I was somewhat shocked today when I discovered that my bicycle has a bell. For the last week I've been wondering what the vaguely dome like object on the handlebars was, and now I know.
In my enthusiasm for this feature of which I was not previously aware, I may have confused a number of pedestrians, and perhaps one or two dogs. I feel a little bit bad about this, but the joy of making dinging noises far outweighs any guilt associated with the minor annoyance it causes.
The best thing about it, I feel, is that it isn't like the traditional bicycle bells, which make a sort of trilling, rasping sound -- a bit like an aged grandmother coughing her last falsetto breath -- instead this thoroughly modern affair is more akin to a, well, bell. It bongs one ting each time you flick its clanger down, and can even be tuned, should an emergency arise where this is necessary.
I'm now entirely glad I brought the bike I did, not only was the man who sold it to me entirely friendly and polite, he even put a suprise on it for me.
