But even that isn’t black and white as there is a long list of exceptions from keeping away from fishing boats fishing to allowing boats hampered by their draught to stay in the channel. It’s all about individuals making appropriate decisions and watching out for others.
Some of the minority that a, have a bell, b, use the bell, wait until they are about 2m away then ring it out loud, if used further away people wouldnt jump and possibly into the path of the cyclist.
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In my case, I’m completely deaf in my right ear and only have 30% hearing in my left ear. I have to be extra careful, for example, when crossing the road. I can’t rely on just hearing approaching traffic. The same would apply with a cyclist approaching from behind, I may not hear their bell tinkling . . . 
Edit: And it doesn’t help that, more often than not, I don’t wear my hearing aids lol . . . .
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I wonder if it’s the actual sound of the bell that people find annoying rather than the intent of the cyclist. Perhaps the tradition cacophonous ‘ching-ching’ of the old-fashioned bell is a bit grating to some?
And perhaps there is an opportunity for someone to invent a more harmonious-sounding bicycle bell? Next stop ‘Dragons Den’ . . . . 
We used to have a air horn with small compressed air can but that was back when I cycled to school. Mainly for motorists and lorries etc.
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With all the comments about bells I thought that there must be a modern alternative. A quick google search found lots.
My annual stint working at a certain well known large music festival gives my bicycle bell a good workout as I use the two wheels to get around site.
A few years ago some of the crew decided to pimp my ride & fitted it with ‘spokey-dokeys’ as a prank. However, I’ve never taken them off as they are great as an approach warning in low speed conditions.
The year after they fitted the same bike with a wonderful clown horn which gets a workout in higher speed environments.
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the bell is meant to be sufficient to be heard at 50 metres… so if someone tingalings that distance away it shouldn’t upset anyone… perhaps some people wait until the last minute to ring their bell and thus do enrage the walkers…
(OH will sometimes gently toot his car horn if there are cyclists/walkers hogging the road and making no attempt to get to the side… it is only a gentle toot, well in advance, just to warn… and it works.)
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That’s a very easy thing to say but much harder to achieve because there are too many variables. A cyclist coming towards walkers with the wind behind them might be heard at far more away than that. Coming from behind into a headwind would make a huge difference. It also depends on the hearing ability of the pedestrians, whether they have their ears covered or not or even worse if they are listening to music through headphones or simply talking to others around them. Background noise will also make a huge difference. Fifty metres tested in lab conditions will have no relevance to real world situations. One of the problems with cars and motorcycles is that they can have horns from one extreme to the other. A polite honk that is useful for attracting the attention of friends as you pass by their garden might be useless in an emergency when a car is about to pull out of a side turning into your path. A klaxon that would attract that driver would make unpopular with your friends’ neighbours. From what people have said what’s needed is an audible warning of approach that’s clear enough to be heard but polite. I wonder if any of those electric ‘bells’ have something like that.
I suspect there is a “norme” for the noise of a bicycle bell… and I would hope that a bicycle shop would know what’s what. 
I reckon that 90% of those cycling around our village/commune do not have a bell, they cycle hunched over the dropped handlebars, often watching their route unfold (smartphone carefully fixed to the handlebars)… they seem to be in a world of their own 
If a walker is listening to music/whatever with earphones/plugs… then it’s their fault if they don’t hear what’s going on around them and, of course, those walkers who are glued to their mobile phone… without a clue… you see them in towns and everywhere… an accident waiting to happen in many cases.
As I pointed out the norm in a lab might not be any good in real life.
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For God’s sake just simply ring your bell when approaching people from behind - it’s a simple courteous warning, particularly with silent electric bikes. If the bell upsets someone, surely that’s their problem not yours - you’ve done your bit.
Within my experience of walking many kilometres a week on public footpaths, most cyclists don’t issue a warning when approaching walkers from behind. Why not?
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actually having a bell fixed on the bike, would be a good start… of course, if there’s a lot of surround sound, the tingaling might be lost… but using it is the wisest thing, surely. and being aware of pedestrians and taking care when approaching/passing… that is really important, too.
I can’t speak for others but I own three bicycles and they all came with a bell. I would be surprised if most other bicycles were any different. Why do people here presume that I don’t have a bell? I even posted a photograph of one of them! Having a bell isn’t the issue, it’s how and when to use it that seems to be the problem. It’s a bit like indicators on cars, most cars have them but that doesn’t mean that the driver actually uses them.
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What on Earth are you going on about now? What do you think that I have written that suggests that I don’t use the bell on my bicycles when necessary? I thought you were one of the Worlds’ academic elite but it appears that your reading comprehension skills are lacking. You obviously don’t reach the threshold to be literate after all. Please stop showing your ignorance and like others in this thread accuse people of crimes that they have not committed.
In little words just for you… I have a bike. My bike has a bell. If I need to use it I do. I have not said anything different. I am sorry you do not understand simple facts. I am sorry I had to write understand, I hope it wasn’t too complicated for you.
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When riding horses along foot paths I don’t have a bell to warn others, the cliperty clops usually does the job. (note to oneself, ask Father to give me the family hunting horn).
Lighten up for God’s sakes 
Just ring your bloody bell or don’t. I’ve never seen so much waffle written anywhere, on such a trivial subject.
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David, you are a pain in the arse, if you don’t mind me saying so 
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FFS I wasn’t referring to you specifically. so no need to be so rude or patronising.
Incidentally, I certainly don’t consider myself to be one of ‘the Worlds’ (sic) academic elite’. And no need to be so bloody chippy.
I’m simply surprised by how many cyclists get upset about bells.
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