[Closed] Canal tow path 'banter'

There were no winners here.

Opinions vary......

A sarcastic "Ding Ding" would have been a better.

Still funny though.

😀

I normally just thank people politely for allowing me to pass.

Speaking to people helps 🙂

I tend to just use my bell if I'm on a shared path..

Simple

I politely thanked 15+ people......

The aggressive approach, from one person, warranted a sarky remark IMHO......

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Ah cheers mate.....I always think my stories are the best. Glad you concur.

I thank with a smile even the aggressive ones, as the tow paths can get very busy in the summer and as a pedestrian you can have to stop and step aside on some of the skinnier sections literally every couple of minutes to let a cyclist through, and thet would get on the tits of a saint.

Aah yes, 'banter' the new name for "being a ****".

Knob

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Even when riding a bike, there is something about the incessant 'Hope clickies' that means I won't move over until asked to, let alone walking along.
During a race/event; constant hope clickies and I ain't moving....a quick 'rider up' and I will go out of my way to make some room.
Obviously I will make room if it's the lead pack coming through, but you can normally tell when they are approaching, as opposed to some mid-pack elite rider wannabe.

lol.

I don't have a bell either, but again, my Orange 5 with it's It's inbuilt 'noise', squeaky Hope brakes & the din coming from the freehub, plus my wheezing & gasping....well people on towpaths in Norfolk can hear me before any bell would alert them!

'I would rather hear a bell' WTF!

Similar thing years ago on a winter ride, catching some walkers & riding through the frozen puddles when a woman looked round when we were 100 yards away, she warned her pals of our approach then when we got to her she said, 'you should have a bell'

Even when riding a bike, there is something about the incessant 'Hope clickies' that means I won't move over until asked to, let alone walking along

IME a bell is either ignored or cause wild spread panic as walkers scatter in all directions

yea, they trained Rats to respond to bells!
Be More Rat 😆

I always find a polite 'scuse me' is suffice, even when im not on my bike, seems to work everywhere (Until the pedants are out' 🙄

I ride bikes a lot and yield to pretty much anyone else on a trail or such path.
Except for those who think that rattling their agricultural components at me is some sort of substitute for a bell or politeness.
Just get a bell.

Bells are crap. To many walkers they sound like a "command" to get out of the way. Slow down and ask politely to get past. Always works for me (except for those that are wearing headphones and wouldn't hear anyway).

Njee is correct.

Give them the full range of your ring tones starting with the dukes of hazzard Der Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner Ner

Walkers have priority innit?

A nice cheery 'Hello' usually does it.
If not, I just get off and walk the bike past 'em.

Older people take longer to react, many have hearing/sight/mobility issues.

Be nice - costs nowt.

I usually find a full speed skid about a foot behind walkers ankles does the trick

OP - if you can politely thank 15+ people you can politely thank 16+

I know passive aggressive idiocy gets on your nerves but you'd have had a better day if you'd let it go... why let his inability to be polite affect your ability to be polite?

Tow paths seem to feature a lot more anti-bike feelings than out on the hills I find.

If I don't have a bell I get the "where's your bell?", and shocked alarm diving for cover as if they're under attack even having heard or seen me from half a mile away anyway.

If I do have a bell, they look as if they're about to have a heart attack, then give me a dirty look. Or there's the sarcastic "well at *least* you rang the bell".

Then there's the groups who will block the path, notice you from afar and continue to block the path and will not move. I don't expect them to give way instantly and I stop to let them past when coming towards me, but when following behind a polite "excuse me" when they're at a point easy to step aside and all should be happy. Despite this, some will flat refuse to let you past, even where the tow path has shared cycle and walker permission.

And the bells... modern cheap bells that come with bikes are just rubbish. The one I use is such a one, and half the time it doesn't work. And yes they are a bit "get out of my way!".

Christ you lot, no one died, no need to be so judgemental. I thought it a witty retort. The walker was being a bell end and deserved to be told so, just like how some of you have told the op.

Not just me then

I scream STRAAAAAVAAAAA at full tilt. Most of them move the ones that don't end up in the drink.

#internetwarrior

I wasn't being judgemental.

Just letting the OP know that walkers have priority and old people are often a bit slower to react.
He/she might not have known.

Sorry.

Top effort, thought could have been improved by a) farting on him or b) a crafty nudge into the canal

You lot are funny.

From 'big hitting' scorn upon my actions, to self righteous admonishment......

It / he didn't ruin my day, it caused an amusement to my day. Ramblers' ramblings often do.

Fire up ya keyboards again big guys......

Me, me, me 🙄

Have you not for one moment considered that it may have ruined his day and that he not have been amused.

It's not banter, it's agressive intimidation over some poor defenceless walker; your comment may have pushed him over the edge of despair, broken up his family, cost him his job, lost him his home. Have you no sensitivity?

From 'big hitting' scorn upon my actions, to self righteous admonishment

STW never fails to deliver on both counts!

Me 'Howling screaming brakes'
Couple hear me and move to one side
Me' good morning and thanks'
Another couple just ahead of them. Bloke talking so loud, he wouldnt hear a neutron bomb go off. Doesn't move with howling brakes.
Me ' morning and excuse me, can I pass ?'
Still doesnt hear me over his voice or the woman next to him.
Me a bit louder' Excuse me can I pass you ?'
Him ' Oh and where is your bell, I didn't hear it?'
Me ' you would hear nothing other than your own voice, so not sure if I had a klaxon your hear that either'
Couple behind.... sound of laughter.....
Him.......Silence........
Wat with a capital T .......
I have actually now bought a klaxon siren and looking forward to using it......

I have actually now bought a klaxon siren and looking forward to using it......

Please have your GoPro running when you do!

Its one of these and jees is it loud 😯

251327581016

Fleabay

Oh great OP another local pissed off
Your only allowed on that path by agreement, and there is so much cheeky riding round there that by and large is pretty much tolerated that we really should not be pissing people off

It is Matlock.....the standard position is pissed off.

I've tried calling out "Ding Ding" on occasions but it only ever comes across as sounding slightly sarcastic........

I was riding some cheek today, so just gave way and was polite to walkers expecting a bit of abuse but got none, other than one, "you shouldn't be riding here", so I gave an "oops, didn't realise, bloke up there told me it was a bridleway".

However, two full red socks saw I stopped to let past said, "you aren't riding down there, are you?" I had no real route planned, so I said, "where?". They pointed to a descent I hadn't spotted, and it was one of the sweetest bits of singletrack, and I'd have missed it if they hadn't pointed out. Great times.

I suspect a lot of walkers would be plain irritated by the sound of a noisy freewheel and no "communication". Oh and bear in mind cyclists have been granted the concession of using canal towpaths. It is not a right. It could possibly be withdrawn.

Old people often don't hear bells. It's the frequency, innit!

I suspect a lot of walkers would be plain irritated by the sound of a noisy freewheel and no "communication". Oh and bear in mind cyclists have been granted the concession of using canal towpaths. It is not a right. It could possibly be withdrawn.

I'm inclined to agree with the OP. Cycling is permitted along the Cromford canal and although its wise to try and avoid it on a weekend the amount of self righteous walkers is getting worse. I had 2 couples last weekend who refused to outright move even though a polite request was made on both occasions.

Bravo I say!

Cheers.

It was a touch busier than I had expected and so i dropped down to the rugby club at the first opportunity......

We do usually road it after 10ish if we are heading out / back using this route

95% splendidly agreeable peeps.

He was not incensed by me not having a bell - he was incensed at sharing.....the bell was his outlet.....

Some people are just looking for something to be annoyed about. Some of these people are walkers. I presume they get some pleasure from having something to moan about, who are we to deny them their pleasures?

Sounds like both parties are as bad as each other. Doesn't take much to say '[i]excuse me[/i]'.

Shared paths can be frustrating places for everyone to be in my experience. I'm always polite, but the constant slowing down and stopping doesn't make for an enjoyable ride. And similarly for walkers being buzzed by cyclists, it's not surprising sometimes they take the attitude they do.

I'm always defending cycling. It's such a simple activity, and I don't believe there needs to be any 'rules' to do it. But sadly too many cyclists suffer from the same impatience as the motorists we always complain about. I see the exact same attitudes. [i]I'm going faster, so you're going to move![/i]

Not what I said.....but that would not suit you, would it now......

Not what I said.....but that would not suit you, would it now......

Whichever way you look at it, there's no real need to call someone a bellend just because they don't move straight away, and suggest you alert them to the fact you would like past.

Riding along the Calder and Hebble canal I encountered an angling competition;
Ting Ting went my bell
Don't do that, said the angler, it scares the fish
Fair do's says I,
Further along..........
An angler pipes up..
Is that one of those silent bells you have?
Me, first bloke back there says it scares the fish....
Yeah, but he's shit at fishing, says the angler.
1-0 to the anglers I feel.........

[quote=butcher said]
Whichever way you look at it, there's no real need to call someone a bellend just because they don't move straight away, and suggest you alert them to the fact you would like past.

This. Rather than passive-aggressive bike buzzing and expecting walkers to obediently move out of your way, try speaking to them.

The original story gave me a bit of amusement as part of my commute involves using my local towpath.

As I always use one of my mountain bikes I don't have a bell so if they don't hear me coming I usually say something along the lines of "excuse me can I pass" No matter how polite you are at least once a week I'll get a sarcastic "oh sorry didn't hear your bell"

I just usually reply "probably because I haven't got one" and ride off leaving them to their miserable existance 😆

Hah - where do I say that my comments where because they did not move straight away or that I buzzed them?

Or did you two make that up to make your point better??

😀

If you changed the OPs post so that the towpath became a road, the walkers were cycling two abreast and the OP was in a car, then we'd all be in a proper tizzy.

There's knobs in all walks of life, best to try and not lower yourself to their level.

On a wider point, complaining about walkers on the Cromford Canal is like complaining that the sun sets each day! Is it still owned by the Canals & Rivers Trust, so subject to the usual access rules, or is it owned by the Friends of Cromford Canal, in which case access could be withdrawn if they had enough complaints?

Did I complain about Walkers?

Or was it a one particular instance??

I just usually reply "probably because I haven't got one" and ride off leaving them to their miserable existance

I think we have a new AWESOME

🙄

A rather cockish friend of mine used to have an airhorn on his bike as well as a bell.

If anyone got arsey because they didn't hear the bell and told him to use his bell his reply would be to say "Alright then" and ring the airhorn as he went past.

Junkyard; why?

I dunno it just really winds me up...

Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click...

I know he can hear my free hub (it's a Hope doncha know)...

Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click...

I'm not gonna say anything, He must have realised I have a Hope free hub and he'll be jumping into the undergrowth any second so I can unleash my awesomeness...

Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click...

Just say 'rider up' or something, rather than relying on your mechanical percussion....or get a bell. 😀

I get the same annoyed feeling when someone roars up behind you when driving and starts trying to come past the second you start indicating over, rather than waiting for you to get out of the way. Funny how it always takes me longer to move over, than if they'd just been a bit more patient.

Did I complain about Walkers?

Or was it a one particular instance??

Bearing in my previous comments, I'm not going to lower myself to your level 😉

If you changed the OPs post so that the towpath became a road, the walkers were cycling two abreast and the OP was in a car, then [s]we'd all be in a proper tizzy.[/s] the car driver could move to the opposite side of the road to overtake.

Fixed

Funny how it always takes me longer to move over, than if they'd just been a bit more patient.

Good to know it's not just me!

Speed up a little, slow down a little, lane wobble a little, etc. Just make it awfully awkward for them to overtake...!

Did I complain about Walkers?

Fun fact. In Europe, they're called Lays.

I have actually now bought a klaxon siren and looking forward to using it......

Please have your GoPro running when you do!

On a canal towpath? Make sure you're right behind them and positioned so that they're between you and the canal before letting it off 😈

Is it still owned by the Canals & Rivers Trust, so subject to the usual access rules, or is it owned by the Friends of Cromford Canal, in which case access could be withdrawn if they had enough complaints?

A good chunk of it is owned by Derbyshire County Council I think. Cyclists have no right of way (it is part of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way footpath I believe) and access for cyclists is permissive.

There are signs up all the way along the canal instructing cyclists to give way to pedestrians. I got sick of asking people to move a few years ago and bought a bell. I have found it far easier since.

^ this
And rightly or wrongly alot of the people that walk down there at a weekend are quite anti cycling
Only last week I was defending cyclists rights to use that path on a completely unrelated story in the Derby Telegraph
There is a lot of anti cycling feeling in that part of the world at the moment and the local Derby rag is doing it's very best to stir things up
The canal path is a brilliant little route to get about between all the cheeky bits of riding between Ambergate and Cromford, so much better than risking life and limb on the A6 of a weekend, let's not add any fuel to the fire by being arseholes
Besides these people get far more annoyed if your just polite to them in return, it denies them the opportunity to rant and goes against their preconceptions

I think we have a new AWESOME

Thanks, having the ability to return a sarcastic comment and then leave miserable people to get on with their own sad lives without it ruining my day is pretty awesome 😉

Its an attitude that comes in quite handy when using this forum 😆

[b]kevdog68[/b] - Member
Riding along the Calder and Hebble canal I encountered an angling competition;
Ting Ting went my bell
Don't do that, said the angler, it scares the fish
Fair do's says I,
Further along..........
An angler pipes up..
Is that one of those silent bells you have?
Me, first bloke back there says it scares the fish....
Yeah, but he's shit at fishing, says the angler.
1-0 to the anglers I feel.........

Scapegoat - Member
I've tried calling out "Ding Ding" on occasions but it only ever comes across as sounding slightly sarcastic........

try...

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I tried a bell, didn't work. So I simply wait until in about fifty yards astern, slow and say "Hello there! Passing on your left/right".

It's amazing how few people can tell their left from their right, which is why I give fifty yards grace. 99% of the time, the response is positive and allows sufficient time for people to collect their errant dogs. On the 1% of occasions I get a grumpy "Where's your bell?", a sarcastic "Ding-A-***ing-ling!" generally does the trick.