What are the guys who walk down the street ringing a bell doing?

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mistyeglitter

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In Guanajuato earlier this year, I would sometimes notice men walking down the street ringing a handbell. I couldn't figure out what they were doing. They didn't appear to be collecting money or anything (or maybe I just didn't notice). What's the deal with those guys?

Thanks greatly in advance. Just one of the countless things about Mexico that confuse me....
 
The ringing of the Cow Bell is indeed alerting the neighbourhood that the garbage truck will be coming shortly. Sometimes 20 to 30 minutes. Many streets are too narrow for the trucks to navigate and people have to bring their trash to the truck. The bells can be heard for quite a distance and they don't always come during normal business hours. When I moved to an average Mexican neighbourhood I asked my vecino what day and time I could get rid of my garbage and what the schedule was? When you here the bell ringer.
In my Barrio the Gas trucks blow their horns and the guys on the back( would have made good town criers), scream GAS!!GAS!! GAS!! They don't hit those tanks with wrenches where I live. (anymore)
The flute is the sharpener.
In 38 years going to Mexico I have never seen or heard of a Tortilla vendor. Everywhere I have been Tortillas are picked up at the retail outlet. There are no preservatives so they don't last the day. The leftovers are dried by some and sold to Chicken Ranchers as feed.
They sell Bolillos on foot until close to midnight(Calabrese Buns)
 
They were selling something or offering a service such as knife sharpening. We have a little man who plays a flute and sharpens knives and scissors. Then you hear the flute, you gather all your knives and run out and ask him to come to your house.
 
Oh if I could count the number of times I hear bells ringing outside my door. I live in Monterrey and all day long we have vendors selling mainly Elote (corn), ice cream, donuts, and popsicles. The next time you are in Mexico and you hear them ringing the bell stop them and see what they have to offer. Usually a tasty treat.
 
Sorry, all previous answers are incorrect...if they were selling something it would have been very obvious. What they were doing is alerting the people on the street that the garbage truck is 1 to 2 blocks away...so they can bring their bags out. In some towns, they like to prevent dogs getting into the trash bags...so instead of putting the bags by the curb first thing in the morning...people keep them in the house and the man with the bell walks a couple of blocks ahead of the truck and rings the bell. There is a little town here in Veracruz, close to me that does this. the scissor and knife sharpener man walks the streets and rings a bicycle bell, the tortilla guys beep the horns on their motos, the gas tank men, bang on the gas tanks with a wrench...everyone has a distinctive sound.
 
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