It depends a lot on the location. In Europe bicycle bells are recognized by most people and as such people only use them to warn them they're passing when they are close by.
It means "I cannot pass you, get the **** out of the way!"
It depends a lot on the location. In Europe bicycle bells are... treated differently by different people in different locations. Europe is a big place with a variety of countries and cultures.
For example, bike bells are pretty much ignored in Paris. That place is Chaos. Contrast to Germany - I don't think I ever really needed to use one there. In much of the US, the seem to be still kind of a novelty for pedestrians.