[Closed] 'Why didn't you ring your bell' said the grumpy old lady...

Because she's old, and can't hear high frequencies any more. Especially from a distance?

i went nuclear -

got fed up of headphones and extendo leads on the shared path

so they get 2 dings of the bell and if they ignore that

then the hornit gets on it ... 120 Db - no ones ignored it yet. most folk tend to jump out their skin

Because she's old, and can't hear high frequencies any more. Especially from a distance?

^

Jam booooo!

I live in Monifieth in Scotland.

I regularly use the cycle path network (sometimes with Jr in his Wee-ride)

It is scary how many folk ignore the bell & I don't tend to hang about, so wizz past regardless, usually with some abuse my way past for going too fast.....

Dogs not on leads is for another thread - winds me right up!

Happy Riding none the less 🙂

Because she's old, and can't hear high frequencies any more. Especially from a distance?

Which is why i don't bother and just say excuse me.

She wasn't that old, she'd almost certainly seen me but she was particularly grumpy.

To be fair it tends to be the 4khz range that goes first with presbecusis (4khz frequency of human speech, hence why old folk can have difficulty with voices and background noise) so a higher frequency bell should still be readily discrete enough to be detected. Some old giffers aee just grumpy. I find screaming at thw top of my voice or singing the go compare tune in a maniacal falsetto works wonders for clearing the trail of random old fuddy duddies

Dogs not on leads is for another thread - winds me right up!

dogs on leads are worse, if they are extendable, owner one side of the path, dog the other, when they finally spot you human and animal invariably swap sides 🙄

I always thought Jam bo was one of the good guys. I just don't know what to believe now....well, apart from it's getting dusty in here 😥

Refitted a bell about a month ago as the fireroad sections on our local patch have been full of families during the school hols. Just seemed good , safe manners.

Worst thing I find with dogs and owners is that you can weigh up where the dog is and choose a line, then, as you get beyond the point of hard braking with a successful outcome, the owner calls the otherwise safe and unconcerned dog and the poor bloody thing narrowly misses getting hit, owner gets irate, I get hacked off and start pedalling again.

I always thought Jam bo was one of the good guys. I just don't know what to believe now....well, apart from it's getting dusty in here

I've met him, he's a ****.

She wasn't that old, she'd almost certainly seen me but she was particularly grumpy.

Those extanda-leads annoy me too.

As did the stupid woman that jumped out in front of me insisting I slow down so she could call back her dog that was running about on the bike path thru the forest in nature reserve with a keep dogs on a lead / under control sign. (I had already slowed, could see the dog, and more than capable of deciding where to go).

And then the noddy that told me I should have rung the bell... as he's pulling ipod earphones out of his ears, FFS. Bike bells should have a remote feature that kills the music on ipods and tells them to get out of the flippin' way if walking/jogging on a signed bike path.

Oh and Hope Hoops are working better than a bell.

Perhaps she wanted you to ring her bell ??

Out for a gentle pootle back in June on the deeside way, a young couple engrossed in conversation walking along going my way, I call out a cheery hello as usual, and then repeat it (I don't do quiet), the lad looks round with a start and calls out a name, by this time i'm almost upon them. A large hairy thing lands on me, I land on the young lady as I am still clipped in. The lad looks confused and all I can profer is "lovely day". Large dogs hiding in bushes, good or bad?

Owner one side of the bridleway picking blackberries in the hedge. Dog the other side, exploring interesting smells at the bottom of the other hedge. It's only when you get really close that owner starts winding in about twenty feet of black nylon fishing line...

Here you go. Some 'supporting evidence'. [url= http://www.marinbike.org/Resources/STPBikeBell.shtml ]sorry mate, I didn't hear you![/url]

and I'll try and measure the frequency of my bell tomorrow at work, but,
[img] [/img]

edit, that graph's a bit confusingly labelled, I guess the 0 line is 40 yrs +0, then 40 yrs +10, +20 etc.

sparks thats oh such a familiar tail regarding deeside way - usually on my way home from work. tends to be empty at 6am 😀

That's noise induced hearing loss though. That's different to degradation with age innit.

I have found a front mounted Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster is more effective than a bell.

[img][URL= http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/colournoise/nerf-vulcan-blaster-0508-de_zps28ebd852.jp g" target="_blank">http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p655/colournoise/nerf-vulcan-blaster-0508-de_zps28ebd852.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL][/img]

So basically you need a speaker that produces this.

Which I reckon would be hard to ignore 🙂

I'm waiting for someone to make a bell that reproduces the '[url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_note ]brown note'[/url]. As nothing makes people take note than shitting themselves.

On yeah. Surely all the old dears worked in Iron Foundries and Spitfire factories in the war?

Sparksmcguff and trail rat. Wave if you see me commuting, (Silver Genesis Day One with mudguards and drop handlebars).

I have found a front mounted Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster is more effective than a bell.

That is definitely going on my Christmas wish list.

I'm waiting for someone to make a bell that reproduces the 'brown note'. As nothing makes people take note than shitting themselves.

While hilarious I would not look forward to washing that off my legs after the ride.

I think you may have just met my mummy! 😀

Ickle cow bell works a treat.

While hilarious I would not look forward to washing that off my legs after the ride.

You can't have a war without collateral damage, soldier.

anyone know an electronics expert who can modify the hornet to output in the ultrasonic range - [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_whistle ][/url]

Same problem here in the US. Some walking 3 or 4 side-by-side like they're the only people in the world that use the trail. Headphones - sure. Dogs on lead - yep. Wandering back and forth across the trail - why not? 🙄

I generally mirror the attitude of the other trail users. If they're courteous, acknowledge the bell or whatever, I slow and say hello or similar. If they're in their own self centered little world, then I assume that its fine if I do the same and don't slow or do anything else to interrupt my ride. 😈

I do an 'excuse me please, cyclist to your right' from about 20 ft in a loud and cheery manner.

Doesn't always work and some seem not to know left from right.

Only time recently I haven't done it was when a family were cycling towards me with walkers going away. I just slowed to a suitable speed to allow them both to pass each other - as they could see each other. Then I'd negotiate the walkers.

Inexplicably the cyclists slowed down to a virtual standstill so I had no way between them and the walkers. I didn't particularly feel the need to thank them for anything and received a tirade of abuse from the father.

a pleasant 40miles or so today and almost all on mixed use cycle paths almost without incident - the only totally unpredicted behaviour was a proper roadie unexpectedly using the entrance to a car park to pull of the road look out at the view and have a drink of water whilst sat across and at right angles to the off highway path - I dropped off the kerb behind him I can only assume my lack of team kit made me invisible

a helmetcam and a few cyclinggaz style questions would have been handy

The dog thing got me last night as well. Riding home along the canal towpath, not blatting along at all, just a nice steady ride. Every one of the dog walkers would invariably stand on the opposite side of the path to their dog. The up-until-then unconcerned dog would then stop, look at the owner and decide to join it (or, worse, the owner would call it over) and the stupid mutt would then run right in front of me.

Now I like dogs but I'm sensible enough to give it a clear order and to be on the same side of the path.

Same with walkers, you get a couple walking along and rather than both move to one side, they dither - one goes one way, one the other way to stand on opposite sides. Then you get the case where the wife suddenly decides to join her husband just as husband has exactly the same thought and tries to join his wife - result is that they move straight back into the path! 🙄

Just ****ing stand still! Stop, stand still, wait for me to pass, carry on. Really not rocket science.

It's quite funny when they both turn and walk into each other

you have a mouth, use it.

cheaper than a bell. adjustable volume to!

you have a mouth, use it.

cheaper than a bell. adjustable volume to!

^This.

Plus it's all well and good moaning about everyone else being a set of twunts and having no consideration, but IME cyclists/MTBers are the worst culprits of the lot for behaving like they own the trail. 99% are miserable bastards and have zero consideration for anyone except themselves.

People in glass houses and all that... 👿

Had an incident a while ago going down the steep-ish descent from Leith Hill tower towards summer lightning. As I got into the woods, about halfway down the hill, a large group of people were spread across the whole width of the trail, which is pretty wide around there. I moved to the very edge of the trail, they didn't budge. Only when I got close did they jump out of the way and give me abuse.

They had seen me coming from some distance away and had plenty of time to react, yet didn't bother. Only when forced into moving did they actually do something and then felt the need to shout at me.

No bell or anything else would have changed the situation. They just never saw it necessary to move from the position they were in. I always make a point of being courteous to walkers and doing everything I can to give them sufficient warning, but that just went to prove that some people just don't give a toss.

People in glass houses and all that...

Walkers with dogs wandering off the trail hidden in long grass, Grrr, you can see me coming, you know where your dog is, why do you stand at the opposite side of the trail to where you dog is, make no attempt to warn me there is a dog off the lead, wait for me to ride between you then get all uppity if your dog steps out infront of me?

<edit>

I moved to the very edge of the trail, they didn't budge.

I always slow down and say Good Morning or Good Afternoon. A few years ago I was with a group ride on Holmbury on a big wide bridleway, approaching a large extended family group from the rear. Said a cheery 'Hello! Lovely day!' (It was, and in December, too) and got a grump from the grandmother of the group about my lack of bell. I replied I'd much rather slow down and say hello. At which point the parents waded in and told the gran to 'stop being such a miserable bugger.'

Second one - riding along some canal path somewhere with a couple of others. We saw a group of Proper Hikers approaching (Red Socks, walking poles, the lot) and pulled in to let them past. One of them started shouting 'No Bell! No Bell!' at us. Response 'And a very Happy Christmas to you too - although it is June.'

The long and short of it is that I can definitely see a use for bells - I use the one on my Brompton daily - but offroad, I'd much rather use my voice and give a cheery greeting than announce my presence with a sound - it's a bit like beeping your horn at someone in front of you who is driving slowly. Comes across as a little pushy. And of course, if it does become a legal requirement (something the RA pushed for a while back, and possibly still do) it will kick off an arms race of 'who has the loudest bell / air horn / electronic klaxon. Which will probably really pee off the same people who've been demanding it.

If you have enough momentum, you can get dogs the size of German Shepherds to bounce off your front wheel... ahem.

It's hilarious when ipod-wearing walkers see you loom alongside them from behind - I've had proper loud screams from some!

Pardon

met a grumpy runner last night by a canal bridge, runners rarely look happy about anything...

I passed a woman walking with headphones last year while out for a wee ride. Slowed down, a cheery hello but nada - headphones in and not a care in the world. I rode past her at a considerate speed with plenty of space, she does that involuntary eek! thing of the easily spooked and her Weimaran dog decides it's cyclist chasing time. Not fancying my chances of out sprinting the dog, I still booted it and as the dog came in to bite my left leg, I managed to unclip and stamp down hard on it's nose causing it to abandon any thoughts of taking a chunk out of me. Chalk one up for carbon soled disco slippers with toe studs 😆 It must have really hurt the dog. I felt bad for it and I didn't take any pleasure from it but as the owner didn't have it under close control, I had no other choice.

She will probably now complain about the cyclist who booted her dog! 😕

Still, nothing beats the woman in the Lakes who asked me why I didn't ring my bell as her husband was deaf............Given that her husband was at home and DEAF, I could have had Big Ben mounted on my bars and it would make no difference!

Common sense? There's nothing common about it! 😀

It's the old ladeez that are the worst. as a few mentioned above.

I've been pootling along a long, relatively gentle downhill on the SDW. straight for a good few hundred metres, and and old lady in her 70's say and her dog walking towards me see me coming from I guess 100m or so off (gravel noises.hope freehub, bright clothing) pulls herself and dog to the side of the track, watching me all the time.
I get to within 5m and she tells me off for not using my bell.

🙄

Has anyone considered mounting a battery door bell on their bike?

I should think that would make a few walkers pay attention in a "WTF a door bell!" kind of way. 😀

Bing Bong Ding Dong... Ding Dong Bing Bong.

I just tend to call out.

One of our group had a bad run with walkers. The first had a real go at him for not having/using a bell despite he fact they were walking toward us. This led to him fitting one however, it was used a few weeks later & the old boy jumped out of his skin, proceeded to block he trail then struck and broke the bell with his walking stick declaring said rider "a damn hooligan"!

Literally the following weekend a group that were blocking the trail had a go for not using his bell. The explanation left even them speechless.

It is scary how many folk ignore the bell & I don't tend to hang about, so wizz past regardless, usually with some abuse my way past for going too fast.....

Have you thought that the walkers might have a point?

If you want to go fast, use the road.

If they ignore my bell, I have routine inspired by Miggs from Silence of the Lambs which usually alerts them to my presence..

Bregante, that little Beauty is currently £33 in Argos.

Now, my question is 'how many can I fit in my house?'

usually give a friendly passing right/left from about 20 yards away, i feel its a bit friendlier than a bell, unfortunately most of the locals can't tell left from right, and tend to step to the side I'm passing. always slow down when passing dogs as i'e no idea how they will react, so better safe than sorry.

When coming towards someone from the front. I slow to a moderate pace and say hi, or thanks if they also make an effort for a smooth transition. When approaching from behind I call, "right behind you." From about 15-20 meters. If no response, I call again when closer. Usually people move aside. I find saying left or right only confuses. If dogs are present I just use judgement and pass accordingly. However, I rarely thank dog owners because... Well, frankly I can't stand them.
Stuff that in yer pipe and smoke it. That's the beauty of freedom I can dislike you for apparently irrational and unreasonable prejudice.

*sigh*

That's my soul when I see a Terrier sans lead on the canal path. I'll just stop & die now shall I?

*sigh*

Edit: "*freeehuuuuuuuuuub*.....Passing on your left, passing on your right, no your right, no, never mind, sorry, 'scuse me, sorry, 'scuse me, sorry, pardon, ooh hiya, aww dogs, 'scuse me, ding ding"

*sigh*

One of our group had a bad run with walkers. The first had a real go at him for not having/using a bell despite he fact they were walking toward us. This led to him fitting one however, it was used a few weeks later & the old boy jumped out of his skin, proceeded to block he trail then struck and broke the bell with his walking stick declaring said rider "a damn hooligan"!

some people just hate cyclists - an old guy near Grenowoods used to throw stones at me - I'd shout see you next week.

There is a guy in the local park with a shared use path who uses one of those long handled ball throwers to hurl a ball in the path of cyclists so his dog chases it - you grind to halt so he can shout at you for riding too fast - didn't realise it was deliberate the first time but sort of half twigged when I saw similar happen to my daughter as she rode ahead of me and the next time I had a lengthy discussion with the gentleman about my views versus his views on what is antisocial behaviour

Let's be considerate,

Old folk may well not hear your bell
Old folk often cannot turn their heads quickly to check behind them
Old folk are worried about a collision as their bones are brittle

Personably I find extenda leads a pita and a sign if a lazy dog owner, they wrap round you and we've had one wrap around our dog. I also find cyclists speeding along paths past walkers young and old with and without dogs quite inconsiderate

"Kill them with kindness" is my mantra. Try to be super-cheerful.

If they're good'uns, you'll only get positive results.

If they're bad'uns, it will boil their piss that not only are you riding a bike, looking like you're enjoying it, but are also a thoroughly pleasant person. You never know, it might send their blood pressure so high their head will explode 😉 "Great day to be out in the hills, me on my bike, you with your Leki sticks and map round your neck!"

I have an admission: I have an extender lead. I also have 55kg of Bernese Mountain Dog who likes to have a good sniff around. I like to know he isn't just going to knock over toddlers by turning round and stand on their faces or wag them to death with extreme happiness. Or harass the local dog training class. Or chase police horses. I like to think I'm trail aware though 😉

If you want to go fast, use the road.

Why should I?

Folk just need to pay attention, keep their muts on leads & appreciate it is a cycle path too.

Simples! 🙂

[b]Oh, and clean up after their dogs - its a disgrace![/b]

It's quite strange to think that most of the people here get quite wound up when there are reports of cyclists being hit by cars, 'punishment passed' and abused in many ways by drivers of larger vehicles whilst on the road, but at the same time some feel that elderly pedestrians and dog walkers have no right to block their passage (ahem) whilst on shared paths

On another note, one ring of a bell was sufficient to move 30 walkers off a path the other day to let me and my mate past - with one lollygagger getting told off by his friends for not moving fast enough. It was like Moses parting the Red Sea, except on bikes

I usually get walkers apologising to me for being in the way, even when I'm on a footpath....

Guess it's only me that finds this thread fairly unpleasant reading. I didn't realise cyclists had become such an angry arrogant bunch. I've never had any expectation for walkers, dog walkers, the elderly or anyone else to immediately jump out of my way quickly because I'm on a bike and I don't want to shed any speed or have my ride interrupted momentarily. But then I don't have a ' it's my right' attitude. If I have to slow right down because a walker hasn't heard me call out then so be it and when they do eventually mover over I'll still smile, say hello etc.

Don't want to spoil my days riding because I have no patience and an unquenchable desire to get angry at every possible situation.

Guess it's only me that finds this thread fairly unpleasant reading.

well its not quite what I had intended. It just amused me as I actually had a bell on my bike for the first time in many years and my 2yr old son rang the bell on cue just to demonstrate the point.

Guess it's only me that finds this thread fairly unpleasant reading.

I read a lot of the posts as being a touch tongue-in-cheek. I always assume that peds have priority over cyclists full stop (even on roads) as they're the more vulnerable (and often have greater legal "rights" to be there anyway).

I think most of the posters are referring to the more obnoxious folk we meet...

well its not quite what I had intended. It just amused me as I actually had a bell on my bike for the first time in many years and my 2yr old son rang the bell on cue just to demonstrate the point.

Sorry jam bo, wasn't really targeting my mini rant at you so much.

The thing that strikes me is that the things that some are posting on here are exactly the same sort of thing that drivers say about cyclists, or at least certainly reflects the attitude drivers have towards cyclists. It's essentially a pecking order whereby cyclists are in the middle but somehow expect everyone, both drivers and pedestrians to give us space, respect, move out the way, treat us courteously etc. I'm not sure how we've managed to create this position of cyclists being the superior road, path, bridleway, trail users. I'm starting to see why I come across such bad feeling towards cyclists.