Audible Warning

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

For pedestrians I like the old fashioned bell. Most know what it

means.

But it should be the "ching-ching" type of bell. Apparently a "ding" type of bell is becoming
popular around here (NY, USA). First time I heard one I thought I'd lost a bolt and that that was
the sound of it hitting the ground. So I turned my shoulders leftward -- would've been rightward in
your parts -- to look back and that took the handlebars with them and I nearly collided with the
passing biker. Seems like "ching-ching" means a kid, and "ding" means fast-moving hot-shot
"serious" biker, feh! "Ding" should be reserved for the scissors grinder, and even then it should
be more a "clang".

I used to have a ching-ching but when that rusted I substituted a honky. That's gotten weak (air
leak, I guess), and I've considered a compressed air horn, but I'm afraid that'd cause the old
people on Pelham Pkwy. to drop dead.

But if a collision looked imminent, I'd issue an involuntary "WAAAHH" -- probably even in my Toyota,
whose horn button I can never find quickly.

Robert

"Niv" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

As a kid, I always wanted & finally got, one of those bells that had

the

Quoted message said:

"clapper" on the outside & gave a single, extended, ring tone. Much simpler than

the

Quoted message said:

multiple ring ones with the internal mech.

Sure, it doesn't rust tight & then have the handle break off when you try to work it, but OTOH it
doesn't sound like a warning.

Peter B said:

When approaching horses from behind I call out "Good morning/afternoon" in plenty of time, not
only out of politeness but also self-preservation. The riders are almost always grateful and
polite in return. On one occasion before I judged I was in earshot the rear rider of a group
turned round and looked at me, thinking along the lines of "she's seen me no need to warn of my
presence" I didn't call, as I rode by her she said "I'd appreciate it if you called out to us", I
stated that as she had already seen me there seemed little point but she just repeated herself.
Oh well!

Now here's an interesting point that's been bothering me for a while. Why do we cyclists get so
much aggro from motorists for taking up a little bit of road on a safe predictable vehicle, but
the same motorists are happy to spend ages crawling along behind horses, which take up more road
and are dangerously unpredictable? Some sort of deeply ingrained feudal serfism? The worry that
the slightest criticism of someone on a horse will see half of Hampshire marching through Hyde
Park again?

Perhaps our problem is that our mounts are *too* predictable. If bikes had minds of their own* then
perhaps they'd get more respect.

Ian

* Not that I'm suggesting that a horse has much of a mind, given some of the people they're
apparently happy to carry.

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Ian Walker Remove the yummy paste in my address to reply. Homepage: drianwalker.comdrianwalker.comOpen ↗

Peter B said:

When approaching horses from behind I call out "Good morning/afternoon" in plenty of time, not
only out of politeness but also self-preservation. The riders are almost always grateful and
polite in return. On one occasion before I judged I was in earshot the rear rider of a group
turned round and looked at me, thinking along the lines of "she's seen me no need to warn of my
presence" I didn't call, as I rode by her she said "I'd appreciate it if you called out to us", I
stated that as she had already seen me there seemed little point but she just repeated herself.
Oh well!

Now here's an interesting point that's been bothering me for a while. Why do we cyclists get so
much aggro from motorists for taking up a little bit of road on a safe predictable vehicle, but
the same motorists are happy to spend ages crawling along behind horses, which take up more road
and are dangerously unpredictable? Some sort of deeply ingrained feudal serfism? The worry that
the slightest criticism of someone on a horse will see half of Hampshire marching through Hyde
Park again?

Perhaps our problem is that our mounts are *too* predictable. If bikes had minds of their own* then
perhaps they'd get more respect.

Ian

* Not that I'm suggesting that a horse has much of a mind, given some of the people they're
apparently happy to carry.

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Gadget Gadgetfreak_2000-NOSPAM- @blueyonder.co.uk said:

Oooopppppps,

I think that should have read 2.4MDecibels, that is what the specs for the horn read.

I hope you're not suggesting MegaDeciBels - I think a nuclear bomb would be rather less than 2.4
MegaDeciBels.

Ian

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Ian Walker <[email hidden]> wrote: ( Perhaps our problem is that our mounts are *too*
predictable. If bikes had ) minds of their own* then perhaps they'd get more respect.

I think it's more that cyclists don't have heavily shod hooves and enough body mass to make a nasty
dent in the roof of the tin box.

Thus spake "Tony W" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Gadget" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

2.4 Decibels of electronic horn usually wakes anyone out of their

revelery.

Quoted message said:

Mines a hand built and is bl**dy loud. People tend to notice it in and out of cars.

Quoted message said:

2.4 dB? Some mistake, Shirley.

Quoted message said:

T

I screamed 79dB into the meter at the Cricklewood Festival last year.

I think 2.4 dB is quieter than my last computer and my current one runs at about 30...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden] Edgware.

Ian Walker <[email hidden]> wrote:
( Iwas thinking this morning, as I rode into work, that perhaps ) cyclists should
start carrying screwdrivers in our right hands, which we ( flail outwards at random
intervals. If a driver chose to overtake too close ) as this happened... :o)

You mean you don't have scythes on the wheels?

Someone passed me a bit close last night in a little -02-reg silver thing, and I could see there was
something funny about the car, but I didn't have time to tell exactly what it was because I was too
busy dodging the kerb. He was weaving a bit and riding with his nearside wheels alternately on and
to the left of the solid white line of my mandatory lane.

When I caught up with his at the lights (as one does) it turned out that the odd thing was that his
nearside wing mirror was folded flat along the body, and clearly from the marks as a result of
having side-swiped something. There were also scratch marks on both the nearside wings and doors.

Forgive me, but I let him go first when the lights changed.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What sort of audible warnings does u.r.c like to use.

Whatever you do the expected response is a leap up and sideways followed by a scowl and mutter. I
have currently fixed on calling out from a long distance'' hello, bike coming on your right, oh
thanks very much, yes nice weather indeed what a smashing little dog etc.... '' until they think
you're the local vicar and are convinced their welfare is your main concern . Oh, and take off
those cool shades.Have you ever been sold a car by a salesman wearing them? Let them see how
sincere you are.

And I never go fast near a ped.. How would you like it? Especially if you know a fall could be a
broken hip and death. Sorry, I know I'm preaching to the converted again.I've just got back from
riding in a car all night , and the things you see!

And if you think we are paranoid you should go out on one of those horses sometime!I know a girl who
ended up sitting on the roof of a car(further details omitted on grounds of taste).

TerryJ

Geraint Jones said:

Ian Walker <[email hidden]> wrote: ( Perhaps our problem is that our mounts are *too*
predictable. If bikes had ) minds of their own* then perhaps they'd get more respect.

I think it's more that cyclists don't have heavily shod hooves and enough body mass to make a
nasty dent in the roof of the tin box.

Good point. I was thinking this morning, as I rode into work, that perhaps cyclists should start
carrying screwdrivers in our right hands, which we flail outwards at random intervals. If a driver
chose to overtake too close as this happened... :o)

Ian

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"Gadget" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I think that should have read 2.4MDecibels, that is what the specs for the horn read.

**** me, that's loud! I'm just wondering why I haven't heard it yet and what power station you tow
behind you to power it?

For every 10dB increase, you have a ten-fold increase in power, so from 2.4dB to 2.4MdB you're
talking an increase of about 10^240,000 times more power. Sorry, forget the power station, which
small star are you towing around behind you and why isn't Dubya chasing after you for using a bike
mounted weapon of mass destruction?

According to schoolscience.co.ukpsch1pg3.htmlOpen ↗ bones in the
ear may break at 150dB, so maybe the packaging on your horn was a little inaccurate? ;-)

Have fun! (but don't beep your horn at me please)

Graeme

Graeme Dods said:

"Gadget" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>... <snip>

Quoted message said:

I think that should have read 2.4MDecibels, that is what the specs for the horn read.

**** me, that's loud! I'm just wondering why I haven't heard it yet and what power station you tow
behind you to power it?

For every 10dB increase, you have a ten-fold increase in power, so from 2.4dB to 2.4MdB you're
talking an increase of about 10^240,000 times more power. Sorry, forget the power station, which
small star are you towing around behind you and why isn't Dubya chasing after you for using a bike
mounted weapon of mass destruction?

According to schoolscience.co.ukpsch1pg3.htmlOpen ↗ bones in
the ear may break at 150dB, so maybe the packaging on your horn was a little inaccurate? ;-)

Have fun! (but don't beep your horn at me please)

However, dB is a relative measure. There are a number of different zero points used in various
applications. Maybe the marketing department are using a zero that is _very_ quiet :-)

Tim.

--
God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t," and there was light.

tjw.hn.orgtjw.hn.orgOpen ↗ locofungus.btinternet.co.uklocofungus.btinternet.co.ukOpen ↗

Graeme Dods said:

For every 10dB increase, you have a ten-fold increase in power, so from 2.4dB to 2.4MdB you're
talking an increase of about 10^240,000 times more power. Sorry, forget the power station, which
small star are you towing around behind you and why isn't Dubya chasing after you for using a bike
mounted weapon of mass destruction?

A better way to think of deciBels is that the sound intensity doubles for each 3dB increase (so if a
computer fan is 30db, two fans would be at 33dB)
. Psychophysically, a sound doubles in its *perceived loudness* with a (roughly) 10dB increase in
intensity. So the 2.4MdB horn would sound just under 240,000 times louder than anything you've
every heard before. Bugger the star, this is powered by magic!

Ian

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On Mon, 7 Apr 2003 09:37:48 +0000 (UTC), Geraint Jones scrawled: ) When I caught up with his at the
lights (as one does) it turned out that ) the odd thing was that his nearside wing mirror was folded
flat along the ) body, and clearly from the marks as a result of having side-swiped something. )
There were also scratch marks on both the nearside wings and doors. ) ) Forgive me, but I let him go
first when the lights changed.

You're clearly not keepin' it real on ver streets. You've sold out, like

J-P
--
TV presenter Phillipa Forrester, holding up a T-shirt printed with a child's body, said: "Wearing a
T-shirt like this the paedophile can disguise himself as a child."

On Mon, 7 Apr 2003 08:28:00 GMT, Ian Walker scrawled: )> I think that should have read 2.4MDecibels,
that is what the specs for )> the horn read. ) I hope you're not suggesting MegaDeciBels - I think a
nuclear bomb would be ) rather less than 2.4 MegaDeciBels.

Perhaps 62.4dB? Although maybe it just meant 24dB. If 0dB is 'threshold' then 24dB feels a bit quiet
for a horn. Maybe the horn just emits a polite cough when (de)pressed.

Log scales seem to confuse electricians, never mind laymen. We had a chart up on the wall of our lab
for ages, because

addition of 10dB=multiplication by factor of 10

wasn't simple enough. And as for 3dB being a factor of 2, well. The lab tech never got
over that one.

J-P
--
"This book is dedicated with tenderness and respect to the blameless vulva."

On Mon, 7 Apr 2003 09:41:04 +0000 (UTC), Tim Woodall scrawled: ) However, dB is a relative measure.
There are a number of different ) zero points used in various applications. Maybe the marketing
department ) are using a zero that is _very_ quiet :-)

That would be almost too clever. Perhaps, given that intensity decreases as one moves away from the
aperture owing to the spreading of power over an area, then the sound is being focussed somewhere
across a single atom's breadth, and their measurement is taken there.

Sound-induced nuclear fusion, anyone?

J-P
--
The moon is weeping in a secret room! They tap at my window, with tiny pools!

Quoted message said:

That would be almost too clever. Perhaps, given that intensity decreases as one moves away from
the aperture owing to the spreading of power over an area, then the sound is being focussed
somewhere across a single atom's breadth, and their measurement is taken there.

Sound-induced nuclear fusion, anyone?

Well, given that so many of the Twentieth Century's inventions and innovations came from the bicycle
in one way or another, I don't see why the trend shouldn't continue in the Twenty-First...

Ian

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Peter B said:

They moved over and I thanked them politely and with a smile but was met with a comment about bells
being obligatory.

I hope you pointed out that the law does not require bicycles to mount bells.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?

David Damerell said:

Peter B <[email hidden]> wrote:

I hope you pointed out that the law does not require bicycles to mount bells.

At the moment but not for much longer by the looks of it

Tony
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raven-family.comraven-family.comOpen ↗

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to
adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." -- George
Bernard Shaw

[email hidden] (Marc) wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

A ting from a flick bell

A blast from an Airzound

A "On your right!"

The first is normally ignored, the second 2 results in some sort of leviational sturry, and the
third has variable effects with random directions.

Yep, I've always had that happen too. I don't know whether it's because people don't know their
left from their right, if they think you mean "go to your right" or if they're just being
awkward buggers.

I normally just resort to a cheery (or gasped, if I've been cycling hard) "Excuse me" then a "thank
you" as I go past. Sometimes pinging my brake cables against the top tube is enough to attract
attention.

My pet hate though is when dog walkers realise you're there and let their dog go one way on the end
of their windy out lead, and they go the other, hence leaving a long trip wire in your path! Duh!

Have fun!

Graeme