Horn, Bell or Voice, how to warn others of your presence and intentions

[Art Deco]

That one time... you were


On a crowded path that gets taxing fast.
A bell sound travels much further and clearer then your voice... Usually clearing a 100ft+ with a single ring
Having done both... a bell is far more effective.
And don't forget about the mommies smiling back

hmmm.. I wonder if I can set up a speaker to play a nice variable V8 rumble and tie it to my throttle rotation ?

Mattel did that IIRC. Vroom vroom ...

 

[Catalyzt]

My plan is always to use the bell, but when things get hairy-- particularly in NYC-- I always vocalize, it's definitely a split second faster.

Coming up the east side of the Central Park Drive right around 72nd, I made the mistake of trying to pass two horse drawn hansom cabs that were riding abreast, right next to each other, when they abruptly narrowed my curb clearance from six feet to about two.

In that situation, the favored ululation has always been, "Yo-yo-yo-yo-YO!" with gradually increasing volume. It has been passed down from the early bike messengers and '70s to today.

I was greeted with "Stay in the bike lane!"

I found this ridiculous. We never needed a dedicated lane for hansom cabs when they rode single file, not two abreast! I rarely even ride next to my friends on bicycles.

My opinion? There is no dedicated lane for anything besides bikers and joggers, and even those are broken white, pass-anywhere-in-an-emergency. You can paint lanes for hansom cabs or anything else, but that does not make those lanes real, or actually exist.

I use a bell when I have more time to think about it-- usually around blind curves.

 

[Art Deco]

Bell, and voice... Though with so many pedestrians in ear bud la la land, I'm tempted to get an air horn!

Do they still make battery powered cattle prods, I wonder ..... ?
Nevermind, that wouldn't be polite .... and hard to tell which way they would jump ...

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

At the beginning of the first lockdown I was going fast to pickup a part and a dog on a 12 foot leash jumped on me. I wiped out and rolled. I had bruises of every color, purple, orange, green, yellow and red. My friends called me rainbow man. The absolute best is a clown horn. It makes people smile and it doesn't say 'Get out of my way,' it does say I am here and having fun.

One of 2 clown horns recently found while downsizing our storage unit. (The other is the usual straight kind.) Will try them on your suggestion.

 

[BlackHand]

You could always try one of these if the clown horns don't work.

 

[Rexlion]

Similar in the UK. We use a loud bell, which does cause some people to jump out of their skin. But they stop or move and let us pass, we then thank them and wish them a good walk and the usually reply in the positive.

However, the problem ones are those with their face in the phone wearing ear buds, usually, young females. They meander all over the path and have no idea what’s going on around them.

Makes it difficult to pass them, even if you ring the bell, scream at them, hit them them with front wheel (Mrs DGs favourite).

The other problem is uncontrolled dogs not on a lead. For some reason they do like having a go at Mrs DG We have had some run ins with some owners from time to time. Fortunately, she can stand her ground and let’s them know how they can improve.

DG…

I can see why you'd complain. Sounds like a great opportunity to stop and talk to young females. But too bad for you, there's Mrs. DG....

 

[Nomad]

It depends on the situation yesterday I came a crossed another rider on the trail and slowed down well behind them and started whistling a tune to alert them of my presence gently. They pulled to the side so I could pass. It worked well as they were not startled and didn't suddenly have to pull to the side.

 

[Gionnirocket]

It depends on the situation yesterday I came a crossed another rider on the trail and slowed down well behind them and started whistling a tune to alert them of my presence gently. They pulled to the side so I could pass. It worked well as they were not startled and didn't suddenly have to pull to the side.

Like riding in Mayberry

 

[AvalancheRun]

Most often the freewheel clicking is enough, followed by “on your left,” and sometimes my bell.

Looking for a good horn on par with the Supernova in R&M bikes. (Not loud enough to blast my ears, just loud enough to be effective)

 

[AvalancheRun]

Buy a bell they come in black silver or gold

I have a bell. The horn is for cars.

 

[Gionnirocket]

@Gionnirocket .
You needs to get Duke of Hazzard horn.
Or last resort a bell.
It's fucking 4am Hawaii Standard Time. I'm thinking
I want the Neeko emtb.

I have a bell for pedestrian paths and a horn for street rides.
What I'm missing is a 4am Vado!

 

[EF-MAX]

Within a thread about throttles, the conversation seems to have veered of toward horns, bells and verbal signaling, so maybe it’s time to open it up for discussion.

Hope rear hub, I just back pedal and that is enough to alert people that I am behind them.... then a little thank you as I pass and I am gone..

 

[Bubba zanetti]

Hope rear hub, I just back pedal and that is enough to alert people that I am behind them.... then a little thank you as I pass and I am gone..

Yup my Rocky Mountain sounds like a Kamikaze Cicada when I stop pedaling. Works well.

 

[MinnBobber]

I guess that it's not completely off topic if it shows my bike with it's bell. Anyway, here are a few from the Czech Republic. These were taken in the Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. The trail network is amazing, and that same bell is now on my Cross Core. I think that it is at least 12 years old, made in Japan, and after lots of use, it is still like new. It is quite loud and has a "Duet" ring, (It was made by Incredibell and rings twice for each push). I always got smiles and nods, (no threats or feinted punches).

The last image is sad and it is in regard to murdered resistance fighters during WWII. There is a nice memorial on the other side of the path. I visited a number of these memorials as well as memorials where Allied Bombers had crashed. My father's last mission was to Brux, Czechoslovakia in May of 1944, (he was shot down, captured and held as a POW until his escape from a forced march in April of 1945). The Czechs never forget that freedom is fragile and that many paid a very high price, only to be occupied by the Soviets for the next 46 years. I never went by any of these memorials without paying my respects and feeling humbled and thinking of my father and uncles.
View attachment 127768

Thanks,
I am in US but 100% Czech heritage. We grew up with Czech pen pal family, then under Russian control
As an example, what did Czech kids want for Xmas from us? Pencils and paper cuz the schools had almost none.

- - Bells for me as I have become an “on your left hater”…….IME , on your left tends to make walkers look over their left shoulder AND veer left , into your path

The mere mention of biking in Czech Republic gets me drooling
May of 2022 , in Prague, had the best city ride of all time!
Prague on fat tire E bike ….. first ride ever on a fattie or E fattie. One on one with guide and E fattie just plan rocks in Prague.
With all the cobblestones and no car zones , those fatties rules the town!

Should I start a thread on Czech biking?
Experience and tips and questions…

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Should I start a thread on Czech biking?
Experience and tips and questions…

You could, although I'm rather surprised to hear about a fat tire e-bike in the Czech Republic. I thought our southern neighbours were far from riding the Chinese cr*p (I could be wrong). What they rather ride are inexpensive German, Austrian, Polish or Czech regular e-bikes.

Last Sunday, I was returning from a long ride. I could notice a popular bike path was rather busy, so I rode off onto the pavement. What I could see was a quite young couple riding fat e-bikes of Chinese origin on the bike path. While she was pretending to pedal, he was riding on the throttle and made no effort to move his legs at all. I just zoomed on my lightweight low-power e-bike at pretty high speed (compared) and started wondering:

• Why do healthy people make disabled persons out of themselves, and
• Who told them their mini e-mopeds were cool?

 

[mfgrep]

You could, although I'm rather surprised to hear about a fat tire e-bike in the Czech Republic. I thought our southern neighbours were far from riding the Chinese cr*p (I could be wrong). What they rather ride are inexpensive German, Austrian, Polish or Czech regular e-bikes.

Last Sunday, I was returning from a long ride. I could notice a popular bike path was rather busy, so I rode off onto the pavement. What I could see was a quite young couple riding fat e-bikes of Chinese origin on the bike path. While she was pretending to pedal, he was riding on the throttle and made no effort to move his legs at all. I just zoomed on my lightweight low-power e-bike at pretty high speed (compared) and started wondering:

• Why do healthy people make disabled persons out of themselves, and
• Who told them their mini e-mopeds were cool?

To each their own... So long as it doesn't hurt you/me. There are all kinds of cyclists and bicycles. The more the merrier.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The more the merrier.

Not.
Helmetless riders on throttle here are a danger and will never be my buddies.

 

[Rexlion]

I was inspired to order a clown horn to add to the clutter on my handlebar (as if the bell weren't enough).

Who came up with "on your left," anyway? I mean, the uninitiated could easily hear that and think, "Am I supposed to be more to my left?" It's so indefinite. The first couple of times I heard it from bicyclists, it simply startled me and all I could think at the time was, "Huh??" Seems like we should be saying "Passing on your left" or some such.

 

[Gionnirocket]

You could, although I'm rather surprised to hear about a fat tire e-bike in the Czech Republic. I thought our southern neighbours were far from riding the Chinese cr*p (I could be wrong). What they rather ride are inexpensive German, Austrian, Polish or Czech regular e-bikes.

Last Sunday, I was returning from a long ride. I could notice a popular bike path was rather busy, so I rode off onto the pavement. What I could see was a quite young couple riding fat e-bikes of Chinese origin on the bike path. While she was pretending to pedal, he was riding on the throttle and made no effort to move his legs at all. I just zoomed on my lightweight low-power e-bike at pretty high speed (compared) and started wondering:

• Why do healthy people make disabled persons out of themselves, and
• Who told them their mini e-mopeds were cool?

When TF are you right?
Maybe they just had a morning of wild sex and are out for some fresh air, enjoy nature and cool off.
Or maybe they do other things to stay fit and are on their way there?

Who are you to pass judgment?

 

[Gionnirocket]

I was inspired to order a clown horn to add to the clutter on my handlebar (as if the bell weren't enough).

Who came up with "on your left," anyway? I mean, the uninitiated could easily hear that and think, "Am I supposed to be more to my left?" It's so indefinite. The first couple of times I heard it from bicyclists, it simply startled me and all I could think at the time was, "Huh??" Seems like we should be saying "Passing on your left" or some such.

It's used by cyclist to cyclist traveling at a similar speed and mostly insisted on by those that live in a purest bubble.
That's why it's useless for the general public and I don't bother with it and use a bell which is universally understood.