Considerate Cyclists

[Sea Dog]

There are countless incidents and issues reported upon regarding cycling on the towpaths, most of which are (often rightly) berating inconsiderate cyclists. Just now I'm on a water point with my hose crossing the towpath. I've just watch a cyclist travelling at pace see my hose, dismount and lift his bike over my hose before hopping back on and disappearing into the distance. I was unable to thank him for his actions as I was inboard so he was also unaware that his actions were witnessed, and he won't read this here, but credit where credit is due. I'm sure there are many cyclists like him who are sadly, like us boatists, let down by the few who stand out for the wrong reasons. It would be nice if consideration was the norm, but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that perhaps it still is.

[Tracy D'arth]

I have experienced the same!  So some of them are not mad idiots after all.

[IanD]

I've been saying this for ages -- that the problem isn't cyclists but inconsiderate a*seholes, who unfortunately exist everywhere including in cars and on board boats -- but every time this gets drowned out by the anti-bike mob on CWDF... 😞

[Jon57]

56 minutes ago, IanD said:

I've been saying this for ages -- that the problem isn't cyclists but inconsiderate a*seholes, who unfortunately exist everywhere including in cars and on board boats -- but every time this gets drowned out by the anti-bike mob on CWDF... 😞

 

[GUMPY]

 

[Tam & Di]

[Boaty Jo]

[Tony1]

 

As someone who uses a bike every day for sporting purposes (i.e. to terrorise pensioners and Jack Russells on the towpath), I find these images very offensive. 

(Apologies to any Jack Russells who are offended by this post. But you started it.)  

 

[SLC]

Yesterday we had an ebike charge past us at 8mph plus on the tow path. Frightened us to death. Shortly afterwards a cyclist came past, rang their bell and slowly passed. I was so surprised that I was late to thank the cyclist because of what happened earlier which was a shame as I always try to thank those who do ring their bell. Considerate cyclists do exist but they are in a minority. During peak hours, work times, 80% do not indicate their presence.

[GUMPY]

 

[magnetman]

I once heard about an experiment done with cyclists and joggers. 

 

can't remember exactly how it went but it was something like staging a violent and noisy fight between two people beside the path then stopping the cyclist or jogger a bit further on and asking them if they had seen anything unusual. Apparently most of them said they did not notice anything. 

 

Too much attention taken by the task in hand. 

 

I once had a pair of idiot joggers going along the towpath they could see we had a toddler walking beside us but they carried on running and one of them ended up having to partially jump over the child, fell over and had a pained look as if she had sprained her ankle. 

 

Why not just slow down and walk past the obvious hazard ? 

 

Is it thick people or just the workload required to maintain the activity means they can't multitask? 

 

 

[Cheshire cat]

It's difficult to say. I will admit that I cycled in to a car two weeks ago. I was going uphill, head down in the rain, so quite slow. No harm to the qashqai but ended up with a bruised arm and ribs. 

Those cyclists in the Vid will have learned a lesson.

[ditchcrawler]

[magnetman]

Thank god the CRT saw sense and replaced their logo. 

 

 

[GUMPY]

It's an old in

 

 

 

[Rincewind]

Sods law strikes again......You always meet someone coming tother way in a Bridge ole!

[IanD]

1 hour ago, Rincewind said:

Sods law strikes again......You always meet someone coming tother way in a Bridge ole!

And the cyclist coming the other way will be going too fast and not either ringing their bell or listening for anyone else doing so. DAMHIK... 😞

[Ianws]

1 hour ago, Rincewind said:

Sods law strikes again......You always meet someone coming tother way in a Bridge ole!

It could easily have been a family with little toddlersr, other vulnerable people, passing through the bridge hole. Similar to driving, if you can't see what's ahead of you, proceed slowly and cautiously. 

[IanD]

11 hours ago, Ianws said:

It could easily have been a family with little toddlersr, other vulnerable people, passing through the bridge hole. Similar to driving, if you can't see what's ahead of you, proceed slowly and cautiously. 

 

And similar to driving, there are always some a*seholes who don't... 😞

[David Mack]

18 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:

It's difficult to say. I will admit that I cycled in to a car two weeks ago. I was going uphill, head down in the rain, so quite slow. No harm to the qashqai but ended up with a bruised arm and ribs. 

Those cyclists in the Vid will have learned a lesson.

A former colleague of mine, cycling head down in London, piled straight into the back of a stationary van and broke his neck. He was off work for weeks, but lucky to emerge with no permanent ill effects.

15 hours ago, Ianws said:

Similar to driving, if you can't see what's ahead of you, proceed slowly and cautiously. 

Drivers need to learn the lesson too. This idiot is one of many in Edinburgh who blindly followed his satnav across the footway and into a road closed to traffic, and down some steps.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmmgvnnjgq9o

 

Edited February 12 by David Mack

[ditchcrawler]

How about this 

[nealeST]

48mph on a towpath?? Firstly idiotic but obviously all towpaths not being equal. I have cycled from Litherland to just north of Aintree along the L&L for 3 days a week all January. The amount of potholes, very squelchy mud, rutted pathway, broken tarmac, sunken holes and not forgetting inevitable dog walkers make for very slow progress indeed. I use my bell at all times and 99% of folk I encounter are perfectly reasonable. I have a new dog walking friend. He was very ‘narked’ the first morning we crossed paths. He resented my bell to start with.  He’d obviously had his fill of e-bike users. After I stopped and had a civil conversation about his grievances his attitude shifted. Now when we pass we exchange friendly acknowledgement. I like to think I’ve redeemed cyclists a little in his outlook…but then I’m not all cyclists….

On 11/02/2024 at 19:24, GUMPY said:

 

I can’t believe what I am seeing in these clips. As a cyclist who uses towpaths I am appalled. Stupid beggars. They are going way way too fast. 

Edited February 12 by nealeST

[GUMPY]

1 hour ago, nealeST said:

can’t believe what I am seeing in these clips. As a cyclist who uses towpaths I am appalled. Stupid beggars. They are going way way too fast. 

The first one is actually an electric scooter not a bike but all are stupid.