Bell? Or Voice?

This was mentioned briefly in a previous thread.

When passing, do you prefer a bell or voice? And why?

I am very mixed on it. I used to be offended by bells thinking it was horrible and dismissive to not use ones voice. I also understand, however, that people sometimes don't understand "on your left" and sometimes bells can be heard better over street noise. Though (told you I was mixed!) I've seen people who ding bells while approaching, also. This gets confusing because if you've got a cyclist coming toward you and you hear a "ding", is it coming from in front or from behind? It is difficult to hear exactly where the sound is coming from.

I don't have a bell. I generally say something but what I say depends on the person I'm passing. If it's an unsteady roller-blader or a child, I'll generally say "I'm behind you and passing". I'll also slow down.

What do you do and how does it work for you?

I want a bell and don't have one. I have a poor voice and it's a pain sometimes
to yell and yell and not be heard. If you have a bell, at least you have a choice!
Next bike will have a bell.

I use my bell from a further distance and my voice as I get closer. As I pass the pedestrian I always say "thank you"...seems to work quite nicely.

We have good bells on all our bikes and use them consistently. If I think the person may not have caught on to the bell sound, I will also use my voice. If it's not a cyclist, I'll say, "I'm passing on your left" or "Bike coming up behind you on your left" or something like that. I feel pretty strongly about giving path users good warning. Although the cyclist we passed Sunday who was fiddling with his damn Ipod seriously pissed me off when he got startled, after we'd rung our bell. Jerk.

Being that I'm consistently slow, I get passed ALLLLLL the time. By far, MOST of the time the rider says "good morning" or "on your left" right as his/her shoulder comes even with mine. Close enough to startle me. I'd much rather have a little more warning.

So - today, I came up on a roadie and passed him. When I was several feet still behind him but gaining, I called out - "Just letting you know I'm back here!" He looked back, smiled, raised a hand in acknowledgement.

And - before you get excited thinking Who hoo, she's got it going on, she passed someone for the first time! Didn't quite go that way, as soon as I passed him, he started drafting off me! He stayed right on my wheel w/out a word for about 3 miles then HE passed ME like I was standing still - :rolleyes:

No obvious effort on his part either. But - when HE passed me, he didn't say anything until he was totally passed me then called back "How far are you going?"

Bell or voice? I dunno - find whatever works for you, just give SOME warning, whatever you decide.

I like MimiT's idea of having a bell so there is always the option to do one or the other. I used to be so against it but am starting to see the value of it.

I had the best guy ever behind me last week! He was riding behind me and I kept waiting for him to pass. We were coming into a curved area and then a semi-sharp turn onto a bridge before going onto a road. I kept looking back and he was still there...he finally said "don't worry, I am not going to pass until we get on the road". I let him know that I corner very slowly sometimes and he said not to worry, he'd leave plenty of room and he corners slowly also.

When we got to the road, he passed me very strongly (corners slowly my backside!) and said hi and asked how I was doing.

I have to say I loved the communication. If someone's behind me too long I wonder because I try to stay as far over as possible but I'd rather not have to worry about it :) Having someone state their intentions was incredibly nice.

I do what Queen does: Bell when I'm a good distance back. Holler "One bicycle, going to pass on your left!" as I get closer. Holler "One bicycle passing on your left!" as I overtake them. Holler "Thank you" when I'm past.

It's a lot of hollering, but I've had pedestrians shout "thank you" and "how wonderful! Thanks!" And I know that I appreciate that kind of consideration when I'm walking or being passed while riding.

Wennie (but loud!) little bells on three of my bikes. On my Gitane and Falcon, I carry the same kind of bell on a lanyard. It makes the bikes look less cluttered :rolleyes: , and I can throw it and bean people not paying attention on the back of the head. Just kidding. Not.
Bells really do get *most* peoples' attention, in my experience calling out/yelling is less effective. I just don't have that powerful a voice, and I'm usually puffing too hard anyway. Besides, the bell makes a really neat sound as it bounces off the backs of their heads. Just kidding. Not.

Voice.

I have no bell and am too vain to put one on any of my bikes. :p

I yell "bike back"

I have a bell on my moutain/commuting bike as it´s required by law here. It´s one of those bells with a compass in it, but it´s not very easy to reach with my thumb so I end up just yelling "Grüss Gott", "Hallo" or "Oi", depending on how much time I have.

Same as roadraven, no bell.

I normally just say "on your right" or "rider"or "beep beep"..They all work.

I believe i've mentioned what i say if you don't move out of my way :eek:

C

Like Raven, I am far too vain to put a bell on my bike :D .

I used to call out "On your left" when passing on the bike path, but that often moves people TO the left, and into my path! I now have taken to calling out (from some distance behind) "Passing". Seems everyone knows what this means.

On the roads, however, I still call out "On your left". Not sure why I differentiate - maybe because on the path there is such a variety of people that it makes more sense. On the road, I expect riders to be a little more savvy.

SheFly

The only path riding I have done has been in other countries. I have found that saying/yelling "bike left, passing" and also saying thank you helps. I slow down, but it requires a lot of attention.
Two weeks ago I went on a club ride in the middle of the week. There were 50 people and the last 8 miles of the ride were on the Nashua Rver Rail Trail. I have passed this trail on many of my road rides and it is always filled with people on the weekends. It was fairly open at noon on a Wednesday, but there were 2-3 slow riders and one little kid who we told "Just stay there ujntil we pass." I was at the front, with about 8 people and we were flying, going about 20-22. The group was really spread out and some people didn't get back for an hour after we did, but I don't think as a leader I would have taken a group on a path. Just too many things could happen.

Yup me too, bell, too vain.

It all depends who I am passing on what I say. If it is another cyclist or a jogger I say on your left. If I am passing a child or people walking, bottom line, none cyclist I will say excuse me. No matter what, I say thank you when passing. When passing a child, I tell them they are doing a good job :)

~ JoAnn

I don't understand.

How is having a bell a vanity thing?

Is that an image thing, like motorists not wanting to give a lane to a bike, because they're too vain and don't want other motorists thinking they're polite wusses? Is a bike with a bell a polite wuss in the eyes of some mythical "other biker"?

Or is it that you can't find a bell that matches your bike? My "Incredi-Bell"s are quite small and elegant looking (and LOUD). Take a look at pictures I've posted of my various bikes. Are the bells glaringly obvious? They come in black, brass, and silver.

REI doesn't have all the bells my LBS has, but they do have a few: http://www.rei.com/category/4500869?vcat=REI_SEARCH

Knot - I use an Incredi-Bell too, it works very well. I have one on my commuter but not on my roadbike, it only gets used for long out-in-the-country rides so I never bothered with one on it.

We have a local bike path that I frequently run on, and sometimes bike on when I'm pressed for time/need something easy and flat/want to get to the nice road route that is most easily accessed via the path.

As a runner, I never wear headphones and try to keep an ear out for bikes so I can move over before they have to alert me -- but when the path is busy that doesn't always work, and I have to say I prefer as a pedestrian to be alerted by voice rather than bell. I find it easier to place exactly where the bike is coming from/how close it is from "on your left!" or even "hi there" than from a quick ding-ding.

As a cyclist, I use my voice (can't see putting a bell on my bike). I used to say "on your left" (and under certain circumstances still do), but I started feeling like I was still startling people and sometimes families with six people, grandmother and dogs spread across the path would not be able to figure out what to do in time even when I slowed to a crawl, so lately I've extended the length of my warning to something more like, "hi guys, I'm coming up behind you on a bike on your left." This seems to get lots of appreciation. And I thank people too. Even when they aren't ACTUALLY being very consciencious ;) .

that's why i call out "one bicycle passing on your left"

If you just yell "on your left" folks think you are asking THEM to move to THEIR left.

I had a lovely run-in with a cyclist when I first moved to the big city: I heard this voice behind me shouting "LEFT" as I was walking to class. So I moved to my left. He got really mad at me and started screaming at me for being a stupid *****. I yelled back that he told me to move left.

If you don't give folks enough info, they can't always guess what you are trying to say.

I use the bell to alert folks that something is coming up behind them, then my voice to tell them exactly what is going on.

I have a bell on my commuter. People always seem to smile when I ding it to pass. It's worked well.

On my road bike, however, I don't have a bell. I call out "(however many bikes) on your left."

I wish it weren't frowned upon to have a bell on a road bike. Maybe I should get one that I can just slap on whenever we're doing a slower trail ride. The bell sounds friendly and is easy to hear. In fact, my DH has often commented that he wishes he had one. If he's riding in front of me on the path, and I'm on the commuter, he'll give a wave to me when he's ready to pass and I ring the bell for both of us.

I know I shouldn't care if hard core road riders would never put a bell on their bikes, but (sigh...) I do.

I don't have a bell on my commuter, but I think I want one. I'm not sure why though...as I never encounter pedestrians or other cyclists anyway! I am tempted by the compass one because I have no sense of direction. It would come in handy (I carry a compass in my wedge bag). :o

I probably wouldn't bother with one on my road bike for the same reason (don't have a need). The only people I ever encounter are on the sidewalks while I'm on the road. I do pass other cyclists, but they understand 'on your left', so I've never had an issue.

If I ride on MUT's, I only do it during 'off hours'. Around here, they are WAY too crowded to ride any other time (unfortunately). I do see how a bell would be a huge benefit in crowded cities or towns or in places where lots of people are using the same path. If I rode in places like that, I'd definitely get a good bell.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by northstar

I wish it weren't frowned upon to have a bell on a road bike.
I know I shouldn't care if hard core road riders would never put a bell on their bikes, but (sigh...) I do.

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Who is frowning about having a bell on a road bike? And why do you care?
This is about your safety. Maybe you'll never need it. But maybe you will.

No one else is sitting on your bike with you. Don't let your own common sense be overruled by someone else's opinion.

As Northstar, I expect you to be above and beyond common opinion.
go for it. Last time I looked, there were no laws against it.

ps I know a lot of hardcore road bike riders that have bells!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

Who is frowning about having a bell on a road bike? And why do you care?
This is about your safety. Maybe you'll never need it. But maybe you will.

No one else is sitting on your bike with you. Don't let your own common sense be overruled by someone else's opinion.

As Northstar, I expect you to be above and beyond common opinion.
go for it. Last time I looked, there were no laws against it.

ps I know a lot of hardcore road bike riders that have bells!

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I'm so oppositional/defiant that if someone sneered at my bike for having a bell I'd go find the biggest squeaky plastic dinosaur horn I could find and add it on next to the bell. :p

My Trek 7100 has a bell. I thought it was 'lame' and thought about removing it. But now I really like the idea. I use my bell from a distance and then say 'thank you' when I pass. I think with so many bike paths with cyclists, walkers and joggers a bell is almost a necessity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Queen

I'm so oppositional/defiant that if someone sneered at my bike for having a bell I'd go find the biggest squeaky plastic dinosaur horn I could find and add it on next to the bell. :p

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me too! My raleigh hybrid has a ball horn. (you know, the squeaky ball on a trumpet thing?) My DH muttered about it constantly. But man, it works great!
The problem is, it didn't attach very well, and it would be even harder to put on the roadbike handlebars.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Queen

I'm so oppositional/defiant that if someone sneered at my bike for having a bell I'd go find the biggest squeaky plastic dinosaur horn I could find and add it on next to the bell. :p

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My sister's GF gave me a big plastic bunny squeaky bell for my bike.
Uh....never made it to my bike, but I "re-gifted" it to a friend for her (then) 3-y.o. daughter.

Like several here, I use a bell for initial warnings at distance, then announce my passing by voice as I get closer. That's on my commuter, which I ride more regularly (although rarely, still) on a MUT. My road bike has no bell, and when I pass cyclists on the road, I just yell "On your left" as I approach.

I wouldn't put a bell on my road bike. It's fine for my commuter, although even that bell was given to me as a joke-gift from a friend when I bought a cruiser at a yard sale...she said a big beach cruiser needs a bell! Funny...it just occurred to me...all bells were given to me as gifts...I never bought a single one.

I have a bell on my path bike but rarely use it. I feel that I and the folks I am passing are more comfortable with "I'm on your left". I think the "I'm" part helps them know that I will be on the left so you move to the right! If hubby is with me I will call out "We are on your left" so they can expect more than one rider. It seems to work well around here.

Our paths go under roads via tunnels and i use the bell to alert others that I'm coming through the tunnel to avoid a head-on collision!

I was too vain to put a bell on my bike until I saw how well people (pedestrians, in particular), responded to my BF's bell. They "hear" a bell in a way that they don't hear a voice, it seems. Especially folks standing in the street with their car doors open--who KNOWS which way they're going to move, and the bell gets their attention. I went to the LBS and bought a brass bell for the Larkspur toot-sweet. It's brass on a silver bike, and I may get vain enough to change that...:p I saw some very cute, funny bells at Bike the Drive. Let's see...there was a giraffe, a dinosaur, and a frog!

Like Cindyloo, I start dinging the bell as I approach a blind spot or underpass, so the approaching folks have warning and can get over!

I had never thought of announcing the number of bikes passing....I guess because I've almost always ridden alone. But now that I get to ride with my honey, I'll give it a try!

It is always a challenge to figure out how close I should be before I use my voice. I feel hostile when I yell, and that is a drag, so the bell actually keeps me in a better mood.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

Who is frowning about having a bell on a road bike? And why do you care?
This is about your safety. Maybe you'll never need it. But maybe you will.

No one else is sitting on your bike with you. Don't let your own common sense be overruled by someone else's opinion.

As Northstar, I expect you to be above and beyond common opinion.
go for it. Last time I looked, there were no laws against it.

ps I know a lot of hardcore road bike riders that have bells!

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:confused:
I'm a beginning cyclist, learning from what I see, hear, and read here. I certainly did not intend to degrade anyone who has a bell on their road bike.

And I also don't see how using my voice while doing a certain kind of riding means that I am abandoning common sense.

And the sigh means, yeah! I know I shouldn't care, but I do.

I've got a bell on my bike. Says "I Love My Bike" on it:o (Well, I do;) )

I find the bell works well. People are more inclined to look to see what's behind them when I ring the bell. I always say "Thankyou" as I pass them.

I have a bell on my mountain bike, which I occasionally have to use on fireroads or a MUT. I don't have a bell on my road bike, but I do have a big ole honking air horn. Never had to use it on a pedestrian yet :D , but it if might save my hide from another run-in with a dog -- or a motorist, I don't hestitate to blast it!

I used to care about being cool on a road bike, rode a sleek carbon Aegis Swift, until I had my cycling accident on that bike, now I just ride my Bike Friday (with a rack, trunk pack, Halt holder, and airhorn), enjoy myself, and don't give a whit what anyone thinks -- I'm just glad to be able to ride at all! I guess I've evolved from being a die-hard roadie to a recreational cyclist, and that's just fine with me. :)

Emily

Here we go, sexy bells! I like the demoness with the track bike, myself...

http://www.somafab.com/hellsbells.html

Wonder if they're as loud as my Incredi-Bells?

Tonight my partner and I were riding on a paved bike/jog/walking path. I was riding on the right side and she was riding on the left side, we were just chating, all of a sudden a guy went speeding between us(he was an experienced cyclist - road bike, helmet, cycling shorts). Never said a word and no bell, glad neither one of us moved, he was really cruising.