To bell or not

A bell is a legal requirement in Northern Ireland 

I'm happy to believe it, but equally happy to assert that there will be large numbers of cyclists there disobeying this 'law', just as we all used to disobey the law which I understand did, or does, prohibit flashing cycle lights or lights not affixed to the bike. The Filth, as we all know, can't even be bothered to enforce the law against motorists crashing through red lights at 50 mph- so I'll take my chance over bells and lights.

The law was added to in 2005 permitting certain flashing lights on a bicycle.

Amusingly, the link states that it is a legal requirement to have "a bell to let pedestrians and motorists know you are there". So that's where I've been going wrong all these years on my bike, and have suffered countless close passes as a result. I have no bell, ergo, motorists don't know I'm there.

leipreachan wrote:

I use bell before entering a sharp bend or a very narrow space. Also usefull when people walk their dog on a leash. It doesn't hurt anyone if you do it well in advance and give them time to move either side.

When there's no dogs, no children, just a lonely walker or runner I would announce myself with "on the right" or "on the left".

What else do you do?

And what do you expect the oncoming person to do?

How do you react if I respond by ringing my bell?

Having learnt to drive on country lanes (the sort with grass growing up the middle), this sort of behaviour is bemusing and unnecessary.

I would expect the other person to proceed cautiously to avoid any collision, and would be doing the same. Of course, they ought to be doing that anyway, in case there was someone coming who hadn't given a warning, but in reality there are often people who barrel through without thinking unless you've advertised your presence to them.

In fairness, I do similar when driving. Just outside Trimdon near Hartlepool, there is a particularly nasty corner on a two-lane national speed limit road. The corner is blind, at the bottom of a small reentrant, with a humpback bridge added for extra fun. I always sound pi-pip on the approach from either direction.

Were I to hear someone do the same it would be unlikely to change my action, as I always assume there's someone coming. However, as the time-honoured Hartlepudlian phrase goes "It's not me, it's the others".....

I trust that, as you are approaching the hump back bridge, you are driving at an appropriate speed as well as pip-pipping the horn. Rendering the use of horn pointless.

You have failed to idendify why the use of horn serves any purpose. It tells me that you are there, but unless you are driving at a speed whereby you can stop easily, it is useless.

I certainly am, however as I said, it's not me, it's the others. 

By sounding the horn I am providing another (unknown) driver more information about the situation than if I didn't - ie, the presence of another vehicle. Whether or not it is of material benefit depends on a number of other factors, most of them outside my control. If the approaching driver is a similar style to mine, it probably matters not, as we would both be proceeding with caution. Another driver may not be familiar with that stretch of road, or too familiar (eg complacent). May be less cautious, maybe cutting the corner at speed, or [fill in other variation of choice here].

It is of course entirely possible that, in addition, the driver may be incompetent, wreckless, on the phone, telling their kids off, doing a Waynes World rendition of Bohemian Rhaposdy or a combination of some or all of the above, and in that case there may be no benefit, and I'm wasting a small amount of fuel as an indirect result of Lenz's Law. 

Or maybe there's no other driver - that is more often than not the case.

But, I'm still going to pi-pip whenever I approach that particular bend...

don simon fbpe wrote:

You have failed to idendify why the use of horn serves any purpose. It tells me that you are there, but unless you are driving at a speed whereby you can stop easily, it is useless.

It isn't completely useless, it advertises your presence to those who can't see you - those who cannot see you approaching. Approaching a blind bend cautiously is good - but it is of limited use unless all parties are doing so.  Sounding your horn/ringing your bell should increase the chance of any other parties being cautious (though there is the danger is that you can get into the bad habit of using a bell in lieu of caution).

m.a.t.t. wrote:

I generally announce my presence to pedestrians in advance: "Passing on your right/left" and have found that I have encountered no problems.

This is much better than simply "On your right/left," which is ambigous unless already familiar to the pedestrian (and as it's mostly a phrase used by cyclists, it probably won't be); without the information that "I'm passing on your right/left" it is easily taken as meaning "move to your right/left" (if it's interpreted at all).

Indeed. As a pedestrian, driver, cyclist and occasional rollerblader I try and consider both the way in which I behave and the way in which I communicate. I have to admit that in days gone by (oh the joys of youth) that I may not have been an exemplary human being, but the passing of time brings experience and, hopefully, improves us. I think that most conflict is due to a lack of awareness rather than a deliberate confrontation.

Cool, Rule 63 goes in the bag, along with Rule 56.

Obviously it doesn't give a definitive answer and is only a proposal. If you haven't responded to the new code, you have until 27th October

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-highway-code-t...

The bbc had one of their quizzes http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-54027461 on the proposed rules,but can anyone explain how ringing a bell or calling out politely helps a deaf pedestrian ?

I would guess, and I'm no way an expert, nor have any intention of offending. But I would expect that a deaf person would have have different behaviours. This is in contrast with the beligerent ped.

I imagine a deaf person would use other senses, either sight of feel. That is, be more accustomed to looking over their shoulder, or feel the ground of an oncoming trundling wheel (cyclist speed a clear factor here, and we know there are plenty of dickhead cyclists out there).

I would also imagine, again in contrast to belligerent ped, that a deaf person (or any reasonable person) would be less likely to meander and block the (shared) path.

If I look at my current injuries, I would make sure that I was as far out of the way as possible therefore negating sudden movement, also registering my right to use a (shared) path. Cyclist would also have to behave in a manner to respect that there are other pth users.

The bell or shout is not a catch all, get out of jail free card, for the cyclist.

I got that one wrong, so I can't help !

Awavey wrote:

The bbc had one of their quizzes http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-54027461 on the proposed rules,but can anyone explain how ringing a bell or calling out politely helps a deaf pedestrian ?

I think what is meant to be conveyed is that you should try to gain their attention by ringing a bell or calling out, but you should also be aware that doing so may not work - you should not assume that the pedestrian is aware of your presence just because you have rung your bell or called out.

I would add to rule 63... "remember that as a cyclist, there is every chance that you'll come off worst in any collision (not to mention the damage to your bike)"

> I give it a ping when I'm a fair way back so when they look round, if they do, they have plenty of time to decide what to do. You can't tank past peds at full velocity.

Basically that... although I'd say 'time to decide what to do' should be 'time to decide what to do and change their mind and do something different', particularly if there is a more than one being (e.g. two people or one plus dog) - the more there are in the group the more chance that one or two of the group will change their mind at the last moment and do something different.

I find that generally, if there is enough (i.e. plenty of) space to pass safely without alerting whoever I am passing to my presence, then that is the best option.

The main time I find my bell useful, is coming around a blind bend - obviously coupled with a suitably low speed, mainly to alert anyone on the other side of the bend who might not be moderating their speed or looking where they are going.

Would that be before or after the mob turn on you?

As  a pedestrian, I too hate the bell. I think speed and space given when passing are more important as they are less startling to the pedestrian.

I generally alert the pedestrian to my presence (bell or vocal), and wait for a reaction from them, however subtle, before passing at an appropriate speed.

The 5% of arseholes are far outweighed by the polite 95%.