Not Saved By The Bell

Various reactions from a number of pedestrians all avoiding the pedestrian crossing, choosing instead to cross between stopped cars...

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Not
• Saved
• By
• The
• Bell

[fightnight1989]

You cut the video at the end because it shows you running the red light? Didn't look like you were about to stop to me.

[kmcyc]

@fightnight1989

My commute is 15 miles each way every day into Central London. There are 78 traffic lights between my home and work. RLJing is silly, dangerous and illegal so I don't do it. A gain of a handful of seconds at the expense of risking life and limb day-in-day-out really isn't worth it. Better to ride swiftly when the road is clear and safe than to try making time by jumping the lights.

[D0DGERA]

I get using the bell to warnthe civi's but having a such a negative attitude to them like that will get you in trouble for sure.

[kmcyc]

@D0DGERA

I'd rather ring the bell and let folks know I'm there when they allow themselves to wander into the road without looking for traffic as opposed to have an accident. I really don't wish harm on anyone but remember, on a bike in a collision the rider will most likely get hurt too.

[D0DGERA]

@kmcyc That's fine like i said, But in alot of cases people walking on the street are ignorant to dangers, ringing your bell is fine, just the negative attitude which could get you in trouble thats all, sure i know you probably see it all the time and it frustrates you but no need to get mad or negative about it.

[kmcyc]

@D0DGERA

I was neither "mad" nor "negative". Simply dis-believing that so many people utterly failed to recognise the fact that I was approaching, despite the effort I took to draw their attention.

[kmcyc]

@jamesunit19

Oh, do you drive an electric hybrid that people might not hear approaching then?

Bicycles are practically noiseless and that's why we use our bell to make an audible warning. Generally speaking, cars, especially those powered by petrol or diesel make plenty of running noise that folks can hear from a reasonable distance. Cars are also somewhat larger and usually easier to see than cyclists, people tend not to miss them so much being conditioned to look out for them when crossing.

[kmcyc]

@jamesunit19

And how many of those people actually looked at the road before I rang my bell? Have a read of Highway Code Rule 7. It's quite long but covers all the points of the Green Cross Code. Stop, look and listen are the main concepts. Not stumble blindly into the road and hope for the best. I gave an audible warning, as per Rule 66 and was fully prepared to stop should it be necessary to prevent an accident. Remember, I'm on a bike, so I'll get hurt too.

[kmcyc]

@XxcoomiekidxX

No what I expect is that people crossing roads actually look before stepping into them, regardless of whether there's a cycle lane or not. Pedestrians have a requirement to check for traffic and to let it pass, not to blindly step into its path in the hopes that it will stop for them.

[kmcyc]

@mayhew1982

I had slowed down and was fully prepared to stop. I don't want to have an accident with anyone, I'm on a bike so I'll get hurt too but first of all I don't want to cause injury to others. I carried on ringing the bell because one after the other these people all failed to note my approach. This was not an attempt to bully people, it was an attempt to save them from harm.

[36hunters]

@XxcoomiekidxX How is he an idiot? It's there fault if there in the lane not him. He doesn't have to wait for them.

[nettnimmeg]

ding ding! ding ding!  here i am!

[mayhew1982]

@kmcyc The highway code also states that road users should slow down and be prepared to stop if pedestrians are in the road. At no point does it ever say that it is okay to push past pedestrians who are crossing. Also, you are crossing the line between using an audible warning to signal your prescence and using one to bully other road users.