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Speed Awareness Signs for Cyclists


Heartland

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1 hour ago, restlessnomad said:

very enlightening, who has the right of way when two pedestrian groups come face to face. 

 

It seems pedestrians have right of way over cyclist by regulation so that question is not relevant.

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5 hours ago, restlessnomad said:

lol, I do ride fast when nobody is around.. slowdown for children and dogs

the most annoying pedestrians are the ones walking in the middle of the road with headphone(cant hear you from behind) or walking in a phalanx, sometimes towards you but wont move. I tend to pedal faster and ride as close to the person near to me as possible without hitting, sometime swerving at last moment. :)

Funny you say that, with all the lockdown we have had the wife and I have spent quite a bit of time walking the lanes where we live and yes we do wander all over the road and neither use headphones. I am getting slightly porky as you would expect from someone in there 70s but have been assured I don't need a hearing aid yet. Also wit the long lockdown we have had a lot more cyclists about and I can assure you that on a good hard surface you cant hear them coming up behind you unless they use a bell or speak. I honestly don't think most cyclists realise how quiet their approach is when coming up behind a pedestrian.

I suppose there are a few cyclists who think they have more right to the  road than anyone else but I think most just don't realise you cant hare them coming 

 

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7 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

Does it occur to you that they might actually speak to one other?

Speak? Speak? Good God man, don't you know that nowadays if some people can't communicate via technology they don't communicate at all? ?

  • Haha 2
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30 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Funny you say that, with all the lockdown we have had the wife and I have spent quite a bit of time walking the lanes where we live and yes we do wander all over the road and neither use headphones. I am getting slightly porky as you would expect from someone in there 70s but have been assured I don't need a hearing aid yet. Also wit the long lockdown we have had a lot more cyclists about and I can assure you that on a good hard surface you cant hear them coming up behind you unless they use a bell or speak. I honestly don't think most cyclists realise how quiet their approach is when coming up behind a pedestrian.

I suppose there are a few cyclists who think they have more right to the  road than anyone else but I think most just don't realise you cant hare them coming 

 

weirdly I have no problem with older folks coz they usually move (sometimes jump out of my way while saying sorry, which is why I feel awkward ringing the bell)  the moment they hear the bell... its usually groups who are so entitled they cant see me coming with their eyes and  leave no space to manoeuvre.  

Based on what Alan said, I will change the strategy, will stick to middle, slow down, and let the group split in the middle. 

4 minutes ago, IanD said:

Speak? Speak? Good God man, don't you know that nowadays if some people can't communicate via technology they don't communicate at all? ?

where is this mythical land where you speak to each other to decide on a crossing protocol for pedestrians...?

Edited by restlessnomad
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7 hours ago, Heartland said:

Local West Midlands Radio today broadcast that the CRT are putting up speed awareness signs for cyclists as the towpath has seen increased use by walkers during lockdown. For the many caring cyclists, such a sign is probably not needed, For the fewer number who do not care, signs are not enough, stronger control needs to be made.

C&RT do like their signs. 

  • Greenie 1
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Two points:

 

1. I use hearing aids and in many outdoor situations the resulting sense of sound direction is often missing. A bell ring is too often too late for me (politely) to avoid the cyclist as by the time I have worked out it is behind me when my brain thinks it came from ahead, the cyclist has actually had to slow down anyway. I still think that it is, ultimately, the responsibility of the cyclist to avoid the pedestrian rather than the other way around. Anything more than this is just politeness.

 

2. Putting up signs may perhaps be thought to help in that, especially if it sets a speed limit, it creates a basis for persecution. At the moment I think that speed per se is not an offence and CaRT/Police would have to wait until someone causes actual bodily harm - I suspect even causing mental harm (ie fright) might not be enough in front of a picky magistrate.

 

  • Greenie 2
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Y'know the incredible hulk? Well apart from the greenish tinge, the split trousers and a few other details that's me when some fool belts past me and the slightly deaf and wobbly dog. Mrs Bee can, and will, look after herself  but endanger my dog and a cyclist will get the full Hulk. 

  • Greenie 1
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Just now, Bee said:

Y'know the incredible hulk? Well apart from the greenish tinge, the split trousers and a few other details that's me when some fool belts past me and the slightly deaf and wobbly dog. Mrs Bee can, and will, look after herself  but endanger my dog and a cyclist will get the full Hulk. 

looks like am lucky to not see you semi naked coz I slow right down if I see dog or child. (also Swans and the Geese). 

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1 minute ago, restlessnomad said:

looks like am lucky to not see you semi naked coz I slow right down if I see dog or child. (also Swans and the Geese). 

Swans and geese are fair game. horrid hissy things.

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We want everyone who visits, or lives on, the waterways to have the best possible experience. To this end we launched our ‘Stay kind, slow down’ campaign to encourage cyclists to go slow enough to mind and give way to other people (pedestrians have priority), and to be able to stop safely if they need to.

 

Stay kind slow down message on towpath

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Its not just the towpaths either, these are now all over Blackpool to Fleetwood prom.(10 mph on tarmac)...where cyclists think it's a 7 mile sprint track and have to share it with all those bloody holidaymakers.

20210604_200651.jpg

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The comment about hearing problems is valid, too. I've only got one ear functioning properly and no real stereo awareness, so I can rarely tell direction even when I hear anything at all. Which, after a day listening to a Lister, is not often.

I do realise the initial post was intentionally provocative and tongue in cheek, but the fact is that most cyclists on the towpath make no concessions to pedestrians - the one I shoved into the nettles belted past me as I was pulling the boat in to moor and I could easily have backed right into him as I had no idea he was there till he'd gone past. He made no attempt at all to slow down and was lucky there was room for him to get by. Walking, I treat the towpath as I do pavements, I walk in the middle, lurching slightly on a gammy leg and taking a bit more space with a stick. And don't make much effort to get out of their way. If required, the stick can go through the spokes, accidentally, obviously.

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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

We want everyone who visits, or lives on, the waterways to have the best possible experience. To this end we launched our ‘Stay kind, slow down’ campaign to encourage cyclists to go slow enough to mind and give way to other people (pedestrians have priority), and to be able to stop safely if they need to.

 

Stay kind slow down message on towpath

So no jogging on the towpath, then.

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1 hour ago, matty40s said:

Its not just the towpaths either, these are now all over Blackpool to Fleetwood prom.(10 mph on tarmac)...where cyclists think it's a 7 mile sprint track and have to share it with all those bloody holidaymakers.

20210604_200651.jpg

“Drop your pace” , including dog walkers, parents with children, and(presumably) joggers :D

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Good points about people with hearing impairments. For people who don't have an impairment it can still be difficult. A bell let's you know someone is coming, so does a shout. Which way do you move ? Some people say, coming past on your left (but that's  rare). At the end of the day, it's the cyclists responsibility for not endangering people by their actions (like everyone else on the waterways) but some probably aren't aware of this and just do what they want to do. Signs might raise awareness but some people will just do what they want regardless. 

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1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

The comment about hearing problems is valid, too. I've only got one ear functioning properly and no real stereo awareness, so I can rarely tell direction even when I hear anything at all. Which, after a day listening to a Lister, is not often.

I do realise the initial post was intentionally provocative and tongue in cheek, but the fact is that most cyclists on the towpath make no concessions to pedestrians - the one I shoved into the nettles belted past me as I was pulling the boat in to moor and I could easily have backed right into him as I had no idea he was there till he'd gone past. He made no attempt at all to slow down and was lucky there was room for him to get by. Walking, I treat the towpath as I do pavements, I walk in the middle, lurching slightly on a gammy leg and taking a bit more space with a stick. And don't make much effort to get out of their way. If required, the stick can go through the spokes, accidentally, obviously.

 

you are painting a slightly one sided picture... cyclists often thank me when they ride past me,(whether am a pedestrian or slow cyclist), I stick to one side, usually left, unless its too narrow in which case I walk in the middle. While crossing from one side to other I check that no cyclist is coming from behind. Its true that many of them dont slow down, but I understand its a form of exercise for many, cycles are highly manoeuvrable and most cyclists would rather face injury than hit a pedestrian. 

am a casual cyclist(not lycra wearing Olympian) and cycling taught me to be a more considerate pedestrian, improved my situational awareness.

Edited by restlessnomad
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