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Hostility towards cyclists on canal towpath


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2 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

You don't need legal powers, just be big enough and sure enough of yourself the stop the rider and chuck his bike in the canal as an old friend of mine did. Saw it done on a Liverpool train too, when some kids were abusing passengers. One got up at the next station and threw their bikes out.

If I get hassled by a rider my walking stick will probably accidentally get stuck in their spokes. Mostly, they pass nicely. I'm too deaf to hear them unless they speak and possibly wouldn't hear a polite ting either (can't hear high tones these days).

I carried a bike on the boat for years, but after being attacked by two out of control dogs, and the number of walkers that I have to pass, I no longer bother. It's as quick walking.

Nonsense.

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16 minutes ago, matty40s said:

40 years ago nobody had invented the mountain bike

 

They had.

 

Late 70s / early 80s the big bike companies were making them.

 

Is it impolite to point out that 40 years ago was 1981 ...

 

I had a Raleigh Bomber from that era:

 

PC104200-750x420.jpg

Edited by TheBiscuits
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34 minutes ago, Heartland said:

 

Those who bring electric scooters on to the towpath probably need exclusion as they seem to have one speed, top that is.  

  

They are excluded https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/position-statement-on-e-scooters

 

Be considerate

We don't specify speed limits on the towpath. We ask that everyone uses common sense, with primary consideration for pedestrians, those that are moving slowly or are stationary and those handling boats, as they are often the most vulnerable. When people are in a hurry, it is appropriate for them to find an alternative route.

E-Scooters are not mentioned in the Towpath Code or in the Better Towpaths for Everyone policy. This was created before the development of E-Scooters and when their use was not common place as they are now. This means that, by default, their use is currently prohibited, much as they currently are on roads, pavements and other public spaces where they are also illegal to use.

In the case of towpaths, E-Scooters are prohibited under the Trust’s General Canal Bye-Laws in the same way as any vehicles are which have not been given permission by us. We have given general permission for all bicycles and vehicles that are designed for, and used as, mobility aids. We also do give specific permission for some operational vehicles such as sit-on mowers, quad bikes and vans where towpaths allow and only on an individual basis to complete vital operational and engineering works.

Edited by ditchcrawler
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22 minutes ago, Orwellian said:

Is there an existing law or bye law covering cycling on a CRT towpath?

 

No but you know that surely,, so why are you asking?

 

It would need new ones. Especially if bikes were to be seized for non compliance.

Edited by The Happy Nomad
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4 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

They had.

 

Late 70s / early 80s the big bike companies were making them.

 

Is it impolite to point out that 40 years ago was 1981 ...

 

 

Which is exactly when I was doing 15 miles a day on the West London towpaths. Before they were all nicely surfaced and gravelled. On a Moulton... ?

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2 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

No but you know that surely,, so why are you asking?

 

It would new ones.

To illustrate how unrealistic the original suggestion is. Parliament will not pass a new law to authorise what is being suggested as a solution. 

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4 minutes ago, Orwellian said:

To illustrate how unrealistic the original suggestion is. Parliament will not pass a new law to authorise what is being suggested as a solution. 

 

So why not just say that?

 

Honestly some people..

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9 minutes ago, Orwellian said:

To illustrate how unrealistic the original suggestion is. Parliament will not pass a new law to authorise what is being suggested as a solution. 

 

No, they are perfectly happy to allow two wheel hoodlums to injure and maim walkers with virtually no chance of them being identified, let alone brought to book. I still live in hope that anti-social behaviour of any type will eventually will be legislated against and enforced. If it's not then society will go even further down the pan than it has now.

Edited by Tony Brooks
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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

Lend Sustran barges and when their wardens find an unlicensed bike they stick it in the barge, They largely created the problem by waymarking towpaths as cycle routes, them and the local councils so they should enforce and rules required to keep others safe on under width mixed use routes.

Yep. They could take the waste away from the composters at the same time. ???

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I am not  sure which, if any, CaRT waterways have a public right of way by bicycle along the towpath. Remember a public footpath does not include the ability to cycle. Many are probably permissive paths such as is the case with the Basingstoke Canal towpath which can be opened and closed at will. I don't think you would need an act of Parliament to amend the bylaws.

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1 hour ago, Hudds Lad said:
2 hours ago, matty40s said:

40 years ago nobody had invented the mountain bike or cross bike or trail bike.

 

first Mountain bike was 77-78 ? 

I had a bike in the '60s that we called a Tracker, it was an ordinary bike with knobbly tyres, I used it off road to ride through the woods. Managed to brake one of the brazed joints on the frame.

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1 hour ago, Mike Adams said:

I am not  sure which, if any, CaRT waterways have a public right of way by bicycle along the towpath. Remember a public footpath does not include the ability to cycle. Many are probably permissive paths such as is the case with the Basingstoke Canal towpath which can be opened and closed at will. I don't think you would need an act of Parliament to amend the bylaws.

probably a bit harder to go back on the agreement once you’ve taken all that SUSTRANS and LA cash to do the upgrades though

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3 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

probably a bit harder to go back on the agreement once you’ve taken all that SUSTRANS and LA cash to do the upgrades though

 

Agreed, those who should have done gave little or no thought to the consequences. However, when it all stated it seems there were not as many selfish people about.

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Had a couple of "do's" with cyclists.

One came from behind as I was walking,and with no warning whacked me on the shoulder with his shoulder and went pedalling off,no apology despite me shouting questioning the marital status of his parents.

The other was when I came into moor,stepped off and heard the noise of locked wheels on gravel,looked back to see three cyclists glaring at me.No one spoke,as they pedalled off.

All the other cyclists I have come across on the towpath are ok if they are coming from my front,and from behind usually give a polite tinkle on their bell or one particular bloke shouts "coming through pal".

 

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1 hour ago, Hudds Lad said:

probably a bit harder to go back on the agreement once you’ve taken all that SUSTRANS and LA cash to do the upgrades though

Surly its deeper than that and was to tick the Governments  wellbeing boxes 

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As it's already illegal to ride motorbikes on the towpath, and it's been impossible to stop people doing that, there's no real point in getting uptight about bikes, ebikes or escooters.  The only thing you CAN do is pretend to be deaf (unless like me you don't have to). It's not that people are ruder than they were, it's about the same proportion, there's just more people than there were. More boaters, too. Most of both are OK, mostly.

All getting wound up about it does is ruin your day. Makes no difference to them.

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My 80 year old dad was enjoying a walk on the towpath with his grandchildren. Ting ting. Then are you f###ing deaf? When he didn't jump out of the way.

Yes he is. Unfortunately he hadn't heard a thing so cyclist went off feeling in the right.

 

Saying that we had loads of cyclists behaving responsibly and courteously.

 

When I was a student I had a part time job on the checkouts at Asda. I had a lot of good experiences - one customer insisted on queuing at my checkout even if it wasn't the shortest queue and brought his family along to meet me. Unfortunately it only took one arsehole to spoil my day. I could have 99 lovely customers and one arse hole, it's the latter that played on my mind and made me miserable.

It's just such a shame that it's the negative experiences that we remember.

 

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16 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

There were certainly less 'entitled' people and to those the 'world owed a living', maybe it was a more law-abing and respectful society with an acknowledgment that the 'authorities' could tell you what to do and what not to do'.

 

A bit more than 40 years ago but if you were seen scrumping by the house holder you scarpered, today the homeowner would be verbally abused and be pelted with apples.

 

A bit more than 40 years ago you could be dragged home by the ear, by the 'village-bobby' who knew full well that your Father would 'sort it out'.

 

A different era -

better ?,

yes in some ways.

 

yeah, exactly that - I can confirm by personal experience in 1962.

 

much better era in all ways.

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