Why’s it so hard to ring a bell?

On Saturday, July 11, I walked along the Stour following the shared path from Tonford Lane to Toddlers’ Cove, a distance of less than 2km.

In that short walk I was overtaken by well over 20 cyclists and in only three cases did any of them ring their bells to warn me of their approach. All I got was a sudden whirring immediately behind, abruptly followed by an intimidating rush of cyclist and machine, some passing very close indeed.

The problem as described by Judith Dimond [Letters, July 9] and echoed by K Griggs [16 July], is that most cyclists just don’t ring their bells, as I believe they are required to do by the Highway Code. Add to this the wholly inadequate signage and you have the makings of a serious accident. As Judith observes, none of us have eyes in the backs of our heads.

On my walk I saw just four little notices reading ‘Cyclists please moderate your speed and give way to pedestrians’ but they were too small and too badly located to be read by any swiftly passing cyclist, and lacking any reference to ringing the cycle bell when approaching from behind. Indeed, the only references to cycle bells I saw on the whole of my walk were two tiny notices on the railings by the abutments of the old railway bridge reading ‘Ding ding please ring your bell.’ In size they were no more than 190mm x 85mm, and how totally absurd is that!

So, addressing myself now directly to cyclists: When you are approaching pedestrians from behind, please, please, ring your bell. It’s not rude, you are not ordering them out of your way, you are simply warning of your approach. For they can’t hear you coming. And think of this: that young woman ahead of you with a baby in a pushchair and a toddler trotting beside her; what if the little kid should suddenly run across your path? If you hit the child your bike will probably cripple it, and all your regrets and anguish for the rest of your life will never put that right.

Graham Hudson Faversham