Bicycles (Debate)

Sun 7 Jun 2020, 13:23

Richard as Tom supports Brentford I would have thought that was just common sense!

Sun 7 Jun 2020, 10:47

The fact is that some people are thoughtless.  Experience tells me that this is a relatively small minority of the population.  But sadly, thoughtlessness and irresponsiblity are often very visible.

Fri 5 Jun 2020, 08:31

You’re welcome to your opinion, but coming onto this forum and proclaiming that “an awful lot of cyclists are thoughtless” is a bit like going into a pub and loudly proclaiming that the landlord’s chosen football team is rubbish ;)

Thu 4 Jun 2020, 22:25

My uncle was a very keen cyclist (at his funeral we were told he'd cycled half a million miles in his lifetime, some of that was time trials, some of it was touring and some just everyday traveling because he never learnt to drive). And he insisted that when we were out on bikes on narrow roads and bridleways that if we saw walkers we made sure we got out of their way because we had the potential to injure them. He also made sure we knew the difference between a bridleway (where bikes and horses can go) and a footpath (walkers only). So no, not so cyclists are thoughtless, but an awful lot of them are. 

Wed 3 Jun 2020, 11:09 (last edited on Wed 3 Jun 2020, 14:41)

Hi Richard - I do not dispute the right of cyclists to be on the towpath, nor do I suspect them of  causing damage. I was simply empathizing with Patricia over the fact that when it comes to lanes & towpaths cyclist sense of a 'shared space' with walkers or boat users is sometimes lacking. Indeed I have suggested to CRT on one of their surveys that a useful sign to go up on tow paths would be something along the lines of "Cyclists and Walkers be aware that this is a shared space"

I have been using the waterways since 1967 and your list of sins of boaters, I have seen them all. Interestingly enough the first boat we ever hired was wooden - from Blue Lines of Braunston - the provided toilets actually flushed int the canal!

I do understand the financing of CRT, which I have followed since it took over from British Waterways some 10 years ago, my point is simply that every boat contributes from its own pocket an annual licence fee - in our case £850 - but I know of no such direct contribution from any other users.

I am not stereotyping.  Long live this debate section. Long live the Forum.

Tue 2 Jun 2020, 10:19 (last edited on Tue 2 Jun 2020, 11:09)

As a boat-owner I couldn’t disagree more with that!

Boaters, including hirers, pay just £40m a year towards the £180m cost of running the waterways. The single biggest contribution is from Government, which provides an annual grant to safeguard heritage, safety, and access by pedestrians and cyclists. If you want the canals to yourself, then your licence fee (together with the part of your marina bill which goes to CRT) will need to go up by 350%.

I’m reasonably sure I’ve never seen cyclists empty their chemical waste tank into the Birmingham Old Main Line, nor knock lock gates off their hinges, nor take chunks out of the masonry of 230-year old bridges, nor squat on 14-day visitor moorings for months on end. So perhaps, as boat-owners, we should be a bit less keen to cast aspersions about others abusing their privilege. (Obviously I know you wouldn’t do anything like this 🙂, but believe me I’ve seen it all happen!)

There are muppets in all walks of life: steering boats, riding bikes, driving cars and walking. No-one suddenly becomes a muppet the moment they adopt a particular mode of transport. Let’s stop stereotyping people by their choice of wheels (or propeller), but rather, work to provide the infrastructure that enables people to travel safely, healthily, respectfully, and without damaging the environment.

(And this is definitely Debate territory!)

Tue 2 Jun 2020, 06:51

I know how you feel. As boat owners on the canals cyclists are the bane of our life when using the towpath. Unfortunately towpaths are often part of the official cycle ways, but it should not give them the right to abuse the privilege/right. Bells - what are bells? Courtesy?  Even more annoying is the fact that boat owners pay a licence fee to use the canal and towpath, cyclists do not.

Mon 1 Jun 2020, 18:43

I have a hopefully only temporary deafness and tinnitus and I can't hear bikes at all.

Mon 1 Jun 2020, 14:13

Only problem I've had is them almost running me over when they don't stop at the traffic lights. 

Mon 1 Jun 2020, 12:16

On Sunday I was upset by a group of 15 or more bicyclists storming past me when I was walking up the narrow lane on the way to Ditchley.  I was asking them to give me time to collect my dog and get out of the way.  They came so fast shouting don’t worry we can get past.  I didn’t want them to get close to me.  I was in one of the narrowest spots. I felt very shaken by the episode.
 I walk that route most days and single young boys on bikes rush past me at speed I just want them to call out that they are coming and give me time to get out of the way.

Has anyone else had the same problem?