randallr

+1
I find a bell works great with other cyclists because our speeds are somewhat similar so I'm closer when ringing than with a pedestrian

VegasJen

Actually, I have three. But honestly, I really couldn't afford two of them. Which is saying something given they're all about 15 years old. And I know I'm going to get shamed for this, but no, I do not leave one out. I don't have the volume cranked up either, but I do ride with both in.

As for my rides, I'm fairly quick but I still check my six every so often. And as a rule I try to stay as far left as I can. I don't know what it is, maybe people not paying attention, or maybe some are just d***s, but even on the highway where I have a 6 foot shoulder, I've had drivers "buzz" me.

urbanknight

It's probably just a hot button for me because I have had two crashes because people wore them and didn't hear me calling "ON YOUR LEFT!", but they were changing direction without looking as well (FWIW they were an inline skater and a runner). If you check diligently (as you say you do), it shouldn't be a problem.

VegasJen

Not as an excuse, because I know a lot of people will frown on it regardless, but I use mine as much for suppressing wind noise as actually listening to music. It's odd, but I have had tinnitus for years now and if I am exposed to wind noise for a long time it's almost like the nerves in my ear get overstimulated and all I hear is ringing for the rest of the day. So even if I didn't have ear buds in I would almost certainly have ear plugs.

urbanknight

Thanks. Reading that post made me more aware of my tinnitus. But yeah, I can see how earbuds or earplugs would cut down on wind noise.

gpburdell

Question of clarification...

Are you riding facing against traffic?

SpedFast

I'm going to assume he's in the UK. (Let's hope)

gpburdell

That had been my initial thought - UK or another LHD country - but someone else pointed out that OP's profile shows US as country of residence.

bruce19

This is the traditional phrase and the one I use if passing. Also, if I come up behind someone and intend to stay there for a bit, I say "I'm on your wheel.Is that OK?"

SoSmellyAir

After countless threads like this one, I think most BF members in the Road Cycling sub-forum are aware that this is the traditional phrase. But one of the reasons there are countless threads like this is because this traditional phrase is often misunderstood by pedestrians and beginner cyclists as an exhortation to swerve to their left.

urbanknight

I hate to say it, but in the club I ride with, the person who seems to get the best response is the one who has one of those brass bells on his handlebar. He rings it EVERY time we approach anyone who could possibly even be thinking of entering the roadway. Crystal clear sound, doesn't seem to startle people, and doesn't sound intimidating or entitled.

VegasJen

No. I ride with the flow of traffic. Once again, I show that I can't tell my left from my right. I stay as far RIGHT as I can, and pass on the left.

Joearch

On your left, give it a moment, thx…good morning…..off to the next one. I like to get a heads up when I am getting passed. I don’t enjoy when someone buzzes by me without any warning.

Chrisyang

Hey man, too slow,!

gpburdell

No worries, my dear wife has that same challenge.

VegasJen

Boot camp was a bear for me. Even today, I'll hold up my left hand and say, "left. No, right! No, left.

urbanknight

When I taught marching, I told them to hold their hands up and notice that the left one makes an L. Still had a handful of people who marched with the right foot first.

qwaalodge

From own experience, I get startled / confused the least by a bell.

If I hear from a bell, I know it's a bicycle or e-scooter / bike w/e and always assume they intend to pass and the vast majority of the time, they do. If I hear a whistle, I don't always assume that to be a cyclist. More often, I'd think it would be from a pedestrian, bystander, or even a motorist.

"on the left" sometimes sound like "hello" to me or just some riders don't speak clearly enough or maybe it's the wind, w/e. I don't always assume they are passing.

"hello" I don't always take as passing caution.

qwaalodge

I ride in a big city with bike lanes running alongside car lanes so there's always car traffic around. I never had problem with bell. Most of the time I sound the bell to pass, other riders move aside to let me pass so they obviously heard it. I doubt my hub is louder than the bell.

GhostRider62

In 40+ years, I have never had a problem with "on your left" on roads around here. Seems all other cyclists in my area get the meaning.

I have a bell on my recumbent. I use on pacelines of racers on training rides. It annoys them.

LarrySellerz

Whistling like they do in South America looks like it works super well

SpedFast

They're not annoyed by the bell so much as you passing them on a recumbent haha!

SoSmellyAir

The phrase "on your left" is generally not a problem on roads (including bike lanes, if any) around my area, but seems to be prone to misinterpretation on multi-use paths which are shared with pedestrians, children, and beginner cyclists.

KJ43

This is true. I still use "on your left" though but allow for it to sink in as there is no way I'm putting a bell on my bike. It wouldn't matter any way.

Someone that doesn't understand that "on your left" from behind is passing (like a car would) on your left side will not know what to do when a bell rings either. MUPs are a minefield in general and take some attention.

caloso

I find it helps to add the words "I'm going to pass," as in: "I'm going to pass on your left."