Canal Cyclists

[Yellow Bear]

8 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

As well as that, like motorists, they should not be allowed to race, practice racing, or any other 'sport' aspects on the public road/pavement/footpath/cycle path.

This is long overdue!

[Dougy]

On 04/08/2023 at 19:58, fse10 said:

That's were the fish are.

So if could fish from the opposite bank you would cast your bait under your feet

 

No of course you won't. You do exactly what you do when fishing the opposite bank. 

 

Lol 😆 🤣 

[JohnfromUK]

12 minutes ago, Yellow Bear said:

This is long overdue!

Indeed, but it is unfortunately unenforceable.  Neither cycles, nor cyclists are licensed or registered in any way.  Proving people are racing is hard.  We are effectively 'un-policed' nowadays (certainly out in the country).

Motorists are (mostly) pretty law abiding; most follow speed limits, almost all stop at red lights, give way at junctions etc.  The main offenders amongst cyclists, the lycra racers rarely follow any highway code rules.

Edited August 6, 2023 by JohnfromUK

[fern01]

My pals mother-in-law who is quite old and frail was hit from behind by a speeding cyclist on a footpath. Her pelvis was broken and she had a very long slow painful recovery.

The cyclist bless him tried to claim a set of new forks from her

My pal refers to all cyclists as COBs now

[Yellow Bear]

10 hours ago, fern01 said:

The cyclist bless him tried to claim a set of new forks from her

In my experience this sums up exactly a majority of those using our area.

[old man]

On 05/08/2023 at 22:23, Westley said:

Piano wire works well   !     😉

No need Sir, I avoid the towpath now as not worth the effort.

[Penelope]

On 04/08/2023 at 19:58, fse10 said:

That's were the fish are.

yep, up on the far shelf.

[discobob]

When I was walking the dog yesterday, I heard a noise, and there was a fella who was motoring along on an electric bike - He had a scarfe over the lower half of his face - he was easily doing well over 30 as he was pulling away from cars behind him - going up hill with no peddling. The bike didn't look to be a home conversion, but had obviously been hacked..We will have to deal with these idiots when the 20MPH gets introduced all over Wales. And you know it will be the driver that will be blamed....

[joejoe]

I personally cycle occasionally, with my young son in a chair on the back and would not use the roads. however like most things in life it is about respecting others and not riding at speed in places where others are around and past dogs.
 

I also would do not have a bell on but use my voice to speak to others while passing. My reasoning for this is ringing a bell might be misunderstood for me saying get out my way rather than alerting to my presence, and a lot of people would take offence.

However I remember when my partner was pregnant a cyclist nearing hitting her while we were walking my dog on a public foot path. I am guessing he was trying to set some personal record and thought stopping to allow a pregnant woman past would slow the fat ****** down. 

 

 

 

[Westley]

2 hours ago, old man said:

No need Sir, I avoid the towpath now as not worth the effort.

Quite  !   I can remember many years ago the kids used to tie a rope to a lampost on one side of the road, then pull it out across the road for use as a skipping rope.  It proved very effective in stopping a stolen motor cycle too  !

[JohnfromUK]

7 minutes ago, Westley said:

I can remember many years ago the kids used to tie a rope to a lampost on one side of the road, then pull it out across the road for use as a skipping rope

A long time ago when I was a boy a family friend lived in a large house where the drive split with a 'front door' drive and a 'trades and deliveries' entrance.  The front of house drive had a lot of low trees and shrubs and had a notice to the effect of 'cars only, low headroom' - which was I guess around 10 or 12 feet.  One particular delivery driver with a 'Luton' type van always ignored this and the trees were knocked about and damaged as the van speeded through much to the owners disgust as his children also played and cycled in front of the house.  The owner warned the delivery drive - who took no notice, so installed a steel cable between two large trees well above any van cab height, but within the height of the box body.

The van came hurtling up the drive and the cable cleared the cab area and cut about a foot into the box van part.

The driver never attempted it again!

[fse10]

On 06/08/2023 at 18:32, Dougy said:

So if could fish from the opposite bank you would cast your bait under your feet

 

No of course you won't. You do exactly what you do when fishing the opposite bank. 

 

Lol 😆 🤣 

if the opposite bank is overgrown with no path or access then fish hold up there.

 

 

 

[Mice!]

Just had a lovely few hours out on the canal, dog walkers, runners, cyclists, boaters and fishermen all enjoying themselves,  I even unhooked a perch for a fella struggling.

Everyone giving each other plenty of room, but then we're a friendly bunch in Lancashire 😁

[Yellow Bear]

10 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Just had a lovely few hours out on the canal, dog walkers, runners, cyclists, boaters and fishermen all enjoying themselves,  I even unhooked a perch for a fella struggling.

Everyone giving each other plenty of room, but then we're a friendly bunch in Lancashire 😁

But most of the Lycra louts will be in work - try again in about an hour or on Sunday🤣

[Mice!]

Just now, Yellow Bear said:

But most of the Lycra louts will be in work - try again in about an hour or on Sunday🤣

You won't get a road bike down there, they are relaying the tow path, it's not very tire friendly in places.

[pigeon controller]

As in my original post, I have done some research in the canal company rules. The 4 miles per hour speed limit was set to prevent horse abuse, it was kept in place when diesel engines were used to prevent bank erosion. The tow path was for people and horses, the barges would send the children ahead to prepare the locks, this meant that during the war years bike were use by adults who were seconded to help the movement of materials.

My reason for the post was to highlight that the only area within a city/ town that I can let my dog off the lead is the tow path as cyclists now use the following:-

Footpaths/ pavements

Park Paths/ Park Grassy Areas

Shopping Areas

Tow Paths
 

We have a local Primary School at which they carry out a Cycle proficiency Exam on our quiet housing estate, which is very quiet. Observing from the side line they are all over the road an unable to stop at junctions. They practice on the school playground prior to this road exam??
The skills you learn as a cyclist prepare you for motoring on the road,  a friend daughter runs a driving school and has to teach young drivers who have never controls a wheeled vehicle , shopping trolley due to shopping on line, pram, no children. They all want to drive automatics as they do not understand gears. They drive a small car that would match my Velocette Venom ( flat out) 100 MPH. 
my skills were obtained by a plank of wood, four pram wheels, a large bolt and washers for the cross axle and a piece of rope for steering. 
 

As a throw away comment a friend who is a Police Officer informed me that the tow paths were used by county line groups to distribute medication as the bridges make ideal drop off points using electric bikes some get nudged into the water!!!!!!

no paperwork!!
 

 

RANT OVER

 

 

 

[London Best]

@Pigeoncontroller, very true, all of it.

[Scully]

It is still illegal to ride a bicycle on a public footpath, it just needs policing! 😂

Edited August 11, 2023 by Scully

[Rem260]

33 minutes ago, Scully said:

It is still illegal to ride a bicycle on a public footpath, it just needs policing! 😂

Never happen. Imagine the outrage if a child was told to ride on the road and was then involved in an accident.

[Scully]

44 minutes ago, Rem260 said:

Never happen. Imagine the outrage if a child was told to ride on the road and was then involved in an accident.

I seem to recall that kids were exempt as it depended on wheel diameter, but I may just have dreamed that. 
Buy yes, I agree, principally because the streets ( around here anyhow ) aren’t policed. I can’t recall the last time I actually saw a beat copper. 

[pigeon controller]

They do not want to ride on the road as they ( Are Frit) local saying for scared!!!!

[Yellow Bear]

2 hours ago, Scully said:

principally because the streets ( around here anyhow ) aren’t policed. I can’t recall the last time I actually saw a beat copper. 

Folks round here take a picture when they see them it's that rare.

[Scully]

26 minutes ago, Yellow Bear said:

Folks round here take a picture when they see them it's that rare.

👍 Butterflies…..the ‘lesser spotted copper’. 

[JohnfromUK]

2 hours ago, Scully said:

principally because the streets ( around here anyhow ) aren’t policed. I can’t recall the last time I actually saw a beat copper.

Someone on local social media asked that the Police on patrol should wear "Hi Viz" as he had never seen one.  In fact the only one I have seen in recent years was wearing Hi Viz, but I haven't seen one walking the town/village beat in years.

You see A LOT in Morrison's cafe though and always motorway patrol cars parked outside Costalot/Starxxcks coffee places near the motorway.  I think they must give them a special deal price.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

20 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

Someone on local social media asked that the Police on patrol should wear "Hi Viz" as he had never seen one.  In fact the only one I have seen in recent years was wearing Hi Viz, but I haven't seen one walking the town/village beat in years.

You see A LOT in Morrison's cafe though and always motorway patrol cars parked outside Costalot/Starxxcks coffee places near the motorway.  I think they must give them a special deal price.

They do, a lot of outlets including McDonalds don't charge Officers in Uniform!