Where do you stand on bike bell usage?
The girls are fairly competent bike riders now (remember our bike ride to Quebec?). It’s always been a dream of mine to be the parent of a family who goes on long rambling bike rides together. The sad reality is that bike rides around Ottawa are still frought with danger and rather stressful and worrisome for me.
I still worry about them having an accident as a result of an errant pothole or someone’s drifting attention (whether it’s their own or that of a driver or a fellow cyclist).
I think that more than anything, they should be most afraid of cyclists, not cars or potholes. My biggest issue is with riders’ lack of bell usage. I am terrified that my kids are going to be knocked over or run down by a cyclist.
If one cyclist passes another cyclist or any other person engaged in any activity on the bike path (i.e. walking, rollerblading, running) they are required to ring their bell in order to notify them of their passing. It’s the law.
It’s not rude, it’s not pushy, it’s a courtesy, a safety issue… especially for kids who are learning how to use the path.
The bell is an auditory cue that must be interpreted as: “HELLO, I’m here! I’m about to pass so don’t do anything crazy.”
And not: “Get the frig out of my way before I run you down you hoser.”
When a cyclist rings their bell this is what you (as a cyclist or pedestrian) need to do; stay the course! Don’t stop or turn around or take a step in any direction. The approaching cyclist should be able to anticipate the fact that you’re moving in a straight line.
Cyclists, when you ring your bell, do it so people have time to react. And then say thank you to that person, because that’s a nice thing to do.
The vast majority of people on the paths do not ring their bell. And I hate to say this because it’s so tar-and-feather of me, but I can honestly say that the worst offenders are the most accomplished racers, the ones outfitted in the greatest ration of spandex and cycling gear. They whiz past us at high speeds, sometimes within mere inches. It makes me ill to think that someone could get so badly hurt. What if one of the girls chose that moment to stick her arm (“Hey mum look at that!”) or veered to avoid something, or accidentally happened to stray toward the yellow line in the dreamy way that they do sometimes?
The other day the girls and I were on our bikes when a younger man zoomed past us. I’d had just about all I could take.
“USE YOUR BELL,” I shouted.
Within two or three minutes it happened again, this time with an older man. This time he really startled Sarah.
“YOU NEED TO USE YOUR BELL WHEN YOU’RE PASSING SOMEONE,” I yelled.
Here’s the thing, we stopped at some lights and we caught up to them. They were father and son. I let them have it while we waited for the light to change. They didn’t say much in their defense. They seemed sheepish. One had a bell, the other didn’t.
Poor Emma, she thought I scared them.
I was crazy mum. Shaking with anger, frustration and fear.
Perhaps I should have been nicer, but when Mama Bear gets out there is really no stopping her, is there?
Please Ottawa, I beg you, ring your bell as you approach anyone on the bike path. The path is there for all of us and we need to make it as safe a place as we can for everyone. Thank you.
