Oh, Bell No!

I originally wrote this as a response to a recent Washington Post opinion piece, but it doesn't appear they're interested in publishing the other side - or correcting the record - so, I'll publish it here instead. 

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Patrick Thibodeau's article on bicycle bells and tail lights criticized the role of the DC Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) in the regulation of this equipment and called for the BAC to be held to account. As chairperson of the BAC, and the person to first suggest the change in the bell law, I feel the need to correct the record and explain our reasoning.

The bike bell requirement dates back to the 1884 District of Columbia Police Regulations. At the time the primary reason for the bell requirement was for night time biking. Cyclists were expected to ring the bell when they rode on the darkened streets of the District, and to do so for the same reason sleighs were required to have bells, because bicycles were so quiet that without them pedestrians walking in the road in the dark would not know they were coming. For this reason the bike bell regulation was added to the section dealing with sleigh bells.

DC has changed a lot since 1884. We now have citywide electric lighting and few, if any, sleighs. It made sense to review the wisdom of this particular regulation. The DC Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) found that the bell regulation came with some downsides that we could not justify. The first is that while bells are not expensive, they're not free either. Adding a requirement for additional equipment increased the cost of cycling, creating an additional barrier. The other is the record of police abuse of the law as a way to stop and search "suspicious" individuals. A 2016 Justice department report on bicycle stops in Tampa showed that black cyclists were 2 to 3 times more likely to be stopped than they're white neighbors. And bike bell law abuse is so common that the American Bar Association made note of it in their brief submitted to the Supreme Court in the Fourth Amendment case Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders. (More here) 

Furthermore, we could not come up with a positive case for the regulation. Despite its long history there is no research showing that bike bell requirements improve safety. In fact, since the regulations require cyclists to have a bell, but not to use it, it would be surprising if there were. The BAC took the position that cyclists should pass at a speed and distance such that ringing a bell would not be needed, and that in cases of close calls it was safer and faster to simply call out. If the audible sound of a bike bell is so critical for safety that we need to reinstate the regulation, perhaps we also need to ban earphones so that everyone can hear them. 

The removal of the bell regulation was but one of several ideas presented to Council-member Cheh's staff, at their request (OK, mostly Will Handsfield) for ways to improve the laws relating to cycling. It was the only BAC idea to make it out of her office's review. It was then included in the Bicycle Safety Amendment Act of 2013 and as such went through the normal review process among the council. Despite Thibodeau's claim that the bell legislation "never received" a hearing, the bill in fact did have a hearing in March of 2013. I know because I was one of 14 people who testified at it. The record remained open for several weeks thereafter. Furthermore, two ANCs voiced their support for the bill, and none opposed it. No one testified against the removal of the bell mandate. The council then unanimously approved the law and the mayor signed it.  Prior to all of that it was discussed, and voted on, at a BAC legislative committee meeting and then again at a meeting of the full BAC. Thibodeau is entitled to his opinion, but he's absolutely wrong to suggest that the public had no chance to weigh in on this. 

Thibodeau never makes the case that bells make us safer. He does argue that New York requires them. It's true that New York requires bike bells, as does most of the country, but the District has never been afraid to point New York in the right direction. For example, the District legalized gay marriage almost two years before New York did. And we introduced bike sharing 5 years before New York City. The good thing about New York is, eventually they catch up. 

On the issue of tail lights, Thibodeau is ill-informed. The BAC long ago voted to support a mandatory tail light law. Though they have the same issues as bell laws (cost and enforcement abuse), we did find the safety argument for them compelling, especially since their use is normally mandated.

The BAC is serious about road safety and our members feel a deep responsibility to provide good advise leading to safe streets for all road users. If Mr. Thibodeau feels we have failed in that responsibility as he claims, or if he simply shares our passion to build a city where people don't die trying to get to work, I invite him to attend one of our bi-monthly meetings and join a committee. Anyone can join one of our committees - and become a voting member of it. Our meeting schedules and agendas are posted at our website at bikedcbike.org.

I'll note that I have bells on all my bikes. I find they are useful as the sound is more polite than calling out. I prefer to use the bell when I'm going to pass someone and I don't want to startle them. But, in a truly dangerous situation, I don't want to be fumbling with my bell when I need to be actively sailing. 

Comments

[Steve von A]

I have a bell on my commuter bike. I use it when I pass a pedestrian wearing earbuds. It is my unscientific observation that a bell works better than voice on someone whose mind is on their music or preoccupied with a podcast. Otherwise, I use my voice to alert pedestrians.

I never use my bell to alert drivers. Far too much delay. A desperate yell is quicker and louder.

[Kolo Jezdec]

If a bell is good, a canned air horn is better. Oh how many I have been tempted to mount one on my bike!

[contrarian]

Kolo, have I got a "bell" for you:

https://www.amazon.com/Delta-Cycle-Airzound-Bike-colors/dp/B000ACAMJC

[contrarian]

The BAC took the position that cyclists should pass at a speed and distance such that ringing a bell would not be needed

This is why I hate the signs on trails that say "warn before passing." No, don't pass when it's not safe to pass. Do you honk your horn when you pass someone in a car? If you feel the need to warn the person you're passing, you're passing unsafely.

[Will Handsfield]

Thanks for the plug. I’m glad my good deeds are remembered in the permanent record.

[DE]

Contrarian, one reason for an audible warning is to alert the other trail user to your presence so they don't do something like a Crazy Ivan or a sudden left turn. Sure, people shouldn't do these things without looking, but they do. And if someone turns in front of you when you're passing, that's dangerous at any speed.

Some riders (many, judging from the WABF) seem to get offended if they are not given an audible warning. I'm not one of these people, but it's another reason to consider giving a warning.

[Crickey]

Always warn before passing. It's alarming to the point of inconsiderateness to be passed silently. More importantly, it's a trail rule, so as long as everyone does it there is a universal set of behaviors and expectations. If you hear a bell, you know what's happening. If you don't, you know what isn't.

[Smedley Burkhart]

I don't have a bell and generally find it best to approach pedestrians from behind very slowly and to say something like, "Good morning" or "Excuse me." However, I don''t generally ride on multi-use trails and might find a bell more convenient if I did. I agree it's safer, more polite, and less ventricular fibrillation-inducing, than a silent pass.

Kolo, the air horn needs to be removable so you can stick it right in a motor vehicle window. Drivers stay honked at for a while after that.

My wife and I were once busted by the MD Natural Resources Police for not having a bell on our boat. The one we have now is a beauty, but it's too big for the bike.

[DE]

I don't find it any more alarming to be passed silently than to have a bell ring behind me. In fact, I think the bell is more startling. However, the bell/call is still safer because the person being passed is aware of you and may decide not to do something erratic.* I always look before turning, but not everyone does. I suppose if someone called a pass and I had to dodge a walnut or something, I would dodge right instead of left, so that would be helpful.

*We'll leave out for the moment the people who jump or amble left when you call your pass. Perhaps when the convention of calling passes becomes the norm, there will be fewer of these.