If you commute, a cycling bell is a good investment. Pedestrians and cyclists often cross the road or change direction without looking. A bell can be useful for avoiding potential accidents. But, since we share the road with cars and buses, should we not be equiped with a horn to alert motorists to their dangerous driving?
Quite often a car or bus will pass perilously close or takes a dangerous left turn in front of my path. If I was in a car, I may well beep the horn to alert the other car of the danger they had created. However, on a bike, a bell would not be heard. The only solution is to suffer in silence, wave your hand or shout something out. Personally, I don’t like shouting, nor do I particularly like gesticulating at drivers. Would it be a good idea to beep them with a horn?
It’s an interesting idea and it’s perhaps surprising that it is rarely suggested. I guess the obvious drawbacks are
- Cost – Cyclists wouldn’t like having to buy it. (Given how cheap cycling is I wish we wouldn’t begrudge spending a few pounds where necessary)
- It may be overused by cyclists and create increased friction between motorists and cyclists.
However, you could argue that beeping a horn is more neutral than swearing out loud at a driver (which quite a few cyclists do when placed in a perilous situation.)
- If bikes have a car horn, does this mean bikes should pay road tax?
You can get cheap “horns” on ebay for $5 and are as loud as 115db. I just got mine and it’s earpiercing.
The SEEDS Foundation is preparing online decision-making school program, Habitat in the Balance, Animal and People Crossings module, see http://www.seedshabitat.ca. I’m writing to request permission to use the photo of two cyclists with police van and other traffic at http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/cycling/should-bikes-be-fitted-with-car-horns/. If this photo or other high resolution photos are available, please let me know.
SEEDS Foundation is a not-for-profit educational organization that develops programs in energy and the environment for Canadian schools. If permission is granted to use this photo, please let me know if “Photo courtesy of cyclinginfo.co.uk” next to the photo would be OK, or who should be credited.
Thanks.
Cheers,
Dave.
David Lunn
Program Development
SEEDS Foundation
400, 144 – 4 Avenue SW.,
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2P 3N4
v. (403) 221-0873
I’ve blogged on this subject before; see http://ego.istic.org/articles/Bike%20bells.markdown
The gist is that I don’t think much of bells or horns. Shouting is a much more effective way of getting people’s attention. As for begrudging spending a few pounds where necessary, I think such objections aren’t based on the cost itself – as you say, the cost of cycling is much less than other means of commuting – but the fact that every bit of equipment you need means another barrier to entry, another step to put motorists off starting to cycle.
Thanks for comment Noel.
I agree it wouldn’t be a good idea to make it a legal requirement. But, for the fed up commuter, it might be worth giving it a try! – But, I probably wouldn’t bother.
Na I dont follow this one. Its a nice idea but its a bit unwieldy. Just imagine it becoming law, that means a horn on your training bike not just your commuter bike. While it would be good to have a horn so that car drivers can hear you I feel that it is unnecessary. I use a bell to let people know I am coming, not because they cut me up. If they cut me up, I’m to busy swerving, braking, cussing and swearing to be sounding a horn.
But hey, if someone wants to put a big ol’ car-horn type thing on their bike for commuting then let them. But if we were to be required to have one on our bikes it would be a bad thing.
With the road tax thing, car drivers dont pay road tax. Road tax doesnt exist, thats an urban myth, but Vehicle Excise Duty(VED) does. VED is a tax on the motor vehicle not on the useage and upkeep of the roads. Road maintainace is paid for by council tax, which we all already pay.
Nice blog btw, I’ve been enjoying reading.