always,expect,the unexpected, on canal tow paths weekend nights can be fun
I have cycled on the tracks through some ropey parts of Glasgow at night before.
@Pat "5mph" thinks I am mad (well, my name does suggest it), but I make a point of keeping my lights off and going on my night vision where I can, so if there are people there, I am not immediately obvious, plus I can usually see a lot more than if I rely on a beam of light. It also helps if I know the path I am on.
That said, a few years ago (1997), I was cycling through Drumry DURING THE DAY on my then relatively new Raleigh Max Ogre (later named 'The Tank' and now in the great garage in the sky) and came across a large group of boys (about 10 - 12 years old. I was 15 at the time), all armed with sticks.
They asked me to stop, but when I asked why, they didn't give an answer (they obviously hadn't thought that far ahead). I asked again, still no answer, so I took off and raced away from them with them shouting and throwing their sticks at me!
I do wonder how effective they would have been if I had stopped but I wasn't going to find out, also, I only ever saw them the once, so I hope they didn't catch someone else.