canals, walkers and bell tinklers...

[02GF74]

I ride aong a canal often and every once in a while I came across the bobbly hat red sock brigade that insist of walking two or three abreast so that is it not possible to pass by. If I am feeling mischieveous (sp?) I slam the brakes so make a noise skid that usually result in the people in fornt jumping out of the skins but most of the time I cycle behind until one spots me and moves out the way.

Commonly they ask "why don't you have a bell?"

"Well I wouldn't need a bell if you weren't blocking the path" is what I would like to say if I was dead hard and stuff but on my race trim bikes. like all of them, you don't put bells do ya?

Anyone else get this?

(and before you ask, I have a permit from British Waterways, probably the only person to have applied for one although I could not find it last time I looked)

 

[jiggerypokery]

You young man are more bell end then bike bell.....why not just show a little courtesy, grace and grown up good-mannerdness and say "excuse me"...and if required repeat a little louder.

It's a shared use path not your personal race-way.

 

[Maz]

Permit from British Waterways? For what?

 

[ratty2k]

I occasionally ride a tow path near where I live, people walk on, fish off it and some ride on it. Its all good, chill out a bit and warn people you're there- but not by scaring them! One day someone will shove you in the canal. I probably would if anyone tried that with me.

 

[magnatom]

I think you'll find that walkers have as much right to be there as you have. I have a bell and I use it in these situations. Generally it is greeted well and people often move aside and give a smile as I walk past.

If you don't have a bell you could always say 'excuse me' politely as you approach and I am sure 95% of the time, people will move aside and probably give you a smile as you go past with care.

What's wrong with a bit of common courtesy 02GF74? Why do you feel you need to harass these people? Do you feel superior to them in some way?

 

[Maz]

Thanks again, User.
I've never cycled on a towpath, but I'll bear that in mind if I decide to.

 

[magnatom]

By law you require a permit from British Waterways to cycle on a towpath. The permit can be downloaded from the British Waterways web-site. Every now and then they do spot checks and fine people who don't have a permit.

Yup I have one in my wallet, but I've never heard of anyone being fined before!

 

[Maz]

Is the permit free?

 

[Maz]

I'm going to try a Real Hustle scam (hi-viz waistcoat, walky-talky, maybe a clipboard) and issue on-the-spot fines to any cyclist not able to show their permits. I'll be quids in!

 

[02GF74]

You young man are more bell end then bike bell.....why not just show a little courtesy, grace and grown up good-mannerdness and say "excuse me"...and if required repeat a little louder.

It's a shared use path not your personal race-way.

Riding behind until I can overtake by the wlakers moving out of the wya is as couteous as you can get surely? Saying "excuse me"queitely at increased volume ends upo with the same reaction.

It is a shared path where walkers have priority so I never hassle them but does that mean they can block of the whole path? I hjave the same peoblem if I am ruuning or walking fast.

 

[bazzadigz C+]

I use the Regents Canal Path for 95% of my commutes and although it can be frustrating when folks walk 2 or 3 a breast, it wasnt until i walked home one day and suddenly realised why.

If you was to walk down the road talking to a friend then he/she wouldn't walk behind you would they? The paths are just no big enough

Also in the permit part 1 and 2 say "give way to others at all times" and "Warn others of your approach". We shouldnt try and "bully" them the same way cars try and bully us.

I've been behind many cyclist that have done what you describe and it puts us in danger! all i ever hear is "F&*$ING CYCLIST" & "Next time i'm going to push them in to the Drink!"

So please just give them a ding or a polite "excuse me" and acknowledge when they have done you a favor. It could be worse as you maybe on the road fighting cagers.

ofcourse if your feeling like it you can give them a blast from a AirZound

 

[Arch]

Riding behind until I can overtake by the wlakers moving out of the wya is as couteous as you can get surely? Saying "excuse me"queitely at increased volume ends upo with the same reaction.

It is a shared path where walkers have priority so I never hassle them but does that mean they can block of the whole path? I hjave the same peoblem if I am ruuning or walking fast.

I never have much problem (on shared paths, not towpaths) with a cheery "'S'cuse me!", repeated if not heard the first time.

In my experience, canal towpaths are often narrow, and I certainly wouldn't expect friends walking along them to walk in single file...

Alternatively, get a bloody bell, and ping that. They come in all colours these days you know, and hardly weigh anything. Mine is shaped like a teapot.

 

[flycatcher]

I have a permit, used to cycle 7 miles down the Peak Forest canal to work but now go on the road but I did a 30 mile trip from Ashton-Under-Lyne to Whalley Bridge last weekend and just used the "excuse me" approach followed by a "thank you" which worked fine every time.

As pointed out already it's a shared path not a cycle lane!

 

[Maz]

If you don't have a bell, some moan at you for not having one.

If you ring your bell then some moan at you for ringing it, either because they say it makes them jump or they interpret the ringing as some order, and how dare you.

Both of these kind of people aren't worth worrying about. In the main, my towpath commute includes many pleasant exchanges.

This is a long shot. Do you ever cycle along the canal towpath that runs under Lode Lane in Solihull? Just wondered if it was you I saw a couple of Sundays ago.

 

[simoncc]

I don't mind walkers on towpaths. They have as much right to be there as I do, and if I'm on a towpath on my bike I'm not in a particular hurry anyway. Anglers who block the path with their rods, chairs, little tents and boxes of hooks and maggots annoy me though. When they have to move out of my way they quite often look miffed and sometimes mutter some comment. They seem to think very highly of themselves. They think they own the towpath in much the same way many horse riders think they own the roads and lanes, but at least horse riders do keep moving along and don't set up a little camp blocking the way for everyone else.