[Closed] Walkers on footpaths

@Cougar - nah, it's an average photo of a cuttlefish in its winter roost😜

One benefit of more people using the outdoors might be that we get more trails due to the popularity.

Opposite effect around here. Too many drongos who don't realise you can't walk where you like or let you dog run where it likes. There are loads of new "private keep out" signs and barbed wire sealing a couple of tracks that aren't rights of way where previously nobody really minded the odd walker.

Its a shame as all the rights of way around here are really clearly marked, so its people just being arses (or stupid).

People walking up the signposted red MTB trails in Philips Park is the new craze for 2021.

The local country park is rammed too so me and my lad go elsewhere at the moment.

I had a walker with a dog yelling at me as they thought my light was too bright! I was on a road, in the mist, at 10 at night, in the middle of nowhere. They were on a path. Some people like getting annoyed.

Personally, I don’t find it reasonable for pedestrians to walk cyclists to rise two or three abreast on what, as you say, are known cycle routes, roads

Oh the ironing.

as they thought my light was too bright!

I find a lot of modern cycle lights far too bright if I'm walking towards them. If your eyes have adjusted to the dark, it can be really painful. Strobing ones are even worse.

Where I live, motorists tend to dip their lights for walkers, some cyclists seem to just leave them pointing straight into your retina.

I find modern cycle lights far too bright if I’m walking towards them. If your eyes have adjusted to the dark, it can be really painful. Strobing ones are even worse.

Where I live, motorists tend to dip their lights for walkers, cyclists seem to just leave them pointing straight into your retina.

+1

Are you sure your lights weren't too bright?

A bell is the best thing I ever fitted to my bike.

People with dogs off the lead in inappropriate places is the thing that p*sses me off the most. Like the family that were letting their dogs run free round a field of grazing horses...

Easy to get all bent out of shape about it but it's rarely worth getting over excited. Had a chat with a young lad on a bike who came ripping past me as I slowed down for a family walking down a track. They had to jump out the way to let him through.
Easy to start giving the kid a b*ll*cking but instead it's best to empathise a bit so went with 'I know it's annoying with all these people everywhere but...'

Where I live, motorists tend to dip their lights for walkers, some cyclists seem to just leave them pointing straight into your retina.

Agree there does seem to be an unnecessary Lumen "war" amongst cyclists on some of the paths I walk and run which is wildly OTT. I dont agree about cars however I actually find more often drivers put there full beam on when they see a walker and heaven forbid you are crossing the road you are likely to get a full death beam. Increasing driver aggression and entitlement I suppose.

You don’t have a “right” not to be in the path of oncoming traffic that uses a light. How about “don’t stare at it?”

we live in crowded island that has lots of folk jammed into certain parts of it, To misquote Mick Dundee, “it must be the friendliest place on earth” there was a study that suggested even faking smiling and pretending to be happy produced the same results as actually being happy. My life is stressful enough at work right now without getting into confrontations with folk outside as well. Whenever I chance upon these grumpy folk I am determinedly polite and happy, it is both a weapon and a shield.

There are loads of new “private keep out” signs and barbed wire sealing a couple of tracks that aren’t rights of way where previously nobody really minded the odd walker.

This. I wrote about this on another thread at the start of lockdown. Private land near me I (and a small number of like minded people) walked around this area for the last 20+ yrs. I ran here and even (sensitively) marked out distances for my reps, right up to a mile (it is a very large area) when lockdown happened it was "discovered" so of course cars across the footpaths that criss cross it, dog shit and bags everywhere as well as litter and fence damage. Now the sections I ran on are blocked with Barbwire. People ruin everything.

Using a timber bell that you can set off jingling 100m behind walkers is an absolute godsend in the FofD these crowded days. People seem to enjoy its happy tune. The only ones who freak are horse riders who are the most entitled group on the trails by far. You can never go slow or wide enough for most riders apparently. I think it’s because I always forget to doff my cap as they pass.

I had a freaky experience on the road after Oven Bottom in Macc Forest.

You should have posted this in the "weird things on rides" thread.

Even if there weren't any dildos involved.

You don’t have a “right” not to be in the path of oncoming traffic that uses a light. How about “don’t stare at it?”

Have you never been driving or riding in the opposite direction to some 3,000-lumen-hero riding his MTB on the road with the light undipped (and usually additional flashing bits as well)?

It can be genuinely scary and totally impossible to ignore.

The only ones who freak are horse riders who are the most entitled group on the trails by far. You can never go slow or wide enough for most riders apparently. I think it’s because I always forget to doff my cap as they pass.

Well horses are a special case. I assume you dont ring a bell when you come up behind them? Love them or hate them I always start chatting to them and the rider as soon as they are close enough to hear then carry on chatting passing at fast walking pace unless they suggest different. They are never much bother but getting that wrong risks serious injury to them and the horse.

A mile from me a horse was killed and one seriously injured last week and the 2 young riders injured by a driver who refused to slow for them, was aggressive and passed too close.

Easy to start giving the kid a b*ll*cking but instead it’s best to empathise a bit so went with ‘I know it’s annoying with all these people everywhere but…’

Devil’s advocate: What if the kid is a learner driver, and you as an older driver wish to empathise with him/encourage him to believe that cyclists are ‘annoying’ - especially when they have to jump onto the verge to ‘let you through’?

Have you never been driving or riding in the opposite direction to some 3,000-lumen-hero riding his MTB on the road with the light undipped (and usually additional flashing bits as well)?

It can be genuinely scary and totally impossible to ignore.

Yup, pretty much every time I cycle to work on dark winter mornings, the amount of idiots that have lights directed straight ahead of them is a bloody nightmare, and pretty much impossible to look at anything else on a 2m wide track.

'Dip yer f'in light' has been used on many occasions.

I have to say though that in the 200+km that my and my lad have covered in January there hasn’t been any grumpiness. I friendly “Hi, can we just squeeze past?” accompanied by a “thank you” and a smile is all it takes round our way with walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

The only issue has been with MXers ripping the place up and the police tweeted over the weekend that they had apprehended a bunch of them loading up there (untaxed) van on Sunday in a local park, so next weekend should be even better behaved.

ElShalimo
Full Member
@Cougar – nah, it’s an average photo of a cuttlefish in its winter roost😜

well now David Attenborough has shown us what Cuttlefish get up to given half a chance I expect you'll soon attract the attention of the dogging & dildo brigade

I actually find more often drivers put there full beam on when they see a walker and heaven forbid you are crossing the road you are likely to get a full death beam. Increasing driver aggression and entitlement I suppose.

Nah, I can tell you why this is. It's because your walkers here are milling around in the pitch dark wearing black pants and a black hoodie and are about as visible as Hotblack Desiato's limoship. A couple of seconds' main beam to answer the question "is that people up ahead?" is preferable to ploughing through them like skittles.

I found the best thing to do is to bell them from afar. They look around and notice you, but because you're quite far away they don't think you're ringing your bell at them.  This doesn't work for people with headphones in of course. Best thing to do here is buzz them really fast and close whilst delivering a hefty slap to the back of the head.

The only issue has been with MXers ripping the place up and the police tweeted over the weekend that they had apprehended a bunch of them loading up there (untaxed) van on Sunday in a local park, so next weekend should be even better behaved.

The police need to head up to Watergrove must have been 20 out on Sunday

I had a walker with a dog yelling at me as they thought my light was too bright!

As others have said depends on both the brightness and also the angle of the light.
It is a bit of a problem as lights have got better with people not actually having them pointed towards the ground and hence blinding you half a mile away. I dont use my lights on full power if some poor sod is likely to come the other way since it isnt pleasant.

Everywhere does still seem a lot busier which wont be doing the trails any good (havent done much offroad in last few months due to how wet the ground has been) but mostly okay in terms of people.
The one problem for me is dogs not on a lead running amok. Its okay if they are on the path and so can be watched but have had a couple of close calls when they have been playing in the bushes and then run back out right in front.

Nah, I can tell you why this is. It’s because your walkers here are milling around in the pitch dark wearing black pants and a black hoodie and are about as visible as Hotblack Desiato’s limoship. A couple of seconds’ main beam to answer the question “is that people up ahead?” is preferable to ploughing through them like skittles.

Even when you are on the pavement and they are on the road? Nice story tho Bro.

as lights have got better more blinding

Lights have become daft bright, much cheaper, and with less a lot focus on the beam pettern

the amount of idiots that have lights directed straight ahead of them is a bloody nightmare,

I did a lvel street-test with a Cree light (no cutoff beam) typical of 99% of the lights sold to cyclists on the UK market and in order not to momentarily blind/retina burn someone 15 metres ahead of me away I needed to point the light at the road just in front of my front wheel. Bag of shite lights. Many of these types of round-beamed dazzling lights are reviewed well on road cc. It’s madness.

The dazzling lights is a big problem on the TPT and Bridewater canal towpath.

I'd say the vast majority of cyclist simply have either no awareness that they are dazzling oncomers, or they don't care.

Many times, I've dipped and/or dimmed my lights only for the oncoming cyclist to fail to reciprocate. It's like they are brain-dead or something. Some are so bright I have to stop.

I occasionally get walkers moan at me. Problem is when it's very dark and if they have no reflective gear, it's not easy to see them until they are close enough to be dazzled. Matt clothing on a matt background isn't easy to pick out.

"Some are so bright I have to stop"

This happens occasionally with cyclists but more frequently with motorists. If you are running along a pavement and a friendly driver has somehow spotted a moving figure (albeit on the pavement) a million lumens directly at you stops you in your tracks as you cant see in front and also means you have to wait until your eyesight recovers before carrying on.

Even when you are on the pavement and they are on the road? Nice story tho Bro.

Some vague shadow of movement up ahead that may or may not be people who may or may not be on the pavement? It'd absolutely want to check to be sure, yes.

Point is, people don't realise how difficult to see they are.

I’d say the vast majority of cyclist simply have either no awareness that they are dazzling oncomers, or they don’t care.

I've mentioned this to two different people, who I'd consider to be intelligent and considerate people, with big exposure/hope things, not chinese junk. Just mentioned in passing - not a "turn your light down" instruction - both said they used it at full whack on the road to avoid being run over...

I was more referring to use on bridleways/towpaths, trails, etc.

"Even when you are on the pavement and they are on the road? Nice story tho Bro"

Yes, the problem with super bright lights is that if you're a pedestrian and catch a bright cycle light out of the corner of your eye you think its a motorcycle or car light that's far away. You then go to cross the road a find out its a bicycle coming straight at you at 20 mph. A one inch wide super bright cycle light at 10 metres has roughly the same brightness and appearance scale wise as a 6 inch car or motorbike light 100 metres away.

It's that Father Ted: - "these ones are closer, those are further away" sort of thing.

Yes, the problem with super bright lights is that if you’re a pedestrian and catch a bright cycle light out of the corner of your eye you think its a motorcycle or car light that’s far away. You then go to cross the road a find out its a bicycle coming straight at you at 20 mph. A one inch wide super bright cycle light at 10 metres has roughly the same brightness and appearance scale wise as a 6 inch car or motorbike light 100 metres away.

If you step into the road without knowing what's approaching, or how far away it is, then you probably shouldn't be outside.

I had a walker do this, who claimed that she hadn't seen my light, and then that it was too bright and dazzled her. It's one or the other...

I had a walker do this, who claimed that she hadn’t seen my light, and then that it was too bright and dazzled her. It’s one or the other…

Some people are just dicks, but a lot of bike lights are too bright for general use, and are very dazzling unless you tilt them down when approaching people, mine included. But as you say, then you get people saynig, @ didnt see them, they didnt have lights, or the lights were too dim to notice'.

It can be really bad on a pitch plack tow path when you are cycling toward someone with a light the power of 7 suns aimed straight forward as it gives you night blindness even if you look away.

If you step into the road without knowing what’s approaching

I had this a couple of weeks ago; a couple, aged 60ish, going the same way as me, just walked into the road right when I was coming past. They didn't look behind them at all. No reason - the footway was still there

Didn't have time to ring my bell. But could faintly hear the chap say 'Yet another one not ringing his bell'

Almost stopped and said something. But it wouldn't be worth it. So I just rang my bell loudly and tutted to myself.

Where I live, motorists tend to dip their lights for walkers, some cyclists seem to just leave them pointing straight into your retina.

You get that in Richmond park, when the commute is in full swing. Granted, that they need their lights full on in the traffic choked streets of London, but the park has no street lighting and no cars after dark, so you are faced with an oncoming stream of retina burning lumens which you just can't see beyond. Ok, there are deer who come to feed on the grass at the verges after dark, but unless you are trying to break the sound barrier, you can see them in time without using a football stadiums lighting system to see them.

One of the other problems at the moment with not being able to see beyond the lights is that there are a lot more people in the park after dark walking on the roads...in dark clothing. And Badgers.

Well horses are a special case. I assume you don't ring a bell when you come up behind them? Love them or hate them I always start chatting to them and the rider as soon as they are close enough to hear then carry on chatting passing at fast walking pace unless they suggest different. They are never much bother but getting that wrong risks serious injury to them and the horse.

I think in my neck of the woods, being busy even before the lockdown, I think most users have got used to each other, so the majority of cyclists know what to do when dealing with horses, the only small issue is the rise of the gravel bikers who if in a group, still ride in peloton's on the wide paths, and really don't want to slow down for Horses.

Yeah, I startled a horse once by ringing my bell. It was a small horse with a kid on it. The mum had it's reigns so it only bolted a few steps before settling down. I felt terrible about it but she was fine about it.

IdleJon,

You didn't read my post properly did you, either that or you haven't seen the relevant Father Ted episode.

Pedestrians look to cross the road, see a super bright light and calculate that it must be a car or motorcycle some distance away. They make this calculation based on the millions of times they've safety crossed the road before without incident.

You belting along with your mega lumen light are an outlier and thus easily mistaken for a car or motorcycle.

I daresay motorists can be confused by super bright bike lights as well. Owing to the difficulty in judging distance I think powerful bike lights on the road make it more likely that you'll be knocked off.

The best option is two traditional lights, one on strobe, one on constant. The strobe attracts attention but is very poor for judging distance (and that's a fact) whilst the constant beam is best for others to judge how far away you are (another optical fact).

It has the added bonus of not blinding other people as well.

After reading all of this I think I’m going to start cycling with a lance cable tied to my handlebars. Simply poke people out of the way before they have chance to be dickheads. Is there a joustingtrackworld out there where I can get advice on a handmade lance and pauldron?

Or just forget you read this thread and be nice to the people that you encounter

None of this is difficult...see Rule No.1

🤦‍♂️

The greatest issue I come across is with people using super bright head torches - ok in the right place (off road, little or no chance of encountering anyone), antisocial everywhere else. As for horses, I’ve always found riders to be very courteous.

Or just forget you read this thread and be nice to the people that you encounter

Nope, sorry. I am now 100% set on the lance idea. Seems like the only reasonable option and horses will love it as it will trigger ancestral memories of a more adrenaline fuelled life.

Edit

Lights have become daft bright, much cheaper, and with a lot less focus on the beam pattern

(Note to self) - stoprushingandmuktitasking 😛)

The best option is two traditional lights, one on strobe, one on constant

What’s a ‘traditional light’ is re bicycle lights? All the ones I remember are either the bright ones with a round beam or the mad-bright ones with a round beam. Even the expensive ones (bar a very select two or three designed expressly with a cutoff beam like a motorcycle light) are all much the same.

Going decades back I do remember Pifco and Ever Ready battery lights, rectangular in shape and threw a dim yellow beam into the gloom! The ‘beam pattern’ was an amorphou thing with a brighter ring around it, iirc!

What’s a ‘traditional light’ is re bicycle lights?

This springs to mind

Neveready

That's what I used in the 90s when I did a paper round. It was either them or the horrible dynamos people used to use. All utter cr@p! Batteries always dying, dodgy electrical connections, etc.

Batteries always dying, dodgy electrical connections, etc.

I used the halogen version in the 1980s. I remember having to take them apart at least once a week and sand down all the contacts! And you'd turn them off when there was no traffic around to save the battery.

But the beam patterns were, I think, carefully thought out (BSI standard?). It was a nice big rear light and they threw a lots of light out to the side.

I reckon if you took that Never Ready lens design and married it up to some modern LED technology you would have some really good road lights.

Hiya,

I have the odd grump from the over 60's but I ignore it and smile. I'm not going to their level and be as angry as they are. It is just venting. I live in Portishead and I have had people shouting at me telling me I'm breaking the law and being nasty. I generally can't be bothered to react. These days I smile and say hello and continue. I would say it is 1% grumpy, so 99% are fine by me 😉

BR
Jerry

It was a nice big rear light and they threw a lots of light out to the side.

Define plenty.
Couple of years back found my old ones at my dads and decided to try out the front light with the use of some duct tape. It was a rather interesting experience.

A couple of seconds’ main beam to answer the question “is that people up ahead?” is preferable to ploughing through them like skittles

Those are not the only options.

Lights are a real problem. I bought an expensive (for me) Raveman light that had a claimed cut-off beam, but when I do a test it's still dazzling even on low power unless I point it just in front of my wheel.

Many times, I’ve dipped and/or dimmed my lights only for the oncoming cyclist to fail to reciprocate. It’s like they are brain-dead or something

Yeah, I've had this. The Raveman does have a 'nuclear option'. I have sometimes used this on a cyclist who hasn't dipped when I have.

Some vague shadow of movement up ahead that may or may not be people who may or may not be on the pavement? It’d absolutely want to check to be sure, yes

If only there were some way of doing this without putting them in danger or at least inconveniencing them by dazzling them with my new high power LED headlights. You know like slowing down a bit as I approach to allow my normal dipped headlights to provide the information I need.

Lights are a real problem. I bought an expensive (for me) Raveman light that had a claimed cut-off beam, but when I do a test it’s still dazzling even on low power

Which model? I have a PR900 and it’s got a sharp visible cutoff. I use it on low when walking the dog and it gives a long ‘sheet’ of light across the ground unless you active the 2nd emitter which has a round spot beam pattern

I have the 1200. I read about it on here before buying and thought it seeemed great.

It's better than some lights I've had, but I'm still disappointed. If I take it to a dark path, lean the bike against something then walk away the light still seems dazzling - even on the lowest setting.
As I said it's better thanks some, and I do appreciate the versatility and the remote, but I'm going to make sure my next light is StVZO complaint.

I spent many a night night-riding in some nice twisty woods with those Ever Ready lights (and then an upgrade to a Cateye 'beast' - similar to the Volt 1300 but 30 years ago) - would have to take 4 packs of replacement batteries, but they were 'great' at the time.

I then upgraded to a 2.5w spot that I found to be brighter than the sun!

I'm pretty sure it was this low light stuff that has formed my night riding preference of not having lights brighter than the sun to turn a night ride into a day ride. (I'm in a very small minority of myself with that thinking though - I've a 900 lumen light and find that far too bright, my other light apparently is 1600 but is never used on that, so tends to be 800 lumens as I always turn it down - means more run time, but also less 'flare' and I can see what I'm needing to see - works for me, but others think differently).

@easily thanks will check mine out see if similar issue/anything to minimise

If only there were some way of doing this without putting them in danger or at least inconveniencing them by dazzling them with my new high power LED headlights. You know like slowing down a bit as I approach to allow my normal dipped headlights to provide the information I need.

It's the guy with the red flag's day off.

I take your point, but really, what's the purpose of main beam if not "seeing further"? If someone's wandering around potentially on the road like a black cat in a coalmine then they can be mildly inconvenienced, it's not like you can't get hi-vis vests for a couple of quid or more fashionable gear with reflective stitching even.

I then upgraded to a 2.5w spot that I found to be brighter than the sun!

Except they weren't brighter than the sun. They weren't even brighter than moon, as evidenced by the fact that we used to turn them off on clear, moonlit nights, because the moon did a better job of lighting our way than those 'brighter than the sun' pieces of crap. (I've still got some 25/10w Cateyes. I must test to se if they still work, for a laugh.)

My wife has a Fluxient StVZO style front light. It's very good.

it’s not like you can’t get hi-vis vests for a couple of quid or more fashionable gear with reflective stitching even.

Not often you see this degree of victim blaming on a cycling forum