Author Topic: "Ting - Ting"  (Read 11032 times)

steveB

"Ting - Ting"
« on: 30 March, 2008, 10:19:00 pm »
I've been using a fairly new Sustrans track quite a lot recently, it's the old Strawberry Line and it runs from Yatton to Cheddar.  It takes me straight to the bottom of the Mendips one way and to the flat moors the other.

It is used by a lot of dog walkers, as are most Sustrans routes.  Some walkers just won't move over and are pretty ignorant to the cyclists using these paths/tracks.

Tinging the bell seems to have just two effects, the first is that they jump up in the air in shock and follow this with an unnecessary apology, the second is they scowl and stand their ground after looking around, I'm sure some peds think that cyclists shouldn't be using the Sustrans tracks ???.  I don't mind cycling around them, but muddy grass with slicks isn't the best combination for grip.

Which brings me to the thread title.  I think bells are useless, I'm sure pedestrians see them as aggressive cyclist behaviour.  Better to slow right down and creep by giving a polite cough or greeting.

Wowbagger

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Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #1 on: 30 March, 2008, 10:22:12 pm »
Quite often the urban cycle paths I use have pedestrians on them. If I am approaching from behind, I shout "Bike coming!" and they move over. I've never looked for any negative reaction.

Sometimes, if I'm on a quiet country lane and there are pedestrians about, I'll clack my brake levers. Very polite and understated.
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Julian

  • samoture
Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #2 on: 30 March, 2008, 10:25:21 pm »
On a shared cycle path over the green a month or so ago, I encountered a little old lady, and rather than sneak up behind her and scare her by zooming past, I called out a cheery "Good Evening." 

Poor old dear was obviously a bit deaf, missed what I said, assumed it was "Get out the f*cking way" and responded in kind.

It's disconcerting, to say the least, to hear a blue-rinsed old duck with a pull-along trolley using words like that.  :o

Wowbagger

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Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #3 on: 30 March, 2008, 10:28:22 pm »
Especially when she was accompanied by Prince Philip and a pack of corgis.
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RichForrest

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Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #4 on: 30 March, 2008, 10:28:46 pm »
On the redway cycle paths and NCN routes in MK I just call out from a distance "excuse me", by the time I get to them they've had time to look round see me and step out of the way.
I always say thanks as well. Not had a bell on the bike for ages as I find people don't hear it until you are close enough to have to brake before they move, then they are jumping out of the way muttering about bloody cyclists barging past  ::)

Rich.

David Martin

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Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #5 on: 30 March, 2008, 10:38:03 pm »
I shout 'ding-a-ling ding ding'. This seems to get an appropriate response.

..d
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Basil

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Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #6 on: 30 March, 2008, 10:51:24 pm »
Ah.  Beaten to it by David.
Although I call "ring  ring"
I also do that brake leaver thing.
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hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #7 on: 30 March, 2008, 10:59:48 pm »
I think bells are fairly useless as an 'audible warning of approach'.

British Waterways had a 'Two Tings' campaign for towpath cyclists last year. I don't know how effective it was. Theoretically, a bell should be useful on a quiet towpath, but I'm not convinced they are.

Somebody suggested to me bells were useless for the under 40s who didn't know what they were and that the over 50s couldn't hear them, making them vaguely useful  only for people as painfully middle-aged as me.

Common courtesy ought to be the key, but this can be very difficult when those around have little spatial awareness of their bodies.

I have taken to going BEEP-BEEP when my wheelchair's progress is obstructed.

bobmick

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #8 on: 30 March, 2008, 11:18:05 pm »
Bells are crap.  A good shout of 'excuse me' from some way away, followed by a cheery 'thanks' as you ride past always seems to work best.  Either that or yelling 'Geronimo' as you hurtle past at 25 mph  ;)

A mate has a horn on his bars which works great.  The comedy 'parp' usually makes people smile.

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #9 on: 30 March, 2008, 11:28:02 pm »
Bells are crap.  A good shout of 'excuse me' from some way away, followed by a cheery 'thanks' as you ride past always seems to work best.

Same here.

As a pedestrian on towpaths I get really irritated by cyclists barging past without any sort of excuse-me or thank-you. I don't rush to get out of their way.

Pingu

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Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #10 on: 31 March, 2008, 10:42:20 am »
I think it's the crap attitude of Brits to cyclists. I ended up buying a bell in Belgium & found it very effective on the shared paths.

And how can 'ting, ting' be regarded as aggressive, FFS? An Airzound now...  ;D

Chris S

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #11 on: 31 March, 2008, 10:47:25 am »
I don't use a bell. On occasions, when announcing myself with a polite "Excuse me please...", the response would be "Ohh... you made me jump, you should get a bell."

I've tried using a bell. The response on more than one occasion was "Ohh... your bell made me jump!"

You just can't reason with people who don't pay attention to what is going on the world around them  ::-).


Chris N

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #12 on: 31 March, 2008, 10:55:23 am »
I don't use a bell. On occasions, when announcing myself with a polite "Excuse me please...", the response would be "Ohh... you made me jump, you should get a bell."

I've tried using a bell. The response on more than one occasion was "Ohh... your bell made me jump!"

You just can't reason with people who don't pay attention to what is going on the world around them  ::-).

Yup.  Polite-ish 'Hi there' from me and I just ignore anything that they might come back with about bells.

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #13 on: 31 March, 2008, 10:57:46 am »
I have taken to going BEEP-BEEP when my wheelchair's progress is obstructed.

Try saying BEEP-BEEP like a truck reversing. Small children love it.

I go with the "Excuse me" method. Works well, especially on the chavvy kids. Don't have a clue why. Bells seem to irritate people.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #14 on: 31 March, 2008, 11:07:17 am »
Another Excuse me ........ Thank you here

Bells these days are seen as agressive - probably an overspill from car culture where the horn is rarely used for anything other than expressing anger/annoyance
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handcyclist

  • watch for my signal
Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #15 on: 31 March, 2008, 11:19:48 am »
I've tried, at various times,

voice only (cough, or "excuse me", or 'cycle behind you")
a bell
a dinky little battery driven box that makes a shrill whistle that is effing loud.

All have had mixed responses.

I've had horse riders thank me profously for calling out as I approach from behind. I've also had them look at me like I'm stupid for thinking that they couldn't cope with a pushbike. One actually said 'just pass will you' ???.
Same kind of experiences with peds on shared paths.

Bells seem fairly neutral IME. Unlike the voice, most people (around here at least) instantly know it's a cycle coming, what they choose to do with that information seems to vary with their level of friendliness or chav rating. I've never had anyone criticise me directly for using one. When I've been out walking, I've found it the most easily recognized warning of a bike's approach. But then I am a cyclist.

The electric gizmo is far too loud to use on peds/other cycles/horses, but effective on close range cars. The drivers think they've run over a referee whose gone senile and is wondering around the High Street looking for a game to adjudicate over.  At least they look for the source.

Conclusions? Well, much as I would like to think the bell is all I would need, it's not currently on my bike - the box of tricks is, for traffic use only.  I'll continue with voice for peds and horses. It's a shame - bells are nostalgic reminders of more cycle friendly times, but they just don't carry the gentle message they once did.
Doubt is is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #16 on: 31 March, 2008, 12:09:14 pm »
I've been thinking about getting a bell for touring. I often just dab the front brake - squealing cantis can be useful at times! It does tend to make the ped jump out of their skin a veer wildly all over the path though. Why can't people walk in a straight line?!

Noisy Campag freewheel mechanisms are also very useful in alerting peds to your presence  :thumbsup:
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clarion

  • Tyke
Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #17 on: 31 March, 2008, 12:16:32 pm »
I find 'Good morning' or 'Excuse me' tends to get a smile.  :)
Getting there...

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #18 on: 31 March, 2008, 01:50:28 pm »
I have never found a problem with using a friendly voiced greeting and a thanks as I pass. I don't understand this reluctance to just speak to other people.


Anecdote: Somewhere in Shropshire I came upon a woman on a gigantic cart-horse kind of beast. I called out before passing - a startled animal of that size would deliver quite a kick - and as I drew level commented, "That's a big one."

She replied: "Only one horse-power, but one hell of a chassis."

Made my day.

Charlotte

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Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #19 on: 31 March, 2008, 02:06:01 pm »
Bells are next to useless.  I only have them on two bikes.  Even the one on Margaret Hilda the tandem, which is a huge Belgian "DING-DONG" thing that sounds like Big Ben going off doesn't seem to work.

Mind you, at the speeds that we go, I expect that there is a major problem with the Doppler Effect  :D
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Julian

  • samoture
Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #20 on: 31 March, 2008, 02:08:36 pm »
By the time they've heard it, we're a mile down the road.  ;D

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #21 on: 31 March, 2008, 04:33:59 pm »
I always thought that on shared paths we had to give way to the pedestrians. I can't abide commuters who use canal paths and expect the dog walkers just to jump to it and not impede their speed.

I generally say "excuse me" and then thank them. All of this happens at around 6mph, as I am not on the road. Obviously I speed up for the sections between walkers.

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #22 on: 31 March, 2008, 04:46:59 pm »
apparently horse folks like a shout from as far away as possible so they have a fighting chance of keeping their unpredictable, dangerous, expensive beasts under control. 


Tim

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #23 on: 31 March, 2008, 04:57:59 pm »
A bell should be effective at the speeds you should be moving at in the environment you would expect to use them. If you see what I mean. Go appropriately slowly on a shared use or tow path and the bell should be effective.

Mixing it with traffic at 20mph and a bell is not what you want. That's when an airzound comes to the fore.

steveB

Re: "Ting" "Ting"
« Reply #24 on: 31 March, 2008, 05:38:11 pm »
I always thought that on shared paths we had to give way to the pedestrians.

I always give way to pedestrians and like everybody else on this forum say excuse me and thank you.

The ignoramuses I was referring to are the people that walk two abreast on a metre wide path, look around and then totally ignore your greeting or whatever with an attitude of bugger you, you'll just have to go around us.