Email to British Waterways

[Rhythm Thief]

Walk/jog on the canal, and.........

Presumably in much the same way that no one needs special training or a code of conduct to use the pavement to walk to the shops.
You know that there are plenty of inconsiderate cyclists out there, and while the same can be said of people on foot, I'm afraid it's up to cyclists to allow for that by (if necessary) stopping and pushing the bike past them. Just as cars and lorries are subject to more rules on teh road than bikes, so bikes should be subject to a more rigorous code of conduct that pedestrians on a towpath. If BW's preferred way of getting this across to cyclists is to explain it to them until they all get the message, then so be it. Sure it's frustrating for those cyclists who are considerate and law abiding, but as we've said many times before on these forums, any law has to tar everyone with the same brush to a certain extent.

 

[gouldina]

No bloody wonder, buried in all that waffle. I bet the BW chap has missed it too.

I'm pretty sure that the length of your posts on this thread exceed the length of my original email but you still seem to be missing the point. Perhaps if you'd read it all...?

What I'm fed up with is that there's plenty of bad behaviour by towpath users other than cyclists. I don't doubt that there are very inconsiderate cyclists and I've seen several myself. As usual though, all the negative attention goes towards the cyclists rather than other inconsiderate users. It's the same thing on the roads - the police hand out "safe cycling" information to cyclists but don't give out "how to be safe around cyclists" information to the car and lorry drivers. It's unbalanced and that was what I was complaining about.

 

[Origamist]

As to the stopping cyclists, I'm not too fussed about that because it's no reflection on me. I am considerate, and I've even got a BW cycling permit in my wallet (still officially required, and still downloadable from http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling/permit ).

I've just checked the BW site and you're right - they've only done away with the permit in London. However, they're considering doing away with it nationally too.

 

[upsidedown]

People just need to remember that canals are recreational shared use paths, not expressways. They happen to be very useful for connecting towns and cities, but if it's speed you're after then use the roads.

 

[gouldina]

People just need to remember that canals are recreational shared use paths, not expressways. They happen to be very useful for connecting towns and cities, but if it's speed you're after then use the roads.

I guess that depends on where you happen to be. Certainly for me, I can cycle slower and get there quicker because I'm not stopped by traffic lights etc every few yards.

 

[Origamist]

What I'm fed up with is that there's plenty of bad behaviour by towpath users other than cyclists. I don't doubt that there are very inconsiderate cyclists and I've seen several myself. As usual though, all the negative attention goes towards the cyclists rather than other inconsiderate users. It's the same thing on the roads - the police hand out "safe cycling" information to cyclists but don't give out "how to be safe around cyclists" information to the car and lorry drivers. It's unbalanced and that was what I was complaining about.

How do you know it's unbalanced? They may blitz cyclists in the rush hour but deal with unruly dogs and their owners later in the day or focus on anti-social anglers who litter in the evening (when there are less cyclists about).

 

[HLaB]

It does in the winter.

That reminds me of this

 

[gouldina]

That reminds me of this

I remember that story. It's hard to believe that someone could be that daft.

 

[gouldina]

How do you know it's unbalanced? They may blitz cyclists in the rush hour but deal with unruly dogs and their owners later in the day or focus on anti-social anglers who litter in the evening (when there are less cyclists about).

Well I don't know 100% but I've use that canal a lot over the last 14 years. It's right on my doorstep. I use it at least twice a day and very often more and also on the weekends and I've never seen them do so whereas I've seen them stopping and talking to cyclists and handing things out and ticking off numbers of cyclists etc on absolutely loads of occasions.

 

[Origamist]

Well I don't know 100% but I've use that canal a lot over the last 14 years. It's right on my doorstep. I use it at least twice a day and very often more and also on the weekends and I've never seen them do so whereas I've seen them stopping and talking to cyclists and handing things out and ticking off numbers of cyclists etc on absolutely loads of occasions.

I'd write to BW and ask how they tackle other anti-social behaviour - frequency of operations, types of enforcement etc. It might be that for every one person who complains about a dog, ten people complain about cyclists...You will then hear the trusty limited resources or targeted resources arguments.

 

[BrumJim]

It would make sense to get rid of it. Most people don't know it's there or a requirement, and so it's no incentive to get you to read and agree to the code of conduct.

The BW site is a mess anyway. It can be pretty contradictory about where you're allowed to ride and where you're not.

I heard a rumour that the permit is required to prevent the tow paths becoming an official right-of-way. If they do, then they require an Act of Parliament to close, whereas if you are using it by permission of BW, then they can do what they want/need to without going through all the red tape.

 

[BrumJim]

I should correct this.

Third - Bargies' children riding small bicycles.

Fourth - Fishermen who are in possession of BW and NRA licences.

Fifth - Ducks.

Get real - Geese rank well above ducks. And above anything else, going from their attitude. Time for a geese ASBO, methinks.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Take the OP substitute road for canal, drivers for cyclists, and cyclists for pedestrians, tweak one or two details and it reads like a classic "might is right" daily wail moan. imo. ymmv.

When using shared spaces like towpaths and when around pedestrians generally ride very slowly and be prepared to give way, often. That's life.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I heard a rumour that the permit is required to prevent the tow paths becoming an official right-of-way. If they do, then they require an Act of Parliament to close, whereas if you are using it by permission of BW, then they can do what they want/need to without going through all the red tape.

The rumour is ill founded

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I'm pretty sure that the length of your posts on this thread exceed the length of my original email but you still seem to be missing the point. Perhaps if you'd read it all...?

Probably true, although it's all broken down into bite-sized chunks.
I apologise if the post you've quoted was a little OTT, but I did try and read it all the way through - twice - and still found it heavy going. And I wanted to see where you were coming from: a BW manager faced with that won't get beyond the first paragraph.