CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Bell Etiquette

(19 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by 559
  • Latest reply from ruggtomcat
  • poll: When to bell ring? on a cycle path
    Every time you approach pedestrian : (2 votes)
    17 %
    Only when path blocked by pedestrian : (6 votes)
    50 %
    Only when pedestrians acting in unpredictable manner : (4 votes)
    33 %
    In a church : (0 votes)

    12 votes


  1. 559
    Member

    Had a intersting encounter tonight on the way home... started with a bell. Unfortunately not a song.

    Iam cycling through the closed section of Russell Road behind a pedestrian, cyclist behind me.
    The pedestrian stops, I start to pass, cyclist behind me starts ringing their bell 4 or 5 times. This concerned me in two aspects, firstly the pedestrian may react to the bell and move in my way, secondly was something wrong with my bike, lights or something.

    Consequently I stopped and challenged him on the number of rings, once he had taken out his earphones, tried to explain my point, which was ignored/dismissed as in his opinion I had a bad day.

    For my part I apologise for the tone of our subsequent discussion.

    My main point of this tale, is that a bell ring should only be used for blockages or potentially hazardous move by a pedestrian, and should only be one or two rings.

    Iam I right in this approach?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. LivM
    Member

    I ting if there's a pedestrian with an unleaded dog, a group of pedestrians who look as if they could be a bit random, or if the person I'm overtaking looks a bit wobbly/likely to be spooked by me passing them. I quite often feel that tinging someone who is looking predictable, not in my way at all, and I won't be passing within arm's length of them, is more likely to make them startle and be random than if I just gave them a wide berth.
    Mind you I've been "spoken at" for tinging, and "spoken at" for not tinging. Can't win. (Sigh).

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. Nelly
    Member

    I used to use one when I went canal to gyle, but took it off when I started using the road - some peds think bells are a bit cheeky - i.e. a 'out the way' ring, rather than a 'watch your back' ring.

    As to number of rings, when I used one, I rang it once, twice, whatever it took to get people to nod, wave hand or turn to acknowledge - if they didnt, I would be fairly inclined to keep ringing it - you never know, the ped might be hard of hearing ?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. 559
    Member

    LivD agree with your post, totally.
    I think in the instance I described, it was the number of tings and where the other cyclist was i.e. at the rear of our little convoy that was perturbing.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. 559
    Member

    Nelly, hard of hearing or wearing earphones?
    If they don't hear after one ring my perception would be that they are not going to hear.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. Claggy Cog
    Member

    I ring my bell when approaching the bridges on the canal to alert others to my approach. I also ring from a distance away giving pedestrians an opportunity to move or even turn around to look where I am. I always slow down when approaching dogs off leads as they are completely unpredictable. I acknowledge other path/road users, and I always thank them for moving or holding their dogs whilst I pass, always...and in a number of years can only remember one really surly response.

    I have a problem usually with other cyclists who come up from behind and seem to expect me to know they are there and would prefer them to bell me, rather than squeeze past and they are usually going too fast for the path in any case and annoy pedestrians as well as me. I have also encountered some very aggressive and rude cyclists coming the other way who are going way too fast for the path and are not really able to take into account what random moves pedestrians/dogs are going to make and seem to expect that I will take the necessary evasive action to avoid them running into me, the cyclist that is not the other path users.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. 559
    Member

    Liz, only used canal path once or twice, not my favourite route, think too narrow for everyone. But can see your logic re bells at bridges etc.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. Claggy Cog
    Member

    @559 the cyclist in question that prompted this post from you was out of order...in my opinion, just rude and aggressive and he was the one having the bad day. The route through the fences etc at Russell Road do not allow for more than one person at a time, so where did they expect you or the pedestrian to go, you can't really move to allow someone else to pass until you are opposite the RM depot. Eejit. I do try to avoid the canal towpath but do use other paths on the network a lot, and this is where I encounter the aggressive, pushy cyclists too. Ring or say passing to your right or something...speak to me, I do not have eyes on the back of my head.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. kaputnik
    Moderator

    My new bell rings whenever I hit a bump or go over a bumpy surface... But it is a pleasing, soothing chime, not a OUT MY WAY sort of a command

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. SRD
    Moderator

    This morning cyclist in front of me - going along shared use path from Bruntsfield links to MMW, twice swerved dangerously and unexpectedly in front of me. Older guy on a singlespeed. Wish I had tinged him. Nearly rear-ended him twice. He didn't look around at all!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. 559
    Member

    Liz, felt disappointed in my reaction to the situation. Wasn't convinced I was in the right, hence the post to try and see what others on here thought.

    re communicating with other cyclists, when first started using Roseburn path about 3 years ago used to say "morning" to other cyclists. hardly any positive response, or indeed any response. Found it deeply disappointing.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. Nelly
    Member

    "Older guy on a singlespeed"

    Could be describing me.......although not on bike today !

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. Uberuce
    Member

    I slow down to walking speed until they notice I'm there.

    This is not a problem with the winter studs since even after bedding in they make plenty of noise.
    With the hubgeared roadster it's fine too since the freewheel has finally started making a healthy click, after being correctly advised I needed a very light oil for an old Sturmey with a stickiness problem.
    On the racer it can take a while since it's pretty quiet, but since I only go on shared-use paths when I'm not in a hurry, it's not a problem.

    If it gets ridiculous in any of the above situations, or if I think a cyclist with a different view on route vs hurry is approaching, I use the larynx bell.

    Only time I use the metal bell is on the Union towpath bridges, and I'll ding the hell out of it then.

    In other words: I don't like using the bell at all, so agree with you taking that fella to task.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. Min
    Member

    "I slow down to walking speed until they notice I'm there. "

    Do you get any aggro over this? I normally only do this if I am giving way to them to let them through a chicane or something but if they turn round and see me they normally just look angry as if what I really should have done was barge through in front of them. (can't win)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. Min
    Member

    Otherwise I pretty mch agreewith Liz. Ring or two at a polite distance and a thank you when passing.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. Claggy Cog
    Member

    @559 I would think car driver...how annoyed would someone be if they had someone up their rear honking their horn when there is clearly nowhere for them to go, this sort of behaviour would elicit road rage in many drivers. Excessive ringing of the bell under the circumstances you describe constitutes rudeness, lack of patience and manners.

    I don't expect any sort of bonhomie from other cyclists any longer but do get hello's, acknowlegements, etc from walkers, dog owners and runners on the paths.

    Like drivers and basically just other oomans generally, some are pleasant, considerate, friendly, and kind and others simply are not.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. Its_Me_Knees
    Member

    Basically, I'm with LivD, and I try to execute a gentle 'ting' rather than an aggressive 'brrrring'. However, you really can't win: I've had thanks expressed for ringing and been berated for ringing and for not ringing (and for just being on the path anyway)...

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. Uberuce
    Member

    @Min Not so far. The racer's so lovely and near-silent that I fear they're too busy being very slightly alarmed that a furball on a Duracell's just sneaked on on them, so I've taken to hanging back a bit more than physically necessary.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. ruggtomcat
    Member

    If its just a lone ped then I give one ting, just one, a 10/15 seconds before I reach them, with time enough to effect a second if they don't look like they heard the first one. If they are aware of me already I never ting and if there is a big group blocking the path and chatting to each other I ring like hell!

    One time on the innocent I was behind a very large lady who didn't hear my repeated bell or the shouts of her children and eventually I had to give her a blast of the airzound, the one and only time I've used it on a ped.

    Sometimes with older walkers they don't hear the bell anyway and I apologize if I startle them. I always thank dog walkers who control their dogs as I go by, just as I always wave to drivers who wait till its safe to overtake, its good for the blood pressure :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

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