Ding! Ding!

In the old London Routemaster bus, the conductor would tug the cord twice on the cabin ceiling, and - ding!-ding! - the bell would ring to tell the driver to move off.  That sound conveyed such a sense of 'get a move on!' urgency in my childhood.

Today BW is starting a campaign on the London canal towpaths that's trying to bring back that sound for a very different meaning.  The new Two Tings campaign wants to persuade towpath cyclists to start ringing their bells, and cycle more considerately.

The campaign will explain that pedestrians have priority over cyclists and asks cyclists to use a bell giving ‘Two Tings’ when approaching pedestrians, pass people slowly giving them space and to ride at a sensible speed. It also asks pedestrians to listen for the ‘Two Tings’ and allow cyclists to pass.

As I see it, the bit about pedestrians 'listening for the two tings' is a sop to cyclists.  After all, if you are hard of hearing, or you've got on your iPod (or you are simply distracted), you are hardly at fault if a cyclist runs into you from behind.  And if you are short-sighted, or looking at your friend (or craning your neck at a pretty girl) you could be excused if a cyclist runs into you from the front.  The 'tings', in other words, are like car horns: their sole purpose is to warn people you are approaching, not to command them to move.   

As the official BW leaflet says:

Use a bell and ring it twice when approaching a pedestrian. This will provide a signal that you are there and waiting to pass when it is safe to do so. Please do not ring your bell constantly at pedestrians.

And what about boaters, trying to hold their boat in with the breast rope?

Last year Guardian journalist Matthew Weaver wrote a piece about how much he enjoyed cycling on the canal towpath - and admitted breaking some of the guidelines:

I don't own a cycle permit and have never been asked to produce one, I cycle more than 6mph, I don't get off under narrow bridges, I don't have third party insurance, and I have to confess to not always giving pedestrians the right of way. But at the same I don't behave to pedestrians as car drivers do to me on the roads.

Here's a great (and long) comment from Richard Hyett on travelling in London, including an interest section on cycling on the Regent's Canal towpath.

Comments

[iain]

Passing people slowly and giving people room is what many cyclists complain car driver do not do. I agree though that the bell like the horn on a car can suggest that somebody wants you out of the way , and the polite approach is always favorable .

[Matt]

ermm btw that does say friday 10.07pm above so my sense of humour may be a bit skewed.

[Matt]

I cycle down the canal most days. I've always given way to people on foot, assuming they don't wave me past. I used to say 'can i squeeze by please?' which never offended anyone reasonable. I've started using a bell now so that i dont have to converse with those who have just got out of the car to walk down the canal as summer is here and don't take kindly to those stupid cyclists! Oh, and so i could ring it earlier and not surprise people. The only person it has ever surprised was a kind lady who actually made a point to say "im glad you rang the bell" despite her surprise.
To many though i think a bell - like a car horn, means get out of the way to them as it used to and still does sometimes to me.
I could go on forever but i guess what im trying to say is BOO THE CANALS ARE MINE ALL MINE HAHAHAHA

[Jonathan]

I could get in trouble here - you see I'm a passionate cyclist as well as a live-aboard boater. I always give towpath pedestrians right of way (unless they are nice enough to get well off the path and wave me through in which case I give them a big "thank you").

I fitted a bell recently because in spite of slowing right down, or even getting off... when approaching from behind I would say "Hi" or "excuse me" so they could here me coming, and going through with a big "thanks" or similar... many people would mutter something like "should have a bell". So, I've fitted one.

What normallly happens though is I ring it once or twice and either people don't or can't hear it - so I end up doing the same thing I always did! I think a polite "Hello there, lovely day!" is a nicer way to be noticed than a bell ringing. On the road, incidently, bells are completely useless. The most common use for one is on the frequent occasions that pedestrians walk into the road without looking (you can't hear a bike coming but people don't "think bikes"). By time you've fumbled for a bell both you and the pedestrain will be injured so the answer is to shout and, if there's room, swerve (both hands in control). Compulsory bell-fitting is suggested by people who don't ride.

Permits? Got one somewhere but I've got several bikes and no-one has ever asked for it...