loud bell

Cheeky of A noiseless patient Spider said:

Seriously, the only collisions of any sort I have had have been with
walkman-clad pedestrians walking out into the road without looking.
Good job for them I was on a bike and not driving a bus.

Or those with a mobile phone firmly clamped to the ear, operating as brain
off switch. Even a bike can be painful though - especially male peds who
stand straight in front of me so their legs become additional brakes, and
end up with my headset in the crotch!
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm

Simon Brooke wrote on 17/06/2007 18:39 +0100:

Quoted message said:

IME you ring the bell gently, then you ring the bell loudly, then you ring
your bell very loudly, then you say 'excuse me'; and it is then that they
say, in magisterial tones 'you should have rang your bell'.

Isn't that just so!

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

On 17 Jun 2007 09:24:20 GMT, Mark
<pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com.invalid>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Seriously, the only collisions of any sort I have had have been with
walkman-clad pedestrians walking out into the road without looking.
Good job for them I was on a bike and not driving a bus.

I know peds can be hard to predict, but if you've found it impossible to
avoid something moving at walking pace you may like to consider adjusting
your riding style.

Not really. It was the choice of a pedestrian or swerving headlong
into the front of a bus. Not a nice choice but a simple one.

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 11:16:35 +0100, [email hidden] (Roger

Merriman) said:

Cheeky <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

way so why should you expect it from pedestrians?

Really? If I was gormlessly wandering down the middle of the road I'd
expect a horn blast from a car fairly quickly. Why should it be
different for cylists?

because most cycle paths are just shared paths. they are not roads but
paths.

roger

But if they're clearly demarcated is it too much to expect people to
use the "right" side?

Cheeky said:

But if they're clearly demarcated is it too much to expect people to
use the "right" side?

There is no right side for pedestrians. The demarcation is solely to
limit cyclists, it has no effect on pedestrians. Pedestrians have as
much right to be on the cycle side (which is actually a bikes and
pedestrians share side) as the pedestrian only side.

The line divides the path into two zones: one for pedestrians only,
and one for pedestrians and cycles.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

Ian Smith wrote on 17/06/2007 20:20 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Cheeky said:

But if they're clearly demarcated is it too much to expect people to
use the "right" side?

There is no right side for pedestrians. The demarcation is solely to
limit cyclists, it has no effect on pedestrians. Pedestrians have as
much right to be on the cycle side (which is actually a bikes and
pedestrians share side) as the pedestrian only side.

The line divides the path into two zones: one for pedestrians only,
and one for pedestrians and cycles.

regards, Ian SMith

Wot he said.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:31:01 +0100 someone who may be Steph Peters
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Or those with a mobile phone firmly clamped to the ear, operating as brain
off switch. Even a bike can be painful though - especially male peds who
stand straight in front of me so their legs become additional brakes, and
end up with my headset in the crotch!

It sounds like there is a story to tell about at least one such
encounter:-)

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen <[email hidden]> of Posted via Supernews,

urlhttp://www.supernews.com/url said:

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:31:01 +0100 someone who may be Steph Peters
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Or those with a mobile phone firmly clamped to the ear, operating as brain
off switch. Even a bike can be painful though - especially male peds who
stand straight in front of me so their legs become additional brakes, and
end up with my headset in the crotch!

It sounds like there is a story to tell about at least one such
encounter:-)

Idiot walks off pavement straight in front of me at a distance of less than
a bike length. I'd hardly braked before I hit him. He curled up in pain,
but kept on talking, extricated himself from my bike and walked across the
road, almost into the path of an oncoming bus. I would dearly have liked to
run over his phone.
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:02:47 +0100 someone who may be Steph Peters
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Idiot walks off pavement straight in front of me at a distance of less than
a bike length. I'd hardly braked before I hit him. He curled up in pain,
but kept on talking, extricated himself from my bike and walked across the
road, almost into the path of an oncoming bus. I would dearly have liked to
run over his phone.

The police would probably have arrested you for being a cyclist if
you had run over his phone.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

"Roger Merriman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Cheeky said:

Tony Raven said:

Ben wrote on 16/06/2007 13:49 +0100:
>
> The problem with shouting at them is that by the time they've heard,
> turned round and stepped out of the way, I've reached them and had to
> come to a near-stop anyway. My aim is to be heard (and identified as a
> cyclist) in plenty of time so I don't have to slow down.
>

Well prepare to slow down then. You would not appreciate a car driver
bearing down on you, horn blaring and expecting you to get out of their
way so why should you expect it from pedestrians?

Really? If I was gormlessly wandering down the middle of the road I'd
expect a horn blast from a car fairly quickly. Why should it be
different for cylists?

because most cycle paths are just shared paths. they are not roads but
paths.

roger

But pedestrians have as much right to walk in the road as on the cycle half
of the shared path, but if they did they would get horns blasted at them.
That is what his point was.

Adam Lea wrote on 18/06/2007 08:21 +0100:

Quoted message said:

But pedestrians have as much right to walk in the road as on the cycle half
of the shared path, but if they did they would get horns blasted at them.
That is what his point was.

And cyclists have no "need" to ride on the road when there is a cycle
path alongside, so they deserve a good horn blast from motorists for
cycling on the road do they?

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

On Jun 16, 8:22 am, "The other view point, there is one you know..."

Quoted message said:

You have to make allowances for other users you know... ;-)

What about the ones you don't know?

--
Dave...

Simon Brooke said the following on 17/06/2007 18:39:

Quoted message said:

IME you ring the bell gently, then you ring the bell loudly, then you ring
your bell very loudly, then you say 'excuse me'; and it is then that they
say, in magisterial tones 'you should have rang your bell'.

At which point I have been known to say "What, this f***ing
<clang-a-lang> bell that you just totally ignored?"

Quoted message said:

Redsocks are the worst, of course.

Don't get me started - I reckon being obstropulous to all other users
including non-redsock walkers is written in the RA charter. What is it
about these people?

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Steph Peters said the following on 18/06/2007 00:02:

Quoted message said:

Idiot walks off pavement straight in front of me at a distance of less than
a bike length. I'd hardly braked before I hit him. He curled up in pain,
but kept on talking, extricated himself from my bike and walked across the
road, almost into the path of an oncoming bus. I would dearly have liked to
run over his phone.

Never mind banning the use of mobile phones when driving - I think they
ought to be banned whilst walking as well :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Cheeky said:

On 17 Jun 2007 09:24:20 GMT, Mark
<pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com.invalid>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Seriously, the only collisions of any sort I have had have been with
walkman-clad pedestrians walking out into the road without looking.
Good job for them I was on a bike and not driving a bus.

I know peds can be hard to predict, but if you've found it impossible to
avoid something moving at walking pace you may like to consider adjusting
your riding style.

Not really. It was the choice of a pedestrian or swerving headlong
into the front of a bus. Not a nice choice but a simple one.

Given that false dichotomy I usually choose a combination of riding at
a speed where I can avoid either potential collision or reading teh
road such that you are not faced with the choice at all. How many
times have you collided with walkman clad pedestrians?

best wishes
james

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

Quoted message said:

Well, I have a bell and I find that if I come up behind cyclists and ring
it, they invariably look over their shoulder and in doing so, steer
directly into my path.
I only use it when I have no option.

I find that some pedestrians do that as well.
My tactic is to ring when I'm about 30-45 seconds away, then again at about
25 then again about 10-15. If they still haven't heard then brake and
squeeze past if there's room otherwise use the airzound.

Most people move after the 10 second warning, very few heard the first due
to the distance but at least I give them a chance.
--
peter

Cheap train tickets database
http://www.petereverett.co.uk/tickets/

Email sent to this address is generally deleted upon arrival
Visit website if you want to contact me

When cycling on a shared use path and there's room I try pass pedestrians
without ringing my bell at them as this would oblige them to acknowledge me
by looking round and choose which direction to step out of my way. This
means that they are inconvenienced and I can't proceed until I see which way
they step. Sometimes a pedestrian shouts that I should have used a bell.

Pedestrians seem to walk almost in the middle of the path but I choose the
side that looks wider or has a softer edge but sometimes when they hear me
coming they move to the side I've chosen, it is then too late for me to go
the other side of them. Up to now a collision has not happened but we have
both been frightened.

Once a pedestrian who was walking in a steady straight line, on hearing me
coming, jumped aside just I was beginning to pass - unfortunately he jumped
to the side I was on, we just missed. I have often tried to understand this
behaviour, I have now realised it is a primitive instinct: if startled in
the wild it could be a pouncing predator so the best defence is to jump
sideways.

Once I was on a wide path segregated by a white line. A family coming in the
other direction was in my way. I slowed and slowed until I stopped just
before a toddler who took one more step, hit my front wheel and fell
over. I got abuse from the parent.

I'm constantly on the look-out for pedestrians who step out into a road when
they don't hear a motor-vehicle coming. I usually make it into a closer miss
than necessary to frighten the pedestrian and shout "look" so maybe they'll
learn to look
next time.

I was once coming up behind a pedestrian (ped 1) walking on the left on a
shared path but could see another pedestrian (ped 2) coming towards me who'd
already moved to her left to pass the ped 1. I realised that at the peds
would pass at the same time I got to them - so I slowed to let them pass
each other first. At the same time ped 2 slowed and moved to her right as if
to let me pass so I sped up and prepared to pass Ped 1 on the right. Ped 1,
who didn't know I was coming, was confused by ped 2 moving into her path and
stepped to her right - right in front of me. I just managed to swerve round.

I was trying to find out the legal situation of a cycle only path.
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20023113.htm#sch5
lists the blue circular sign 955 at
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/023113ab.gif
describes it as "route for use by pedal cycles only".
I found that, apparently, pedestrians are allowed on all parts of the
highway, unless specifically forbidden, and a shared or cycle path is part
of the highway - so it seems that cycle-only paths and the cycle side of
shared paths confer no priority to cyclists over pedestrians. (As Adam Lea
wrote on 18/06/2007 08:21 +0100: "But pedestrians have as much right to walk
in the road as on the cycle half of the shared path"😉.

John Pitcock

Tony B wrote on 17/06/2007 12:11:

Quoted message said:

A policeman once stopped me (whilst I was on a motorcycle) and
questioned my use of arm signals to indicate turns (the moto had no
indicators). He complemented my correct use of the old arms, but then
advised me that "..no-one knows what hand signals are all about these
days, so you may as well not bother". !!!

I once used the "I'm going to slow down/stop" one and got some very
funny looks from people. I don't use it any more and instead typically
indicate left as I pull in...

I've never seen /anyone/ do the slow down/stop signal. Or indeed hand
signals from a car, actually.

Peter

--
http://www.scandrett.net/lx/
http://www.scandrett.net/bike/

Niall Wallace said:

As Tony has said a human noise works a lot better, I find that
"Excuse me please" works ~90% better than a bell, having never seen a
bell make any different to a pedestrians path, and only had about 4
pedestrians fail to respond to "excuse me please". (Sample for bell is
much lower than voice.)
Niall

I find a single "dink" on my bell useful for warning horse riders up ahead
before being close enough to scare the horse.

For pedestrians, the Four horse men of the apocalypse thundering up behind
would often not wake them from their slumbers - I blame the i-pod!

pk

Peter Scandrett said:

I've never seen /anyone/ do the slow down/stop signal. Or indeed hand
signals from a car, actually.

me neither, at least not ones that are in the HC :-)

T