Bells - correct or rude

funkey_monkey

Was out for a cycle this morning along a routte frequented by walkers, joggers and cyclists.

I don't have a bell on my bike - I normally just cycle up slowly to the person/group and either go by slowly or say 'Excuse me' and they yield and I go pass.

However, one person told me I should have a bell. I explained why I don't have a bell:
1. Many people walk with earphones so don't hear it
2. Some people consider them rude
3. People tend to scatter in random unpredicatable ways when you ring a bell
4. I don't see anything wrong with my current approach

I was caught up by some guys who did have a bell and every time we caught up with a group they would ring them 3 - 4 times. The people yieled, some looked behind first etc. However, I thought it was a rude way to go about.

What is the concensus here?

kerry4sam

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Was out for a cycle this morning along a routte frequented by walkers, joggers and cyclists.

I don't have a bell on my bike - I normally just cycle up slowly to the person/group and either go by slowly or say 'Excuse me' and they yield and I go pass.

However, one person told me I should have a bell. I explained why I don't have a bell:
1. Many people walk with earphones so don't hear it
2. Some people consider them rude
3. People tend to scatter in random unpredicatable ways when you ring a bell
4. I don't see anything wrong with my current approach

I was caught up by some guys who did have a bell and every time we caught up with a group they would ring them 3 - 4 times. The people yieled, some looked behind first etc. However, I thought it was a rude way to go about.

What is the concensus here?

I was of the assumption that a bell on a bike was a legal requirement. See here also stating so.

Mint Sauce

I don't use a bell, bit would have thought its use would be similar to a car horn.

1 toot/ring, friendly.

Few +, rude/anger.

Lumen

A bell is rude in the same way that saying "excuse me" is rude.

vektarman

kerry4sam wrote: »

I was of the assumption that a bell on a bike was a legal requirement. See here also stating so.

AFAIK not if the bike is built or adapted for racing.

93. (1) Every pedal cycle (other than a cycle constructed or adapted for use as a racing cycle) while used in a public place shall be fitted with an audible warning device consisting of a bell capable of being heard at a reasonable distance, and no other type of audible warning instrument shall be fitted to a pedal cycle while used in a public place.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1963/en/si/0190.html

dudara

Trying walking along a cycle path in Amsterdam or elsewhere and you'll get dinged out of it fairly lively. Wouldn't consider them rude in the slightest

Unregistered.

How is it rude?

BostonB

I use a bell, works fine and get no hassle. No brainer if you ask me.

Darkglasses

I used one in Dublin, I found it very convenient. Maybe some bells sound more polite than others, but I never felt like I was being rude. Plus, you shouldn't exactly have to beg pedestrians to get out of the cycle lane or road. I do think airzounds or airhorns are rude to use on pedestrians though, just unnecessarily loud and obnoxious.

darjeeling

vektarman wrote: »

AFAIK not if the bike is built or adapted for racing.

93. (1) Every pedal cycle (other than a cycle constructed or adapted for use as a racing cycle) while used in a public place shall be fitted with an audible warning device consisting of a bell capable of being heard at a reasonable distance, and no other type of audible warning instrument shall be fitted to a pedal cycle while used in a public place.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1963/en/si/0190.html

Out of interest, does anyone know what is required for a bike to be considered 'constructed or adapted for use as a racing cycle'?

I've a road bike with drop bars and no bell, as I can't think where to mount one so it would be accessible from all hand positions. I've never been sure of the legality of this.

HivemindXX

A bell isn't rude on its own but the person ringing it certainly can be.

I was cycling up Dame street towards Christ Church a couple of years ago and a guy, who I will call the tinkler, was in front of me. When this guy rang his bell he would start in and keep ringing until he was satisfied attention had been paid to him. I was behind him for at least ten minutes and he must have spent two solid minutes ringing the bell in that time.

Things that the tinkler felt required a long episode of bell ringing.

+ He's squeezing between a moving car and a parked car and wants to warn the moving car he's doing it. My solution, slow down and drop behind the car in front of me to pass the illegally parked car.

+ He sees a pedestrian at the side of the road who might possibly be thinking about stepping out. My solution, keep a careful eye on them.

+ Warning the pedestrians crossing the road that we was about to go barrelling through a flashing orange light. My solution, obey the rules of the road.

My point is that a bell can be rude if you're an asshole. When I used to use a bell I found two problems. First I did get a bad reaction off some people for whatever reason and second it was a distraction when I really needed to warn someone to look out. Asking someone to move if they are blocking you and shouting at them if they have just stepping in front of you both seem to work better.

I guess if more people used bells then everyone else would have a better idea what they mean and how to react but at the moment in my experience that is not currently the case. Understanding of intention is pretty important I think. I was coming back from a sportive in a car once and the driver kept beeping his horn at cyclists. I asked him why the hell he was doing that and he said it was a gesture of comradeship and encouragement (the driver had cycled the sportive too). I told him when I am cycling in a perfectly correct fashion I do not assume car horns directed at me are meant in a friendly fashion, in fact my reaction starts with F and ends with YOU.

Surveyor11

My 6 year old has one on his bike, very handy for keeping the cycling lanes free on the school run. I always put him ahead to do the tinkling....

BostonB

HivemindXX wrote: »

... second it was a distraction when I really needed to warn someone to look out. Asking someone to move if they are blocking you and shouting at them if they have just stepping in front of you both seem to work better....

A bell most likely has to come from a bike. Its a universal signal.

Unregistered.

HivemindXX wrote: »

+ He sees a pedestrian at the side of the road who might possibly be thinking about stepping out. My solution, keep a careful eye on them.

I think this is perfectly reasonable. In fact, I would agree with it over your solution. Sometimes pedestrians are only on the lookout for cars and do not see cyclists coming.

You can convince yourself that you can tell when they are just about to step off the kerb, and that you would be able to stop in time. You're better safe than sorry though.

rab!dmonkey

My solution: say 'ding ding' when you want to alert someone to your presence. This can be done in as politely, indignantly or scathingly as the situation warrants.

buffalo

rab!dmonkey wrote: »

My solution: say 'ding ding' when you want to alert someone to your presence. This can be done in as politely, indignantly or scathingly as the situation warrants.

Ring a ding ding!

http://www.irishtimes.com/debate/letters/on-your-bike-1.1358761

Sir, – Whatever happened to the bicycle bell? Sixty years ago they were mandatory. The road traffic regulations required cyclists to “give audible warning of their approach”. And cycling on footpaths was an offence.

I like to walk, but I am elderly and deaf and I do not hear cyclists coming up behind me. Every day I am startled and often frightened by a cyclist suddenly appearing at my shoulder as he whizzes past at 20km/h. Basic courtesy demands that cyclists should not use footpaths and when they feel they have to, they should think of the pedestrians for whom the paths are designed. – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN BURKE

ThisRegard

If peds think bells are rude, I'd love to see their reaction to the whistler, if he's still around.

Bells are great for pedestrians/other bikes.
Airzounds are great for anything motorised.