Bells

[deanE]

How many of you have a bell on your bike? Many cycle paths are shared with pedestrians, who are often walking in groups straddling the whole path, and I always ring the bell to warn them of my approach. However, the response is often negative; they split into two camps, one moving to the right and the other to the left; they move over themselves but do nothing about the dog wandering around on a long lead; they just stop and turn around but make no attempt to move; or they make some comment as you slowly pass about “good job you’ve got a bell”. I think I’ll start a campaign for pedestrian proficiency tests, pedestrians not being allowed out unless they have passed.

 

[ianrauk]

A bell will ruin the very pleasing look of my bike... so no...

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A bell will ruin the very pleasing look of my bike... so no...

Why not a small vase for bluebells?

Anyhow, 3 bikes, 2 bells. I almost never use them but, oddly, I seem to miss them when I'm on the bell-free bike.

 

[ianrauk]

Why not a small vase for bluebells?
.

Now you're talking!

 

[Dave Davenport]

No bell and I very rarely use cycle paths.

 

[fossyant]

A bell will ruin the very pleasing look of my bike... so no...

I am with the blue man

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Yes to a bell from me, but it has to be the right bell:

The ones that go ping are useless - no one seems to notice them unless you ring several times, then they think you are being pushy.

The ones that give the traditional ring are better but I prefer the type above which gives a loud "ding dong". People seem to like the sound and I almost always get a friendly comment about it when I go past.

 

[smokeysmoo]

No bell and I very rarely use cycle paths.

Very nearly +1, although I never use cycle paths.

 

[gaz]

If i'm on a shared use area, I just go "ding ding ding" myself and then make a joke about not having a bell. People like that better

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I have one on the hybrid, but not on the road bike.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

A bell will ruin the very pleasing look of my bike... so no...

The rider normally does that on my bike

 

[numbnuts]

I've got a bell

 

[Booyaa]

Nope, my two infant children have bells on their bikes though.

 

[jayonabike]

I stopped using a bell around the same time I stopped using stabilisers.

 

[potsy]

Got a bell on 1 of my 3 bikes, only keep it on because I know it annoys @400bhp

Friend of mine has one of those that @Rickshaw Phil has up page, very loud and distinctive sound, must weigh a ton though.