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cyclists_stay_awesome_bell.jpgNew Forest MP calls for mandatory bike bells
Conservative MP Julian Lewis says that cyclists are putting pedestrians at risk “because they can’t be bothered to fit a bell.” The New Forest East MP says all cyclists should be obliged to have one fitted. (The road.cc ‘stay awesome’ bell is a tenner, by the way.)
Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Lewis – who in 2014 called for regulation of sportives and limits on numbers of participants – said: “Speeding cyclists on rural roads in the New Forest are putting residents and other pedestrians at risk, simply because they cannot be bothered to fit a bell on their bikes so that they can warn pedestrians of their approach.
“When I wrote to a Transport Minister about this issue 18 months ago, he replied: ‘Through rule 66 of the Highway Code we recommend that a bell is fitted to a bicycle and used as necessary. Under current regulations the cyclist is not compelled to keep the bell fitted after the bicycle has been purchased. We have no plans to make bells compulsory as this would be difficult to enforce.’”
Lewis described the reply as “insipid” and asked for a statement from the government so that his constituents could “go about their business without fear of being mown down by silent road cyclists?”
Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom urged Mr Lewis to call a Commons debate on the issue.
In 2011, Leadsom used the ten-minute rule to introduce a Dangerous and Reckless Cycling (Offences) Bill, which among other things called for the introduction of a new offence of causing death by dangerous cycling, with a proposed maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.
Part of the motivation for the bill was the case of 17-year-old Rhiannon Bennett, who died from head injuries following a collision with a cyclist in Buckingham in 2008.
The cyclist in that case was fined £2,200 after being convicted of dangerous cycling, although a police officer involved in the case told the BBC that officers believed the teenager was standing on the road, rather than the pavement, when the collision took place.
Responding to Lewis’s comments, Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns, said: "Mr Lewis does seem rather selective with his road safety concerns. Back in 2014 he spoke out in a Westminster debate to warn about the danger cyclists presented to livestock in the New Forest, ignoring the evidence showing there had been no recorded instances of an animal killed or injured in an incident involving a cyclist in 15 years, but numerous incidents involving motor vehicles.
"This time it's speeding cyclists without bells that concerns him, but not a word about speeding drivers or the evidence about what presents the greatest risk.
"If Mr Lewis is truly concerned about road safety in the New Forest he could focus his attention on the collision blackspot in his own constituency, the unsafe junction at Ipley Cross, where cyclists Kieran Dix and Mark Brummell have both lost their lives in recent years, with several other collisions reported to the police."
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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74 comments
If the bell is next to a brake it will be where I hold the handlebars - not a very good idea.
I cycle in the New Forest at least twice a week. There are no pavements, so not sure where these hassled pedestrians are walking. I don't see walkers in the roads, that would be really dangerous as pretty much every car driver exceeds the 40mph speed limit on these narrow roads. I have a lot of video evidence of cars driving dangerously as they approach or overtake me. I swear a lot in the forest as a result.
This MP is an idiot, he must be. I have never seen a cyclist exceeding 40mph in the forest. I have gotten close to it on a steep downhill, but then I have to be careful because they have those pinchpoints designed to cause collisions between oncoming traffic. I very much doubt my bell would be heard at any speed above 10mph and as I've said there is never anyone in the road to warn of my approach. Certainly the morons speeding towards me in their cars are not going to hear it.
You want to laugh at the stupid observation of this MP, but unfortunately there are even more idiots who will think he is making sense and even more money would be wasted allowing him to continue. Perhaps the real reason for his obvious hatred of cyclists is that the Government took back the £2m funding for cycling infrastructure in the New Forest a few years back because the corrupt bastards it was given to were spending it on anything but cycling infrastructure.
Well, if there are no pavements then where do you expect them to walk? They will be walking on the road and (hopefully) against the flow of traffic so they can see the cars and bikes and you should slow down and give them plenty of space.
Based on the vocabulary you use and your statements about swearing, the MP being an idiot and so on I would question your and those who starred your comment's attitude. I used to live in Southampton and would come to New Forest to wind down after a working week. Every time I had a very pleasant ride there.
And you completely missed the point I made (3 times) that there are no walkers on the roads. The vast majority of roads do not have pavements. The biggest risk to any walkers would not be cyclists, it would be speeding cars. There is a 40mph limit throughout the Forest, and many drivers exceed this. Hence why animals get killed (because they do walk in the road). A cyclist hitting a horse or cow is not going to kill it, they are more likely to get killed themselves as a result of a collision with a 250kg animal. And a bell is not going to warn the animal. That you haven't cursed at drivers whilst on your bike, suggests to me that you drive more than you cycle...or where you cycle the drivers are unbelievably considerate to cyclists on the daily commute.
If you had to put funding to implement a new law to protect pedestrians, you would put your money on compulsory bells in the New Forest?? I'm glad you are not in charge of spending. Out of interest, how would you measure the success of such a law?
Failed to detect use of 'cockwomble' and 'wankpuffin'
"I'll just cross the road whilst glued to my mobile and listening to my music and %$^£ any road users"
Oh look in 2016, 435 pedestrians were killed by non cyclists and 4086 seriously injured by non cyclists. Therefore cyclists are to blame.
http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/app/uploads/2018/01/New-Forest-Cycling-Co...
The New Forest Cycling Code, which I think had quite a difficult passage, pre-supposes that you’ve got a bell, but does permit the use of Voice 1.0. It also suggests bright or reflective clothing - which of course will be translated as “he was all in black m’lud, me and my Audi didn’t stand a chance, what with my Raybans and my music blaring - look, it’s all set down here...” [gasps from the jury]. (You’re either watching the road properly or you’re not - flashing lights front and rear do help on a bright day under the tree canopy.)
To be fair, a lot of the Code is fairly positive and sensible; Mr Audi ought to have a copy taped over the front of his smart phone as there’s plenty of good advice for him too. In fact, doesn’t this sound like a gap in the market??
It’s surprising what people think is already mandatory on a bike - have bells ever been a requirement?
Advice on horse & riders when coming up behind - use your voice, horses are used to that, pass as wide as you can, smile and wave. The car is the common foe here, let’s show some solidarity.
+1 on dog owners and shared paths, the same ones that will happily drive at 45 with poochie loose in the car. Owner on the left, dog on the right, pathway clear. As I approach, what does the owner do? Calls the dog. What does the dog do? ...
++1 about all the animal deaths on the main routes through the New Forest - quite worrying how many seem to be hit & run, even in a national of animal lovers. And don’t blame the visitors, plenty of this happens in the dark depths of winter.
The visitors will be out there this week, families ambling about the tracks and lanes on hire bikes - people in this county are longing to go cycling and will flog down the M3 for the right environment. Would Mr Lewis disapprove?
There is a certain type of cyclist who I wonder is, in these people’s minds “the problem”, just a minority who dress very tribal, are 100 times fitter and leaner than me, carbon bike in show room condition, wouldn’t be seen dead with anything other than a £59 bell, who take it pretty fast and cause this kind of alienation in some people’s minds? Guys, you know who you are - maybe ease up just a little? Stay awesome.
Wait, are you saying cyclists should have speed limiters?
North Wales Saint, I agree with the sentiment that we should share with care - be patient and respectful to other people. Unfortunately, you don't even manage it in your comment, which 'others' certain people you consider to be 'not like you', and condemns them based on your prejudice.
As a local I didn't even have to read where the MP was from to work it out. They're obsessed with cyclists in New Forest. As a local who regularly rides in the park you see most drivers speeding over the 40mph limit, yet his focus is on cyclists with bells.
Amazing this is being raised by a New Forest MP, not by an MP representing a London borough. Take a stroll around the forest, it's hardly rammed with pedestrians!! If cyclists are proving a danger to them it will be because they are not paying attention, the roads are so quiet!
Isn't the entire premise of a bell negated by the human attribute of a voice?
On a shared space with pedestrians: You as the one with more kinetic energy slow down when approaching from behind and with respect to those in front having priority and take a course of action to take into account what someone might do and in which case you'll be so close that a verbal warning will suffice. A bell is often either ignored, not heard or taken as an intimidation/admonishment noise.
On a road in an urban environment a bell is worse than useless, either it won't be heard, it'll be ignored, it'll be taken as a sign you're angry/coming through just in the same way a horn on a motor is and if a ped steps out the bell/warning is likely to scatter them all over the place.
Just look at how well it worked out for Alliston when he shouted an audible warning, he was condemned/lambasted for that yet in the same scenario for a motor it is recommended in the HC. If he'd have used another audible warning such as a bell do you think the outcome would be any different, no, because she didn't probably hear it, I don't even think she saw Alliston she was so panicked at not being able to cross/other motors coming close to her standing in the middle of the road.
The MP is not just a misguided fool he a total end of a bell.
As a National Standards Instructor & Sustrans Ranger, I am frequently concerned about mamils riding at speed on shared facilities.
I canot understand their reluctance to fit or use bells.
All my bikes have Dutch style 'ding/dong' bells which are effective at 30m & often elicit favourable comment.
Share with care!
Effective at what? Slowing them down or telling people to get out of their way? If speeding's the problem bells aren't going to solve it.
Could you define what you mean by mamil and which part of the country your experience is from? I’ve only ever seen a handful on road bikes in full lycra riding on the 18 km shared use path between Teddington Lock and Weybridge (part of NCN route 4) in the 10 years I’ve lived in the area, and have ridden it well over 100 times.
Maybe the MP could reflect on Highway Code rule 1 and 2 for a while.
Then of course just look at the numbers killed by motor vehicles and act accordingly.
Maybe enforce existing rules before inventing new ones.
Highway Code rule 56
Dogs. Do not let a dog out on the road on its own. Keep it on a short lead when walking on the pavement, road or path shared with cyclists or horse riders.
Just a short clip from my local area last year, both incidents within two minutes of each other https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=lY71I_YuYSY
But in the New Forest, it's always the cyclists' fault.
Comedy horn from the £1 store works for me on shared paths - seems less imperious than a bell and reminds me of countless Marx Bros films.
Sadly last week, my mere presence alone on a back road brought down a horse and rider; no extra noise required, as it reared in surprise as I came into view at a medium pace (~13 mph). Sometimes you just can't win... Luckily both nag and rider ok.
Cycling in London pedestrians don't respond to, or hear, bells or shouting. What they do respond to thouigh is my 115dB "AirZound" air-horn which even makes motorists inside their cars jump a bit.
I have noticed that some flipping pedestrians wearing headhones cannot hear that
I find voice 1.0 effective enough. Fitting a bell but not using woukd be no different.
But really pedestrians should try looking with their eyes not their ears when crossing roads.
What does the MP have to say about electric cars with their silent motors?
Finally handlebar space is better used by gps lights and camera than a bell which woukd be ignored.
And I'm sure the judge woukd accept I couldn't use my brakes to stop in time as my hand was busy on the bell.
I've noticed a strange phenomenon when I ride along the canal and ting my bell at 2 people walking side-by-side. The person on the left crosses in front of/behind the other person to the right hand side. The other person does the opposite. They then stand there like lemons confused about what they're supposed to do. Every single time. Dogs meanwhile have a quick look and keep to one side.
Humans eh?!
Fair point.
I imagine a dog could do a better job as an MP than this Lewis clown.
Just think, over £77k comprising part of our taxes is paying the salary of these people.
Anyone here a member of his constituency? I would be genuinely interested to see his reply to a question asking for statistics to back up his stance, compared to RTAs involving motor vehicles and ask what he's doing about reducing those casualties.
"Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom urged Mr Lewis to call a Commons debate on the issue"
This is great news. Now Brexit is sorted, the NHS is sufficiently funded, our education system is thriving, the emergency services are ably staffed and supported they can focus their attention on this.
Just to be clear; how many cyclists are hitting >70mph on these rural roads, Team Sky's recruitment policy needs to be more centred around the New Forest...
one more note - MP Julain Lewis should be made to wear a helmet at all times when in public since his opinions are clearly the result of repeatedly banging his head on street objects, which in turn is likely to be a result of inbreeding.
this should do the trick
img_1452.jpg
'Speeding' Cyclists?
#thingsthatneverhappened
Remember a cyclist can simultaneously
Hold motorists up unreasonably
Be considered speeding by pedestrians
Is there a formal petition on this? The man is clearly from the traditional tory inbreeding programme.
Bells are usually met with insults from pedestrians.
I use my freewheel noise if I'm angry, and my facial orifice if a friendly "ahoy!" is appropriate (which is pretty much all the time)
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