Win a bicycle whistle

bicycle whistle

The Bookman bicycle whistle might be based on nineteenth century technology, but its benefits for urban cyclists remain up to date.

Established in Birmingham in 1870, Acme Whistles has teamed up with Swedish bicycle accessory supremo, Bookman, to create a new design of whistle for today’s rider. According to Bookman’s Johan Lidehall: “Most of our customers probably wouldn’t like the look of a big horn attached to their bike, so that’s why we decided on the small but loud whistle instead.”

The bicycle whistle produces a loud high-pitched sound without the need for any moving parts – the perfect way to alert other road users of your presence.

bicycle whistle

The police have been using both the bicycle and the whistle for over 100 years – two designs so efficient and reliable that they have changed remarkably little over the course of a century.

As cities have grown over time, so too has noise pollution and congestion. Luckily the bicycle and whistle remain the ideal tools to tackle both.

Different sounds elicit different responses depending on geography and culture. A traditional bike bell might work in some areas if it can be heard, but sometimes your surroundings necessitate a different audible or visual signal. Police outriders leave a whistle resting on their lip because, even though their bikes are equipped with powerful sirens, they know that the shrill sound of a whistle works universally to grab the attention of other road users.

Win a Bookman bicycle whistle

We have two Bookman whistles, worth £13 each, to give away. Simply leave us a comment at the bottom of this page and we will pick winners next week.

Cycle insurance animation

Cycle insurance

Making yourself heard when you need to is just one of the challenges that face today’s rider. Cycle insurance from the ETA is designed to make your life on two wheels as easy as possible. We protect against theft, but unlike other insurers will never devalue your bike. We reimburse you when bicycle parts are pinched, but unlike other insurers we will not penalise you if have not secured quick release items. Just two of the things that set us apart. After all, we have been voted to be an ethical company by The Good Shopping Guide. Find out more

 

 

Comments

  1. Bob Longhurst

    Reply

    What a Blast! Not only will the errant victim be scared out of their Socks. All the local Sheepdogs and retired Bobbies will respond. LOL

  2. John

    Reply

    If you could find it in your heart to pass one my way, it would be gratefully received. I could whstle my time away whilst pedalling up hill n down dale !
    Thanks

  3. matthew newell

    Reply

    I am trying to learn to wolf whistle without any fingers – but till then a bookman whistle would be perfect

  4. gavsky

    Reply

    Thanks in advance 😉

  5. Sarah Fitch

    Reply

    …. Whistle down the wind…… 🙂

  6. Jim

    Reply

    when I’m cycling not a lot of breath left to whistle, but I could try!!

  7. Steph

    Reply

    Really interesting idea! A great way of altering pedestrians.

    Steph

    • Steph

      Reply

      Oops, I meant “alerting pedestrians”!

      • matthew newell

        Reply

        Altering Pedestrians – now that is a whistle which I would buy! 🙂

  8. STUART J WILSON

    Reply

    Love one. And its brummie as well.

  9. Gary Moon

    Reply

    Fantastic idea & would awaken all those drivers asleep at the wheel Or mesmerized by their phones.

  10. Reverend Christopher Hickmott-Arnold

    Reply

    Whistle while you work. But for me it would be whistle while you ride, as I am retired.

  11. David

    Reply

    I’ve always thought a self blowing whistle would be good – blown by forward movement of the bike in the air. It would be good on cycle paths. Using your voice might also be more polite than a loud whistle but I can still think of lots of things to do with a whistle like this.

  12. Stephen Davies

    Reply

    Great for crowded Cambridge to politely alert those meandering tourists. THANKS ETA.

  13. Andrew Green

    Reply

    Looks good, we should all carry one, even when walking

  14. Anna Green

    Reply

    I could have done with that when I got left-hooked the other day

  15. Inge Laursen

    Reply

    I always use my bell to alert pedestrians, but motorists appear not to hear it. I would love a whistle to draw their attention. In central London though, I might get confused with motorcycling police escorting the Queen. They never stop at red lights! So unfair…

  16. Martin Butcher

    Reply

    What a great idea – thanks for alerting us to it.

  17. Richard Scrase

    Reply

    Yes please

  18. Ali

    Reply

    This would definitely help me not to hit any pedestrians in Kendal – there’s a one way ‘pedestrian’ street through the town centre which bikes/buses/taxis/delivery lorries go along, the one flaw is that bikes have a cycle path going along it the other way too which has signs at the start at the finish of it but there are no signs telling the pedestrians this along most of the route….. so of course they never look the other way!

  19. John Thys

    Reply

    A great idea whistle while you ride

  20. Karen madren

    Reply

    As I ride my bike for work everyday, it would save me shouting at idiots to get out my way!

  21. Athol Bowman

    Reply

    Whistledonicely! Thanks.

  22. Gavin

    Reply

    Peep! Peep!

  23. Peter Clark

    Reply

    Tweeeeeeeeet!

  24. Leon Xavier Finch

    Reply

    Eep! Eep! Lost the pea 🙁

  25. VicK

    Reply

    Whistle while I work …

  26. Nick

    Reply

    Two great British products to be proud of; The Bicycle and Acme Whistles. Still going strong after centuries. Best of luck with it.

  27. Bryn Jones

    Reply

    I’ve bought one and everybody in my family are so envious that they all want one.

  28. Ted

    Reply

    This whistle could even move sheep out of the way in Mid Wales!

  29. Kathy Cowbrough

    Reply

    Great way to alert cars and passers by. Many cars don’t like us on the road so we could respond with a whistle when the push to the side when passing!

  30. Paul

    Reply

    Good for a quiet “I am here” or a loud “I can’t believe you haven’t seen me” Or an even louder ” Did you know that the person you are on the phone to is driving a car”.

  31. Andy

    Reply

    Brilliant idea!

  32. Jim Clark

    Reply

    Well what a sexist photo, I thought you lot were supposed to progressive, next there’ll be a bikini clad young lady draped over a car!

    • The ETA

      Reply

      Why on earth is it sexist?

      • Mark

        Reply

        I fully agree with ETA. I ran the photo by my two feminist daughters and they agreed.

  33. Christopher

    Reply

    Looks good, I bet they work well too. Better than shouting.

  34. Will Bramhill

    Reply

    I’m here (peeps).

  35. Keith

    Reply

    Great for a whistle stop tour.

  36. Phil

    Reply

    I want one

  37. Keith

    Reply

    Might solve the potty mouth issue that could arise otherwise!

  38. Chris

    Reply

    Probably outwits most audible vocabulary used on the road..

  39. Wolf Simpson

    Reply

    Sure like one, won’t be any good on the roads but definitely useful on the shared paths as too many zombie peds around who can’t hear a bell.

  40. Yousaf Mirza

    Reply

    Yes please. A great way for me to express myself to other road users without causing offence with expletives! Thanks.

  41. Sharon Merredew

    Reply

    Great idea.

  42. Paul Bright

    Reply

    The Bookman offers a friendlier and cooler method to alert drivers without shouting or gesticulating.What a breath of fresh air.

  43. Julie Lang

    Reply

    Please let me be lucky! Saves handlebar space.

  44. Jim Clark

    Reply

    Oh so you licra clad speed merchants call us zombie peds. I was all for shared paths and was even involved in the planning on one that crossed one of the sites I managed. That was until I used it regularly and was shocked at the anti social behaviour of some cyclists. When I was learning to drive in the 1960s the instructor stressed drive to suit the conditions. When cyclists ride on a shared path they should not be racing or on a timed speed trial.
    I do hope that if Oxford Street is pedestrianized cycling will not be allowed for the safety of zombie peds of all ages and stages of fitness.

  45. Kathleen Crook

    Reply

    I would love to try one of these out to see if pedestrians can hear it better than the bike bell. It might be less easy to ignore.
    Will it overcome the problem of pedestrians wearing headphones?

  46. Sandra Bald

    Reply

    Ideal for my long redway bike rides
    Will certainly let walkers know I’m coming

  47. Ash

    Reply

    Hi i really need one of these as all the bells an horns i have been going through just keep breaking,i go on a regular Cycle route on path an through woods on which i encounter a lot of kids,people and dog walkers ,for the first time in year i nearly ran into a whole pack of dog walkers as i wasn’t able to alert them on a blind bend,i feel if i had this it would ensure me safer from dangers like this .

  48. Francis Voon

    Reply

    I’d like to whistle while I cycle.

  49. Jan Plummer

    Reply

    I usually shout “bike” and that does it!

  50. Richard Newman

    Reply

    Phreeeeeeeet!

  51. Shoaib Merchant

    Reply

    Yes please!!!

  52. Craig Young

    Reply

    I had never thought of using a whistle on a bike, but it’s an interesting idea, it would be louder and more distinctive than most polite voices.

    Criag

  53. Stuart Priest

    Reply

    I have a really loud 2 tone bell and I think if I had a whistle as well then I could really make my presence known!

  54. STEVO

    Reply

    The relationship between cyclists and many drivers has long worried me. At the end of the day, the cards always seem to be stacked in favour of the drivers, after all, I’ve only got a millimetre of lyrca to protect me. As long as this whistle does not cause more aggression towards cyclists, then anything which alerts drivers to the presence of vulnerable road users such as cyclists, must be a good thing.

    Steve

  55. Sandra Cope

    Reply

    Best let me win as I’m a Brummie and I already have bells ringing in my ears so a whistle would be a welcome distraction!

  56. Christine Davies

    Reply

    I think this is a great idea. Whilst whistles have been around for years, there are surprisingly few around in modern life. So simple, reliable but effective.

    Shout-out to ETA for this competition!

  57. Mike Croker

    Reply

    Better than the beast from the east…

  58. James Russell

    Reply

    Come back to Birmingham, little whistle!

  59. Paul

    Reply

    You still need to pick the whistle up to use it?

  60. paul

    Reply

    Does it come with a Red Card as well?

  61. A COOPER

    Reply

    Got to be worth a try.

  62. Bernard SHAKEY

    Reply

    Can’t beat a decent whistle! Presently use a COSALT off an old life jacket 😉

  63. Angus

    Reply

    Probably much more effective than my pathetic ping on my bell, shouting excuse me to pedestrians (when I’m on a cycle track) is soooo boring!

  64. jeff malter

    Reply

    hope it is not too late to enter. my son has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, does not speak and uses an alphabet board to communicate. he loves to cycle with his recumbent adapted tricycle. a whistle would make his riding much safer. thanks.

  65. Christopher

    Reply

    I was a recipient of one of the whistles. It’s great, plus the whistle’s made of a flexible plastic that helps prevent harm the rider in a crash, unlike a hard-plastic or metal design. Plus the lanyard features a safety release knot. The whistle’s loud too, although I’ve not needed to use it yet. I’m very impressed. A really good product.

  66. Ian Harvey

    Reply

    This would come in real handy for all the people that are walking in the cycle lane.

Add your comment

Your email address will not be published. Your name and email are required.