My Bike Has Accessories! (and you can too): The Bell

~Because I want to help those who, like me, responded to questions about what accessories I wanted to get for my bike with "Oh...right. What?" And because I always really liked show and tell in school.

Presenting my bell:

It came with the bike, so its previous owner either didn't like it or didn't know how to get it off. No, I don't really know what the semi-visible writing says. But isn't it shiny?

Why I wanted it: Well, since it came with the bike, I technically didn't. Frankly, it wouldn't have occurred to me to get one.

Intended use: getting attention/alerting others to your presence.

It turns out to be an actual need. Bikes aren't too loud, so someone in front of you may, for example, be carrying on a conversation with their open car door totally blocking the bike lane and not hear you coming.
In this hypothetical scenario, which is only loosely based on something that happened to me this morning, there is no clear reason for the door to be open, which irritates you a little. 
It is in just these circumstances that one pushes the lever on one's bell.
This will cause one of the conversing gentlemen to go "Do you hear a bell?" They will then look sheepish and apologetic as you pedal around their car door into the middle of the street and they realize yes, in fact, they have heard a bell.
However, it will also cause the young boys on the sidewalk who couldn't see you because of the open door to know you're coming. In light of that knowledge, they don't cross the street just then and you don't hit them.
So overall a win, yeah?

Alternate uses: It so happens the tone of my bell is a few notes higher than Bike Pimp's bell. Because of this, it has come in handy in finding out if we can play a song with those two notes and giggling a lot.

Cost: Since it came with the bike, it was either free, or it cost $200. But in the latter case it's ok, because it came with a free bike.
In all seriousness, a bike bell runs about $5-$10 in the retail world, depending on where you go and what the bell's made of.  I did find one that cost $30, apparently because it was designed to take up as little "valuable handlebar space" as possible and made of serious, heavy-duty metal. So if you're into your handlebar space and want an apocalypse-ready bell, go ahead and spend the $30.
On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes community organizations that promote biking will give them out for free, but you tend to have to wait for a special event.

Worth having?:Yes.

Anything that makes a fun "ding" noise is a worthwhile addition to your life.
Plus, it's more effective and dignified than hollering "Hey! Hey! Over here!" every time someone doesn't notice you coming.