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I'm blushing whilst writing this, but here goes - a few weeks ago, I was riding along the canal bank, about twenty miles into an all day run, when I had to stop for a group of blokes setting up their fishing gear for a match. After having to do this about four or five times, it was starting to wear a bit thin. Anyhow, the next group I got to were young lads (probably about 15 -16). I braked, and shouted excuse me, one of them started moving his gear out of the way, but the rest ignored me. I set off again, but didnt notice, due to the low sun directly in my eyes, that one of them had left a carbon fibre rod across the path. I know it was carbon because of the noise it made as it went under my front wheel! I began apologising / remonstrating with them (an odd mix, I know), but then thought '**** em' and rode off with the jolly taunts of 'w***er' ringing in my ears. Still feeling uncomfortable about this, and was wondering what anybody else would have done under the circumstances.
You should have offered to pay for what you broke?
Part of me says you should have paid for his pole (now thats something I never thought I'd say) but part of me suggests that he should keep his pole under control and not obstruct pathways etc and that if he's going to do so he accepts there's risks involved.
IT could just as easily have been a fibreglass one BTW, not that that helps.
I decided to do just that, but they'd gone by the time I got back.
What exactly do they use those poles for, and why do they get so uppity when they lay them across the pathway as a tripping/ride-overing hazard anyway?
Because theyre fish bothering ba****ds, thats why! (actually just taking the p**s, I used to go fishing myself when I was a young 'un)
If it had been the other way round, and you were in some sort of competition, at a place freely available to you, but because you were a bit slow for someone else who you needed to share space with, they picked up your expensive mountainbike and tossed it in the river, would you praise them for their public spiritedness?
It's a crowded place we all have the right to enjoy, sometimes its best to keep calm. Couldn't you have just varied your route?
Pay up! 🙂
But also giving them a bollocking for leaving it there - something like that I think.
If you really want to make amends find the name of the local fishing club and contact them explainign that you want to pay for a new rod and do they know who the kid was that had his one broken?
danger of that is that it is a £2500 one, not some £50 cheapie...
In future - if you see people setting up for a fishing match then take a different route?
I actually did stay calm - I rode over his rod (ooer missus) accidentally, its the fact that I rode away that makes me feel like a t**t.
Some of those poles they use can cost thousands, might have been a cheap whip or a landing net pole.
Bet the next cyclist they came across got a catapult load of maggots 😉
If i was a young lad, who'd probably saved up to get that rod, I'd be gutted, knowing that it might take me a few years to save up for a new one.
However, you're in barnsley. So he's probably already nicked his replacement.
Ouch.
ouch my mate does pole fishing and just had two of his poles pinched from his van over 5grand to replace the two ;-(
Psychology student in acting a w@nker shocker.
I think it is very decent of you to feel bad about it rather than getting ratty with fisherfolk, but I'm not sure there's much you can reliably do about compensating the correct person for what (if anything) you broke.
Used to ride out a lot along the Lee in North London, and it was pretty hopeless when there was fishing on. Just got quite used to walking a lot of sections. 🙂
What i can never grasp is why those huge 15ft poles are used to catch something the size of a fish finger?
Why spend all that time and money to prove you are only slightly smarter than a fish?
Having said that, you did break someones kit so you really should make an offer to pay up.
Contact them (via the angling club) and offer to go halves?
I've always wanted to do that - if you went fast enough you could get half a dozen 🙂 Crunchtastic!
[edit] but of course I never would!
It was a rod, not a pole - think I would feel even worse if it had been, as theyre even more bloody expensive. I suppose I'm just trying to justify myself here, but I did ask them to shift their gear, and they did ignore me, and it was accidental, and oh b***ocks to it, I still feel like sh*t. I'll probably follow wwaswas' sugestion and contact the local fishing club. Then again maybe not, I'll still have my guilt to keep me warm - can you tell I'm a (lapsed) Catholic?
"Psychology student in acting a w@nker shocker."
Qualified actually bling. Welcome back, tossbag.
Mitch next time I'm in my car and you're on the road riding your bike I'll beep to let you know you should move, if you dont you'll be under my wheels 😈
A play, set in Barnsley:
Tiny Barnsley Tim: Daddy, today I am going to take the nice fishing rod down to the canal with my friends. Hopefully we can catch a few fish, and maybe I'll even win a prize, and oh daddy, you'll be so proud of me, for we'll have fresh fish for tea and maybe something to celebrate?
Tiny Barnsley Tim's Dad: Why yes my son. Ever since your mother died when trying to rescue the kids from the orphanage fire, we've had things pretty tough. I know you understand I'm trying to do my best, but the TB I picked up from working in the mines means we have to eat food that can be delivered through the letter box. But hey, you go out and get some fresh air. I know it'll be the first time you've been out in months, what with all the time you spend caring for your sick grandfather. And maybe you'll win a cash prize, and we can treat ourselves to some potatoes to turn into chips and we can eat them with the nice fresh fish you catch. Good luck, son. And hey, remember to look after that rod - it was given to me in grateful recognition for my services to the community. Ah those were the days, when I could still get about.... [tears well up in his eyes].
Tiny Barnsley Tim: OK dad, so long as you're sure grandfather will be ok just for a few hours. I'll be especially careful, and I'll bring along Andrew and Julian too. They're awfully sensible, and between the three of us surely no harm can come to that fantastic rod we'll never be able to afford to replace?
[Next scene: Barnsley canal. The chums have baited their lines, they've spotted a big fish, surely this will be their day, Tiny Barnsley Tim's family are going to eat like kings!]
Tiny Barnsley Tim: Hey, Julian! Andrew! Look over there - if I can just lure that big trout I think I'll win the competition?
Julian: How super for you Tiny Barnsley Tim, you're father will be so proud. But oh look, there's a man on a mountain bike coming our way, pretty jolly fast too. It looks a lovely bike, I bet he really enjoys getting out in the countryside with his friends, rather like us three do?
Andrew: Why certainly - it's a beaut for sure.
Barnsleymitch rides over Tiny Barnsley Tim's rod.
The end.....
i see where your coming from, its a bit sh!t, them cluttering up the path that it there for everybodies use, and i would probably grumble on the way past.
and it was was an accident.
and if they cant be bothered to move thier crap out the way when someone wants to pass, then they havent much right to complain i dont think.
i was erring towards offering to compensate the poor we tyke, but having re read it, stuff the scrote.
be prepared to be pushed in the river on your commute home one day.....
I would try to find him and pay up - after all the poor lad had no opportunity to move it and you were clearly annoyed at the time and had run out of patience. They had every right to be there, although I agree they shouldn't have blocked the path, it would have taken no time for you to wait for it to be moved had you seen it. You were using a multi-use path and should have ridden with respect for all the other users.
I once snapped a very expensive (for me at the time) rod when it was taped to my top tube on the way to the river and it somehow got caught in my spokes. 🙁
I notice how the psycology student didn't ride over any of the adults rods....but waited until he reached the kiddy section.
What a LOSER.
love the play snowslave.
i think it totally depends on whether they were "nice scrotes"
or 'orrid scrotes for which you would drop a gear as a habit while passing, incase you felt the need to scarper as they happy slapped you, or grabbed at you ipod.
They had every right to be there
and moreover, unless you have a permit your not supposed to be riding there 🙂
I really can't believe you did that. You'd obviously worked out there was a match on, and yet you carried on riding? Personally, noting that, I'd have got off the towpath ASAP because you're never going to enjoy the ride
Imagine you'd been doing an XC race and someone came the other way on a motorcrosser, and ran over your bike. Same thing.
I'm glad you feel guilty, because you are.
snowslave - choked me up.
blingbling - it's a shame that we'll probably never meet. You appear to hold me responsible for 'getting labrat banned' - I dont know if he actually did get banned, but stop for a minute and ask yourself what was so offensive about both his and your posts. Feel any different? Let it go, FFS.
No way should you pay for it.
You should sue them for everything they've got as it's quite likely that you will drop dead fairly soon as the slivers of carbon make their way towards your heart.
Fishermen are murderers. I'm off to phone the Mail and start a campaign to ban this scum.
blingbling - it's a shame that we'll probably never meet.
Why's that fella? 😈
BlingBling is labrat, and I claim my £5. And then walk away from this thread as BlingBling is making it a dull personal fight. 😆
BlingBling is labrat
P*** off! 😉
While that play's good an' all - a kid called Julian in Barnsley would be in the canal, rather than fishing by it.
😀
danger of that is that it is a £2500 one, not some £50 cheapie...
2500 quid? You could buy a car for that!
sobriety - MemberContact them (via the angling club) and offer to go halves?
Thats what I thought. Like on the road- its shared responsibility. He was setting up- its not a race track, he also has every right to be there as you do. If someone drove over your bike- you'd expect money back.
Did you have a permit for cycling on the canal bank?
http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling/permit
Before cycling on some towpaths owned by British Waterways, you will usually need to obtain a free cycle permit. .....The Waterways Code aims to protect your own and other people's safety, to safeguard the environment, and to avoid disturbing the enjoyment of other users of the waterway and towpath. [b]There is no public right of way for cyclists on canal towpaths[/b], and British Waterways reserves the right to withdraw permission from users who disregard the rules.
While that play's good an' all - a kid called Julian in Barnsley would be in the canal, rather than fishing by it.
Which reminds me of a story someone told me when I worked in Liverpool. The bloke was about 10, walking through a park, and comes across a pond with a load of kids stood in the middle, still clothed but crying. He walks over to see what's happening, a big teenager jumps out from some bushes and says "get in the pond or I'll ****t you".
His name was Neil.
It's part of the trans pennine trail, dont actually need a permit. I've contacted the fishing club concerned, still waiting for someone to get back to me.
If it had been a hoodie on a bmx who ran over your rod I imagine your rant would have had a lot more capital letters and swear words.
Which idiot said confession was good for the soul? I feel worse now than when I first posted! At least it's pushed me in the right direction, and I feel like I'm at least trying to make amends.
Now you're ****ed - kid will be claiming its a 2 grand rod but he's binned it and now you've offered you've admitted guilt and under some sort of obligation to pay £1000 of it lol.
Jesus wept, it's like the Spanish Inquisition on here!