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carry an air horn for the benefit of rude cyclists


dominicebs

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I have decided to start carrying an air horn whilst walking along the towpath. Twice in 2 days I have been almost knocked off my feet by a speeding cyclist on the tow path. My plan is to carry an air horn - as they pass inches from me at top speed place the air horn in their face and let it off and then enjoy the sight of them swerving away in panic - hopefully into the canal.

 

I am a cyclist myself. If I want to go fast I go on the roads - if I am on a tow path with others around I slow down - its not hard.

 

I wont do this because its rude and inconsiderate and I would be sinking to the level of the pillocks I have encountered over the last 2 days. But it feels like I should

 

  • Greenie 2
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Must admit with advancing deafness, the day is fast approaching when a lout on a bike mows me down. I have nothing but respect for the vast majority of cyclists, most of whom are considerate, but the few aholes spoil the reputation of decent ones.

Edited by Guest
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If you've been into Birmingham lately you will see most of the towpaths being hard surfaced as part iof the Birmingham Cycle Revolution. By April 2015 you will be able to cycle as fast as you like from Castle Vale to Winson Green to Kings Norton to Acocks Green. It's bad enough on the Farmers Bridge flight but soon Garrison and Camp Hill locks will the same.

 

Regards

Pete

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One of the most sensible ways of using a mixed path I've seen is in Australia. The path is shared between walkers and cyclists etc., is 8 to 10 ft wide and has a line down the middle. Everybody "drives" on the left, just as on the roads, whether they be walkers, cyclists, wheelchairs, joggers or pushing a buggy. If you come up behind someone, you overtake by passing on the other side when it is safe to do so. If "traffic" is coming the other way, you wait until it is safe to overtake.

 

So simple and it works admirably. It seems so much better than the way in this country we try and divide a path into cyclists and walkers, or just have a mixed use path with no segregation at all. OK so it needs 8ft or so to work, but this is what the majority of the new cycleways are. Would it work here? Probably not as the morns will still behave like morons. The inhabitants of our former colonies seem to be so much better mannered.

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Bells, why can't they at least get bells! We were recently moored next to a "national cycle way", no longer called a towpath....its tarmacked, and you just don't hear them behind. With a dog as well, it just got ridiculous at commuting times. A bell makes all the difference. I think they should be a prerequisite if using shared paths. Or anyway.

  • Greenie 1
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Bells, why can't they at least get bells! We were recently moored next to a "national cycle way", no longer called a towpath....its tarmacked, and you just don't hear them behind. With a dog as well, it just got ridiculous at commuting times. A bell makes all the difference. I think they should be a prerequisite if using shared paths. Or anyway.

Absolutely Ally- this is a pet hate of mine- Its so simple to use a bell and everyone stays safe. I asked a cyclist friend if he used his bell- his response- I feel a bit of a plonker if I do, so I dont bother- unbelievable

 

On Monday. I was walking the dog and encountered 3 cyclists on thetowpath

Number 1- virtually on my back when I turned round and saw him-If I or the dog had stepped out then a potential accident

Number 2-Rang his bell a bit behind us- I stepped to the side made the dog sit- he said thank you and passed us- Brilliant-everyone safe and happy

Number 3- This one coming towards us - fast. Stepped to the side, made the dog sit until he passed- no eye contact , no thank you- What an a**e

 

I travel to the Netherlands regularly and its a completely different story- there seems to be more respect between cyclists and pedestrians and the bell is used regulary

 

We need a campaign to Bring back the Bell!

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I tend to stand my ground in the middle of the path until I see the cyclist slow down although my wife thinks I'm mad. If they are coming from behind, I can't hear them approaching because of selective deafness so they have to ring a bell or say something. If lockwheeling I keep the windlass between me and the cyclist and always move to the side away from the water. If anyone is going to fall in it isn't going to be me.

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As a towpath cyclist I hate using the bell. It feels no different from rudely shouting an instruction "coming through, stand aside".

 

Instead as I approach pedestrians from behind I slow down to walking pace and follow them from about 30 or 40ft behind until either they notice me, or until the towpath becomes wide enough to pass (slowly) without surprising them. If I get bored waiting, I may ding the bell or perhaps call out "excuse me, may I come past", or stop for a rest/drink/check the map.

 

But I know I'm weird.

 

:)

 

MtB

  • Greenie 3
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>>I have decided to start carrying an air horn whilst walking along the towpath. Twice in 2 days I have been almost knocked off my feet by a speeding cyclist on the tow path. My plan is to carry an air horn - as they pass inches from me at top speed place the air horn in their face and let it off and then enjoy the sight of them swerving away in panic - hopefully into the canal.<<

 

 

I know you said you wouldn't actually do it, but others might.

I've more than a suspicion this would constitute an assault -- so don't!

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Friends of ours told us last night, they moor on the K&A at Avoncliffe. Cyclist bombing along at a trillion miles an hour. He had to stop as they got in his way. There were words exchanged but his reply was "I have more right than you, this is a national cycle path"

 

Wonders never cease.

 

I know it's not an isolated incident but if that's how he's thinking, it's no surprise there are incidents. He was quite confused when told he was cycling on a Tow Path built for horses.

 

Martyn

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This was published in the "boaters update" from the trust this month. Where will it end?

 

Earlier this year we ran a consultation about sharing towpaths. One of the 2,000 or so responses carried a salutary tale from a boater. Definitely read on, the following could save you money!

 

‘I have a permanent towpath mooring on the Rochdale Canal. No rings or facilities. The towpath is fairly narrow and I put my mooring pins directly behind the large coping/edging stones at the edge of the canal, which are covered with grass. I cannot put the pins any nearer the canal edge.

 

‘Out of the blue I received a solicitor's letter sent on behalf of someone suing me because they had injured themselves while cycling. I was being blamed because the accident was, apparently, caused by my mooring pins. I have no idea what happened: I wasn't there.

 

‘To cut a long story short, my insurance company's solicitors tried, and failed, to fight this claim and paid out to the claimant. Now I have a higher insurance premium and had to pay the excess.

 

The respondent went on to support shared usage of the towpath but it just goes to show that you can never be too careful when considering where to put your pins!

[unquote ]

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As a towpath cyclist I hate using the bell. It feels no different from rudely shouting an instruction "coming through, stand aside".

 

 

Its weird how cyclists here have perceptions of ringing the bell being rude or making them look a plonker- It really isn't rude- and a smile or thank you as you pass makes it perfect. In the Netherlands, it's completely different- why do we have this perception and they don't.

This was published in the "boaters update" from the trust this month. Where will it end?

 

Earlier this year we ran a consultation about sharing towpaths. One of the 2,000 or so responses carried a salutary tale from a boater. Definitely read on, the following could save you money!

 

‘I have a permanent towpath mooring on the Rochdale Canal. No rings or facilities. The towpath is fairly narrow and I put my mooring pins directly behind the large coping/edging stones at the edge of the canal, which are covered with grass. I cannot put the pins any nearer the canal edge.

 

‘Out of the blue I received a solicitor's letter sent on behalf of someone suing me because they had injured themselves while cycling. I was being blamed because the accident was, apparently, caused by my mooring pins. I have no idea what happened: I wasn't there.

 

‘To cut a long story short, my insurance company's solicitors tried, and failed, to fight this claim and paid out to the claimant. Now I have a higher insurance premium and had to pay the excess.

 

The respondent went on to support shared usage of the towpath but it just goes to show that you can never be too careful when considering where to put your pins!

[unquote ]

If it wasn't true it would be unbelievable- common sense no longer prevails in this country

  • Greenie 1
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I've read this exact tale before, here on CWF a year or two ago.

 

Sounds highly unlikely to me and has the hallmarks of an urban myth.

 

Do we know who it is?

 

 

MtB

I'm not sure if it's a myth or not. What concerned me, was the fact that the trust put it out. This was my response

 

"I'm not happy with the post in your latest news edition regarding mooring pins Damian.

 

These pins are a necessity on many parts of the system.

The fact that a cyclist has sued successfully is worrying, "it's a towpath", not a cycle route.

 

First and foremost the towpath is for those people who PAY a substantial lump of money through a licence to use it. A canal that was built for boats which more often than not moor up! It's time the trust recognised and aknowledged this. It's also time some of your literature reminded other users of this.

 

How long will it be before someone sues the trust for a piece of loose tarmac, or a support rod from the bank cladding trips them up?

 

Non paying users need to be reminded of the hazards on a towpath, but most importantly, they need to be reminded of why the towpath is there"

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When the towpath on the GU was upgraded around here with additional funding from Sustrans, one of their initial demands for reason of safety was that the towpath should be widened by about 6ft including under the bridges. They pointed out that this still left plenty of navigable width for narrowboats. BW, as it was at the time, were just about to agree when I found out and (through the local IWA) raised an objection.

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As a towpath cyclist I hate using the bell. It feels no different from rudely shouting an instruction "coming through, stand aside".

 

Instead as I approach pedestrians from behind I slow down to walking pace and follow them from about 30 or 40ft behind until either they notice me, or until the towpath becomes wide enough to pass (slowly) without surprising them. If I get bored waiting, I may ding the bell or perhaps call out "excuse me, may I come past", or stop for a rest/drink/check the map.

 

But I know I'm weird.

 

smile.png

 

MtB

I shout ring ring cos always forget where bell is or it doesn't work when I try, totally stupid I know. I have also called out "Good morning please can I get through"

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Isn't there supposed to be a 4 mile an hour speed limit on the canal?? Should that not include all canal users? CRT = Cyclist & Ramblers Trust after all. And yes - Birmingham, As a brummy my self, I had heard that the Council are GIVING AWAY BIKES to encourage people to leave the car at home and are even supplying a cute little map showing best "Cycle Routes" around the City - Birmingham.gov.uk/BCR

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I shout ring ring cos always forget where bell is or it doesn't work when I try, totally stupid I know. I have also called out "Good morning please can I get through"

 

Lol, reminds me of my sister's house where the doorbell doesn't work.

 

They have a sign up saying "Doorbell broken, press button and shout Ding Dong"

 

:D

 

MtB

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Bells, why can't they at least get bells! We were recently moored next to a "national cycle way", no longer called a towpath....its tarmacked, and you just don't hear them behind. With a dog as well, it just got ridiculous at commuting times. A bell makes all the difference. I think they should be a prerequisite if using shared paths. Or anyway.

Agree 100%

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As a towpath cyclist I hate using the bell. It feels no different from rudely shouting an instruction "coming through, stand aside".

 

Instead as I approach pedestrians from behind I slow down to walking pace and follow them from about 30 or 40ft behind until either they notice me, or until the towpath becomes wide enough to pass (slowly) without surprising them. If I get bored waiting, I may ding the bell or perhaps call out "excuse me, may I come past", or stop for a rest/drink/check the map.

 

But I know I'm weird.

 

You're not - I do exactly the same thing (usually "just coming past slowly on your right"). Ringing bells scares people out of their wits and is often viewed as peremptory, sadly.

 

Non paying users need to be reminded of the hazards on a towpath, but most importantly, they need to be reminded of why the towpath is there"

 

It was put there for horses pulling freight-carrying boats. I agree, we should put up signs to remind people of that fact. ;)

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My smiley_offtopic.gifthought for the day,.

In all the Pictures, Paintings and illustration I've seen in Books & whatever, i can't recall seeing a Shovel strapped to the Horse, or carried by the ' HorsePerson' (don't know the proper name) along the Tow Path.

Do you think they use to Poop a Scoop Back in the day ?.

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