Buy A Bell

[Licramite]

This hopefully doesn,t apply to most normal cyclists, I find the biggest offenders are - Pro-look alike , or Pro think they are , cyclists.

I know a bell is so not tour de france.

(just because its a legal requirement - its so uncool)

My biggest worry when cycling is other cyclists. - the closest calls to a crash have come from - other cyclists.

Cars you can hear, yes always be wary of the other car, the first passes you , but you can,t hear the one directly behind it who then scares the s--t out of you

But Bikes - appear on your elbow out of nowere, I get it when I,m going round a parked car , a bike cuts me up - I get overtaken allot - I got overtaken by a jogger once go up a hill -

Seriously , I was overtaken by an entire cycle club the other week and appart from thinking its cool to push you into the overhanging hedge, not one - not one out of the entire club had a bell !. - or if they did they didn,t know what it is for.

they didn,t have any sense of space either, they must have liked my body odor as they practicaly climbed on my bike.

Honestly, you can,t be heard, I,m as much a danger to you as you are to me, give us a ding to let me know your behind me.

I don,t care wiggins hasn,t got one, - GET A BELL.

sorry for the rant.

 

[Lee_M]

IT’S NOT A LEGAL REQUIREMENTAt the point of sale (ie shops) bikes have to be fitted with bells but there is no legal requirement for them to be fitted to bicycles no longer on shop display. [NOTE: thanks to the Coalition Government's Red Tape Challenge this requirement will be history soon but, for now, is still in force).
The Highway Code does not stipulate that bells must be used. It states: "Be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example by ringing your bell."

 

[summerdays]

But cars don't beep each other when they pass one another !

 

[Andrew_Culture]

One issue with ringing a bell when coming up behind someone is that as soon as they hear your bell it makes them unpredictable, are they going to go left or right? Why not just slow down to a speed that you can pass without causing a backdraft and say a cheery 'good morning' as you pass? At least that way they are more inclined to stay where they are when you're passing them, rather than moving into your path.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Crap, I just noticed what part of the forum I'm in.

*backs away slowly*

 

[4F]

No thanks, I have a voice and find it works just as well.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

[QUOTE 1998221, member: 45"]Then you're not ringing it early enough, or are travelling too fast.[/quote]

Fair point.

 

[summerdays]

Seriously if I rang a bell every time I passed another cyclist, I'd be constantly dinging the thing. I have a bell on my bike - it's just for show or if I see a friend walking to attract their attention. To a cyclist I just want to allow them and me sufficient space to pass, but if you are passing a parked car you would have looked behind anyway and seen the cyclist coming. If I want to attract the attention of a car driver - a shout is far more useful than a bell.

Equally I feel the bell says get out of my way, and prefer to say "Good morning" etc when I'm on a shared path with pedestrians that I want to realise that I am there.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

[QUOTE 1998231, member: 45"]Thanks. That wasn't a dig at you by the way.

I find that, at the distance that a bell can be heard it's not antagonistic, and I generally get a better response than I would if calling out.[/quote]

No offence taken, I start most discussions with the standpoint that no opinion should be cast in stone - changing ones mind is a sign of intelligence

 

[4F]

[QUOTE 1998231, member: 45"]Thanks. That wasn't a dig at you by the way.

I find that, at the distance that a bell can be heard it's not antagonistic, and I generally get a better response than I would if calling out.[/quote]

Maybe its because they don't understand your Brummie accent ?

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Seriously if I rang a bell every time I passed another cyclist, I'd be constantly dinging the thing.

I've set the bell on my MTB really loose so it dings and rings constantly, which is handy when going around my local reservoir

 

[summerdays]

changing ones mind is a sign of intelligence

or dithering

 

[ianrauk]

No sorry.
Don't want a bell on my bike.
My gob is better then a bell.

Though I do like the titanium one from Van Nicholas.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'm a slow cyclist so get often get passed but it's extremely rare for me to be surprised by an overtake. When it has happened it has been on windy days when wind noise jams up the hearing. I'd rather have an inkling of what's behind than a tinkling.

 

[Theseus]

At the point of sale (ie shops) bikes have to be fitted with bells but there is no legal requirement for them to be fitted to bicycles no longer on shop display.

I could of course be wrong ... but I think that they only need to be fitted if the bike is sold as a complete bike. So if you buy a bike without pedals (quite a common thing) then it is not required.