Setting Alarm for human walking speed: 3mph

[woke rider]

I can set 3 speed alarms for my EUC, the Z10, not the 14D. Yesterday while I was riding on the the river side walk path, where I sometimes need to pass people who are walking, I usually need to say something because they can't hear me. Yesterday it occurred to me to set my first alarm at walking speed so that I can trigger it to let people know I'm back there. Has anybody else tried this? I find the phone horn to be overly cumbersome to be useful.

[Cerbera]

Yes, I used to do this on my old Airwheel, where the top speed was just above walking speed anyway, so it beeped as I approached those speeds.

Trouble is they were not loud enough for pedestrians to hear until really very close, and it quickly became annoying to have to accelerate to get the beeps when usually the situation requires slowing down in proximity to walkers. So quickly abandoned that in favour of a finger mounted cyclists bell, which is loud, clear, everyone on the cycle paths and pavements knows what it is / is expecting it, and it is separate from your speed, which can do the safe thing, not the opposite !

However, when my one of those eventually breaks I will be replacing it with the 'digital' equivalent, which is a handheld button that emits a very loud 'chrrp chrrp' type noise out of a speaker elsewhere on the wheel - like crickets except much much louder, as I am keen to leave the 18th century analogue tech behind if I can ! 

Edited May 4, 2023 by Cerbera

[woke rider]

Those are all good ideas @Cerbera. I don't think I'm going to use the 3mph stock alarm because I like to ride at that speed sometimes and it's just going to get annoying real quick. I might get a bell, I don't know. I feel like I should do something because it's really awkward to pass people when they don't even know I'm coming.

[Cerbera]

Some people (notably the nutters in that NYC suicide dash group ride they have every year) just use their voices and make manual siren sounds ! Whoop whoop whoop etc !!

Some shout 'coming through', which there is almost no way to make sound not aggressive. The bell is what I like to think of as the 'polite' option, albeit somewhat antiquated. Nobody takes offence, its frequency spectrum is high and bright and omnidirectional, so even oldies hear it (though one notably didn't yesterday as it happens !), they've all heard one before, and they all know what they should do if a bicycle is coming, which is move over to one side, and remain calm

Edited May 5, 2023 by Cerbera

[superox]

I just have an extremely cheap little bicycle bell hanging down from my belt loops by some shoe lace. Easy to grab and ring when needed, but hands are free otherwise. Can stuff it in front pocket if not needed.

Most people react better to a bicycle bell as opposed to loud music or puzzling beeps.

[Scubadragonsan]

I carry a chest bag and I tie this horn/alarm to the strap. Try many horns and this is the best and loudest! I use it to cross intersection and crosswalks. It makes everyone turn their heads, very effective! When I am close behind someone, I just go "cuckoo!" Then some would start looking up to the sky...Where is the bird?

https://www.amazon.com/VGEBY1-Bicycle-Handlebar-Electronic-Accessory/dp/B07RXY3Z4W/ref=sr_1_82?c=ts&keywords=Bike+Horns&qid=1683388309&s=outdoor-recreation&sr=1-82&ts_id=6389521011

Edited May 6, 2023 by Scubadragonsan

[Hellkitten]

On 5/4/2023 at 11:29 AM, Cerbera said:

However, when my one of those eventually breaks I will be replacing it with the 'digital' equivalent, which is a handheld button that emits a very loud 'chrrp chrrp' type noise out of a speaker elsewhere on the wheel - like crickets except much much louder, as I am keen to leave the 18th century analogue tech behind if I can ! 

I’d stick with something that sounds like a bike bell even if it’s electric. I’ve had two different electronic horns that had decent sound, but because it wasn’t an easily recognizable noise people either ignored it or looked in the wrong direction. The only decent electric device that seen work well is my buddy has one that sounds exactly like a cop whistle. I currently have a super loud horn for traffic and I’m trying out a bear bell for bike trails. @superox Is right, if people don’t recognize the sound they don’t react in a predictable way. 

[Cerbera]

1 hour ago, Hellkitten said:

I’d stick with something that sounds like a bike bell even if it’s electric. I’ve had two different electronic horns that had decent sound, but because it wasn’t an easily recognizable noise people either ignored it or looked in the wrong direction.

Yes I'd read a few posts that said something similar, but in hours of watching people like Dawn ride, in all sorts of different situations and background noise levels my opinion has been changed over time. She has the loud electronic chirp machine, and everyone around her always hears that straight away, and they usually are able to source where it is coming from. Peoples' 'directional cue' system works better than most imagine. But my own anecdotal evidence still suggests that the bell is the more familiar sound to most people, so probably does lead to less confusion after all.

I have a love / hate relationship with my bell. I like that it is analogue, and therefore I never have to charge it or worry about its waterproofing, lifespan or durability, but it is a bit bulky to have attached to your right hand all the time, and it occasionally annoys me when I have to get stuff out of deep pockets, or move it around my finger so it is out of the way when I need to grab anchorpoints etc. But it's also very important to me, and one of the bits of gear that I will go back for if I ever forget it, because I do feel 'wrong' and under-equipped without it, and it really does work wonders with clearing pedestrians out of my path on the whole.

Dawn has recently gone for for a more generally ringing alpine style bell, which hangs from her waist and makes gentle tinkling all the time she is in motion (unless deliberately muted), but that would drive me nuts if it was going all the time, and I feel fairly sure it only doesn't do the same to her because she has music in her helmet all the time ! However it does have the advantage that she never has to think about ringing it herself, and people do hear her coming from a further distance away, which is just as well at the sort of speeds she is doing !

 

[Hellkitten]

@Cerbera All those reasons are why I’m testing out a bear bell currently. I hang it on the shoulder strap of my backpack. It has a magnet that mutes the noise when unwanted. Besides the hikers, cyclists, joggers I have to cope with a lot of rabbits on some of the trails I ride so the bell helps. The issue I’ve had with the digital noise makers is the unfamiliar sounds and often digital sounds are hard to pinpoint. Which in my experience so far just add to the confusion to the oblivious person I’m trying to notify. 
 

My electric $#%€ off horn has a wireless fab that I have attached a magnet as well as a matching on on my glove. It also has a short string that it’s looped to my wrist guard. I can pop it off instantly to grab things, then flip it back into place as it clicks onto it magnet holder. I really only use this horn in traffic. 

Edited May 6, 2023 by Hellkitten

[CDINPHX]

Could we see your setup @Hellkitten?

I’ve been looking at horns and bells and I was thinking along the same line s as the bear bell as you but I don’t want to be annoyed to death either. 
 

the horn setup you have sounds interesting as well. I’ve also been leaning towards this, but y you brought up a good point  of a new sound and being confusing to pedestrians. 

[Cerbera]

I have a bit of direct comparison XP on the subject, having done 6 months with a loudish bike bell, and more recently switched to the electronic type.

What I am finding is that people don't move for the electronic version like they do for the regular bell - you have to do it several times and I can often physically see them looking about for what might be making the noise, and sometimes they ignore it altogether the first time, presumably because they are not expecting that noise on a cycle path. Here's an example of that happening on yesterday's ride, in which this slow moving lady with a walking stick appeared not to respond to the bleeper at all, and I had to go around her on the grass. Further examples later on in the video. Some people need up to 4 lots of the beeps before they realise what it is and move ! Other people do cotton on more quickly. I could give the ones that don't the full on siren sound my unit can also do, but that seems a bit 'alarmist'

Edited June 7, 2023 by Cerbera

[woke rider]

On 5/6/2023 at 8:32 AM, superox said:

I just have an extremely cheap little bicycle bell hanging down from my belt loops by some shoe lace. Easy to grab and ring when needed, but hands are free otherwise.

I love the idea of using the familiar sound of a bicycle bell, that way people think everything is going to be okay. Lately, I just go slow and use my kind voice and greet them personally, especially when riding on the trails around my apartments.

[Hellkitten]

3 hours ago, CDINPHX said:

Could we see your setup @Hellkitten?

I’ve been looking at horns and bells and I was thinking along the same line s as the bear bell as you but I don’t want to be annoyed to death either. 
 

the horn setup you have sounds interesting as well. I’ve also been leaning towards this, but y you brought up a good point  of a new sound and being confusing to pedestrians. 

This is the electric horn that I use as well as most Toronto riders. It’s easily the best one I’ve tried. It also sounds like a car horn so again the sound is familiar to people. 
https://www.amazon.ca/Waterproof-Controller-Anti-Theft-Vibration-Rechargeable/dp/B09BZ5TH23/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?adgrpid=1362296234617117&hvadid=85143829843595&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=5265&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-85144465470419%3Aloc-32&hydadcr=24108_10909583&keywords=electric+bike+horn&qid=1686151933&s=sports&sr=1-6

This is the bear bell I use. 
https://www.amazon.ca/Coghlans-Bear-Bell-Magnetic-Silencer/dp/B000IZDZZY/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?adgrpid=1358996600611770&hvadid=84937807349302&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=5265&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84937456613608%3Aloc-32&hydadcr=20848_13395645&keywords=bear+bell&qid=1686152155&sr=8-5

I have them attached to the straps of my backpack. If I switch wheels or ride a bike they are with me. I’ve had two different electric horns and while the others are a bit louder then the one i linked, the sound was to unfamiliar and indistinct. Most people just didn’t respond and it became more city background noise. My buddy has an electric rattle whistle that gets attention too. Sounds just like a traffic cop. 
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_phone_search_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A0122011C5WOLQBYD84C&qualifier=1686154176&id=6287727395839749&widgetName=sp_phone_search_atf&url=%2FZHT-Electronic-Training-Handheld-Rechargeable%2Fdp%2FB08MF1BGS9%2Fref%3Dmp_s_a_1_1_sspa%3Fadgrpid%3D1357897093520217%26hvadid%3D84868723162394%26hvbmt%3Dbe%26hvdev%3Dm%26hvlocphy%3D5265%26hvnetw%3Ds%26hvqmt%3De%26hvtargid%3Dkwd-84868738156628%3Aloc-32%26hydadcr%3D22946_10423380%26keywords%3Delectric%2Bwhistle%26qid%3D1686154176%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26psc%3D1

Edited June 7, 2023 by Hellkitten