I can't tell you how often I have nearly come to a sticky end by being knocked over by a CYCLIST. Every time I use our local pavements I feel I am taking my life in my hands!
When I had my first bike in the 1960's my father (a Police Officer) impressed upon me that it was "ILLEGAL TO RIDE A BIKE ON THE PAVEMENT"!!!
I'm not sure that this law has ever been revoked, but neither, as far as I know, has it been sited in a court of law recently??
AND THAT'S OK. With the volume and speed of the traffic on the road today, CYCLISTS, particularly children are very vulnerable. I WOULD PREFER THEM TO BE ON THE PAVEMENT!!. It's a different world. The amount of traffic in the 1960's was a fraction of what it is today, and much much slower. CYCLISTS were safer.
However I have lost count of the number of times that I have been walking along a pavement only to have a CYCLIST wiz past me at speed amazing and within inches of my person, and without warning!!. Had I suddenly stepped out, without realising they were there I would certainly have had a nasty accident. I never hear them. (I'm 67, and older people don't hear so well).
SO. Why not make it ILLEGAL TO RIDE A BIKE WITHOUT A BELL and ILLEGAL NOT TO USE THE BELL.
"In 2015 2 Pedestrians were killed and 96 seriously injured in accidents involving CYCLISTS" (Quote:- Daily Express Newspapers)
How many of these may have been avoided if a BELL had been used ???
A teenager recently killed a woman, as she stepped off the pavement in London whilst he was riding an illegal racing bike. I'm fairly certain he had no BELL or horn either, as, apparently, he shouted "unheard" words of warning.
The government are looking into making stricter laws, so that DANGEROUS CYCLISTS who put people lives at risk are punished sufficiently. Perhaps at the same time they could promote CYCLING SAFETY in SCHOOLS, and the need to use a BELL. Young teenagers are the worst culprits.
It doesn't have to be a BELL, a HORN would be equally good, but not shouting. Shouting doesn't make it obvious that you are in the way of a CYCLIST.
The important thing is that the noise is not only loud enough for the hard of hearing, but that it is immediately recognisable in indicating that a CYCLIST is close by. !?!?!?