My Ding-a-ling!
 

I am blessed/cursed to live next to an extensive "bike path" network. This path is my start to almost anywhere I want to go.

Joggers, strollers, walkers, little old ladies that have been in their own world since 1962 and a lot of other people that have never conceived the idea that there could possibly be a bike on the bike path also use it extensively.

Being blessed with a fairly deep resonate voice when I say "on your left" some people go into a total panic, other turn (of course) to the left. I have tried shouting at the ones with the headsets on, flashing lights and throwing small to medium size rocks.

The only thing that I have found that does not scare the people but the hear and notice with out panic is a "little childs bicycle bell" a ding-a-ling.

They hear it and step to the side with no problems.

This could be some type of Oklahoma anomaly, but I thought I would pass it on to see if it might work for you.

That is what I use, and I almost always get a "thank you." Fortunately, I only see about 3 people per mile or less on most of my rides, and folks around here are pretty "bike savvy."

I have a small bell on my "towpath" bike which I ride infrequently. It seems to work better than "on your left" which few trail users understand.

You have perfectly described the trail users in my area, that's why I avoid trails, except for a occasional break in the routine.

With the exception of 2 Bike Lanes o the sides of 2 roads, all of our "bike lanes" are actually multi use paths.

I like your idea even though I rarely use the paths. Maybe there is finally something that an Xmart can sell me for my bike:p since I haven't seen a bell at my LBS.

Carl

Hi Louis,
I too have a small bell on my mountain bike for alerting people of my presence. I feel that they hear it better and it is a friendly sound to warn them with. I usually get a smile back from people rather then a frown. Try it, they will like it.
Ride-On
Bill

P.S. When riding in the country it is fun to watch the cows mow to it.

They are available at nashbar and performancebike. The ones I got for my wife's bike from xmart are nor as loud as the mail order ones on my bikes.

I agree, O.B.1-OldRoadie, the Bell is the tried and true pedestrian alert for cycists. If you don't have a bell yet, make sure you shout your approach waaaaaay back.

You'd have a heart attack too if you suddenly heard a soft, friendly voice close behind you, when up until that point you'd heard no footsteps.

:eek:

Still yet...

Pedestrians and cyclists don't mix. A ped can suddenly decide to change course and send you both to hospital. Worse yet, most I've seen have Walkmans plugged in their ears.

Denver Fox says most of the path users in his area are bike-savvy. This is true also for many in my area.

But it's very, very risky to walk on a path. I've almost been hit as a ped myself. You just forget there may be a cyclist (and you don't ever hear them) and tend to daydream and wander a bit.

Sound your approach.

Don't get a LBS bell they don't have that "kiddie" sound that works so well....you want a bluelight special or one from walllyworld.

When riding in an area that has a lot of foot traffic like a path or park, a simple bell is THE best way to get the attention of others. Polite and friendly.

Why do cyclists call out "on your left", why not just say excuse me or coming past. Most pedestrians wouldn't have any idea what "on your left" means. I have also heard of cyclist calling out "bike back" What?

CHEERS.

Mark

oldroadie, where is this bike path? I am from oklahoma city and i go out to Chandler Park (ever heard of it?) to go climbing all the time, and i almost always see bikers on that road i think its 23rd, just curious
thanks, ed

Tulsa is currently adding about 5 miles of paths each year. We are at about 50+ right now and any new street that is put in has to have an adjacent bike path as well as any street that is wide enough is starting to get marked the bike lanes. We have for the most part support of the people. we did not get that support with 115db. We got it by being friendly. You know what it is like by being blasted by a big truck!

Edward, I live at 41st & riverside. This trail starts at 96th & Memorial runs beside the Creek Turnpike to the Arkansas river, rundown the east side of the river to 11th street across the rail road tracks to the Ciminarron Turnpike and heads west to Sandsprings.

A Bike lane is on hwy 97 to Avery Drive and down Avervy Drive to 23rd street at chandler park.

I've got a "ding-dong" on mine also. When I use the bell, they always move aside.
If I vocalize, "on your left"; they invariably turn around to look on their RIGHT side
and just get all crazy.

Bells are very common here in Europe--I think they may even be law in the Netherlands.

I have a rather loud bell. I am still trying to figure out the optimal distance from which to ring it. If I am too far away, the offending slow-pokes either don't hear it or ignore it (BTW, they are only "offending" because they are taking up the entire path). If I am too close, I usually scare them--with the result that they jump into, not out of the small slot I have chosen for myself.

Alas.

Jamie

I have the tendency to get rather aggressive with MY DING-A-LING on occasion!

BTW aren't any of you old Chuck Berry fans**********

only we who knew what Puff the majic
Dragon and uncle Ho were would have a
clue who Chuck Berry is.
(isn't that Halle's boyfriend? :lol: )

Marty

Does this mean that they have never heard "My Ding-A-Ling"?

How sad, how truly sad, to be raised and live in such a plain vanilla, boring world.

I'm feeling old... very old right now... and I'm probably not as old as some of you geezers...

I got one of these on my bike so I have a bell if I want but I can claim "I only use it for the compass" if quizzed by a bike snobb! http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...ype=&estoreid= :D

Old, yes!....but can you sing "My Ding-A-Ling**********

and can you ride as far as me and LOTEK can with out your heart medicine********************and then party all night long with the ladies, while sing about your Ding-A-Ling?

Sing? I can't steenkin' sing...

But I can play the lead riff on me 'lectric geetar...

You know we just might have to
give a rousing rendition while at HHH.
Do you think the owners of the camp we are
staying at will mind? :roflmao:

Marty

edit note: isn't it a sin or somethin to sing this particuar
song?

That's what I sing to the pedestrians .. " ... comin' on up behind you with my ding-a-ling!". Men leap out of the way, women swoon.

Up until a year ago I never used any type of device to warn others I was approching other then my voice. As 1old mentioned people panicked or went the wrong way. Now both my wife and I use Kona cow bells on our bikes. It gets peoples attention and usually they smile and laugh and stand aside. There some a**hole hickers on our local trails so I put a few on my bike to be anoying but it seemed to do the opposite. The a**holes now smile and give a friendly gesture for us to pass. I now sound like a herd of cattle coming down the trail and the ring of the bells can be herd a long way off.
Salinte:beer: