gringomojado

heaven forbid if one has to slow down!

indyfabz

*yawn* Lamest device of a

fredlord

Knowing when to ring and when not to ring is a subtle art. If you're on a super-crowded path as in the video posted earlier, then yes, I would also find the constant ringing annoying.

fredlord

You certainly seem determined to be unpleasant to me, and I can't figure out why, although I have my suspicions.

unterhausen

People hate bells.

The occasional person needs to use an airzound to make bells seem civilized in comparison.

I say "passing" which still gets dirty looks. People are so self-centered and entitled.

I used to just cough, but that might not be a great idea nowadays.

If someone doesn't like this subject, they can just scroll on by, but lets not start rhetorically biting each other's ankles please.

ofajen

Sounding a warning is required on all our city, county and state trails. It’s also polite and a good idea.

I always use the bell first at a non-startling distance but barely within typical earshot, unless my hands are both busy (when I will announce myself) or it’s already clear they know I’m about to overtake them.

I will then generally also say something about the manner in which I will pass by if they haven’t acknowledged the bell and also always if they look my age or older, as HF hearing loss means that many folks don’t easily detect the sound of a bell.

My advanced notice is almost invariably appreciated. YMMV.

Otto

Charliekeet

OK, fine, I’ll play (since you keep asking others what you’ve done that is rude).

Section A. You began this post with a rhetorical hypothetical, supposing that someone said that they will NOT use their bell. It sounds like you were having a heated discussion with someone, which is meant to lend you authoritativeness, but in fact you were not- it’s just a style to launch into a screed which nobody (other than you) had on their mind.

Section B. Now for your numbered “questions”:
1. Nobody assumes everyone is deaf due to headphones (and thus won’t bother to use a bell- nobody except YOU posited that).
2. See answer to #1 - your derisive attitude toward weight-conscious riders is out of nowhere expect your head
3. Ditto- if you are referring back to a conversation you were having elsewhere with a forum member, it might be good to explain that?
4. You suggest here that people are only concerned re: the common good if there is a law mandating this; again, nobody knows from where this cynical attitude springs except for you at this point.
5. Have you been scared or inconvenienced by callous lack of bell usage, or (again) are you a. trolling or b. letting out thoughts that have been preoccupying you?
6. “You just couldn’t be arsed” - I’ve always found this an amusing piece of British slang, but it’s odd to accuse [no one] of that in this case, because your invective is out of NOWHERE...
and THAT is why you are being accused of 1. aggressive rudeness and/or 2. trolling!

downhillmaster

Uhh, bells are for losers. Duh...

fredlord

That assertion cannot make any sense. Do you perhaps mean "I and some people I know hate bells"?

wolfchild

No pretending at all...I've been using a bell for the last 14 years and it has never failed me...The real problem is with cyclists who don't have enough common sense to figure out how to use a bell correctly because all they focused on is their strava time and speed.

MrWasabi

I have this one as I got tired of saying ding, ding, ding.

sdimattia

In my experience, it's easier and faster to alert people vocally. Ringing your bell only tells me you're behind me. I'd prefer to know where you are behind me or (on your left / on your right) or which side you want to pass on so I can get out of your way (or you out of my mine) and we can go about our days. Two objects simultaneously trying to avoid each other tend to collide much more frequently as it's easier to avoid something that isn't moving. If I have plenty of room to pass, I won't bother announcing it.

People who run red lights and ring their bells expecting me to get out of their way piss me off to no end (usually CitiBikers).

fredlord

Charlie

I came here for a civilized argument, not a discussion. It's never my intention to insult. I titled the thread the way I did because I'm addressing cyclists who never use their bell. I encounter these types of cyclists weekly, and I see the negative attitude towards cyclists that they often elicit from Joe Public. And on occasion they have adversely affected me or my riding buddies. I cannot see how that title could be regarded as an insult, but if anyone got offended, sorry!

If you look throughout this thread and other threads on BF you will see that some riders most definitely do assume that some peds have earbud-caused deafness.

I have seen too many examples of some cyclist's obsessions with weight and aero to not have included them as possible reasons for not ringing on approach. Examples also abound of cyclists nominating non-bell alternatives to signalling their presence.

"Couldn't be arsed" is a politer, friendlier version of cbf, at least, tht's how intended it! Do you not think there are cyclists who are too lazy to do the right thing? There must be, as cyclists are humans, and some humans just don't care. It was those people to whom I was addressing my questions.

fredlord

I agree, except having had to ride for a while without a bell eventually became too boring for me. On the paths I use, a bell gets the required response 80% of the time. The rest of the time, I have to use plan B.

phughes

So you are attacking the perceived issue from a moral superiority standpoint, and looking for an argument. Okay... That's civilized...

Reflector Guy

I use a bell at times when I feel it is wise to do so. Typically not more than a couple times per ride. Some rides not at all.

That may change as Spring turns into summer and more people are out.

I don't have a loud voice and I've found people don't hear me even if I shout.

fredlord

I think there are many instances where cyclists should use a bell, and don't. I'm trying to do two things: understand why they don't use a bell, and try to convince them to reconsider.

Yes, I guess I feel morally superior to those folks, but that seems like a strange way to look at it, to me. Do you think of yourself as "morally superior" to people who e.g. litter or mistreat animals? Or do you just wish they'd stop and try to reason with them?

I guess another option is to do nothing, lest someone label you arrogant, or a troll, or something.

79pmooney

I have 5 bikes with drop bars. Where do I put a bell? Near the stem means it is nowhere near where I keep my hands in iffy situations and I treat pedestrians as being slightly organized electrons. No way am I putting anything besides a proper brake lever out where my hands belong. And having climbing as a first love, the same goes for the taped area of the tops.

I find in general, a nice call-out (I only use "on your left" for those I believe are savvy cyclists) works nicely. I often get thanked.

So my approach leaves my handlebars clean, allows me to keep my hands where they belong, appears to work and is often considered courteous. Is there an issue here? (It's also light, clean, cheap and one (5) fewer thing(s) to have to deal with.)

livedarklions

3. I'd rather speak to a person than ring a stupid-sounding bell. I can actually tell them what I am going to do.

livedarklions

I say "passing on your left" about 10 feet back (depending on speed of pass). Never startled or confused anyone doing this. I've seen plenty of people who can't figure out which side the bell is coming from. Is "passing on your left" confusing jargon to you? Some remedial educational may be in order.

This is one of these stupid arguments that get stirred up on BF every so often. Don't close ninja pass, otherwise it makes little to no difference what noise you make to make your presence known.

fredlord

On my drop-bar bikes I put the bell on the left bar on the inside, just where it curves down. I can hit it with my thumb when in the hoods or in the drops from a different angle, or with my pinky when on the tops. It doesn't interfere with anything.

livedarklions

Fine, the way you strawmanned your op makes it into a post that asserts that anyone who doesn't do things your way is a jerk.

It's called trolling, you came in looking only for an obviously nonproductive argument.

fredlord

"Speaking to a person" will surely only work when you're crawling very slowly behind them. In my experience, that's a very small percentage of times.
As a musician, some bells sound better than others, but none sound stupid to me.

fredlord

I agree. It's just that on paths where I can achieve a fair speed yet still encounter plenty of people whom I have to pass, I'd rather use a bell than wear out my voice.

fredlord

I'm at a total loss as to how to answer this, except to refer you to post #69.