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...

Serious question here. Isn't it the case that the most vulnerable road user has priority? That being the case, shouldn't the cyclist give way to the pedestrian? And that being the case, ringing the bell isn't to say "please get out of the way" but so that you don't make the pedestrian jump when you pass them, or so that the pedestrian doesn't suddenly decide to change direction? It's a bit of a double edged sword thing really isn't it? If you're deep in thought as a pedestrian and suddenly hear a bell it could have the opposite effect to what is intended.

And if the path is narrow, the cyclist should be prepared to dismount to pass if necessary (if they should be riding on the path at all in the first place), right?

I do think that because of some irresponsible cyclists, pedestrians tar all cyclists with the same brush, hence the reaction whatever you do, bell or speak. And some people are just plain rude.

OP I think YANBU, but I think also that there should be a way to sort out the 'bad' cyclists so that not every one is viewed as The Enemy.

Bikes have to come with a bell and certain reflectors.

I obey the 'be nice, ping twice' rule on towpaths and shared use paths. Some peopl give me dirty looks because they assume I'm shooing them ou of the way, bu at least they know I'm there.

I always ding my bell, but lots of walkers have earbuds in and don't hear you, and neither do they have a clue where their dog is - it is invariably off the lead and out of sight. I have been skittled twice by large dogs bounding in from the banks / hedges when their owner is nowhere to be seen. It's a cycle path, and part of the National Cycle Network, so hardly a bloody surprise that there will be cyclists about.

Quite, ChineseFireball. There are no threads from cyclists complaining that car drivers don't honk at them, expecting them to get off the road! The driver should stay behind the cyclist until they have space to pass. I am genuinely surprised at the OP and the number of others who want to be dinged at.

I'm teaching my DC to stay behind the pedestrian until there is space to pass. I'm not going to start telling them to ding at people, I still think it's rude. Being small children they don't tend to go anywhere silently, so I don't think we've ever crept up on anyone!

If talking about a shared path, where it's usually indicated which side each should be on, why wouldn't you just ring a bell so that a pedestrian can step to their side?

Or it's an inducation that you are there, so keep to the side!

Why would you need to teach a child to wait for room to pass?
I mean why would they be riding behind a pedestrian?

Fair point diddl if there is a cycle lane and a pedestrian lane and the pedestrian is in the cycle path, but we ride on a normal path through a housing estate or park, without separate lanes.

Is that allowed?

Are kids allowed on the pavement until a certain age?

Or is that a myth?

There's a difference between pavement (next to road) and pathways. Technically no one is allowed to cycle on pavements but children under 10 can't be prosecuted and a blind eye is generally turned even with older kids. Anyone can cycle on off-road paths legally, apart from designated footpaths which generally have the yellow arrow marking. We try to choose paths over pavements where possible.

Cycling on paths in a park is legal for everyone generally!

Hadn't noticed that you had put path, sorry.

diddl - it's to do with the wheel size, I think. Once a child has progressed to a bike with a certain wheel size, they have to start using the road, regardless of the age of the child. Not sure what the size is though.

That's interesting!

I'm in Germany where we have cycle paths galore and you can ring a bell without offending anyone!

It's taken as meaning "I'm here", not "get out of my fucking way!"

The german way sounds much better! It certainly seems unnecessarily complicated here. I've been googling lately since my 5 year old mastered his bike, and i've decided it is really hard for us all to cycle to school legally! But primary age children cycling to school is a normal fact of life so we are just getting on with it. I haven't come across the wheel size thing though.

My poor ds2 (profoundly deaf) fell backwards into a shop a few years ago because a child came out of nowhere on the pavement as he stepped out of the shop! He did look before- hand too! He was so upset. The mother was a long way behind the child which didnt help matters either!

I'm in the 'you can't win' camp. I've been shouted at for ringing a bell, and not ringing a bell - by people walking down the middle of the road (not pavement nor cycle path) - even though I have been no-where near them, slowed to a crawl, and went past with miles to spare.

I don't mind cyclists ringing bells to alert me to their presence.

One little brat in my estate does it, but it's purely out of bad manners, quiet estate, wide path, plenty of room to pass. I think some day he will find someone who will tell him to stick the bell where the sun doesn't shine.

I cycle in London and use my bell but I also expect pedestrians to use their eyes. No amount to bell ringing will make a difference if a pedestrian has headphones on or is looking at its mobile! It is about being responsible, all of us.

Well it is just a way of life here.

And I am in a small town where even I feel safe on a lot of the roads.

It is very "why take the car if you can bike"?

So from the replies we can tell that everyone feels differently about being 'dinged' at by a bell, or shouted at - my only advice would be to chill out and be aware of your surroundings.

If I am on the cycle path and I have my bell, I slow down, ding and carry on. Otherwise I am on a road, and any pedestrian who walks out in front of me without looking gets a 'ding' and a dirty look.

Oh and I don't cycle on pavements, or go through red lights so can everyone stop generalising please.

Pedestrians pretty seldom look before stepping into the road in town IME, they tend to assume that because they can't hear a car, they can just step into the road without looking. It's quite tempting to buzz them.

We have a problem in a local park (which is itself part of the Sustrans Cycle network). Despite the fact that there are signposts within in it which indicated "cycling times" to various place, ds regularly gets pulled up by pedestrians and told he shouldn't cycle on the paths.

It is also where one of the local cycling clubs holds a youth cycling race once a month over the summer in the evening. This is a formal, paid-for "let", signed off by the council and c.1km of the paths are closed in order to create the circuit. There are still plenty of other paths and it is possible to walk around the outside of course easily (albeit on the grass). The "closures" are cleary marked with high viz tape and there are marshalls at every junction. We still, almost every race, get dog walkers determined to walk on or across the route and let their dogs run free "because they always walk there" and "they pay their council taxes" ( and we don't?). With upwards of 30 kids in close formation going at c.25mph, a dog running in front of them could cause carnage (and yes, the kids are warned at the start of the race that it is a public park and to be aware that such things could happen).

One of the parents, who is a motor cycle police officer based close by, has taken to, if he is on duty, to stopping by to watch his son see if there are any problems. Funnily enough, they're not quite so vociferous about their "rights" if he is around!

Love cyclists with bells

The local main path is a well used cyclist/dog walking route through woods, and the massive majority of cyclists are great about signalling they're coming in plenty of time for me to check the dog isn't in their way. There are a very few who just whoosh past silently, and bikes are so quiet now that unless I'm constantly checking behind me they just appear out of nowhere, I jump, the dog jumps and barks and panics, and said cyclist casts filthy look.

You're welcome to shout, ring a bell, sound a horn or sing the Campbells Are Coming, I'll love you for letting me know you're there! And will be very glad to move self and dog for you.

Should have made it clear that it is only some dog walkers who cause problems . Others are lovely - last time, one helped me carry ds' gear i remember the first time we went when we just arrived on our bikes up to where he was warming up and was asking about what was going on and said it was lovely to see youngsters (ranging in age from 6-16) out being active.

Pretty our local track is also Sustrans and I am tired of bloody dog walkers TUTTING at me when I ride my DC to school! I think they assume that all country tracks belong to feet alone.

I see a lot of cyclists on my dog walks.

The majority don't slow down or ring their bell or say thank you when you've called your dog back.

Rude and entitled.

CatsBollocks are you on a shared path? I always say thank you AND warn pedestrians. to be honest I think shared paths are just a bad idea all round.