towpath cyclists

[NickF]

Hawthorn hedges cut regularly seem to be an excellent deterrent where i have seen it! After a couple of punctures in a couple of miles the cyclists soon give up!

[Sunsoup]

I think some cyclist forget that the towpath is a footpath with people strolling along enjoying the canal net work.

 

Push bikes should all have a registration and some sort of insurance, at least then they could be reported and even claimed against in the event of causing damage or injury.

 

I find that most cyclist are happy to moan about how dangerous the roads are but then do the same to pedestrians on footpaths as they mount kerbs and whizz by making people leap out of the way.

[Ex- Member]

Since being on the water we're cycling quite a lot, We did also some months before, me more so than Lynn but we often pair up and go for a ride. I really don't see what the problem is. The only issue for me is bikers going at high speed, I just tend not to move out of their way in any particular hurry.

 

General pleasure cycling by boaters and general public i don't see as a problem, we both have bells on the bikes so just ring it when approaching people from behind, I haven't had anyone not move out the way and we always say thank you as I pass as I hear most the other cyclists do.

 

We,re currently in BOA and it has a really nice smooth wide towpath almost all the way to Dundas Aqueduct, perfectly adequate for both walkers & Cyllists.

[Tigerr]

you for standing aside but it's the arses that you remember the most, which is a shame but is the way it is.

 

 

Then Ange.. Stop clocking their arses..LOL

I agree - some of the arses I have seen on bikes are seared into my mind, I blame this whole nonsense with lycra. It is very much 'in your face' as they say and when that is an arse - well, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth for sure.

[carlt]

Since being on the water we're cycling quite a lot,

[Ssscrudddy]

well, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth for sure.

You're doing it wrong!

[Gingerbeer]

I think doing wheelies on your motorbike on the towpath is appalling yobbish behaviour. It is people like you who make the rest of society hate boaters. You wait till you knock some poor old lady or toddler into the cut with your irresponsible no doubt drug or drink fuelled antics. Cyclists are the least of the problems when we have wheelie-monstering hells angels to contend with.

 

He is wheeling it on and off the towpath, not doing wheelies...read people, read.

[Ricco1]

Just to confirm, I'm not pulling any wheelies as I make progress along the towpath to the nearest 'unloading' point

 

Actually I'm aware that technically, I shouldn't even be pushing it along the towpath. I think someone would have to be particularly 'anal' to say anything to me though, and would get my reply, which would be about common sense. First test today really, was wheeling it along the canal at Bosley, CRT bloke was opposite at the services, didn't say a word

[DeanS]

I read page 1 of the responses and then saw...ANOTHER 2 PAGES!!!!...so I'm just posting to let you know I didnt read the last 2 pages...surely a thread on cyclists cant generate 3 pages of good content Hope I never missed anything.

[Heartland]

_{Cyclists are encouraged to serve some towpaths as part of the national network, but it does not sanction those who travel at high speed. It would also help if all cyclists carried bells. The number of times, I have had cyclists force their way past me on the towpath, without signalling their intention are many.}

 

_{Ray Shill}

[furnessvale]

_{Cyclists are encouraged to serve some towpaths as part of the national network, but it does not sanction those who travel at high speed. It would also help if all cyclists carried bells. The number of times, I have had cyclists force their way past me on the towpath, without signalling their intention are many.}

 

_{Ray Shill}

I have been told on more than one occasion that the towpath is not a footpath,it is a cycle route. SOME cyclists display the same arrogance on the towpath as they do on London's roads. It would appear that London roads have the ability to bite back.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[alan_fincher]

I have been told on more than one occasion that the towpath is not a footpath,it is a cycle route. SOME cyclists display the same arrogance on the towpath as they do on London's roads. It would appear that London roads have the ability to bite back.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

Perhaps not your intended meaning, but I'm worried that this could be interpreted as "all those cyclists who have been killed on London's roads recently paid some part in their own demise, by acting irresponsibly in some way or another".

 

I don't dispute for a moment that there are a lot of idiot cyclists in London with scant regard for their own or anybody else's safety.

 

But if I were a bereaved family member of a now dead cyclist who might in fact not have belonged in any way in this category, I think I would be quite upset if I came across remarks along the lines of "London roads have the ability to bite back".

 

A lot of cyclists who have met their end on British roads have had no responsibility in the matter. They have simply been unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, whilst another road user got things very badly wrong.

[Guest]

 

Perhaps not your intended meaning, but I'm worried that this could be interpreted as "all those cyclists who have been killed on London's roads recently paid some part in their own demise, by acting irresponsibly in some way or another".

 

I don't dispute for a moment that there are a lot of idiot cyclists in London with scant regard for their own or anybody else's safety.

 

But if I were a bereaved family member of a now dead cyclist who might in fact not have belonged in any way in this category, I think I would be quite upset if I came across remarks along the lines of "London roads have the ability to bite back".

 

A lot of cyclists who have met their end on British roads have had no responsibility in the matter. They have simply been unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, whilst another road user got things very badly wrong.

 

I'm pretty sure that was indeed what is meant and yes it's a pretty unsympathetic comment.

 

It has nothing to do with bad riding on the tow paths .

[Roadsteam]

I have been told on more than one occasion that the towpath is not a footpath,it is a cycle route.

George ex nb Alton retired

I was asked to mind out of the way by an early 20's female cyclist as she wanted to come by when i was stood on the t/p by the lift bridge at st edwards school in oxford one day, how wide is the t/p there and how much room does a cyclist need? She was told in no uncertain terms that the towpath is a path not a cycleway which means that the pedestrian has right of way and the cyclist gives way.

[furnessvale]

 

Perhaps not your intended meaning, but I'm worried that this could be interpreted as "all those cyclists who have been killed on London's roads recently paid some part in their own demise, by acting irresponsibly in some way or another".

 

I don't dispute for a moment that there are a lot of idiot cyclists in London with scant regard for their own or anybody else's safety.

 

But if I were a bereaved family member of a now dead cyclist who might in fact not have belonged in any way in this category, I think I would be quite upset if I came across remarks along the lines of "London roads have the ability to bite back".

 

A lot of cyclists who have met their end on British roads have had no responsibility in the matter. They have simply been unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, whilst another road user got things very badly wrong.

If you wish to change SOME into ALL, that is your choice and not what I wrote.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[MtB]

I was asked to mind out of the way by an early 20's female cyclist as she wanted to come by when i was stood on the t/p by the lift bridge at st edwards school in oxford one day, how wide is the t/p there and how much room does a cyclist need?

 

1) I don't know. Your post would carry more weight if you had told us!

 

2) A cyclist needs about 2'6" at handlebar height, plus a bit for balance.

 

Hope that helps.

 

MtB

[furnessvale]

 

I'm pretty sure that was indeed what is meant and yes it's a pretty unsympathetic comment.

 

It has nothing to do with bad riding on the tow paths .

Interpret whatever you wish. I have witnessed outlandish examples of bad cycling on towpaths and roads. On a towpath the pedestrian has to leap for safety or it is he that gets hurt. On a road I would have expected the cyclist to be a bit more careful but often it just isn't so.

 

As an example, in Denton Manchester yesterday I was waiting at red lights at a busy road junction when not one, but two cyclists independently went through the red lights and across the junction without even slowing.

 

As I said, roads can bite back and nowhere did I use the word ALL.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[alan_fincher]

If you wish to change SOME into ALL, that is your choice and not what I wrote.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

Fair comment.

 

My post should better have said "some of those cyclists....." rather than "all of those cyclists.....", but I don't think that mistake changes the validity of what I was trying to say.

 

EDITED TO ADD, in the light of your comments to Martin.....

 

I did already say......

 

I don't dispute for a moment that there are a lot of idiot cyclists in London with scant regard for their own or anybody else's safety.

 

 

I'm also happy to change "London" to "many big cities", and I freely acknowledge that some cyclists behaviour is completely unacceptable. I doubt the deaths have been limited to just people like this, though.

Edited November 22, 2013 by alan_fincher

[furnessvale]

Fair comment.

 

My post should better have said "some of those cyclists....." rather than "all of those cyclists.....", but I don't think that mistake changes the validity of what I was trying to say.

 

EDITED TO ADD, in the light of your comments to Martin.....

 

I did already say......

 

 

I'm also happy to change "London" to "many big cities", and I freely acknowledge that some cyclists behaviour is completely unacceptable. I doubt the deaths have been limited to just people like this, though.

I fully agree with you. However, what does shock me is the number who ride up the inside of HGVs waiting at traffic lights in the expectation that they can outpace the lorry when the lights change.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Tuscan]

I was in London on Wednesday and walked up the Euston Road. I would not want to be a cyclist but in the dark of the rush hour some of the cycling between the traffic was frightening. The speed of cyclists on the towpath is also an issue in rural areas.

[CV32]

Natural selection for those cyclists who choose to ignore traffic lights etc in any busy town or city - the bike scheme in London is a good idea but its being used by people with no road sense on a bike and with no compulsory headgear - criminal in my opinion.

[MtB]

I was in London on Wednesday and walked up the Euston Road. I would not want to be a cyclist but in the dark of the rush hour some of the cycling between the traffic was frightening. The speed of cyclists on the towpath is also an issue in rural areas.

 

Don't ever walk the towpath on the Thames at Oxford then... Loads of cyclists there cracking along at 25mph easily with now respect or consideration whatever for pedestrians. They rival London road cyclists for speed! Not often I'm shocked but this was one case.

 

MtB

[Jerra]

The inability of towpath cyclists to read causes me concern. I assume they can't read or they would (well at least some) might take notice of the signs.

 

On the Trent and Mersey earlier in the year 100% of cyclists seemed unable to read. We spent some time near a lock which had a bridge just below it, The tow path on the bridge was narrow and the visibility nil. A sign read "Cyclists dismount" non did and a few didn't even slow down, non gave a warning of their approach.

[MtB]

The inability of towpath cyclists to read causes me concern. I assume they can't read or they would (well at least some) might take notice of the signs.

 

On the Trent and Mersey earlier in the year 100% of cyclists seemed unable to read. We spent some time near a lock which had a bridge just below it, The tow path on the bridge was narrow and the visibility nil. A sign read "Cyclists dismount" non did and a few didn't even slow down, non gave a warning of their approach.

 

"Cyclists dismount" is a statement not an instruction.

 

I expect the cyclists all whizz past wondering who drafted such an inaccurate sign....

 

 

MtB

[Jerra]

 

"Cyclists dismount" is a statement not an instruction.

Obviously an incorrect statement as they don't!