Ring your bell for pedestrians?

Tombo2001

Tombo2001 wrote: »

not to be confused with the 'Hybrid' brigade and the 'Mountain Bike' brigade.

A bike is a bike lads.

I was referring to the lads on them rather than the style of bike

partyguinness

You gotta love the dog walkers especially the ones that have a dog on one of those long leashes that recoil.

Or another beaut I saw recently: dog walker in the middle of the narrow busy path (only wide enough for 2-3 people) with two dogs and a lease in each hand. Both dogs a good 15-20 feet away still attached to their leashes and on each side of the path snififng the grass.

So now the walker looks like she is controlling a sleigh with huskies. Other users are faced with a barly visbile leash across the entire path at a height of about 2 foot. So now it is impossible to get past without having to jump the leash. Said walker can barely control the dogs and they are pulling her along let alone react to pull back the dogs.

magicbastarder

do i recall that air horns are explicitly forbidden for cyclists to use?

eeeee

Augeo wrote: »

Well folk not having a bell as they reckon "all bicycles used in a public place must be fitted with a bell, although there is an exemption for bikes made or adapted specially for racing" is meant in spirit to include folk commuting etc are just acting the pr1ck really.

Except they're not. I can race on all my bikes.
My commuter is a former race bike.
All of my bikes were specially made and adapted for racing.

I don't cycle on footpaths or shared use cycle lanes so barring someone stepping/ jumping/ running out onto the road/ running on the road or cycle path I'm in, and a bell isn't gonna cut it in those situations.

RobertFoster

eeeee wrote: »

We're a brigade now? When do I get my uniform?

As a militant cyclist already I hope I can use the same uniform.

breezy1985

eeeee wrote: »

Except they're not. I can race on all my bikes.
My commuter is a former race bike.
All of my bikes were specially made and adapted for racing.

I don't cycle on footpaths or shared use cycle lanes so barring someone stepping/ jumping/ running out onto the road/ running on the road or cycle path I'm in, and a bell isn't gonna cut it in those situations.

Ooohh "all my bikes" look at you fancy : )

eeeee

eeeee wrote: »

Except they're not. I can race on all my bikes. ............

But when you are not racing a bell is a bad idea?
Like FFS, the exemption is an ancient ole rule.......... it's obvious folk commuting etc should have a bell as they are not "racing"

breezy1985

RobertFoster wrote: »

As a militant cyclist already I hope I can use the same uniform.

ED E

magicbastarder wrote: »

do i recall that air horns are explicitly forbidden for cyclists to use?

Bell and only a bell, but I imagine as many Gardai know that as know that parking on a verge is illegal.

TomTomTim

A set of loud carbon wheels usually negates the need for a bell.

eeeee

breezy1985 wrote: »

Ooohh "all my bikes" look at you fancy : )

:cool:

Augeo wrote: »

But when you are not racing a bell is a bad idea?
Like FFS, the exemption is an ancient ole rule.......... it's obvious folk commuting etc should have a bell as they are not "racing"

Except it's not...and it's equally obvious that the having a bell on ones' bike is an ancient old rule, like the reflector on the bottom of the mudguard etc...


Also:

eeeee wrote: »

Except they're not. I can race on all my bikes.
My commuter is a former race bike.
All of my bikes were specially made and adapted for racing.

I don't cycle on footpaths or shared use cycle lanes so barring someone stepping/ jumping/ running out onto the road/ running on the road or cycle path I'm in, and a bell isn't gonna cut it in those situations.

hmmm

A bell is helpful if it's to make you aware that someone is coming up behind you, preferably with a friendly wave as they pass. Where it tends to get peoples backs up is when it's used as a way to say "get out of my way" through repeated ringing.

I know that's what they do in parts of the continent, however that's not what we are used to here.

partyguinness

Ring the bell and then apologise profusely as you ride past.

John Hutton

I dont use my bell as I have experience that pedestrians seem to think of it as a portent of impending doom, that they are about to be run down, so they freeze or move unpredictably making things more dangerous.

Charles Babbage

Lux23 wrote: »

It's really weird because in countries where cycling is more commonplace, they always ring their bell but here cyclists won't even do it on a footpath. It is odd, but I feel sort of rude doing it myself as well even though its better than screaming or plowing into someone.

The solution here is for cyclists not to be on footpaths.

Macy0161

Charles Babbage wrote: »

The solution here is for cyclists not to be on footpaths.

Yes, and pedestrians not to be in cycle lanes.

Macy0161

Macy0161 wrote: »

Yes, and pedestrians not to be in cycle lanes.

And cyclists to be in cycle lanes and not on the road next to them

breezy1985

Augeo wrote: »

And cyclists to be in cycle lanes and not on the road next to them

Wow well done genius comment never heard that before. There are a million reasons why a cyclist might not use a cycle lane and pedestrians all over them is just one but a quick Google and you will find loads more

breezy1985

hmmm wrote: »

A bell is helpful if it's to make you aware that someone is coming up behind you, preferably with a friendly wave as they pass. Where it tends to get peoples backs up is when it's used as a way to say "get out of my way" through repeated ringing.

I know that's what they do in parts of the continent, however that's not what we are used to here.

It should be used repeatedly in a "get out of my way" manner when they are walking with their back to traffic on a cycle lane

Sleeper12

Pkiernan wrote:

Is it an Irish thing? On the continent its normal behaviour.

I don't know the answer to that but I'm sure I remember lots of bell ringing in Amsterdam many years ago. I did hear Pat Kenny a week or so ago suggesting that not enough cyclists ring their bell in Dublin

Tombo2001

Charles Babbage wrote: »

The solution here is for cyclists not to be on footpaths.

Not going to happen.

One can pontificate all one wants on this issue - but people tend to prioritise their own personal safety, and that of their kids, above all else.

breezy1985

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I don't know the answer to that but I'm sure I remember lots of bell ringing in Amsterdam many years ago. I did hear Pat Kenny a week or so ago suggesting that not enough cyclists ring their bell in Dublin

Pat Kenny hates cyclists it doesn't matter that we do or don't do.

He also thinks the Luas is an inefficient use of a good road

tomasrojo

breezy1985 wrote: »

I always thought adapted for racing meant you actually had to be in a race or going to one so that's good to know.
The size of the lights hasn't changed which is daft as size no longer has any relation to output. The rules of the road still size "lamps" in inches too which should be as illegal as road signs in miles but hey.

All the same, I'd personally prefer a light or combination of lights that is fairly large and bright, than rather small but dazzling.

But they probably should just update that SI so it says something like "visible from a distance of x metres in clear conditions at night". Not sure what x should be. 300m? Gives someone travelling at 50km/h about 20 seconds to notice. 150m, for about 10 seconds? The lights the RSA give away wouldn't meet that, but they don't meet the old size requirement either, to say the least.

On the bell issue, I find that a bell is handy for going around blind bends on cycle facilities, or for passing parked vans, as both situations where you can suddenly find someone on a bike or on foot right in front of you. They're ok for letting people walking on cycle tracks that you're behind them.

I regarded them as a waste of time, based on experience years ago, but since I got a Dutch-style bike that came with one, I have come around to thinking they're moderately useful.

tomasrojo

breezy1985 wrote: »

Pat Kenny hates cyclists it doesn't matter that we do or don't do.

He also thinks the Luas is an inefficient use of a good road

If people did ring bells all the time, he'd be looking for rage-texters to weigh in on whether they've had enough of the tinkling cacophony.

Macy0161

It really comes down to infrastructure a lot of the time. Many "cyclelanes" are shared use with a line on the ground. My experience these are not respected at all by pedestrians. But even grade separated ones from footpath and pavement are used by people jogging. And that leads to the not using "perfectly good" cycle lanes by people driving.

As a nation we seem to pride ourselves on a disregard for the rules, when it often does actually make a difference to everyone just getting along!

tomasrojo

magicbastarder wrote: »

do i recall that air horns are explicitly forbidden for cyclists to use?

That's my recollection too.

whisky_galore

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Not going to happen.

One can pontificate all one wants on this issue - but people tend to prioritise their own personal safety, and that of their kids, above all else.

People who should know better shouldn't be on footpaths. You're a grown adult, not a kiddie on training wheels.

Tombo2001

I love these lads that are 15000 posts up on boards, this is the first time they have posted in the cycling forum - and they are here to tell us what cyclists should and shouldnt be doing.

The same lads that never break the speed limit, never park on the footpath, never amber gamble, never drive with their phone on ..... and so on and so on and so on.

Macy0161

whisky_galore wrote: »

People who should know better shouldn't be on footpaths. You're a grown adult, not a kiddie on training wheels.

If it is a footpath. I've been told to "get off the footpath" by pedestrians that are walking on the cycling side of those painted line shared use paths.

tomasrojo

eeeee wrote: »

Except it's not...and it's equally obvious that the having a bell on ones' bike is an ancient old rule, like the reflector on the bottom of the mudguard etc...

If you see old roadsters around, you often see the bottom of the mudguard is painted white. I think that was either an industry convention or a requirement as a conspicuity aid. Think it might have been before reflectors were a requirement.