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Old 05-15-19, 08:18 PM
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Bryan C. 
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Originally Posted by Beobuck
An elderly friend and I recently were hiking a multi-use open-space trail and in less than two hours we were nearly run down three times by mountain bikers who had to skid to a stop to avoid hitting us. None warned us with a bell. Pedestrians report it’s a common problem. Cyclists need to mature from thinking bells are just for kids’ bikes. Modern bells are cheap, light weight, and many are kind of cool. I am a cyclist; all three of my bikes have bells. And even if you bike in remote areas, a bell is useful for alerting wildlife, such as bears.
What if the rider did call out and ring a bell? Maybe you were too focused on your friend and didn't notice faster moving traffic on the trail behind you?

As a cyclist you should know by now that a good many hikers and pedestrians are oblivious to what is going on around them. The more people in the group the worse it is for the cyclist as their attention is more focused on the conversation. Bells are only effective when the surroundings are quiet and calling out doesn't work if they aren't paying attention.

How about more personal accountability rather than blaming others. Look at how your actions contributed to the situation. Stop automatically blaming the well meaning cyclist who just wants to get by and be on their way.
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