h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

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Can you give me the details of this as I was completely unaware that I needed a bell on my bike and do not have one! I have not noticed any information campaign to let me know about the requirements...When did this all happen...Does this make me a criminal.............!

Bells are now to be compulsory on bicycles? Thank God! I speak as a pedestrian who regularly finds herself threatened on bridleways, footpaths and even city pavements by cyclists who approach stealthily and silently from behind - then curse at me when I don't get out of their way quickly enough. And my hearing is quite good; my hard-of-hearing husband has no chance. Now, can we get it made compulsory to actually SOUND the bells when approaching pedestrians?

I've just looked up the figures and over the last 10 years 290 pedestrians were killed and over 2,600 injured by cyclists. Not a lot in comparison with the motor vehicle toll - but then there are a lot fewer cycle journeys made. Plus, many minor injuries are not reported - like the cuts and bruises suffered by my son (then aged five) when he failed to get out the way quickly enough and was knocked down by an (illegal) hit-and-run mountain biker on a Peak District footpath.

Not new - and you're not illegal unless your bike is fairly new. Searched the BBC news and found this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3667513.stm

It's not illegal to ride a bike without a bell but from 1st May 2004 it became illegal for new bikes to be sold without a bell-as stated in the article that was posted above. There is no law covering the removal of the bell as soon as you take ownership of the bike.

The whole point, of course, is the idiocy and disproportionate value that someone preparing interfering new laws on behalf of the glorious labour government places on the offence, particulaly when, no doubt the owner of a maclaren motor car capable of 200 MPH whose horn is not working may incur a fine of £60 by way of a fixed penalty.

The credibility of laws depend on their fairness and enforceability and whilst we hear of the government wanting to impose fixed penalties of £80 for burglary and shoplifting, the idea of 6 months imprisonment or a fine of £2500 for not having a bell on your bicycle is simply absurd

Trevor, did you not read the other replies?
Only the bike seller is liable, NOT the rider.

Anything that has potential to reduce death and injury on the road/cycle paths/footpaths, has surely got to be a good thing?

Seat belts were introduced against a background of this sort of opposition, yet have been proved to be responsible for saving countless lives and injuries over the decades.