Ringing Forums

This is a known problem with LED lighting, and is usually a function of cost - cheaper = more flicker. The only realistic fix is to change to lighting to something that's adheres to a low-flicker standard, but that's inevitably going to be more expensive than some cheap no-name LED fixtures.

• https://www.instyleled.co.uk/what-causes-led-flicker-and-how-can-i-stop-it-happening/
• https://www.waveformlighting.com/flicker-free-led-lighting
• https://www.led-professional.com/resources-1/articles/flicker-standards-and-test-methods

As a relatively older and relatively recent starter I think you are right about "Peak Peal" having being passed. I can't see myself ever ringing peals even if I could, due to time constraints - I'm still working full-time, and expect to be for most the next decade, by which time I'll be in my late 60s. Even QP opportunities are relatively scarce for me and they are long enough for my taste anyway. When I do get to ring QPs my ringing has definitely improved afterwards. But until the last month or so I'd had a 2 year gap (not by choice) so for me it was like starting over from scratch when we rang a couple of QPs of PB6 at practices, when we met short with 6 ringers.

the most prolific peal ringers I know are exactly as you describe - they have being ringing since their youth and are now retired. I think your other observations are on the money as well. Although in the case of my home tower, it's never got beyond CCs for many decades, so I don't think the issues are entirely new.

I was talking to one of the long-standing ringers at a practice yesterday after a touch of Oxford Minor had been rung and he mentioned that Oxford was the basis of other methods such as Sandal, Capel etc. I've taught myself to ring spliced Oxford Group on the tower sim, but I've realised I'll be unlikely to ever learn to ring them 'for real'. He carried on to say "They used to be rung around here a lot, but none of those people are ringing any more". Ringing higher numbers is obviously important, but in many areas even quality Minor ringing is becoming scarce, and if it's a struggle to find 6 people to ring methods, you are even less likely to find 8, 10 or 12.

I found it - chapter 10 of "The Bellringer's Bedside Companion". The two seem to cover same territory and the CC one has the advantage of being free ;-)

Our spire is empty above the bells and the wind tends to spiral inside and dislodge anything loose from the stonework. Before the rehang we had literally inches of stone dust and dirt on the floor under the bells. Apart from the damp it traps, it can also get inside pulley bearings - our old ones were rubbish anyway, but where destroyed by grit ingress. About every 6 months or so I vacuum all of it up.

I think one of Steve Coleman's books also has something on the subject?

The general public definitely do know the difference between good and bad striking, because round here they actually tell me when it's good. Latest example was last Sunday when we rang to open the Xmas fair - we had a couple of "ringer" ringers as we were short, and the ringing was better than usual as a result, and people noticed :roll:

As for why it's generally an issue, I think that unfortunately it's an inevitable consequence of how ringing is taught, which is overwhelmingly by vision. From the very start it's drummed in to people to "follow the bell in front". Unquestioningly. Ringers who have been ringing for much longer that I have will tell me "X was holding up" and when I say "Just ring over them" then they simply can't bring themselves to. The result is entirely predictable, one bad striker in a band where people solely ring by vision and it's game over.