oddstruck

How to ring Reverse Bob without bothering to learn the Blue Line

By “Oddstruck”

Every once in a while, some masochistic Ringing Master will decide that Reverse Bob is going to be the Special Method at the next District Meeting. Goodness only knows why; perhaps he is inexperienced and thinks it will make a nice change from Plain bob, or perhaps he just likes touches which don’t come round. Anyway, you get to the meeting having conscientiously learnt the wretched method, catch hold for the first course along with 5 others new to the method and of course it’s a complete disaster, unlikely to survive more than a couple of leads at the most. WHY? At first glance, it seems such an easy method; it’s basically plain bob except that you dodge when the treble is at the back instead of the front and YOU DO NOT MAKE 2NDS when the treble turns you from the lead. Of course, this is where the problem lies; everyone is so accustomed to Plain Bob that they tend to ring it on ‘auto-pilot’. Even if you have learnt Reverse Bob, you soon switch to Plain after the first lead or 2 and disaster ensues. It is also one of those methods (like Single Oxford and Double Norwich) which is almost impossible to ring by learning the’Blue Line’. It is just not natural to dodge in this order; sooner or later someone will try to make seconds or dodge at the full lead and most likely it will be you . So how do you avoid making an absolute idiot of yourself?
The best way, of course, is not to touch it with a barge pole. As soon as the method is called for, either become deeply immersed in the Norman carvings on the font or offer to stand behind someone (Do NOT attempt to do both at once). If you really want to ring the method for some obscure reason, then take note of the following guidelines to lower the odds of failure a little.
1. On no account attempt to learn the method (see above for reasons)
2. Have a word with the treble ringer. Persuade him/her to cough/wave/scratch head/stamp foot when he/she reaches the back. Then dodge, wherever you happen to be (unless you have turned treble from the back, in which case make 5ths). You may find yourself trampled in the rush to the treble’s ear as others will probably have thought of this as well. The problem arises when the treble ringer attempts to do all of the above between 5ths and 6ths place and ends up missing the sally. They usually forget after 3 leads anyway so this method is not generally too reliable. (NB Central Council would probably call it ‘an external visual aid’ so do not use it if you are unwise enough to try to ring it in a peal)
3. Try to follow the treble so that you know when it is at the back, thus knowing when to dodge. You can listen for it but even ringers who can hear the treble leading can have difficulty with this, so you may have to resort to counting the treble’s places instead of your own. If you can ring handbells you should have no problem with this, but if you can ring handbells you really should not be wasting your time with Rev. Bob. For those without the necessary split personality this can be quite tricky as you find yourself counting the opposite way to which you are going. Others find this is no different from what usually happens when they ring any method.
4. A variation on the above is to really turn the method on its head and reverse your counting. Thus 6ths place becomes 1st and vice versa and you can ring it exactly as you would plain Bob. For instance, from the 3, you start counting ‘3, 2, lead lead’ and make 2nds under the treble at the back, then plain hunt down to 6th place on the front and then dodge 3-4 down as normal. Get it? Of course you have to be able to ring Plain Bob before attempting to ring it this way.
5. The last guide is really just an advanced ‘mouse-holing’ technique relied on by ringers far and near. The first dodge comes fairly soon after ‘go next time’. Simply look around for someone who looks as if they want to dodge with you and dodge. Plain hunt for a while (roughly the length of a normal lead) and repeat. Keep doing this until it comes round or the conductor has given up in despair. NB do not dodge with the treble at the back unless they have swapped with an inside bell. With a bit of luck it should come round. Eventually. You may find yourself dodging with the same bell more than once (in different positions) as probably at least 2 bells have swapped over, including the conductor. Ignore any Bobs which may be called; everyone else will and the conductor will not notice as he will be calling himself unaffected.
If none of the above work and you still cannot ring the method, take the hint and give it up as a bad job. Believe me, there are far better methods to ring, but don’t ANYONE even think of suggesting Double Bob!

Coming Next: How To Call Touches Of Oxford Bob Triples Round In Under Fifteen Minutes.

Piczo