Bells on bikes to warn hikers of your presence...

[JoeTruth]

[SIZE=3]I was following some riders down the other day on the McGill Trail. As we were approaching some hikers, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed and ashamed when the rider in front of me rung her bell to announce our arrival and to clear the way. I can understand using bells to scare off bears or other wild animals but why do you we need to use them while riding for humans?
What's so damn difficult about slowing down or God forbid, even stopping and greeting people vs. ringing your obnoxious bell as of they're a heard of cattle.
I make it a point to yield to all hikers (unless they insist on letting you by) and I always make it a point to say hello and ask how they're doing.

Using a bell (IMO) falls under the same impersonal iPod category where people are not socializing anymore and the most simplest of human manners and courtesies are being tossed out the door for obnoxious things like bells.

Is it just me and I'm over reacting or does this bother you as well?

[/SIZE]

[mechmann]

Buy a Bear Bell at REI.

That is what I use. It works!

It is to warn people when you are traveling at a high rate of speed. Sometimes stopping is not an option...

OR

Sometimes you come up behind someone, if they hear your bell they know you are there...

Bells are for safety. Not to be confused with obnoxious behavior.

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by JoeTruth

[SIZE=3]I was following some riders down the other day on the McGill Trail. As we were approaching some hikers, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed and ashamed when the rider in front of me rung her bell to announce our arrival and to clear the way. I can understand using bells to scare off bears or other wild animals but why do you we need to use them while riding for humans? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]What's so damn difficult about slowing down or God forbid, even stopping and greeting people vs. ringing your obnoxious bell as of they're a heard of cattle. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]I make it a point to yield to all hikers (unless they insist on letting you by) and I always make it a point to say hello and ask how they're doing. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Using a bell (IMO) falls under the same impersonal iPod category where people are not socializing anymore and the most simplest of human manners and courtesies are being tossed out the door for obnoxious things like bells.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Is it just me and I'm over reacting or does this bother you as well?[/SIZE]

are not my thing. I like the quiet. Besides hikers have the right of way.....ALWAYS.

I also slow waaaaay down or stop to say high

[mechmann]

You guys are correct, everyone shares the trails. However, it is still nice to err on the side of safety and let other trail users know you are there. A bell can help with that.

On some trails bells are suggested/recommended.

A good example was last weekend at BB, I was bombing down a trail at a HIGH rate of speed, some hikers had heard me coming and graciously let me pass without making me skid to a stop. As I passed I smiled and said "Thank you!"

[mtnbikej]

I find that ring-ring bells directed at a hiker is like saying "Hey you....you are in my way, so move."

The bear bell rings all the time and is not directed at anyone, so people usaully hear it before.

Plus, they can hear the bear bell from around a blind turn, where as the ring-ring bell has to be manually used.

[foofighter]

as do i, but when we're going through sections like coyote where it's blind corners you want to at least make your presence known...i've gone head on w/ another rider throw there and it was scary as he was bigger in mass than me. i like to have one on our jog stroller too so that riders will know we're walking around the bend and not mow us over

[Schecky]

I use the REI bear bell on missing Link/Fenceline during weekends, but pretty much nowhere else.
Hikers go ape s#!t happy over it. You'd think I had cured cancer or something.
Other than that, it gets annoying real quick.

[OMR]

Sorry, I'm a believer in some type of noise device. I've found out that the little kiddie horns work the best. (Dinosaurs, toads, spiders, etc) They usually seem to bring a smile to people's lips. I use one when I'm patrolling at Aliso Woods & the hikers really seem to appreciate the announcement that I'm coming up behind them.

The downside: Unfortunately since I started using the horns, I haven't scored many points running over people... but if you count the two nuns in the crosswalk on Sat that's 25 points so far this month...

OMR

[tkblazer]

i have a sumo wrestler horn on my handlebar, but i usually use it to greet hot hiker chicks

[spookydave]

I use jingle bells because I like to jingle. haha
Really like others say, I would not ring a bell at a hiker and always do my best to stop and let them pass. But with these they do hear a jingle before they see me most of the time. Keeps the rock huggers at Tunnel happy too.

[allison]

I like Andy's [SIZE=1](jingle)[/SIZE][SIZE=2] balls.[/SIZE]

Er, bells.

[foofighter]

your jinble balls(bells) are not the same size

[denmother]

I use a Bear Bell whenever I ride. Between hikers, runners, horses, other riders, mountain lions, bobcats, bears, deer, etc. I find that it has become more and more important to warn others of my presence. Yes, it is sometimes annoying, but ya gotta deal with reality. In some cases where mountain lions have been sighted on trails, they actually recommend using them.

I don't know about you, but 75% of the mountain bikers that I greet on the trail will not say hello or even crack a smile. I don't know where you ride, it must be some alternate universe other than mine.

[foofighter]

Originally Posted by denmother

I don't know about you, but 75% of the mountain bikers that I greet on the trail will not say hello or even crack a smile. I don't know where you ride, it must be some alternate universe other than mine.

wood canyon have very nice hikers and riders...i know because i reverse roles during the week from riding to hiking and everyone's pretty pleasant towards each other. and I actually dont mind when a rider dings the bell because it lets my kids know that a biker is coming and they best get over or get run over.

[spookydave]

Originally Posted by foofighter

your jinble balls(bells) are not the same size

at least they are not blue.

[TURNERob]

I think hikers would much rather have a bell ringing to warn them instead of yelling something from a distance. A bell is much better than nothing at all.

[COLEKO]

I always ring my bell.. But I never just ride past with out saying good morning our a good afternoon. In fact more people need bells on there bikes.

[Permagrin]

As a hiker, runner and rider, I like the notice around blind turns that someone could be careening down on me, but I have to admit when I hear the bring-bring of the little girlie bells it makes me crazy. This is especially true when I'm on a fire road, alone, and there's plenty of room to pass and with all that chain slapping going on there 's no way no one could NOT hear you coming. That is, unless they were blasting the headphones and in that case, it wouldn't matter anyways.

I always slow to hikers and runners and acknowledge them; it's a common courtesy and I appreciate it when its done in return. On the same hand, if I'm hiking and see a bike coming I get out of the way and say hi (even though some don't even bother with thank you in either case) and hope someday it'll be returned.

[Break n Bones]

IMO Bells were an old school thing when mountain biking was kinda new to hikers / horse riders , I always thought it was a good idea letting them know you were coming up behind them or just around a blind corner , Seems bells faded out after awhile and we only used them riding the boardwalk at the beach for the hot womens . Now that bikers are all over the place hikers and such know we are out there .

Ah I guess I m saying I dont have any problem with bells being used .