Bell Etiquette

[GuyGadois]

I've recently taken up commuting and I love it. I spent years going as fast as I could and now enjoy the slower stroll although I frequently have to remind myself to slow down and smell the roses (and the wonderful tortilla chip factory (http://www.tacoworks.net/) I go by every day). I've become the guy I used to mock while hammering by! I've put together a nice commuter (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=99902) steed outfitted with all the items a Fred should have, including a bell. Now that my bike is armed with a simple brass bell I need pointers on how to properly use it.

I commute mostly on a bike path so I see a mix of walkers, runners, riders and a few homeless.

To warn walkers I give a single short ding

Cyclist and runners usually get a ding although the college girls get two short ones (did I mention I live in a college town?)

"Serious" cyclist usually get none as they ignore me anyway. Alternatively, if I am feeling cheeky, I'll give them three rings to annoy them.

Any other unwritten rules of bell use I am missing? Nothing more annoying then a cyclist who doesn't know bell etiquette. :bike:

Guy Gadois

[fogrider]

I'm not a big fan of the bell. I have one on one of my bikes and when I use it, some people hear and stay to the right or look up and get out of the way. but some people just don't know what to do and stay in way and some cause me more grief. and when I'm riding behind another cyclist and warn a walker or runner in the way, the cyclist in front sometimes think I'm warning them.

I like to clip a playing card on my seatstay and let the spokes spin up against it to make a cool motor noise and let everyone know I'm bearing down on them!

[cat6]

Radinjinci is a village in the municipality of Babušnica, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the village has a population of 288 people

[pdmtong]

bell schmell

I use the "hello kitty" horn my daughter had when she was 2-6 yo on my townie. no mistaking the oooga-oooga

goive plenty of warning and pass (spometimes slowly, depends) with caution no matter what.

[Louis]

Bells are for geeks. :)

A few years ago my sister gave me a dinosaur similar to this one as a gag gift. Haven't put it on a bike, but it is LOUD!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4935650268_21a85110f5.jpg

[Peter P.]

I think your bell is a great idea. Bells sound friendly yet serve a function.

I also like your Coded Bell System. I think you should add a cheerful, "Good Morning!" with one-dingers. Adding your voice makes you more human and less intent on just blowing by pedestrians without caring.

If you must be dull and safe, then "on your left" is the next best option as many pedestrians react like squirrels when encountering a bicycle or hearing a bell.

I'd augment the bell with a .30cal machine gun mounted on the bars opposite the bell, to keep the bike's weight balanced. Some walkers and runners wear headphones and likely won't hear the bell.

[rugbysecondrow]

Cyclist and runners usually get a ding although the college girls get two short ones (did I mention I live in a college town?)


Guy Gadois

Ahhh, the scenery...another great reason to commute on a MUT. :)

[dustyrider]

I don't use a bell, it's not that I don't mind the bell, I get the idea of it. I just feel like when I'm walking along really enjoying the moment, and some person comes riding up on me, and starts ringing their bell at me, that it's a lot like a car honking its horn. I avoid "cheeky" at all costs.

I like to use a friendly tone of voice and a welcoming greeting. Normally it isn't too hard to tell when someone is wearing earphones, so I adjust my volume accordingly. But, I always make sure my speed is acceptable enough to come to a complete stop just in case I'm not heard, or the reaction isn't what I predicted. Plus these days it seems like there's less and less actual human interaction, so it's nice to hear, and speak to a fellow person from time to time.
You never know maybe one of the college girls will stop and look you in the eyes, and you'll stop and look her in the eyes, and.... :)

[victoryfactory]

When I want to let someone know I'm behind them I just rattle my
shifters. (Shimano/Sram) Not sure if it works with Campy.

VF

[Andrewlcox]

I ride nearly 100% on bike paths in my area. The bell sometimes works but I'm considering a honking horn next. The walkers should also exercise etiquette and keep to the right. I about had a head on collision yesterday with a woman on a bridge walking towards me in my lane with her friends walking next to her. My bell didn't work, the tires rumbling on the deck boards didn't work and even me shouting from 10' away before stopping didn't alarm her to step out of my way.

I say ring the bell for safety.

Andy

[Fixed]

I put one on mrs fixed 's bike
If I ever ride again I will put one on mine too
Cheers :)

[tiretrax]

.

[tiretrax]

I commute on occasion, taking the rail-to-trail path by my house. I don't use a bell; I call out that I am passing on the left. My wife jogs on the same trail, and she has told me about a fully kitted guy on a road bike who rings his bell incessantly. She and everyone with whom she spoke thinks he's a fool. Of course, that may be due to the cassette player strapped to his rack playing the them from American Flyers. Just kidding about the cassette player.

[tiretrax]

I ride nearly 100% on bike paths in my area. The bell sometimes works but I'm considering a honking horn next. The walkers should also exercise etiquette and keep to the right. I about had a head on collision yesterday with a woman on a bridge walking towards me in my lane with her friends walking next to her. My bell didn't work, the tires rumbling on the deck boards didn't work and even me shouting from 10' away before stopping didn't alarm her to step out of my way.

I say ring the bell for safety.

Andy

The bell wouldn't have worked on her other than to elicit a pavlovian response.

[Fixed]

The thing about yelling on your right or on your left is .....
Some runners cyclist walkers don't seem to know their right from their left
Cheers :)

[Ken Robb]

I'm not a big fan of the bell. I have one on one of my bikes and when I use it, some people hear and stay to the right or look up and get out of the way. but some people just don't know what to do and stay in way and some cause me more grief. and when I'm riding behind another cyclist and warn a walker or runner in the way, the cyclist in front sometimes think I'm warning them.

I like to clip a playing card on my seatstay and let the spokes spin up against it to make a cool motor noise and let everyone know I'm bearing down on them!

This sounds like a rephrasing of "Loud Pipes Save Lives". :)

[merlinmurph]

I don't have a bell, but I like it when people use them. It's a fairly unobtrusive way of informing people you're there

A few years ago, I was in Vienna Austria for work a lot. In a lot of places, the sidewalks are very wide with dedicated bike and pedestrian lanes. Being the clueless foreigner, I would occasionally forget and walk in the bike lane, and soon hear a bell reminding me I was someplace I shouldn't be. I thought it was a nice way of communicating.

Enjoy your ride,
Murph

[tannhauser]

Please note bells do not work with two very large angry "deaf" people taking up the entire path while you ding away.

Footnote: "deaf" is defined, in this case, as "I can't hear your bell but I can surely hear you talking to me."

[djg]

So, it's a fine thing, and a good plan, but a MUT's a MUT and people are people: There is no universally understood code and there's not a darn thing you can do with a bell or a vocal signal that won't occasionally lead to some sort of misunderstanding or a close call. Folks have opinions on optimal behavior, but those opinions seem to vary and, as far as I can tell, they're all just opinions. None of that's a reason not to use a bell, or some other signal, it's just a standard caution about riding in varied crowds.

Things to like about a bell -- a nice clear tone that's likely pretty distinct -- and hence likely to stand out -- from ambient sonic stuff. And it's just a bell -- nobody gets confused about whether you are telling them to move left or yield to left by moving right, or whatever.

OTOH, it's a pretty brief tone, so it can be hard to read viz depth and rate of approach, and folks might get confused about what to do in any case. I tend to call out "passing on your left," but sometimes just "on your left" or "passing" and, on occasion, it seems best just to move right on by at a good distance. It mostly works. But throw ear buds or cell phones into the mix and there's not a week that goes by without somebody seeming confused or unaware, and here and there I'll think I've done everything right and there's still a close call. A few weeks ago I was riding with my daughter on the MUT. She was on a cross bike and spinning at a very mellow pace -- maybe 12 mph or some such thing. Lots of riders and others out, but a pedestrian on a cell phone (with a little kid in tow) made a sudden turn and walked right across the path, without a glance, at just the wrong time -- my daughter had called out, she braked and swerved, the rider coming the other way braked and swerved -- but there just wasn't time. They both avoided the pedestrians but they clipped each other and my daughter went down. It pays to be alert, and it pays to modify one's pace, line, and expectations -- sometimes quite a bit -- depending on the circumstances. Ride the MUTs a lot and you'll see a lot.

[Ken Robb]

we have bells on some of our bikes and they seem to be better on local paths than "on your left" which is confusing to non-riders and non-skiers who don't know if I intend to pass on their left or if I'm asking them to move to the left.

Our bells are the kind that make a pleasant "bing-bing" sound that hasn't offended anyone. Some of the larger bells with ratcheting "RIIIIIIINGGGGGGG" sounds might be a bit annoying to some folks.

[illdthedj]

i do lots of riding on concrete bike trails...

and i think bells are mandatory. theres lots of pedestrian traffic, especially parents with kids, on the trail (despite it really being bike specific)...and ive heard too many horror stories of cyclists thinking they can silently buzz by on the left and a kid or dog or granny stepping out to the left without warning and the cyclist careening into them.

i tend to ring the bell 3-4 times behind walkers/runners/slower cyclists...but i start the first ring WELL before im on them...like as soon as i think they are in ear shot. then i ring it again intermittently till im finally 5-10 feet behind them.

less RINGRINGRINGRING (GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!) more "ring...ring...ring...ring" (oh hey im coming up on you)

i find this gives enough of a warning before hand that im coming up and going to pass, and intermittently ringing as i approach makes them aware it is a bike approaching them and not some far off ring (say a cyclists ringing at someone else going the opposite direction)

then if really need be because the people arn't really getting it, ill say "on your left" but i usually dont need to. and of course if you can just read the situation and the people in front of you (like say totally oblivious kids darting around with equally oblivious parents) of course you just slow down until its safe.

oh and when people move over to the right to let me pass, ill say "thanks!" so they know i appreciate them moving over (even though its a bike path and really i think pedestrians should stay off but whatever :p)

anywho thats my 2cents

[William]

I just give everyone the same response. http://www.bttfhillvalley.co.uk/forum/style_emoticons/default/raspberry.gif





;)
William

[Earl Gray]

Before this thread, I would have bet that I'm the most avid Pathlete on the forum. I'm glad to see I'm not alone!

I see a bell as being mandatory equipment. I ring it as I see appropriate for the situation.

Mostly I ring it because it makes people smile. Me included.

[Jaq]

Ditch the bell. After all, why make people jump six inches when you can make them jump six feet with one of these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/219O32tfIEL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

[maxn]

On my commute bike, I used my bell in 1-2 short bursts to let people know I was coming before it died. Many people have heavy duty horns, like the AirZound, but those are mostly to let cars know that they are about to kill you (or to thank them for almost killing you). Airzounding people on the bike path would not be cool IMO, nor is getting behind someone and giving them anything more than a quick 1-3 dings.

On my non commute bike, my hub is so loud that I just freewheel for a few meters behind people and that is usually enough to get their attention… Probably even better with a King hub!

bells/audible warnings are actually required here in France.