Ding, Ding! Bell or No?

[Susan]

I have a little bell on my Commuter but not on my MTB. I don't use it if I can avoid it, because people tend to either turn around, give me a scared look and then jump in any direction if they hear it or feel offended. Calling out, as many of you describe, would be considered rude and I guess it wouldn't work anyway - nobody is used to it. So I usually just approach them slowly and pass if there's enough space somewhere.
We have a lot of mixed bike/foot-paths and they are real hazzle as a cyclist.

[Catrin]

Around here, at least, it seems that all of the walkers and runners have buds or other music-listening apparatus stuck in their ears or they are plastered to a phone (walkers). I haven't bothered to get a bell for this reason, and there really isn't any place to put it on my handlebar. Between my shifters/computer/HR monitor mount there really isn't any other room. Also there aren't many pedestrians on my country roads to worry about.

If I were to start commuting, however, chances are I would break down and find a bell for whichever bike I chose to use as my commuter, and remove the HR monitor mount.

[lph]

Just to add my two kroner - I wear a not-an-ipod bike commuting, and I can easily hear a bicycle bell at any distance within which I have to do something about it. I can also hear traffic, horns and sirens ditto. Sure there are many clueless gits out there, but wearing an ipod doesn't necessarily mean you have it on full blast or are not paying attention to your surroundings.

I am not starting a discussion on ipods on bikes, just don't not ring your bell behind an ipod-wearing runner because you assume he or she can't hear you.

I use a bell and find it very handy for warning people well in advance that I am approaching "their space".