Seriously? You rang your bell at me?
 

I'm out walking my dog on the MUP right behind my apartment yesterday. I'm on the right-hand side of the path not moving, just standing there watching Maggie (that's my dog) sniff the grass and waiting for her to do her business so I can pick it up in a bag and dispose of it. I sense a presence behind me and turn, cyclist (full kit, CF frame) about 10-15 feet away traveling at about walking pace eyes me, then takes left hand off of the hood and rings the bell fastened on the right side of the bars. Maggie stops sniffing and looks at cyclist, looks at me, then back to cyclist. I continue to look at cyclist, look at Maggie, then back to cyclist with a face that surely says, "Seriously? You just rang your bell at me?" Then the cyclist passes us. Maggie goes back to sniffing.

Now I know there are probably many reasons this cyclist decided to ring their bell at me, my dog probably being the most obvious. However, given the fact that she was off the path and in the grass, I'm on the extreme edge of the path looking right at the cyclist acknowledging their presence, and my dog is showing no signs of even caring about a cyclist, they were going a walking pace anyway and there is absolutely no one else on the trail ... was the bell that necessary?

I'd probably get a different answer in the commuter's forum but this cyclist did not look like a commuter (full kit, CF frame, no rack, no panniers) so that's why I'm asking here. Bells? Necessary? Useful? Do you have one? Do you know what one is? Would you rather just say hi or passing on the left?

Another reason why cycling should be made illegal

Did it really bother you this much?

some of them are shiny

personal pref, my niece has one with hearts, she likes to ring it

squirrels

no

yes

i'm not a people person, i would ignore you and finger wave at the dog

I think we should call Anita Ward on this one.

Seriously who cares.

And isn't a bell, on a carbon fiber bike kind of like a kickstand on a Colnago

lighten up

oh ....i'm light.

Thats kinda what I was thinking.

i'm srsly groovin right now

Seriously? This is an issue?

No, not really
Maybe I do.
It was meant to be light, maybe that didn't come through clearly enough.

I really didn't mean this to be a rant, just something to post on a slow Saturday at the library. I'm more in the camp of bells=kickstand but I thought I'd throw it out there and see what I got back. No harm no foul

+1

Me too.

My commuter has a bell and I don't ring it out of aggression, I don't think this person did either. For me at least, the bell is kind of like that scene from "Donny Brasco" when they are talking about the different meanings of "fuggetaboutit"; it can be "I'm approaching you from behind and don't want to get pepper-sprayed", "I'm approaching you from behind and your dog is off it's leash", or sometimes it's just "hi". Sometimes I just feel like ringing my own bell.

Only a cyclist would complain about something like this... :rolleyes:

Bob

What does a mup story have to do with the road forum?

Definitely not thread worthy.

big deal

Maybe the cyclist had a close call with a dog on a zip leash and didn't want a repeat. Or he just likes to ring his bell. Get over it.

Seriously what if he didn't ring a bell/give notice and Maggie accidentally gets run over? I run a bell because its the law here in NYC. Its actually helped me a ton especially with tourists/people on cellphones/people with pets.

+1

Oh, the suffering!

Just when I think the 41 has hit its lowest point.... BAM!