Hit today so primary position from now on

[Beetnik]

Being currently unable to use my bike for reasons which I'll not go into I'm parking a couple of miles away from work and walking in along the canal to keep the old muscles in working order. The tow path varies from a little under a metre wide (short lengths) to a couple of metres wide (also short lengths) with an average of a metre and, for the most part, I've walked well into the side (secondary position) in order to let cyclists pass freely.

No problem where it's wide but I've had quite a few close shaves where it's narrow culminating today in being hit by the bar of someone passing at a rate of knots. Bit of a wobble but he never even paused or shouted sorry as he sped on his way.

Tempting as it was to give him a 'nudge' when I passed him in my car a few miles down the road I resisted but from now on be warned - if your travelling between Stourton and Leeds along the canal you'll find me walking in 'primary position' and you may as well sit back and relax until the path widens ... or you may find yourself in the Knostrop Cut.

 

[lukesdad]

Good on yer. You hold em up as long as you like give em a taste of their own medicine. Tougher sentencing thats what I say !

 

[400bhp]

childish

 

[PBancroft]

Being currently unable to use my bike for reasons which I'll not go into I'm parking a couple of miles away from work and walking in along the canal to keep the old muscles in working order. The tow path varies from a little under a metre wide (short lengths) to a couple of metres wide (also short lengths) with an average of a metre and, for the most part, I've walked well into the side (secondary position) in order to let cyclists pass freely.

No problem where it's wide but I've had quite a few close shaves where it's narrow culminating today in being hit by the bar of someone passing at a rate of knots. Bit of a wobble but he never even paused or shouted sorry as he sped on his way.

Tempting as it was to give him a 'nudge' when I passed him in my car a few miles down the road I resisted but from now on be warned - if your travelling between Stourton and Leeds along the canal you'll find me walking in 'primary position' and you may as well sit back and relax until the path widens ... or you may find yourself in the Knostrop Cut.

*shakes head sadly*

 

[BentMikey]

Some cyclists are just as badly behaved as some drivers, and some pedestrians. We're all the same humans after all.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Being currently unable to use my bike for reasons which I'll not go into................
Tempting as it was to give him a 'nudge' when I passed him in my car a few miles down the road .............

Well done for letting the actions of 1 person ruin the experience for everyone else that encounters you. And good to see a cyclist condoning assault with a motor vehicle.

Your a moron.

 

[Simba]

I smell troll.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I smell troll.

There are some nasty bridges where he walks so you could be right

 

[BentMikey]

I'm sure it's a troll - it's one of the anti-primary position extremists trying to make a point about how "selfish" it is to do that.

Personally, I've no problem with a pedestrian taking the middle of the path if they feel they need to. It'd be nice for them to move over and allow an overtake when it's possible and safe in exactly the same way most of us do when cycling for motor vehicles. I can wait behind, and not overtake until it's safe to do so, it's up to cyclists to overtake nicely and safely.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

I don't understand why people are so negative about the OP. How is this different from a cyclist's taking primary position to stop cars trying to pass inappropriately where it is too narrow?

EDIT: Mikey beat me to it in the second part of his post, and expressed it far more eloquently than I. (Not sure I agree with his first para, though.)

 

[wiggydiggy]

I don't understand why people are so negative about the OP. How is this different from a cyclist's taking primary position to stop cars trying to pass inappropriately where it is too narrow?

EDIT: Mikey beat me to it in the second part of his post, and expressed it far more eloquently than I. (Not sure I agree with his first para, though.)

Your mistaking my negativity towards him being an arse with his post for me being negative towards pedestrians in general sorry.

Your right its no different and I'm happy to see pedestrians in the middle of any shared path I use, I can ring my bell and when/if they move I can go by safely and thank them. Far better than sneaking up on someone at the side of the path.

Besides I always feel guilty at pinging at someone who isn't in the way, I worry they may misconstrue it for me being rude.

 

[BentMikey]

I think you're right to worry about it being rude, wiggy. I see many pedestrians with angry faces when cyclists ring bells at them. The good cyclists only ping once or twice, and use their brakes, but the bad ones are like the one in this clip:

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6-2hUF2kms[/media]


Pedestrians still often misinterpret the good cyclists' pings IME.

p.s. why thank you MrHappy!

 

[Origamist]

And there was me thinking the OP was an assertive pedestrian, trying to maximise his safety after a minor collision with a cyclist.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I find what helps if they do turn around they see that I have stopped pedaling (impression of slowing) and I wave at them.

Some people are just weird, I see those that obviously hear me as their body language changes (they seem to tense up) yet dont turn around. Others (rarely) stop dead in their tracks as if it makes it easier!

The most memorable was not even a pedestrian, on a towpath as I approached an older couple I pinged but they didn't appear to hear me. So as I got a bit closer I called out a hello, and they turned around and I gave them a little wave.

But I didnt get to pass them as at that point a chap on his barge shouted "Your bell doesnt give you right of way y'know" so I had to stop and have a little chat with him about bells etc. He was actually ok to talk to but I could understand how he was a little anti-bike as they are a lot of dickheads about unfortunately.....

And there was me thinking the OP was an assertive pedestrian, trying to maximise his safety after a minor collision with a cyclist.

As I said already I've no problem with what he's trying to achieve, but they way he posts about it is shoot.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

When I got my current bike, I changed the "ding" bell for a "dring, dring" one. (If you understand what I mean.) After this discussion, I may change it back again.