To think bicycles should have bells

[soggydigestive]

That is all. AIBU. I was nearly banged into by a family cycling on the pavement today and none had a bell. When did ringing a bell stop being a thing?

Some dick heads don't like bells.

The family probably shouldn't have been on the pavement though (although I think it's sometimes a guideline that should be broken). The HO say, "The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so."

I think cyclists are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

I enjoyed watching a couple of young lads who used air horns instead of bells when reminding people not to dangerously walk in a cycle lane.

I loved my air horn( and bell) when I lived in Glos and would cycle round the country lanes. But specially my air horn

I thought bells are a requirement of the Highway Code? And they shouldn't be cycling in the pavement!

Going to Google the bell thing.

No, I was wrong. They're not a requirement.

The family were massively inconsiderate though.

For everyone who gets cross at cyclists not using a bell, there’s another person who gets cross at cyclists FOR using their bell, because it made them jump, or it’s ‘rude’, or whatever...

I did have someone tell me once that it was rude to ring my bell and that I should be saying "excuse me" instead.

Family shouldn't have been on the pavement although if there was a grass verge between the pavement and the road they can consider it a cycle suitable path.

I'm a Cycle Training Assistant and Cycle Ride Leader. My instructor taught me the guidelines above.

They could have just used their voice to inform you that there were bikes approaching you. That would have achieved the same end.

So I think rude but not because they were cycling. Probably just rude.

^^ This. A cyclist's place is in the wrong.

I was commenting on Coffees post.

MeanTangerine

In NI but not GB.

SciFiFan

A pity you weren't taught very important information such as the ACPO stressing

"discretion in taking a reasonable and proportionate approach, with safety being a guiding principle"

or

"the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so."

Bicycles by law have to be sold with a bell. But there is no law preventing you from removing it after purchase, or requiring you to have a bell if riding it. It is illegal to ride a bicycle on the pavement.

You can't win - if I ding the bell people shout "ffs don't tell me to get out of the way" if i don't rind the bell they say "where's your bell"

Along the tow path loads of people have headphones on and don't hear anyway.

I agree with the poster above who says a cyclist's place is in the wrong.

Cyclist can ride on the pavement if they feel unsafe due to traffic. So god help us if the 'cycle elader' doesn't know that.
YANBU, the family were rude and could have sued their voices, however people always winge regardless.

Excuse me @whileStatement - I think you have misunderstood my post. I certainly don't want to misunderstand yours.

I was giving the OP some information about ONE instance when cyclists can cycle on pavements (something often misunderstood by non-cycling pedestrians).

Why add the other stuff? None of us know the situation exactly.

I was going to add the other stuff about being considerate and safe in my original post but I deleted it because, D'uh. Common sense.

Good grief. Your post was almost like mansplaining!

This is from the handbook for delivering Bikeability 2. Ok???? You'd better speak to Transport Scotland to let them know how wrong they are.

There's the contact details.

"Your post was almost like mansplaining!"

Nice wedging-in of casual sexism.

"You'd better speak to Transport Scotland to let them know how wrong they are."

Not wrong but over-simplified to the point of uselessness.

I'd totally ignore someone ding-a-ling-a-ling at me.

If they want me out of the way they can ask. If they want anything else they can ask. I can't be arsed to decipher the meanings of different bells.

YANBU

We have a walk into town which cyclists use (no problem).
Some of them use a bell. They ring it as they approach you, so you can glance round, see them, and move to one side / keep walking in a straight line.

Some of them don't use a bell. So you don't hear them coming up behind you until they are about 1m away. At which point you jump and are more likely to accidentally move into their path. Or you have a child who doesn't walk well in straight lines or who might see a nice cat on the other side and veer off.

Warning someone of your approach is not rude. it is polite. I despair of the people who think it is rude.

(What may be rude is expecting people to get out of your way. But that is NOT the same as ringing a warning bell.)

(And don't get me started on people who knock on our front door rather than trying the bell. We can hear the bell anywhere in the house, a knock not so much.)

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Isabelle
Isabelle who?
Isabelle necessary on a bicycle?

Sorry couldn't resist.

I'd totally ignore someone ding-a-ling-a-ling at me. If they want me out of the way they can ask. If they want anything else they can ask. I can't be arsed to decipher the meanings of different bells.

That's fine. They aren't necessarily asking you to do anything. They are warning you of their presence so you aren't suddenly taken by surprise.

I was going to create a new term mnsplaining as I had a feeling you'd make the comment about sexism! Just won a bet with myself. (If only it made me money).

I'm going to follow my training and teach Bikeability 2 the way I've been taught to. My main aim to to keep children safer on the road as well as teach them how to share space. PM me your contact details @whileStatement and I'll make sure to pass your comments on. Or please do yourself.

Nice of you to be so condescending to others.

I sometimes use a mixed use path near me when walking my dog - dog always on the lead and kept close. I have no objection to people ringing their bell to let met know they're behind me, far rather that than they expect me to have eyes in the back of my head. However, the man who once yelled 'coming through' at me in a very loud, slightly aggressive way, I didn't appreciate.

People ringing bells at me when I'm walking on the pavement does annoy me though, 'excuse me', is perfectly acceptable.

When on the pavement I don't expect to have to get out of the way of people on bikes. If they don't want to ride on the road then they have to accept that they can't whiz along at speed on a pavement intended for the use of pedestrians.

Yes, they should have bells or some kind of warning of their presence. I think it's ridiculous that it's not a legal requirement.

@Jannilost please see the image I've uploaded from the Instructor Booklet for delivery Bikeability 2. I've also uploaded the contact details so that you can get in touch with them about it.

Cyclists and pedestrians share the walkways at our local country park. Despite noticed asking cyclists to be considerate many of them hurtle round at breakneck speed. Not being able to hear the approach of a cyclist I am often in danger of blocking their path. I love it when they use a bell, shout out, or alerts me to their approach.
In Berlin anyone who wanders into a cycle path is rewarded with a loud klaxon, and sometimes a shout as well.