I need a better horn

[Unit59]

I'm having an issue with "Entitle Walkers" who refuse to share the trail with anyone else. I am usually always very polite to other people I encounter on the bike/walking paths and most are also. I currently have a Rockbros bell that gives a fairly loud ding/ping sound, and it is usually effective in most cases. I don't ride fast and always slow down to 10 mph or less when approaching or passing people and use my bell. I am encountering a number of people who refuse to move and pretend they don't hear your bell, they walk 3 abreast across the trail pretty much blocking it up. All I want to do is pass peacefully without issue and confrontation, but they make it hard to do. So I need an electronic horn of some type that is effective, or better yet a horn that has a nice tone for nice people and a rude tone for rude people. Most likely I'll still keep my bell and use it as I always have, but I need a more effective solution for an ongoing problem that needs to be addressed. Looking for suggestions, can anyone help me? I'm looking for a horn that is small, effective, and easy to use.

 

[HumanPerson]

There are some humans at a park i ride at that do that same thing.

When i see them coming and they do not move / break their line of 5 humans, i just stop my ebike crossways and go through my bag so they have to seperate and go around me and they scoff LOL

 

[CoffeeandBikes]

You could mount a small air horn for use on the problem people. There's also this I just found on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Hornit-dB140-Bike-Horn-V3/dp/B09LDF9KMQ

 

[BiggKidd]

Get a marine canned air horn for those rude folks and aggressive dogs . Just try hard not to use it on nice people!

 

[Colin1230]

Just turn the other cheek. You want nothing to do with those people!

 

[Pinhead]

Been using these for 10 years

https://www.airzound.co.uk/

 

[Unit59]

I've been searching for several days, but nothing I find is quite what I'm looking for. Small, Light weight, and just the right sound decibels. I don't want or need the loudest horn on the planet, this is for use on bike paths, groomed trails and I don't want to scare the crap out of people, just get their attention that a regular bell does not accomplish. I have to take into account that 90% of people I come across on the paths are very courteous, it's the other 10% I need to address.

 

[Smaug]

This is a tricky issue. They feel entitled to the whole path, and apparently it is a multi-use path, not just a walking path.
If the police were to become involved, they would no doubt say you were speeding dangerously like a maniac when it became clear they were wrong to be walking three abreast and not share it.

I think the best thing would be to type up a little polite note and carry copies of it. Something like:

This is a multi-use path. We are obligated to share it. I am entitled to be here just as much as you are. I'm obligated to announce my approach, either verbally or with a bell, and you are obligated to be able to hear it and move to the right to let me by. I'm trying to be polite, but you are acting entitled to the entire width of the path when you are in fact not. (then include a photo of the sign or law that backs you up)

I am obeying the law and I would just ask for the same from you. If you like, we can have a discussion with the police on the matter, their number is xxx-xxx-xxxx.

or

Copy & paste the appropriate parts of the state and local laws that apply. A camera might be warranted (real or not) because people like this will tend to lie and try to re-direct blame when caught. You can point out that this tact won't work.

I posted elsewhere a Rockbros horn that's available.

Video recording any resulting confrontations is advisable. Americans nowadays have a problem with accountability.

 

[Unit59]

Thanks Smaug, I agree with what your saying about trail sharing. I just want to ride peacefully and have fun, don't want to create problems for anyone. The Rockbros horn is something I have tried in the past and I still have it. I'm going to give it a try again and see how it does.

 

[CoffeeandBikes]

I've been searching for several days, but nothing I find is quite what I'm looking for. Small, Light weight, and just the right sound decibels. I don't want or need the loudest horn on the planet, this is for use on bike paths, groomed trails and I don't want to scare the crap out of people, just get their attention that a regular bell does not accomplish. I have to take into account that 90% of people I come across on the paths are very courteous, it's the other 10% I need to address.

A lot of people wear earbuds while walking, so there is a chance people don't hear you at all. As Smaug said, the problem could be resulting confrontations. I used to live in a suburban area where there is a 30 mile+ paved bike path along a river. There would be groups of people who deliberately walk abreast to block the whole trail. I rode a mountain bike so I would ride offroad around them. Many of them were groups of single ethnicities such as Russians or Samoans, we're talkinn 10+ large people. They would most certainly cause physical trouble if someone blared a horn at them. Then, there were the yahoos who give all bikers a bad name. They were competitive riders decked out in their numbered spandex suits, riding multi thousand dollar road bikes. They would fly by doing 40 mph within inches of people walking. It was such a problem the county installed 15 mph speed limit signs along the path. It didn't help since this was a fairly rural path with a couple miles between access points to roads. Prior to us moving the situation seemed to escalate year after year. It was a combination of family members who were sick and tired of the road bike guys almost hitting them and their children in strollers and just some bad elements. On top of all that there were many people wearing earbuds who certainly couldn't hear a regular bike bell or horn. They would jump in surprise as I rode past them (slowly, usually.)

 

[biknut]

If you don't like following pedestrians at walking speed stop riding on the trails. What's the big hurry anyway? But if you insist, this is how to handle it. If they aren't giving you room to pass, ride up close and every few seconds ring your bell. Don't act annoyed, Instead act like you're good with following them all day. Quickly this will become very annoying for them, and they'll step aside just to get rid of you. The key is you need to adjust your thinking. You have no particular right to ride faster than walking speed on the trail.

 

[Unit59]

If you don't like following pedestrians at walking speed stop riding on the trails. What's the big hurry anyway? But if you insist, this is how to handle it. If they aren't giving you room to pass, ride up close and every few seconds ring your bell. Don't act annoyed, Instead act like you're good with following them all day. Quickly this will become very annoying for them, and they'll step aside just to get rid of you. The key is you need to adjust your thinking. You have no particular right to ride faster than walking speed on the trail.

I never said I was riding fast on the bike paths, read the first post. There is no hurry, read the entire first post.

 

[HumanPerson]

If you don't like following pedestrians at walking speed stop riding on the trails. What's the big hurry anyway? But if you insist, this is how to handle it. If they aren't giving you room to pass, ride up close and every few seconds ring your bell. Don't act annoyed, Instead act like you're good with following them all day. Quickly this will become very annoying for them, and they'll step aside just to get rid of you. The key is you need to adjust your thinking. You have no particular right to ride faster than walking speed on the trail.

I'm gponna do this today just for s**ts and giggles!
Ride behind the park phone zombies slowly while ringin me bell with no intention of going around them LOL

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

 

[Unit59]

I think I found my perfect horn, received this today from Amazon. It has a nice tone and the button is in the rear of the horn. It's not overly loud and doesn't hurt your ears.

 

[biknut]

I'm gponna do this today just for s**ts and giggles!
Ride behind the park phone zombies slowly while ringin me bell with no intention of going around them LOL

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

They'll love you lol

 

[biknut]

I never said I was riding fast on the bike paths, read the first post. There is no hurry, read the entire first post.

If you're not in a hurry what are complaining about. That they won't get out of your royal highness's way?

 

[Hakaman99]

I am tempted to get an air horn, but have not had a problem since winter. I say winter because that's when I purchased my ebike (feb 28). I took advantage of some great spring type weather and went out for a ride. Two pedestrians, on two different occasions, would not budge to let me through on a sidewalk. They had the "I hate bikerz" attitude. I felt angry at their selfishness, they not wanting to share the sidewalk. An airhorn may have been appropriate. Since that time, my thumb activated bell has been enough, as most are courteous.

 

[CoffeeandBikes]

I am tempted to get an air horn, but have not had a problem since winter. I say winter because that's when I purchased my ebike (feb 28). I took advantage of some great spring type weather and went out for a ride. Two pedestrians, on two different occasions, would not budge to let me through on a sidewalk. They had the "I hate bikerz" attitude. I felt angry at their selfishness, they not wanting to share the sidewalk. An airhorn may have been appropriate. Since that time, my thumb activated bell has been enough, as most are courteous.

As I mentioned in a previous post, prepare for physical violence in response. People seem to be going crazy.

 

[Hakaman99]

As I mentioned in a previous post, prepare for physical violence in response. People seem to be going crazy.

Yes I could see that happening, someone getting angry having an air horn blasted at them. I think that a little bell that people can hear gently, if you will, is probably the best thing. If it gets too loud it has a tendency to be offensive, as you mentioned, and it would be more trouble than it's worth. But the two walkers that I mentioned in my post, they deserved an air horn blasted at them for sure. They were completely rude.

 

[HumanPerson]

the thing is most all of the zombies have earbuds and cant even hear another zombie walker yelling at them.

pertty wild that they do that really.