The Bell Law

[yoyoyo]

I think it could be a new trend to put a bell on a trials bike. One, some people are ****ing idiots and walk directly in the way and it would be a good way to warn them. And also, just because it might be quite fun to ring a bell just before a drop off

Yes.

Don't forget how fun it is for the more simple minded people, just to mindlessly ring it.

[Si-man]

I think this has about as much chance of being enforced as the number plate law.

I've got a bell on my XC bike and I love it. I ring it as I bunny hop off kerbs

I think it could be a new trend to put a bell on a trials bike. One, some people are ****ing idiots and walk directly in the way and it would be a good way to warn them. And also, just because it might be quite fun to ring a bell just before a drop off

Yes.

Us blackpool riders used to have bells on our bikes ages ago. everytime you do a bloody gap it goes ping!

Annoying as f**k, are the police really going to stop every bike they see an ask if they have a bell or not??

Just wip your nob out, stick it on the bars an go look, theres my bell lol

[sUm]

We've had a bell law in place for quite a while here. The fine is around $150 to the best of my knowledge. I've actually been stopped a couple of times and never had anything worse than a warning (I don't have a bell). The problem as someone stated earlier in this topic is that people will step right in front of cyclists if they don't hear anything coming. But as was also earlier stated, yelling and steering around them seems more logical than ringing a bell and slamming into the person.

On the other hand I'm sure all of us who drive will admit that when someone pulls out in front of you, you're too stunned to say anything right away but more than happy to lean on your horn (often then FOLLOWED by loud swearing).

[ogre]

i like this, does this mean you can retrofit huge speakers or something('cause we'll have to)? that goes "f**koff" whenever people get in the way hehe i'm gonna buy some air horns and ducktape now

[<PACE>]

Right, I have just heard that from November onwards you now have to have some sort of bell on your bike. Otherwise you can recieve a fine of up to 1200 quid.

Just wondering if anyone else has heard about this

[wayn3]

I didn't know that you have to have one on your bike, but when you buy a bike from a shop its suppose to come standard with a bell .

[Onzaallen]

Yeah, i also heard that when you buy a bike it has to have a bell on it.

[yoyoyo]

http://www.trials-forum.co.uk/forum/index....showtopic=83382

Indeed we have, sucks though.

[A!!]

Has the law actually been passed yet?

It makes me giggle thinking about it, just imagine on a trials group ride every time someone hops you here a little "ding" sound, then times that by how many people are riding, it would be like one huge wind chime

Either way though, it would be incredibly difficult for the police to check every bike for a bell, and issue fines to people who haven't, so i'm sure they would just realise it's more hassle than it's worth.

I can't really see how it would help either, as all you are doing is moving your hand across the bar, making it a lot harder to cover/use your brake when it is needed. Just a simple "excuse me" usually seems to suffice, or failing that a large honk of the brake does the job.

[trials_pimp]

By law all new bikes sold have to come with a bell, Front/rear/side reflectors and a chain gaurd.

I cant see this affecting us alot.

Take a look at motorsport, the cars arent used on the road, so do not have ot follow the legislations of the MOT or otehr rules (apart from Homoligation rules for whatever motorsport you do)

I think the massive loop hole being the fact that we dont ride on the road would help us steer clear of this.

I cant see a copper actually sticking a £1200 fine to some kid who doesnt have a bell. 90% of the time people will just be told to get one, yes we know there are wankers of poilice out there.

Beides, trials bikes are technicaly illegal, definatly for road use, as they are too small for the rider, and has no relection.

Its just like the Bike Number plate dealy, another money grabbing idea.

f**k off and die blair

[JonCongreve]

I haven't heard this before, but i do know that as i work at Halfords it's a legality that all bikes go away with a bell, and reflectors, on. It's gonna be a bit stupid if we all have to have bells on our bikes. Because to tell the truth even with a bell there, when are we ever gonna use it?? I can't think when i'll have to use a bell, i know that some people do, so that pedestrians etc. can move to the side on bridleways, but i've never had to do that.

Stupid (and pointless) law in my opinion

[PaRtZ]

im ok, ive got a horn

[Monkey]

I couldn't be bothered reading about it but maybe I will later

Daily Mail: £2,500 - As Labour targets cycle safety, the huge fines serial offenders could face for not having a bell

Have a gander at this too:

Helmet-wearing cyclists more likely to be knocked down

[Mooore!]

hehehe i had a bell on my trials bike for ages. only fitted it for the comical value.

One game that used to crop up when the bordom set in was to see how many bell rings i could get in a gap or a drop. The other one is to ride up behind people as quick as possible (not that fast on a trials bike i know) and then ring it at the very last second before passing within inches of them.

Bring back the bell, thats what i say.

And just think how annoying a group of ten riders all ringing away at once could be.

[Krisboats]

I'm not gonna have one and i cant see many of us bothering either. Just say its an extreme sport and when you fell the bell got broken so you threw it away... good enough excuse. Works with lights too

Just sound really apologetic if they ask you and tell them you'll get it sorted as soon as its humanly possible to do so. Of course, your not actually going to bother.

[Guest]

The other thread's better

[Mark W]

Just merged these two threads. Anyone else notice the awesome "We call cyclists 'silent death' in our household" quote on the Daily Mail page?

[RicH_87]

yeh there's some f**king ignorant people around, judging by the daily mail readers.

"cyclists should pay tax and insurance like US law abiding road users"...

err yeh right, cos we are such a threat to the road surface, the worlds atmosphere and other road users, on our weatbix powered, unprotected two wheeled tank, mr. i drive a 4x4 to take my shitty overweight little kids to school...

i also love the comment about cyclists getting their car license revoked or handicapped in someway, obviously becasue their sunday bike ride somehow endangered another sensless moron too busy trying to ruin everyone elses fun to concentrate on where they are walking.

look how many cyclists there are in beijing and other similar places, yet they manage along just fine with no lights, bells, tax or insurance. probably becasue the majority of people over there are too busy trying to solve ACTUAL problems and improve their society, instead of trying to please the minority by being a do-gooder, politically correct, know it all, hell bent on cloning everyone into one talentless mass of spastics.

[Mark W]

Rich, Rich, Rich, don't use examples of Johnny Foreigner when you're talking in front of our astute Daily Mail readers! We all know that overseas they're all half-developed "negroes" and such, why that is of course why our country is so Great! The fact they can make these cycle contraptions work and not hamper the humble pedestrian's path is neither here nor there, for they are Foreign, and Things Are Different There.

[Tomm]

yeh there's some f**king ignorant people around, judging by the daily mail readers.

lol indeed

It's stupid - I can't see a bell being of any help to pedestrians at all. Like other people have said, you wouldn't use a bell in an emergency - It's only of help for cyclists who get stuck behind dumb people walking in rows across bike lanes. But then it's surely the cyclist's choice to have one or not... Personally I've never found it a problem. It's just mindless bureaucracy - no doubt thought up by some clown who has never ridden a bike OR walked anywhere. In the real world this isn't a big problem!

[Si-man]

Well, if your riding up to someone are you really going to risk taking a hand off the bars and possibly losing control, just to make a "ding!" noise when you can just shout "oi fanny, shift!" ??

[poopipe]

on the plus side (not that the law will ever pass) ..

If cyclists are required to have a bell to warn pedestrians of their approach then cyclists must be allowed on the pavement.

I think we'll be allowed to run people over too - provided we're equipped with a bell and are using it at the time

[spode@thinkbikes]

I think bikes with gears under a certain ratio (i.e not capable of much speed), with no saddles should be allowed on the pavement.

[Mark W]

lol indeed

It's stupid - I can't see a bell being of any help to pedestrians at all. Like other people have said, you wouldn't use a bell in an emergency - It's only of help for cyclists who get stuck behind dumb people walking in rows across bike lanes. But then it's surely the cyclist's choice to have one or not... Personally I've never found it a problem. It's just mindless bureaucracy - no doubt thought up by some clown who has never ridden a bike OR walked anywhere. In the real world this isn't a big problem!

Same as Ken Livingstone's f**ked up ideas about bikes. He's stopping people going into London by car, yet won't let them use a great alternative without trying to f**k shit up (see also: Number plate law). Fortunately, his idea for number plates got laughed out so we're safe from that piece of idiocy. I actually voted Labour at the last election, but I'm definitely not going for them this time round if they keep doing all this sorta shit. I don't see how a change of leader's going to help either, seeing as it's not like it's Huggy Bear making all the decisions like this, it's just retarded civil servants trying to come up with ways of getting out of the red...

[yoyoyo]

I think bikes with gears under a certain ratio (i.e not capable of much speed), with no saddles should be allowed on the pavement.

Sounds good to me, but don't forget to include 20" wheels to include bmx's.

Only problem is, the people in charge couldn't care less, they think they'll get more votes if they ban us altogether, so they will.

We need to convert their kids, nab em from their private boarding schools and get them to start trials so their parents become more lenient and pass nicer laws.

Or... make our own trials/bike government party.