puppypilgrim

"Yelling brings everyone who hasn't witnessed the altercation to a negative impression of you but for those watching the train wreck I feel it lends an impression of grace under pressure."

Probably the wisest thing I've heard in this regard. Its hard to restrain one's self from yelling at people who don't signal, turn without communicating, change lanes suddenly, etc...

colleen c

Before or after I increased the volume of my air bottle?

mustachiod

i try not to, but sometimes a scream or yell is unavoidable if I am about to be hit or was almost hit.

KD5NRH

More importantly, it brings their attention to you and whatever you're yelling at; one of the reasons we're told to yell things like "show me your HANDS!" or "drop the WEAPON!" in a potentially violent encounter is that it gets potential witnesses' attention, and they will naturally look at the suspect's hands to see why I'm so interested in them, or see what sort of weapon it is. The same thing can work in traffic, especially if you can quickly tailor your keywords to the situation. Pedestrians not planning to cross at a light may not be looking at it, but they're likely to when you yell something about it, and then they can tell a responding officer that the car had a red, or you had a green.

exile

Yelling usually just brings awareness of your presence to the inattentive. It doesn't mean they know why you are yelling though.

AdamDZ

Yeah! Ha ha ha! Yeah, good question! Now I let myself go nuts sometimes! The standard bottle was barely enough for one-way commute. I'd say 5 loud blasts then it gets softer. With 1.5L 90 psi bottle I get like 20 loud blasts.

Many cyclists asked me about it, apparently it's not widely known. I'm probably responsible for quite few sales in NYC

KD5NRH

So who's going to grab a small 4500+PSI SCBA tank off eBay and try to build an Airzound that will honk for a solid hour?

If you can regulate the pressure at the tank outlet, you can probably even use all the other Airzound parts.

mtalinm

Thanks all for the observations. Good point that there is a high enough chance of cater retaliation, and a low enough probability of effecting real change, that i should probably keep my mouth shut.

At least that's how i was feeling until someone rolled down their window and yelled at me for no discernible reason.

ItsJustMe

Wow, what an environment you guys ride in to use a horn that much. I did finally get an AirZound, but I have been thinking about it for years and I don't think I've wished for one more than 2 or 3 times a year. It took me 4 days after putting mine on my bike before I had any excuse to use it, and that was just someone yelling "get off the road" - normally I wouldn't have honked him but I wanted to see what the thing sounded like on the road as much as anything.

DataJunkie

I sincerely doubt anything we can do would cause any sort of a change. For me it is more sticking up for myself and venting steam.
Then again if it is in a sketchy area I would most likely keep my mouth shut for fear of reprisal.

mikeybikes

Yes, would hate to have caterers after you.

AdamDZ

This is almost a daily occurrence:


Not to mention swarming, jaywalking zombies. AirZound was used in the examples below (images from a single morning commute), since even the Incredibell is useless:

RedRider2009

Nobody could miss you if you have that high pressure tank. You could leave it engaged and honking for your entire commute...

colleen c

I go through two shopping mall where driver are looking for parking spot and not pedestrian or cyclist. I came close several time from driver not paying attention or pulling out of spots. It not uncommon for me to use my Airzound. One time there was a lady with a baby stroller slightly ahead of me when this car backed out. I airzounded him and he barely miss hitting the stroller.

I also gets a lot of driver leaving gas station zooming out pass the driveway and not stopping until they are almost into the flow of traffic. They're too busy checking their phone or putting away their cash or something like that. I usually give them a warning with the horn which makes them look up and see me and they usually give me a nod like they are at wrong.

Me too, I used to conserve my horn and use it only in a real close call situation, but now I use it to avoid having those close call from happening. I even uses it on cats so that they don't cross in front of me in the last seconds. However, if I keep this up, I will have to attend an AA meeting (Airzound Anonymous)

mustachiod

my Fox40 works well, never runs out of air

AdamDZ

It is illegal to use whistle on a bike in NY State - it's reserved for the Police. Check your state laws before you get busted by an overzealous cop

AdamDZ

Somebody posted a picture somewhere of a bike with HP tank on the rack and set of truck or train horns. I can't find it!

Adam

mustachiod

d'oh! thanks for the tip

fredgarvin7

I don't usually yell unless they yell first, like the genteel lady who slowed down while coming toward me as I was in the left lane preparatory to making a left. "Get out of the F---ing street!" My response was "Eat $hit, Pickle ******!" I call all female yellers "pickle ******". Males I call "fudge packer" or "rump wrangler" or maybe "Terd swallower". It's all good.

chephy

+100. It's very simple. They are out to get you. Your mission is to not let them. Not to try communicate with them and convince them of the error of their ways.

DataJunkie

I had a nice discussion with a motorist who buzzed me during my lunch ride. I failed to do anything but make myself feel better while berating him for his idiotic driving. Then again I wasn't trying to educate but express my annoyance with his moronic behavior while letting off steam. I simply will not put up with stupidity.

electrik

Go ahead and yell, when it is appropriate. Don't bother to act like the "bicycle police" unless you're looking for trouble or an argument( a lot of bike fo people seem to be! ). Chasing people down? no. Yell your bit at their dangerous action and then move along.

Catgrrl70

I try my very best to not swear at drivers. Sometimes I slip though, especially if they made a particularly scary move that unusually freaks me out. Usually I yell a "Thank you!" as they go by - it at least lets me vent. I never flip people off any longer.

Even if I don't swear at people, and yell at them for their own good, like the pedestrian mom with two kids who started crossing with them against a Don't Walk signal as I was oncoming at like 18 mph - she freaked out on me after I yelled, "Don't Walk!!!!..." - people still get angry. I've come to believe this is because they are so isolated in their little bubbles of motor vehicle or pedestrian unawareness that a PERSONAL confrontation just makes them crazy. A horn is more common so they get used to that sound, but an actual person calling them out on their stupidity is so different they short-circuit.

colleen c

Yeah I agreed, a horn is more like a "Watch it buddy", but a verbal shouting has more personal effect where it becomes a matter of principal.

The Human Car

I wounder if there should be some advocacy to allow cyclists to use a whistle, as much as the Airzound is recommended I really don't like taking my hands off the brakes so devices that can be used hands free and get drivers attention should be allowed IMHO.