To bike ninja or not.

The commute along the river today was a little bit busier today than most days.  As a result, we were chiming away with the bike bells at a fairly regular interval.  At one point while approaching a female pedestrian (who was meandering along the path rather randomly) I gave a few rings and (thought I) observed her move slightly to the right.  I thought nothing of it and passed on the left even as she continued to wander a bit.  Wifey gave a few chimes herself prior to her pass, only to be greeted with a snide comment to the tune of "thanks for the warning".  Wifey politely explained that we had both warned her with our bells.

So, can you be a  bike ninja during the day with bells blazing?  Apparently, you can, and we were!  It does lead me to wonder if the general public even knows what a bike bell is any more.  My experience is that most people do, even if it's only the faintest memory from their childhood.  What they don't remember is how to react to the sound.  I've seen people who calmly do a little side step to their right or adjust their path to the side of the trail, but I've also seen a myriad of other responses.  These include stopping and turning around (while still standing in the middle of the road),  jumping in complete terror (complete with wild arm movements and girlish shriek), and complete lack of acknowledgment.  So remember....It is possible to achieve Bike Ninja status even when rolling with lights, bells, and common sense.