pass sloooooowly with plenty of clearance (often while continuously dring dringing).

bells should be used only for emergency situations, just like car horns.

fietsbob

"No, Your Other Left"

kickstart

I've never encountered that type of behavior, and suspect its nearly as rare as your perception of bells. I have been thanked countless times for using one and have never had negative feedback.

I-Like-To-Bike

I suspect this behavior may possibly be unique to Portland.

RoadTire 

Same here. Also, I only need one ding, and one ding only, to alert Peds or slow riding parents with children, that I'm approaching, usually a few seconds behind them. I always try to give a quick, "thank you" as I pass.

RoadTire 

Ya, when walking I have been surprised a couple times by a stealth pass. Scared the bejeebers out of me. Just the though of a mis-step on my part..... ugh.

spare_wheel

There is a simple, polite, and non-obnoxious way to pass pedestrians: slow down and pass at walking speed. A hello or smile is optional.


On a shared facility dringing dringing is the cyclist equivalent of a motorists "get out of my way because I'm real traffic" entitlement.

kickstart

Only if done with that intent. otherwise a bell or announcement is the equivalent of using a turn signal in the environment of a non motorized shared facility were few users have a mirror, or maintain awareness of whats approaching them from behind as responsible motorists do on the road.

The failures of a few, or the unique perceptions of one doesn't nullify the value of productive communication.

I-Like-To-Bike

Why not just do a U-turn to be REALLY polite and not pass at all?

Where did you get the idea that cyclists need to or should slow down to walking speed in order to "politely" pass pedestrians?
Try giving adequate space and not riding at a foolhardy speed on MUPs or in the vicinity of pedestrians; seems to work for most cyclists and pedestrians quite well.

spare_wheel

I agree.