Dogs on cycle paths - how many where you live?

[ossie]

Why is it ridiculous to expect people to share NCR 25 and not hog it all?


You win in the obtuse stakes....Who said they hog it ? If they did they might not it if people invested in that little ringy thing that goes on the handlebars which was my original point. Most of these shared facilities were footpaths before they ever had a few NCN stickers plastered all over them.

Why do you expect people to part like the Red sea when a cyclist hurtles down a path without the decency to warn people they are coming..its a two way thing.

[[XAP]Bob]

I've never met a bell that can compete with my voice - the air sound does, but that's not something I'd use when pedestrians were around (well, not often)

[karlt]

Then there are people who react aggressively to those who *have* bells.
Frankly I already have an audible warning system - it's called my voice.

Indeed. I'd say that of dog walkers on shared paths, about 20% glare at you like you've sworn at them if you ring a bell, about 50% do apparently respond but only once you're so close that you've virtually had to stop anyway, and 30% are apparently completely mutton.

Hence I consider them useless, which is why I don't have one.

I think the glarers consider a bell to be the equivalent of a horn, and since they (like many motorists) use theirs to say "get out of the way!" or "you [rude word removed]!" when they are driving, they don't like being on the receiving end of one.

[jan19]

You can't win with bells. There was one time I used mine (politely, just a "ding") to warn an elderly couple who were walking on the shared cycle way that I was coming past (on the grass verge, giving them a wide berth, but just warning them I was there) only to have both if them give me a mouthful because apparently I'd made them jump!

I tend to shout "cyclist coming by" or some such now.

Jan

[Bicycler]

I tend to shout "cyclist coming by" or some such now.

Which results in lots of "why don't cyclists have bells?" enquiries. You're right, we can't win.

Personally I favour a traditional "ring ring" style of bell. I think it sounds less like a demand than the ping type. I also think people are quicker to associate it with "bicycle" so you end up with less of that confusion when the bell sound interrupts somebody's conversation or daydreaming stroll.

[Vantage]

I don't recall ever having issues with using a bell. Most people simply stand to one side having grabbed their mutt/kids/partner and let me through, often with a smile. I've even been thanked for it's use. "At least you use a bell" and smiled at me.
The few occasions when I've used my voice haven't been met with as much enthusiasm. I've heard people apologise because they thought they were in my way and one lady said to her husband/partner, "Why can't they just use bells???". Most likely because the distance at which I give a warning that I'm coming requires that I speak quite loudly and I guess that it might sound like I'm forcing my way through or that I'm irritated by other users. A bell has no such effect and is clearly heard through most ambient noise.
I imagine some folk might glare if the bell's been rung 5-10 feet behind the people it's aimed at, but a good 20 feet back giving them time to collect their thoughts and shuffle to one side has never once resulted in a glare. And I use that bell a hellovalot.

[Vantage]

Personally I favour a traditional "ring ring" style of bell. I think it sounds less like a demand than the ping type. I also think people are quicker to associate it with "bicycle" so you end up with less of that confusion when the bell sound interrupts somebody's conversation or daydreaming stroll.

+1

[mjr]

Why is it ridiculous to expect people to share NCR 25 and not hog it all?

You win in the obtuse stakes....Who said they hog it ?

If they're not hogging it, where's the problem?

Most of these shared facilities were footpaths before they ever had a few NCN stickers plastered all over them.

Well, that's where we're coming from different experiences: most of the cycle tracks that make up NCNs 1 and 11 in West Norfolk either didn't exist before the NCN or were tracks (not registered footpaths) upgraded to bridleways and tarmacked to 2.5+m width. The main exception is the 600m between the railway station and Tennyson Avenue Level Crossing, most of which is wide enough at 9m that there's rarely conflict unless a dog is out of control (and then it turns up in the local rag as "evil cyclist ran over my dog" rather than "loose dog knocks woman off bike" ).

Why do you expect people to part like the Red sea when a cyclist hurtles down a path without the decency to warn people they are coming..its a two way thing.

I won't defend the people who don't warn and no-one's expecting them to "part like the Red sea" - they simply shouldn't be taking up the full width unless they check periodically that they're obstructing no other users (of any sort, including joggers or faster walkers).

[MikeF]

You can't win with bells. There was one time I used mine (politely, just a "ding") to warn an elderly couple who were walking on the shared cycle way that I was coming past (on the grass verge, giving them a wide berth, but just warning them I was there) only to have both if them give me a mouthful because apparently I'd made them jump!

I tend to shout "cyclist coming by" or some such now.

Jan

In my experience you win 95% of the time; there'll always be somebody who is intolerant of cyclists or a "plugged in" jogger. Some people maybe deaf and won't hear a voice, bell or anything - something we all should be aware of. But for most people a bell is extremely audible at some distance - much greater than a human voice and anyway I wouldn't want to travel "shouting my head off". I wouldn't "ding" anyone that I was coming past, but I would "ding" well before that. As an experiment you can ring and see at what distance people respond. You may be surprised. Of course it depends on the general noise level as well, but at nearly 15 mph on a route away from excessive noise a ring at 50yds will give about 8secs warning - plenty of time for them or you to react.

[[XAP]Bob]

Also bells are notoriously fragile.
This one looks like to might be OK, I still can't find anyone that sells any like on MicroBob's trike.

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/xtr ... -ring-bell

[mjr]

Also bells are notoriously fragile.
This one looks like to might be OK, I still can't find anyone that sells any like on MicroBob's trike.

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/xtr ... -ring-bell

Still looks a bit plasticky to me and unlikely to survive being knocked while the bike's parked or if it should fall over

I think the key things to look for in a bell to be hardwearing are as many metal parts as possible and as few exposed parts sticking out as possible. Adie, Acor and Widek tend to do well at that and are available from many retailers. Dyto make some that look like Adie's but have vital elements replaced with plastic that break easily.

[MikeF]

Also bells are notoriously fragile.

You're only supposed to ring them.
However one of mine's only a cheap Zefal one and I did need to put a blob of glue on the top to keep the metal tight on its plastic pillar. Hell of a ping on it though!

[landsurfer]

We don't have any cycle paths in my area.
We have shared use paths, pedestrians, horses and cycles.
In fact I cannot think of any cycle paths in the UK, they are all shared access.
Im not including the half metre of pot holed tarmac the wrong side of a white line that passes for a cycle path in urban areas.
Dogs are never a problem, just say hello to the owner and smile and they will normally call the dog to them or shorten the lead.
After all what's the worst you may have to do?
STOP ??
How is that a problem unless you think shared paths are for time trials.

[Bicycler]

I'm a driver.
We don't have motor roads in my area*.
We have shared use pedestrian, horse, and vehicle roads.
Should dogs generally wander free until another road user approaches at which point the owner can call it to heel or put it on a short lead? After all, what is the worst case? That these other road users have to STOP?
Surely not a problem unless you believe these shared roads are for time trialling.
*Actually we do have one or two

A bit ridiculous perhaps, but there's a serious point here. Surely our national cycle network ought to be a network optimised for cycling, where cycling is quick and convenient. Cycling on a cycle route shouldn't be a slower, more subservient experience than using the roads.

As a point of information, the legal status of many shared use paths is "cycle track".

[ossie]

A bit ridiculous perhaps, but there's a serious point here. Surely our national cycle network ought to be a network optimised for cycling, where cycling is quick and convenient. Cycling on a cycle route shouldn't be a slower, more subservient experience than using the roads.

We have a long way to go...This is NCN 246....about 10 miles of it actually.On a tour around Europe and between Dorset and Harwich most cycle paths were just cobbled together bits of footpath, tow path, old railway line and anything else that ticked a box... and that included many miles of public footpath with a few signs to tell the masses cyclists were allowed.