Bells on bikes

I have been listening to the oral submissions on the proposed cycle lanes to Ngaio and in Aro Valley, which can be viewed on Wellington City Council YouTube Koata Hatepe (a great service).

It occurred to me that, in regard to shared pedestrian/cycle paths, there is a fundamental difference in the attitude among many of the cyclists here compared to most of those in Amsterdam.

In Amsterdam, when a cyclist approaches a pedestrian from behind they ring their bell, not to ask the pedestrian to step out of the way (which is usually what a shout from a cyclist here is meant to convey (surprisingly few bikes here still have bells – it was a legal requirement when I went to school and traffic ‘‘cops’’ went out of their way to enforce it); but for precisely the opposite meaning.

It means I see you and I am passing you, please don’t suddenly change direction and try to step out of the way! Ron Goudswaard, Aro Valley