When cyclists ding you, does it kill a little bit of you inside?

[energywavering]

Because it does me!!

And I tell you what I could probably handle the ding if a "thank you" came along after you move for them..

It's basically saying "ding ding I have right of way over you so MOVE"

TPT rules

No of course not.

I both walk and cycle, and bells are necessary. I ding lightly even when there is plenty of room, so that they are not surprised, and also so that they don't accidentally step into my path.

I appreciate it as a walker too, and it's often easier for me to step slightly aside if it's not totally paved path etc than it is for the cyclist to go around.

I rarely read any sort of entitlement into it, only plain fact - they are faster, they need to get by, we need to negotiate a way to do so. The paths around here are shared use, and we both want to continue on our way at a comfortable speed.

I've had pedestrians being annoyed when I use the bell or when I don't. Some want me to creep slowly behind them for ages until there is an area where I can cycle to the side of the path to go around them, rather than them walking in single file. I'd hate to have a cyclist creeping slowly behind me! Others get annoyed if you go by them even with loads of room, without ringing a bell, as they are surprised.

Most people are totally fine and normal about it, and just move slightly to one side. Joggers often raise a hand to show they've heard you, if there's plenty of room to go past, to acknowledge the warning.

Oh goodie, yet another 'a cyclist's place is in the wrong' thread.

If they use their bell, they're being aggressive. If they don't, they're sneaking up on people.

On shared paths, from the cyclist's perspective, what they see up front is a pedestrian meandering along, weaving randomly, attention on their phone, keeping only a passing eye on the dog and/or small child they have with them.

The bell is there to alert other path users to the presence of someone who may otherwise not hear them approaching.

@RampantIvy

TPT rules

Loving the suggestion of a hooter!!!

Imagine the OP with that one!

Oh I'd far rather they ding their bell or shout a warnin than not. I hate it when I'm running and a bike flies past me without warning and without me hearing it coming. It's potentially a nasty accident waiting to happen if I stepped around a bramble or some dog poo at the wrong moment. Bikes are so light and quiet these days you don't always hear them coming.

I admit it would bug me on a pavement though - I'm talking about shared use cycle paths.

I prefer it to them whizzing by my elbow without warning. It's polite and helpful (as long as they aren't on the pavement when they shouldn't be).

I'd rather a cycle bell than diesel fumes !

I ding the pedestrians who step into the cycle lane without looking. Would you rather I just hit you? Usually a ding doesn't bloody work either.

Shared use path is fair game (I still find it a bit irritating but accept that that's irrational of me).
Pavement is definitely cheeky though TBF men cycling on the pavement who want me to get out of their way usually use words rather than bells.

Not a great idea for horses though.

Some people are so strange on here
When they don't ring their bell I have no idea they're behind me so of course they should ring the bell

@AeroMocha

No of course not.

I both walk and cycle, and bells are necessary. I ding lightly even when there is plenty of room, so that they are not surprised, and also so that they don't accidentally step into my path.

I appreciate it as a walker too, and it's often easier for me to step slightly aside if it's not totally paved path etc than it is for the cyclist to go around.

I rarely read any sort of entitlement into it, only plain fact - they are faster, they need to get by, we need to negotiate a way to do so. The paths around here are shared use, and we both want to continue on our way at a comfortable speed.

I've had pedestrians being annoyed when I use the bell or when I don't. Some want me to creep slowly behind them for ages until there is an area where I can cycle to the side of the path to go around them, rather than them walking in single file. I'd hate to have a cyclist creeping slowly behind me! Others get annoyed if you go by them even with loads of room, without ringing a bell, as they are surprised.

Most people are totally fine and normal about it, and just move slightly to one side. Joggers often raise a hand to show they've heard you, if there's plenty of room to go past, to acknowledge the warning.

I must admit I get mostly positive responses to my bell. I have a very old fashioned ding dong bell, my OH and I are very 'leisure' cyclists, we only go on paths, never on roads, very nervous and amble along at about 8ml an hour on a good day!

However you do get some arsey people, dont know what their issue is, I ding from quite a long way back.

I am in NZ and no-one seems to have a bell and it is really disconcerting when all of a sudden there is a bike behind you. Some of the riders shout to say they are approaching but how simple it would be if they had a bell.

We walk a local urban canal path regularly and it's amazing how many cyclists will spend thousands on a bike but not have a bell - bikes have to have one fitted when new but riders aren't legally obliged to keep them or use them.
And it is rather depressing that having been bullied off the roads a lot of cyclists will then bully pedestrians in a similar fashion. We get warned often enough and thanked, which is okay, but too many cyclists expect that pedestrian will get out of the way. God forbid they should slow, stop or change direction.

I teach the DC to use bell and voice, but their voices are generally too quiet as most people wear headphones. The bell sometimes cuts through. It’s just to avoid people meandering in front of us at the wrong moment and causing an accident, and sometimes as a polite way of asking people to get control of their dog or toddler so we can pass safely.

It makes me jump out of my skin but when I am cycling myself, I have been known to get off and wheel the bike past elderly pedestrians in shared spaces. I always say thanks when someone holds onto a dog etc so I can pass and I slow down too.

Yes it does op.

As a people pleaser I always think that they are angry at me for some reason! It’s the aggressive nature of the “ding ding”!

It’s my own psychology I think. I’m odd.

@RampantIvy

Not a great idea for horses though.

Of course it is, it alerts the rider to you being there and then they can indicate when its safe to come past

They aren't telling you to get out of the way, they are warning you they're getting close to you.

You'd be amazed how many people step blindly out into the road / suddenly veer onto the cycle path without looking behind them because they can't hear a car engine so they assume nothing's approaching.

Also dogs and horses can be very startled by a cyclist suddenly whizzing past from behind so ringing the bell gives them a heads up in advance.

Jeez!

Do you ever cycle OP? I think you should.

Often people look over their shoulder, see a cyclist approaching and start a weird panicked jumping sideways manoeuvre. Straight into your path. Dinging alerts people to your presence in advance so they hopefully don't do that.

@Laughingravy

We walk a local urban canal path regularly and it's amazing how many cyclists will spend thousands on a bike but not have a bell - bikes have to have one fitted when new but riders aren't legally obliged to keep them or use them. And it is rather depressing that having been bullied off the roads a lot of cyclists will then bully pedestrians in a similar fashion. We get warned often enough and thanked, which is okay, but too many cyclists expect that pedestrian will get out of the way. God forbid they should slow, stop or change direction.

You acknowledge that you are warned and thanked but call that bullying??

If Im walking and someone is running or walking faster than me, I move out of the way for them to overtake, whats the difference on a bike, you would really have a cyclist wobbling behind you at 3 miles an hour for your walk?

I think some are misunderstanding, it's not necessarily "get out of my way", it's often, "i'm coming past and don't want to surprise you or you to suddenly move into my path".

Perhaps you misinterpreting the 'ding' , it is designed to alert the other road/walking/cycle trail to the presence of others, thereby avoiding accidents. Rather have this than no ding as I've had many a cyclist whizz within inches of me with no warning, how I've not been flattened up to now is a miracle.
You need to reread your post and realise how silly and aggressive it sounds.

@bellac11 not if they do it quietly. I do go temporarily blind with rage when people beep their car horns though. I just want everyone to be quiet.

Would you rather people shouting “HELLO I’M TERRIBLY SORRY BUT I’M COMING UP BEHIND YOU ON A BIKE ON THIS NARROW SHARED USE PATH AND WOULD LIKE TO PASS WITHOUT SCARING YOU OR FLATTENING YOUR DOG, THANKS EVER SO”?