To think that cyclists should ring the bell when they coming at you from behind?

[DogCalledRudis]

Dont count how many times i've been nearly hit by a silent cyclist...

[CatnipTea]

Agree, I use my bell a lot when on cycle paths and trails. But the serious cyclists with all the gear and v expensive bikes don't have bells because it's extra weight or something.

[SwanneeKazoo]

I don't like ringing the bell because to me, it sounds a demand to get out of the way. Instead, I slow right down and say 'coming by on your left (or right)'. I then slow down even more before passing until they've sorted out their left from their right .

[londonrach]

Sorry but they should be on path full stop!

[SwanneeKazoo]

Eh?

[Cereal0ffender]

I always dingding. Personally I hate some mamil roaring 'get out of my way'. Ding ding is more polite

[5madthings]

I always ring my bell and slow right down and say excuse me and thankyou but the amount of Times I get a mouthful of abuse for scaring them by ringing my bell...

[Nomama]

I usually say 'ding ding' - some bastard nicked my bell.

I do get sniggers, not abuse, so maybe it is better this way!

[ipanemame]

I have a large Dutch bell on my bike, but I ring a few times on approach so its not such a shock. I say thank you too. Cyclists are getting a bit of bad press these days.

[grocklebox]

I keep getting shouted at by pedestrians for either ringing my bell or not ringing my bell...when they are walking in the fucking CYCLE PATH! Much bigger path for themselves, they choose to walk in my bit and I'm in the wrong? Fuck that, I'm going to start mowing them down.

Doesn't matter what you do on a bike, they always think you are in the wrong.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Mmm, tricky. If they're on a shared use path, they need to remember that some people are deaf or hard of hearing and I think sometimes, you can forget that if you're used to people responding to a bell.

But I do think cyclists can't win with this one - some will prefer they don't ring, others that they do. I think as long as they are taking care they shouldn't be criticized either way.

[keepyourchinupdear]

I must have read your op wrong I must have a dirty mind

[JoeyMaynardsghost]

Shared pavement and cycle path here, clearly defined. You get cyclists treating it as if it's a 2-way cycle path only and who shout at pedestrians who are on the correct part plus you get pedestrians who wander all over the pedestrian and cycle path as if there's not a cycle path there and then get the arse when a cyclist appears.

I would rather hear the bell ring if I was in the way rather than be shouted at.

[JoeyMaynardsghost]

Plus you do get the pedestrians and cyclists who read the signs and get it right. :)

[Nomama]

I was thinking... I drove into town last week. There is a really wide pavement with a red cycle lane, bumpy white paint strip divides it from the pedestrian bit.

Well, the only cyclist in views rolled onto the red cycle path, popped over the grass verge and onto the road... where the car in front of me promptly clipped his handlebars as it maneovred round the traffic calming chicane.

Guess who the cyclist blamed?

Sometimes you just can't help but laugh at the idiocy of some people (no, he wasn't hurt, he just wobbled and swore a lot).

[Scholes34]

Yeah, you can't win. I had a pedestrian tell me my bell was rude and that I should say "excuse me" instead.

A big generalisation, but I think it's the Lycra-clad ones that are fast and rude, and the sit up and beg bike, polite ones that get it in the ear, because they're so much slower.

[prettybird]

It's amazing how many pedestrians don't realise that some pavements are "shared use". To be fair on them, often the signs are well above eye level and/or obscured with branches/other road signs .

I've stopped ringing my bell tbh. It no longer works and I for the following reason I've not yet replaced it as too many people start and jump into my path when I ring it.

I now just shout "excuse me please" if I'm coming up to people straddling the width of a shared use path or walking in the cycle lane half of an overpass and then say, "Thank you" as I'm passing.

[MrsWinnibago]

I don't have a bell. I shout "Coming up on your right!" and then say thank you.

[prettybird]

Actually "shout" is the wrong word. I slow down and will ask clearly once I am close enough

[Nomama]

We have loads of the lycra clads round here. They are usually quite polite, we have lots of races, lots of the 'journeys' and we only occasionally get the Critical Mass brigade.

They came through last year, really gunning for it, bunched up and travelling at speed.

A group of ladies tried to wave them down, shouted at them, flapped their hands at them... I couldn't quite make it out, but they definitely used some swear words back... as they swooped round the corner into a Race for Life finishing line

No runners got hurt, but plenty of lycra got scuffed and male pride was seriously dented.

But that is rare round here. The lycra'd lot really do like cycling round here, they are nice, polite and we get them with their kids, coming back for a picnic.

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

I ride a sit up and beg, and I ding at 50 yards, 25 and 10.

Occasionally they turn round, and I can see the Retort Churlish forming, but then they catch sight of my face.

[Cereal0ffender]

I hate the shouting

[TeWiSavesTheDay]

I can't hear people ringing or asking politely because I have hearing loss.

Therefore I'm more in the camp of Get Off The Fucking Footpath because it's bloody scary to have a bike suddenly appear. I don't think it's something many cyclists appreciate tbh.

Appreciate it is different on a shared path and I do my best to stick to pedestrian areas and keep aware.

[MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom]

Haha Swanee your method sounds great, unfortunately I'd be absolutely clueless as I can't tell my left from right. It'd still alert me to dive into a hedge