Bells People... Use them!

That's a beauty! I gave a 5 inch diameter ding-dong Dutch bell to Le Manfriend for his cargo bike, see if that works.

This bike bell really confounds the neighbourhood moggies. I see them by the side of the road, all tensed up, desperately trying to spot the cat they can hear rushing towards them (at 7mph).

I've seen couriers riding with whistles in their mouths, blowing with gay abandon at all who dare step into their path. The whistle is an aggressive beast, reminiscent of Soccer Refs and Jailers.

Following my time working on Autumnwatch I was presented with a birdcall. Well, actually Bill 'Charity Begins At Home' Oddie boosted it from the raffle when he spotted that it was gonna get snapped up by Sian Lloyd, the wide mouthed frog. Honestly, what was she gonna do with it? Honking like a randy goose.

Since being presented with Oddie's hot goods I've been using it in place of a bell / whistle, as the pleasant honking of geese is perfectly adequate for alerting other roadusers and has the added bonus of being great fun in the park.

Beloved
HARDAMERICANMUSCLE

Something that produces farmyard animal sounds - preferably a Sheep.

I used to make sheep sounds before i got myself a whistle. Whistle is better. Just don't abuse it. Soft, quick chirp can be saying "caution", long, full blown whistle "get the fuck of the road you muppet!". Works on drivers too, better than anything else. It's either this or swearing. Bells are useless.

Bells are little orchestral charms pinging in the background while I daydream on the walk home. It takes my brain forever to figure out that I need to move.

Finally taken to using a whistle (after my bell got nicked, along with my front light - who nicks a bell?). It definitely gets attention. It's also pretty good at stopping me shouting expletives when something really ugly happens! But I can't help thinking most other people are just thinking "Who's the twat with the whistle?".

Not tested out the choking possibility by crashing with it yet though...

Finally taken to using a whistle (after my bell got nicked, along with my front light - who nicks a bell?). It definitely gets attention. It's also pretty good at stopping me shouting expletives when something really ugly happens! But I can't help thinking most other people are just thinking "Who's the twat with the whistle?".

Not tested out the choking possibility by crashing with it yet though...

Well... it's on a string, right? You can just pull it right out :D

Finally taken to using a whistle (after my bell got nicked, along with my front light - who nicks a bell?). It definitely gets attention. It's also pretty good at stopping me shouting expletives when something really ugly happens! But I can't help thinking most other people are just thinking "Who's the twat with the whistle?".

Not tested out the choking possibility by crashing with it yet though...

I use it as a warning, like shouting "Oi! look this way! There's a bike coming! What a surprise, you didn't expect this on the road, didn't you?". The idea is to get the eye contact. I whistle aggressively only at bigger cunts than myself. And don't scatter the peds when they have the right of way, and so on... I don't care what they think of me. I'm a courier so they hate me anyway. Fuck it.

As for bad language - try to shout "Fuck you!" with a whistle in your mouth :)

Choking is pretty unlikely, it would sooner knock yer teeth out. Whatever it does to you it's probably your least worry when you had crashed. It's not gonna rip your head off like, say, a helmet :)

Here's a nice bell with a nice sound, on Kickstarter (about £25 though)

A better bicycle bell, Kickstarter

That's a very sensible mechanism, not weak springs in it.

Random sounds/whistling/squeaking brakes may still work better though.

I am not really concerned about choking on it. But I was amused when the gf mentioned it the other day.

Very squeaky brake pads are very good for making peds jump too. I'm half-tempted not to readjust them!

I didn't readjust the front cantilever on my touring bike on purpose. Too many shared paths where people do-not-hear bicycle bells.

Then I get called a psycho for going "jesus" when I have to get the anchor out because somebody doesn't put her dog of the me can't think I haz the stupidz running without looking type on leash.

Even though there's enough signs saying "Share path. Don't be a cunt. Looking at you there roadie cyclist. You, with the dog, put it on a leash or prepare to get a new one".

Actually the signs don't say anything like that. Not that it matters are people don't read the nice version either ;)

another thing out there - as seen outside Cloud 9 Cycles, modelled on SuperTed tall bikes - 'the hornet', although quite why you'd want 140 decibels!

(assuming its easier to steer round things in the way, rather than beep/screech at them and then be faced with the uncertainty of how they'll react!)

Here's a nice bell with a nice sound, on Kickstarter (about £25 though)

A better bicycle bell, Kickstarter

gonna listen to that sound at home, expecting a beautiful chime!

^ Yes

Probably posted before but http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XTQSWtK65PE

Bugle.

A friend got me the spur-cycle as a gift.
It is lovely.

I think it is a little pricey however if you like it the following code will get you 15% off until the end of the 2014

SPURCYCLE-IST

Best bell =
Lion bellworks

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I put this on my commuter as a bit of a joke, but it's proved really useful. Proper "tring tring" classic bell sound.

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You speak the truth, SideshowBob. This is a lovely bell.

So much bell

http://shokabell.com/

Lost my composure and did the much-coveted 'lol at work, spray tea everywhere' when the bloke turned up at the window. That sound...