The Canal. The cycle rage.

[I like Skol]

I don't get this thread at all!

I am what could easily be labelled an 'enthusiastic' cyclist and I certainly like to 'push on' when riding, even on shared use paths/canal towpaths. However, I have never got riled, or into a confrontation, when riding on such a path as I have a system.
The system goes like this:

1. Remove bells from all bikes upon purchase.
2. Engage brain before riding bike in a public place (I do actually do this before anyone makes a smartarse comment ).
3. Upon approaching any situation where there is a possible danger or conflict, reduce speed to an appropriate level before arrival.
4. If meeting someone head on, assess the likelihood of them moving to one side and if this is unlikely then do not hesitate to stop or move over yourself.
5. If coming up behind someone that is unaware of your approach then slow and get within earshot before verbally making your presence known. I find a simple 'morning', or 'excuse me' is sufficient but by far the best is 'can I pass please?' as this only really gives them one option. The answer is never no!
6. ALWAYS say thank you when someone has moved to let you pass, smile and mean it!
7. Use your awesome power to regain any lost speed.

I find this system works perfectly and allows all involved to continue about their business and have a pleasant day. Any loss in speed/extra time taken is more than compensated for by not wasting time arguing with twots, climbing out of the canal or doing the Tango with indecisive peds. You also arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and that all is good in the world.

 

[snorri]

Which is why I use the road!

It's why I cycle abroad as much as possible
There do seem to be behavioural differences among path users in the UK and on mainland Europe(IME!), I don't know if this is due to differences in law or differences in attitude to our fellow human beings.
Over the channel lone pedestrians tend to walk on the left and cyclists cycle on the right and can meet or overtake each other without any need for alteration of speed or direction. In the UK lone pedestrians. tend to walk in the middle of the path requiring them to move left or right when another path user on foot or wheels approaches. A couple of pedestrians in the UK invariably walk an equal distance from the path centre which requires them to make a decision to move to the right or left, a decision they frequently change as the approaching walker or cyclists gets closer.
It seems to me more sensible to adopt the same convention when using paths as one would do on the roads , ie walk on the right, cycle on the left( in the UK),it allows most of us to interact with other path users in a manner which causes least inconvenience to each other, but in the UK we do seem to prefer the anarchic approach which can give rise to irritation from time to time.

Edit to correct spelling loan/lone

 

[Dave7]

I don't know if any of you have this problem but I have it everyday I commute. I commute straight down the canal and everyday I am greeted with the usual array of people who refuse to move even though I ring my bell giving them plenty of time and space to take one step to the side. But will they. No they won't I get forced onto the small grass verge. Or the dog walkers who will make no effort and let the dog stroll out in front of you off its lead, then mutter you shouldn't be cycling here and such. I know I have every right to cycle there it just really annoys me. Grrrr. I think I have a dose of cycle rage. :,(

Anyone got any tips to stop getting so frustrated. ?

Well...........depending on which canal it is you may not actually have permission e.g. according to what the TransPenine way 'ranger' told me just last week........Peel Holdings (who own/manage sections of the Bridgewater Canal did not allow cyclists. As he understands it they now do not enforce this restriction.
If you google it you can download a free permit which allows you to ride along canal paths..........it won't make people move for you but it does give you some peace-of-mind . I used to carry one but when my bike got nicked that went with it

 

[Dan B]

Yeah here we go again. You get told again and again if you want to ride at more than walking pace, you must go mix it with motorists even when that is a longer route.

Can't help feeling you're setting up for a false dichotomy there, but if the only alternative to making pedestrians jump out of your way into the verge is to ride on the road, then yes you must ride on the road. The towpath is not a "cycleway", it is a path on which pedestrians have priority. And rightly so: as the person in charge of the greater kinetic energy, you also have the greater responsibilty to use it carefully.

 

[Drago]

The greater responsibility, but also the greater ability to force the issue. A sensible approach from all users is required, not just cyclists.

 

[Hyslop]

Gentle persuasion, no bell, just "just good afternoon" (or whatever) and as they move "thank you" That throws them most do not know what to say. Of course if persistent offenders refuse to move you carry a length of oily chain and welt them with it

Oh dear,Oh dear!!

 

[fossyant]

I don't get this thread at all!

I am what could easily be labelled an 'enthusiastic' cyclist and I certainly like to 'push on' when riding, even on shared use paths/canal towpaths. However, I have never got riled, or into a confrontation, when riding on such a path as I have a system.
The system goes like this:

1. Remove bells from all bikes upon purchase.
2. Engage brain before riding bike in a public place (I do actually do this before anyone makes a smartarse comment ).
3. Upon approaching any situation where there is a possible danger or conflict, reduce speed to an appropriate level before arrival.
4. If meeting someone head on, assess the likelihood of them moving to one side and if this is unlikely then do not hesitate to stop or move over yourself.
5. If coming up behind someone that is unaware of your approach then slow and get within earshot before verbally making your presence known. I find a simple 'morning', or 'excuse me' is sufficient but by far the best is 'can I pass please?' as this only really gives them one option. The answer is never no!
6. ALWAYS say thank you when someone has moved to let you pass, smile and mean it!
7. Use your awesome power to regain any lost speed.

I find this system works perfectly and allows all involved to continue about their business and have a pleasant day. Any loss in speed/extra time taken is more than compensated for by not wasting time arguing with twots, climbing out of the canal or doing the Tango with indecisive peds. You also arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and that all is good in the world.

You missed one.

8. Ride down flights of steps at every opportunity.

 

[mjr]

Can't help feeling you're setting up for a false dichotomy there, but if the only alternative to making pedestrians jump out of your way into the verge is to ride on the road, then yes you must ride on the road. The towpath is not a "cycleway", it is a path on which pedestrians have priority. And rightly so: as the person in charge of the greater kinetic energy, you also have the greater responsibilty to use it carefully.

I felt that @Ffoeg @User259 @ianrauk @Shut Up Legs @vickster were setting up the false dichotomy there - and there's plenty of other threads with similar setups.

Some towpaths are one type of cycleway - not a great one, but cycling is permitted on it - and while I'd agree both that riders have greater responsibility and walkers have priority, this doesn't mean that walkers should be unnecessarily-obstructive dicks about it!

Why do so many people think the answer is to abandon the towpath to nobbers and go ride on the less nice roads? After all, in theory, a pedestrian has priority on many roads too, although the current trend of might-is-right from some motorists means that walkers rarely assert priority, unless it's against a someone on a bike!

 

[I like Skol]

this doesn't mean that walkers should be unnecessarily-obstructive dicks about it!

Some people (walkers and cyclists alike) go out there just looking for a dispute to help justify their day. The rest of us simply get on with our lives

 

[ianrauk]

I felt that @Ffoeg @User259 @ianrauk @Shut Up Legs @vickster were setting up the false dichotomy there - and there's plenty of other threads with similar setups.

Some towpaths are one type of cycleway - not a great one, but cycling is permitted on it - and while I'd agree both that riders have greater responsibility and walkers have priority, this doesn't mean that walkers should be unnecessarily-obstructive dicks about it!

Why do so many people think the answer is to abandon the towpath to nobbers and go ride on the less nice roads? After all, in theory, a pedestrian has priority on many roads too, although the current trend of might-is-right from some motorists means that walkers rarely assert priority, unless it's against a someone on a bike!

Don't call out my name and try to change or spin what I said for your own agenda. I did not say abandon the path for the roads. For your benefit as you obviously did not understand it the first time around. Here is what I said again. Read it and understand what I am saying.

Sloooooooow down... you're cycling along a canal... enjoy the scenery rather then just trying to blast along.
Share the space. If you're in that much of a hurry.. use the road.

 

[mjr]

Some people (walkers and cyclists alike) go out there just looking for a dispute to help justify their day. The rest of us simply get on with our lives

Gosh. I can't understand why anyone would want to spend their time arguing, can you?

 

[Jayaly]

I do most of my cycling on shared paths, including towpaths on occasion. I generally slow right down and ask if I can come through please, followed by a thank you. I've never had a problem, although the occasions where people have moved grudgingly have all been on tow paths. The bell does seem to be perceived as a bit rude. I tried it a few times and found that people jumped out of the way with alacrity but certainly weren't returning my smile as I came through the way people usually do. I'll move to the side happily provided it's not the water side (worried I might wobble myself right over into the water). After an encounter with a small dog determined to go under the wheels, I now stop and wait if a dog is coming the other way. Even then I met a labrador who managed to walk straight into my stationary front wheel. I think the proximity to the water combined with often narrow, variable quality paths and the presence of loose dogs makes a slower speed appropriate. I imagine that would be quite frustrating in a commuting situation, but can't see a way round it other than to try to relax and think peaceful thoughts. After all, the waterside is still a pleasant place to be, as long as you aren't up to your knees in mud or landing face first in a fisherman's bait box.

 

[Markymark]

Yes, the current situation is ludicrous. We have tow paths for people at pedestrian's pace and roads for cars. We really need equal cycle routes. No, obviously I don;t want to get stuck behind some wobbly lady-cyclist on her sit-up-n-beg, nor do I want to have some all-the-gear-and-no-idea lunatic tearing past me. We should create 3 lane cycle paths along side every road and canal. This may prove tricky with some narrow waterways but then the only sensible Amsterdam-style solution would be to pave over the canal to create this cycling haven.

Either that or grow-up, not sure which really.

 

[mjr]

I do most of my cycling on shared paths, including towpaths on occasion. I generally slow right down and ask if I can come through please, followed by a thank you. I've never had a problem, although the occasions where people have moved grudgingly have all been on tow paths.

You're very lucky, then. There aren't many of them, but there are nobbers on foot just like there are nobbers driving cars and riding cycles.

The bell does seem to be perceived as a bit rude. I tried it a few times and found that people jumped out of the way with alacrity but certainly weren't returning my smile as I came through the way people usually do.

How close were you and what sort of bell was it? I found people don't jump so much at ringers or ding-dongs as they do at pingers, plus I wasn't ringing from far enough away. If I get too close then, yes, asking works better.

I think the proximity to the water combined with often narrow, variable quality paths and the presence of loose dogs makes a slower speed appropriate. I imagine that would be quite frustrating in a commuting situation, but can't see a way round it other than to try to relax and think peaceful thoughts. After all, the waterside is still a pleasant place to be, as long as you aren't up to your knees in mud or landing face first in a fisherman's bait box.

Heaven forbid that people should control their dogs! Slower speed than what, anyway? I don't mind not racing, but each stop is like riding 100m further.

 

[andyfraser]

Personally, I just wish people were more pleasant. I've encountered some very obnoxious pedestrians when I've been cycling and some very obnoxious cyclists when I've been walking. All I ask is for a little common sense and a pleasant demeanour from everybody on shared paths.