How to excuse your self in the path of pedestrians

[travsformation]

Another, more hassle-free alternative to electric bells/horns could be a wireless doorbell. I have one that came with two receivers, one of which is battery-powered (3 x AAA). It lasts forever (an you can change the "ringtone", there are several awful midi tunes to choose from)

The easiest option would just be to keep the transmitter in your pocket and take it out when necessary, or just hold it in your hand and strap the receiver to your packpack/put it in your jacket pocket. Here's what it looks like (pen used for scale)

 

[Steven D Wheeler]

I wear a JBL clip on speaker and play Metal full blast when I ride down my trails.

Add this to the Loud beeps since I am most often speeding along.

People always turn around and freak out when they see what is coming toward them.

I love it!

 

* I might just add that doorbell thing too!

[travsformation]

On 11/11/2018 at 2:53 PM, travsformation said:

Another, more hassle-free alternative to electric bells/horns could be a wireless doorbell.

Update: Looked promising, but proved completely useless. The transmitter button is too touch-sensitive and I kept hitting it by accident all the time, and the sound the receiver produces if placed in your pocket is way too muddled; you'd have to hang it from the front of your jacket or backpack strap for it to be effective (and I say front because the sound is very directional). And even when people do hear it, they don't really associate a doorbell sound with a vehicle coming up behind them.

I think I'm going to go for an electric bicycle bell and do a DIY installation on my wrist guards like @Rehab1 did. The more urban riding I do, the more I realize a bell is ESSENTIAL. It gets old having to raise your voice over city traffic, especially with the volume it requires to do so when wear a FF-helmet.

Edit: Option 2 (future option, as I'm broke as hell right now), would be to get a smartwatch, connect my phone's bluetooth audio to the 18XL's speakers, have a horn audio clip in repeat mode on the audio player (there are plenty of free options to choose from online), and use the watch to hit play/control the horn. Still unsure how good feasible an option that is, as Google Maps or Komoot audio navigation would also be blasting out the loudspeaker

Edited December 23, 2018 by travsformation

[KevinvdV]

44 minutes ago, travsformation said:

Update: Looked promising, but proved completely useless. The transmitter button is too touch-sensitive and I kept hitting it by accident all the time, and the sound the receiver produces if placed in your pocket is way too muddled; you'd have to hang it from the front of your jacket or backpack strap for it to be effective (and I say front because the sound is very directional). And even when people do hear it, they don't really associate a doorbell sound with a vehicle coming up behind them.

I think I'm going to go for an electric bicycle bell and do a DIY installation on my wrist guards like @Rehab1 did. The more urban riding I do, the more I realize a bell is ESSENTIAL. It gets old having to raise your voice over city traffic, especially with the volume it requires to do so when wear a FF-helmet.

Edit: Option 2 (future option, as I'm broke as hell right now), would be to get a smartwatch, connect my phone's bluetooth audio to the 18XL's speakers, have a horn audio clip in repeat mode on the audio player (there are plenty of free options to choose from online), and use the watch to hit play/control the horn. Still unsure how good feasible an option that is, as Google Maps or Komoot audio navigation would also be blasting out the loudspeaker

Can't you mount the doorbell on your wheel? Maybe by 3d printing a piece for it

[Smoother]

My experience, as precautions to others:

Verbal warning: " on your left", "may I pass", "excuse me", etc?  People don't always hear, and often jump the wrong way (as someone remarked earlier)

Bells: Some older people can't hear high frequencies.  Ringing the bell, results in no action on their part.

Blue tooth from a phone: requires you to ride continually with your phone in your hand and the phone unlocked.  If you have a face plant you may have a phone plant too.  Requires you to look down to find the button.

Loud Music: Obnoxious and makes everyone you pass hate you and indirectly all EUC riders.  Also because your ears have wind noise and theirs (walkers) don't, and the fact that the speakers face outwards and not upwards, it's 10 times louder for them as it is you.  on a related note:  I rode up behind people once with my music playing (before I knew better).  They did nothing.  Finally I said something, The man in the group made out that he didn't know I was there but then complained about how loud my music was.  So he DID hear me after all, but deliberately did not clear a path, on the path he and his son were blocking.

Noise warnings in general: people with impaired hearing either natural (age, deafness, etc) or those wearing headphones, can't always hear you, so don't proceed to pass until you see them responding to your warning.  Ear buds are almost impossible to spot from the rear, especially on people with long hair.

 

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by Smoother

[winterwheel]

Pedestrians here are conditioned to move when hearing a bike bell behind them; they can get annoyed if they get passed without having heard one. On days when I forget my bell I try to scootch in behind a bicycle when passing pedestrians so his bell is notification for both of us.

[RockyTop]

I just keep this sound bite queued up on my sound system   

 

[travsformation]

11 hours ago, KevinvdV said:

Can't you mount the doorbell on your wheel? Maybe by 3d printing a piece for it

It could be done (even uncomplicated velcro options could be tried), but that still leaves the pedestrians not associating it to a vehicle approaching, and the button issue (although it could be velcro'd to swrist guard). All the same, 'cause of shape and size, I think it would look ugly as hell on any wheel

@Smoother Very good points. I'd say the bell is the best option (not much can be done about the hearing impaired, whether physically or technologically...sigh...). Otherwise, for pedestrians who intentionally refuse to move, I'd go for @RockyTop's option (that's definitely going on my playlist!) or/and a slap on the back of the head when passing.

Just yesterday I was on the sidewalk (in a place where I wouldn't even dare venture to share the road with cars), and tried every possible option to get the attention of an  oncoming pedestrian: "excuse me", hand gestures, you name it...the f*cker was wearing earbuds and texting while walking, so not a chance in the world. I literally stopped a few meters in front of him and waited until he bumped into me. When I got the anticipated "Watch where you're going", I said I wasn't going anywhere, I'd stopped for a piss, and if he didn't want to be pissed on in the future, I'd advise HE started watching where he goes. Took advantage of his confusion to zoom off before things escalated

Edited December 23, 2018 by travsformation

[RayRay]

1 hour ago, travsformation said:

Took advantage of his confusion to zoom off before things escalated 

Meep-meep!

[Professur]

Yell " Ote-toi mon tabernak" at volume

[Smoother]

12 hours ago, Professur said:

Yell " Ote-toi mon tabernak" at volume

Huh!! What am I missing?

[travsformation]

1 hour ago, Smoother said:

Huh!! What am I missing?

French (Québecois) slang for "Get out of the way, for f*ck's sake!" (or something in those lines). The only reason I know that is because I lived in France for 6 years, plus have quite a few friends from Quebec.

"Tabarnak (derived from "tabernacle", where the Eucharist is stored, in Roman Catholicism) is one of the worst curse words you can use in French Canada, which has a strong tradition of Roman Catholicism and this sacrilegious word takes the word 'tabernacle' in vain". (Sacrilegious as in "for Christ's sake" or "Holy sh*t/f*ck)

Although I prefer urban dictionary's definitions

a) Tabarnack is the most powerfull swear word in Quebec. It is very versatile and can be both positive or negative depending on the context. It can be used as an adjective meaning "a lot"; it can be a simple swear word such as "fuck, damnit", or it can be put in the middle of another swear word to accentuate the anger.

b) The french equivalent of .. "Holy crap shit damn and fuck" combined together. 

The versatility part reminds me of this timeless little gem...

Edited December 24, 2018 by travsformation

[Professur]

Nailed it.

[Smoother]

1 hour ago, travsformation said:

French (Québecois) slang for "Get out of the way, for f*ck's sake!" (or something in those lines). The only reason I know that is because I lived in France for 6 years, plus have quite a few friends from Quebec.

"Tabarnak (derived from "tabernacle", where the Eucharist is stored, in Roman Catholicism) is one of the worst curse words you can use in French Canada, which has a strong tradition of Roman Catholicism and this sacrilegious word takes the word 'tabernacle' in vain". (Sacrilegious as in "for Christ's sake" or "Holy sh*t/f*ck)

Although I prefer urban dictionary's definitions

a) Tabarnack is the most powerfull swear word in Quebec. It is very versatile and can be both positive or negative depending on the context. It can be used as an adjective meaning "a lot"; it can be a simple swear word such as "fuck, damnit", or it can be put in the middle of another swear word to accentuate the anger.

b) The french equivalent of .. "Holy crap shit damn and fuck" combined together. 

The versatility part reminds me of this timeless little gem...

Excellent !!!

[Professur]

Travs, how many more languages are you holding?

[travsformation]

16 minutes ago, Professur said:

Travs, how many more languages are you holding?

English, Spanish, Catalan & French (fluent), plus a tad of Italian and German (as in only basic "hello, me want beer" + swear words)

There's quite a resemblance among all latin-based languages with a Roman catholic background (and their respective cuss words). In Spanish, "me cago en dios", which literally translates as "I shit on God", is extremely common. It can be a "Me cago en Dios, me acaban de multar " ("I shit on God, I just got a parking ticket"), or a harmless and endearing expression of emphasis uttered by a grandfather praising his granddaughter for getting good grades at school ("Me cago en Dios, qué bien lo estás haciendo!" = "I shit on God, you're doing a great job"). It's all about context...

Speaking of which...what was this thread about again?

Edited December 24, 2018 by travsformation

[RockyTop]

29 minutes ago, travsformation said:

English, Spanish, Catalan & French (fluent), plus a tad of Italian and German (as in only basic "hello, me want beer" + swear words)

I speak yankee: “Paak the caa” 

        Canadian “what’s this aboot, eh? That was a wicked hoser!” 

               Southern “ y’all ite? Air do ah-gan Ima come up the side of your head wit a tarn !” ( Are you guys OK?  if you ever do that again, I am going to hit you in the side of the head with a lug wrech)

Edited December 24, 2018 by RockyTop

[travsformation]

1 minute ago, RockyTop said:

I speak yankee: “Paak the caa” 

        Canadian “what’s this aboot, eh? That was a wicked hoser!” 

               Southern “ y’all ite? Er do agan Ima come up the side of your head wit a tarn !” 

You forgot "I go'n op'n a can a whoopass on you!"

[1748]

Depends Which side I am passing on I would say "Passing Left" or "Passing Right" 

If I know I will be in a area with lots of people walking I usually have a speaker with me and music playing.

[Smoother]

6 hours ago, 1748 said:

Depends Which side I am passing on I would say "Passing Left" or "Passing Right" 

If I know I will be in a area with lots of people walking I usually have a speaker with me and music playing.

Please don't do that.  It really pisses people off.  You have wind noise in your ears so you have to turn it up to hear it.  Walkers and sitters, don't have wind noise, so to them it is insanely loud.  If you want to get a local ordanace banning EUCs keep pissing people off, one of them will be connected or be in power themselves.  I'm not judging, I used to use music too, until a friend told me it was very loud when I wheeled by.  I also got a few complaints from walkers.  Soon after that I switched to headphones.

[1748]

On 12/25/2018 at 4:12 PM, Smoother said:

Please don't do that.  It really pisses people off.  You have wind noise in your ears so you have to turn it up to hear it.  Walkers and sitters, don't have wind noise, so to them it is insanely loud.  If you want to get a local ordanace banning EUCs keep pissing people off, one of them will be connected or be in power themselves.  I'm not judging, I used to use music too, until a friend told me it was very loud when I wheeled by.  I also got a few complaints from walkers.  Soon after that I switched to headphones.

Thanks, I do understand your concern if the area that I ride in has alot of pedestrian I ride slower and lower volume of course. I have  not had any complaints about noise yet and only gotten positive interaction with people on the trails curious on how it works and what it is. 

 

[Gaz Bon]

Well found this on AliExpress and its a ripper 

3 different sound to choose from 

And fits to your glove / wrist guard finger thumb operated  

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/GUB-Q-210-Rechargeable-Waterproof-Loud-Volume-Cycling-Handlebar-Electric-Bike-Ring-Mini-Alarm-Bell-Electronic/32917016813.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dZTl7eo

Ahh yes I see from previous posts something very similar been posted 

Edited January 20, 2019 by Gaz Bon

[travsformation]

On 5/22/2018 at 3:04 PM, Rehab1 said:

My Flexmeters with an integrated buzzer. 

 

 

Replicated your electric bell invention. Works great and is very loud, thanks for the idea! (It isn't subject top copyright is it?)

 

[smarty]

On 11/11/2018 at 8:07 PM, KevinvdV said:

It doesn't look that conformable though, I imagine it can hurt when you fall on it

It's actually fine.  I don't even notice it's there, and it's away from the hard bit so it won't get fallen on.

[smarty]

Easy on my new KS18L.  Just accelerate so the speed alarm starts beeping!