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Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 28 Jul 2014, 2:13pm
by [XAP]Bob
Air Zound ;)
Hornit ;)

Most of the time I just whistle and/or talk

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 28 Jul 2014, 2:23pm
by whoof
I have some bikes with bells and others without bells.

The response to my cycling generally depends on the pedestian.

I've been told to use my bell by someone who stepped off the pavement and walked into me whilst I was in a queue of traffic at traffic lights (I'd been stationary for about 10 seconds and was about 1 metre to the left of the centre of the road).
I've been told to slow down by someone who walked into me whilst reading a text and I was stationary.
I've rung my bell at some pigeons on a cycle path, they took no notice and I stopped. A youth got off an adjacent bench and told me if I rung that thing at him again he would "punch my ***** lights out".
I've rung my bell to warn a pedestrian who was reading a text and about to step off the pavement into the road in front of me. The response, "ring-a-*****-ding" and he stepped out anyway.

In any case when approaching a pedestrian on a shared path or on a road I slow down give them as much room as I can and assume that they have not heard either my bell or 'good morning'.

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 28 Jul 2014, 3:51pm
by Vantage
[XAP]Bob wrote:Air Zound ;)


Funnily enough, my AirZound was indeed bought as a result of some eejit wearing earphones and blocking the path who didn't hear the bell and proceeded to call me a not very nice name when his mate alerted him to my presence.:)

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 28 Jul 2014, 3:52pm
by Bicycler
Doesn't sounding an airhorn provoke similar responses?

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 28 Jul 2014, 4:15pm
by Vantage
No idea, I've yet to use it in those circumstances and tbh, I'd rather not.
The one time I have used it against a ped was a dumb mistake on my part, I hit the airzound instead of the bell and the poor chap near jumped out of his skin. I apologised like he was mother Theresa and he laughed it off, luckily. :?

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 28 Jul 2014, 5:14pm
by pyruse
I have two pingers - one on each handlebar, so one is always in reach.
They also have different tones, so if I'm not doing something complicated, I can make a nice ding-dong by pinging left then right.
When I'm walking I much prefer a bell to a shout; a bell is immediately identifiable as a cyclist. A shout could be a runner or someone shouting at their dog or just someone talking loud.
Am I the only one who find shouts of 'on your right' or 'on your left' confusing?
If someone shouts 'on your right' my immediate reaction is always to look to my right, not to move to my left. But maybe that's just me.

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 28 Jul 2014, 5:36pm
by Slow Loris
pyruse wrote:Am I the only one who find shouts of 'on your right' or 'on your left' confusing?


I rarely say this as people, including other cyclists, are guaranteed to move to the opposite side I want :wink:. I don't have a bell and normally give a pleasant greeting – responses vary from the friendly to the indifferent. I've only been admonished once, by a jogger who objected to me being there in the first place ( a cycle path) :roll: , and translated an innocuous 'good morning' as 'get out of my way'. I have found in town that my voice gets drowned by traffic noise so a bell would be more useful - two even better! On a recent group ride along a greenway, one chap kept whistling loudly at walkers to warn of our approach – not a tuneful whistle, more of an 'oi, you' one – which I found both mortifying and antisocial. I wish I'd told him to shut up :evil: .

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 29 Jul 2014, 11:51am
by carlislemike
God you are so polite! I was walking in New York and was made aware as I was about to cross the road, that a cyclist / courier was heading to that part of the road at some velocity. His chosen method of announcing his approach, was loud whistle blast using the whistle type I was familiar with when reffing football or rugby. Simple and very effective on the milling crowds of the city. Try it here where things are less hectic, it does work wonders. :D

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 29 Jul 2014, 12:17pm
by [XAP]Bob
And a whistle can be easily worn round the neck until entering a "risk" zone.

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 29 Jul 2014, 1:01pm
by Slow Loris
I do own a whistle :D – usually taken on hiking trips for emergencies. I've a perfect opportunity to test in central London shortly :mrgreen: .

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 29 Jul 2014, 3:23pm
by LollyKat
[XAP]Bob wrote:And a whistle can be easily worn round the neck until entering a "risk" zone.

And keeping it looped around your neck helps you retrieve it when you swallow it after hitting a pothole... :D

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 29 Jul 2014, 4:19pm
by [XAP]Bob
I actually used to have mine clipped to the button holes on my shirt - but the issue is that it's only there when you are expecting an issue. For a cycle courier in NYC that's OK, just bolt it to your teeth...

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 29 Jul 2014, 4:32pm
by Slow Loris
LollyKat wrote:
[XAP]Bob wrote:And a whistle can be easily worn round the neck until entering a "risk" zone.

And keeping it looped around your neck helps you retrieve it when you swallow it after hitting a pothole... :D


Although without a loop it'll easily come out the other end while the tailgaiting bus bears down on you :shock: :shock: :shock:

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 29 Jul 2014, 5:38pm
by LollyKat
:lol: :lol: :lol:

TMI!

Re: Ring, ring?

Posted: 30 Jul 2014, 12:40pm
by John Holiday
The 'pingers' fitted to most bikes are useless.
I have the Dutch type 'Ding/Dong' bells fitted to all my bikes & they frequently get favourable comment.They are very effective at 50 metres range & are much preferable to a shouted 'coming through' or similar.
I always acknowledge someone moving with a wave & 'thank you'.