14-05-2020, 11:09 PM
31
Re: Two Busy-Bodies Or Nuisance Cyclists?
Originally Posted by Artangel
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Who do you think was right in this situation, the boy or the two ladies?
14-05-2020, 11:26 PM
32
Re: Two Busy-Bodies Or Nuisance Cyclists?
Originally Posted by Percy Vere
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I'm a fair-weather cyclist. I enjoy cycling along the local canal towpath and often encounter ramblers and others walking side by side. I bought a BIG bell (like all Dutch bikes seem to have) that is loud and I give this a ring when I'm about 20 yards behind anyone to give them time to react. Not once have I had should accusations as these two women made thrown at me. In fact, several people have said it's good to be able to hear a bell for a change.BTW, it's the law in the UK that all bikes have to be sold with a bell already attached to the handlebars. That's why you see so many absolutely useless tiny little bells that do little else than go ping, and that's very quietly.
The thing I've found with a bell is that you can be damned if you do use it and damned if you don't. A bell rung when approaching people from behind will often make them jump quite violently. I tried ringing my old-fashioned bell from a distance away to overcome this but people often wouldn't hear, so it got rung again when a bit closer. People then got startled. I'd say, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump" and hope the apology is well received. It most often was but not always. No friendly attitude detected.
I found in the end it was better to have a bell that did a single ding. People didn't seem to mind that so much and it didn't make people jump. If a path is bumpy, the bike itself makes quite a lot of noise. People could hear this and become aware. It's only if that didn't work that I'd use the bell.
Doesn't a bell say to people, 'I'm a cyclist and I'm coming past, so get out of my way!?" I think it is taken that way sometimes and ringing the bell isn't perhaps the most polite thing to do. As said, damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Maybe i should have fixed a big old-fashioned car hooter to the handlebars to see how that went down.
Edit: Thinking further, most people walking were only encountered within a mile or two of car parks or houses. Once out of those areas, we (my brother and I) hardly ever came across anyone.
15-05-2020, 09:17 AM
34
Re: Two Busy-Bodies Or Nuisance Cyclists?
What is with people who have hyphenated names? Is there anything more pretentious? Do you go to a Hyphen shop to get one, or does one just stick a - between one's names, and then let all the neighbours know? I'm off to have a chat with Hacket-Pain to get more info, and possibly tea and crumpet!
15-05-2020, 10:52 AM
36
Re: Two Busy-Bodies Or Nuisance Cyclists?
Originally Posted by PSXtreme
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I'm sure you would be singing a different tune if you were the one on the receiving end of these two ladies exercising their choice. As long as you agree with the message, you support having other's rights restricted. It's when you become the victim of the majority's decision to do against you that there is a violation of freedom.“While democracy must have its organizations and controls, its vital breath is individual liberty.”
—Charles Evans Hughes
Donkeyman! 🤔🤔
15-05-2020, 10:55 AM
37
Re: Two Busy-Bodies Or Nuisance Cyclists?
Originally Posted by John
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What is with people who have hyphenated names? Is there anything more pretentious? Do you go to a Hyphen shop to get one, or does one just stick a - between one's names, and then let all the neighbours know? I'm off to have a chat with Hacket-Pain to get more info, and possibly tea and crumpet!
Donkeyman! 😇😇
15-05-2020, 11:07 AM
38
Re: Two Busy-Bodies Or Nuisance Cyclists?
Originally Posted by Percy Vere
->
I'm a fair-weather cyclist. I enjoy cycling along the local canal towpath and often encounter ramblers and others walking side by side. I bought a BIG bell (like all Dutch bikes seem to have) that is loud and I give this a ring when I'm about 20 yards behind anyone to give them time to react. Not once have I had should accusations as these two women made thrown at me. In fact, several people have said it's good to be able to hear a bell for a change.BTW, it's the law in the UK that all bikes have to be sold with a bell already attached to the handlebars. That's why you see so many absolutely useless tiny little bells that do little else than go ping, and that's very quietly.
on the wheelspokes?
Makes a nice rattling noise!
Donkeyman! 😂😂
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