Originally Posted by
DropBarFan
I use Crane bike bells & ring with enough time for folks to hear & comprehend. On the local MUP a lot of bikers announce pass 1/2 second before doing so which is irritating. IMO a good bike bell is more polite than yelling.
My bells are from the 1970's and the ring is pleasant and not obtrusive at all as some bells/horns can be. Ring and announce with a pleasant, "passing on your left or right" is generally acknowledged with a move over and a wave and/or smile.
Originally Posted by
Teamprovicycle
every year same topics , when to car drivers announce they are passing exactly , when you do call out people panic and end up right in your way , happens to me a bunch of times i just stay quiet now !!!
Comparison with cars = not the same.
Maybe 1 out of 10 people walking JUMP and exhibit fright as I ring and announce.
Originally Posted by
livedarklions
I actually have the opposite opinion, and obviously we won't be able to "prove" which is correct: I find the impersonal, inarticulate bell sound obnoxious, and respond to it instinctively like I'm being honked at-i.e, with annoyance. I think I am able to convey more information and do so politely with my voice, plus I can add polite terms such as please, thank you,, and good morning. On the occasions when they misunderstand and start scrambling over to the right further than they need to, I often follow up with a "I have plenty of room" so they relax. You're right that timing is important, but that's true with bells as well.
I know you probably don't believe this, but I get thanked for announcing by at least one person almost every time I use a MUP.
Like I said above, I have seen plenty of times where people who use bells have to actually yell to get people to move, I have never seen someone who told people what they're doing have to resort to a bell. And nothing works against noise-cancelling headphones, so don't even go there!
For myself I feel ringing AND announcing my intentions to be
simple common courtesy that I would expect in return.
NO OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD horn or bell or voice
demanding their moving out of my way.
I still believe the audible --- "ON YOUR LEFT or PASSING" ---- do not accurately convey clearly enough information of the action to be taken.
On a local trail I ring my bell as I approach every blind turn since the path is used by many dog walkers. Most often the owner heels the dog and thanks me for the ringing. People walking generally wave and smile as they move over.