A quick post inspired by my ride to work this morning. Leaving at a slightly different time to normal, naturally I was pleased to see so many people riding bikes along the cycle path, more than at my usual time. Normally my main concern on my commute is looking over my shoulder to watch out for cars turning into the frequent side roads along my route, and keeping an eye out for people walking as a lot of the route is basically a pavement with ‘shared use’ signs plonked on it.
However, this morning a swift and silent rider undertook me extremely closely on the approach to a crossing, where I was hanging back as there was a man walking and I wasn’t sure which way he was going to go. It made me jump out of my skin, and I came very close to ‘road rage’. I am always loathe to criticise cyclists, or to add to any of the done-to-death stereotypes, but I really wonder, why are the British so shy about ringing their bells?
Perhaps it’s the perception that bike bell = “Get out of the way!” that means people only use them as a last resort? When I ring mine along a shared use path because I’m approaching a family walking, sometimes the parent will make a grab for their wandering child and scream and them in total panic. This makes me feel bad, because I’m not ringing me bell to say “You’ve got 5 seconds before I run you down.”, I’m doing it to say “Just so you know, I’m here. I’ll pass you if it’s safe.” You should of course always give way to pedestrians on ‘shared use’ paths but a quick ting of the bell is preferable to silently rolling along behind them like a sinister two-wheeled shadow, or even worse, just going for it and charging past regardless.
Better urban design can solve most of the conflict between pedestrians and cyclists, which are mainly caused by lumping us together on poorly designed paths. However if we want to see #space for cycling, we need win hearts and minds, and we won’t do this by creeping up on people. Come on Brits, get a bell, and don’t be afraid to ring it!
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