ElectricEd
100 W
After finally getting decrepit enough to resist the effects of the remaining traces of testosterone, I did the girlie thing and put a bicycle bell onto my left handlebar extension.
The result has been amazing.
By going "ting ting" every 50 metres or so as you approach dog walkers or yabbering yummy mummies walking their prams, they magically move to one side creating a gap that allows me to pass through. I say "thank you" as I pass and everyone is smiling. Over the month or so since doing this, the same people tend to say "hi" as I pass. Everybody is happy.
There's several things going on here. "Ting ting" is far less threatening than a beefy "BIKE!" just as you are about to pass. It also cuts through yummy mummy chatter which prior to this, I thought was impossible.
It is instantly recognisable as an approaching bike, so they are not threatened.
By doing it every 50 meters as you approach, they can get an idea of your relative position without having to look, so they can move aside calmly, watching what they are doing, rather than looking around in panic and moving aside all at once.
Yesterday I went past a young school group doing a cycling excursion coming the other way. They were meandering across the whole track, yabbering and doing everything but watching where they were going. So as I approached, "ting ting, Ting, Ting, TING TING".
Magically the amorphous mass of students marshalled itself into a line and moved to one side, opening a clear path for me to pass. A-bloody-mazing!
So if you want a much more pleasant experience riding shared pathways, do the girlie thing and use a bell.
The result has been amazing.
By going "ting ting" every 50 metres or so as you approach dog walkers or yabbering yummy mummies walking their prams, they magically move to one side creating a gap that allows me to pass through. I say "thank you" as I pass and everyone is smiling. Over the month or so since doing this, the same people tend to say "hi" as I pass. Everybody is happy.
There's several things going on here. "Ting ting" is far less threatening than a beefy "BIKE!" just as you are about to pass. It also cuts through yummy mummy chatter which prior to this, I thought was impossible.
It is instantly recognisable as an approaching bike, so they are not threatened.
By doing it every 50 meters as you approach, they can get an idea of your relative position without having to look, so they can move aside calmly, watching what they are doing, rather than looking around in panic and moving aside all at once.
Yesterday I went past a young school group doing a cycling excursion coming the other way. They were meandering across the whole track, yabbering and doing everything but watching where they were going. So as I approached, "ting ting, Ting, Ting, TING TING".
Magically the amorphous mass of students marshalled itself into a line and moved to one side, opening a clear path for me to pass. A-bloody-mazing!
So if you want a much more pleasant experience riding shared pathways, do the girlie thing and use a bell.