Miitant walkers, and ramblerists

It seems as if a certain minority of walkers, and ramblerists are now blocking designated cycle routes, by walking (eg walking side by side) without due concern for cyclists using designated cycle routes,and thus impedeing their forward progression, some walkers are also reported as being threatening, and a cyclist was recently prodded, which has been reported to the police as an assault.
Anyone else experienced militant walkers or uncontrolled dogs.

Yes…but then I’ve also experienced just as many selfish and inconsiderate mountain bikers so it all evens out imo

yes. but I just shake my head and dont let it spoil my ride.

Nah, well no more than I’d expect to.
Is this meant to be a subtle troll analogous to cyclists riding two abreast and impeding the forward progress of driveists on designated automobiling routes.

Someone reported being prodded as an assault? Sweet baby Jesus and the orphans! Sometimes I just despair in humanity

I bet that same person will then be moaning because the police are too busy to properly pursue bike thieves 🙄

have people (walkers cyclists whatever-ists) got nothing better to do than get in the way of other people doing something different to them?

sad.

I heard a rambler prodded a dog.

have people (walkers cyclists whatever-ists) got nothing better to do than get in the way of other people doing something different to them?

Yes. Yes they really do.

YOu can see them a mile off too. They clock you then look away so that they dont have to make eye contact, but you can tell they have no intention of sharing the path by the time you get to where they are.

I find ringing my bell usually allows them to step aside and let me past, I can’t think of any occasion when my way has been deliberately blocked. I think its in the eye of the beholder that it can seem that way.

I can’t think of any occasion when my way has been deliberately blocked

come ride on the malverns.

Pretty regular occurrence round these parts. A bell does make a huge difference though, which has really surprised me.

only had this once and they were not local on a boat as well. Eventually we minced past them on the grass when there was space about 40 of them.
We got about 30 metres in front of them when one of the guys lost it. He pointed downhill and charged at them on the bike scattering them out the way. A frank exchange of views followed with the ramblers. I did not know him that well and whist I can see his point I never rode with him again.
You get idiots everywhere i just keep saying excuse me please if after a minute or so this fails I either get off and walk past or force my way through dependent on situation.
I did once then block the route sideways with my bike and ask this how this made them feel but it just drew blank looks and seemed to confirm that everything they “knew” about cyclists was correct.
It is mainly old folk that this has happened with
Walkers seem to be friendlier than roadies as a rule 😉

A bell does make a huge difference though, which has really surprised me.

Did me as well, but it is somehow a friendly warning that can be heard at a reasonable distance and allows time to make way. Walkers just are not looking at the path ahead in the way mountain bikers do, as a rider you have to make allowance for the fact that there gaze is fixed according to the speed they are travelling and looking around at different things much more.

I dont think we’re talking about the ones that dont hear or see you coming.

We’re talking about the ones that deliberately block you knowing full well you’re there. It’s not a bell issue.

Once, sara and me were on a footpath (it was by a river, we didn’t know you couldn’t ride on them and TBH you could’ve driven down it it was so wide), old boy got in our way, and went on and on and on, sara was v rude eventually.

I get my own back on non-cyclingist-erists by organising a race and closing all the footpaths!
Ha!

Yes, has happened to me. Took me a while to realise it was deliberate not just bovine stupidity. I put it down to bitter old men (and women) hating people having more fun than them.

On the other hand, there are many more mountain bikers on the trails these days and not all are considerate as they might be – I know that if I was a horse rider or walker I’d be angry at how some bikers hoon round blind corners or down hills at high speed.

Someone up on box hill has been putting big logs across the path- at first I thought they had artfully fallen but NO! Definite militant behaviour. Made me laugh though, it was so easy to kick em to the side yet must have taken a while to find them!

Ahh horse riders, now there lies the path of true ignorance/arrogance.

oh, I have remembered an occasion when I was deliberately blocked, but she was crazy, jabbering on about bikers crushing beetles or something.

Honestly guys chill the **** out. There’s never been an occasion in 20 years of biking when walkers have deliberately blocked my path. Also there’s never been an occasion in 20 years of fell walking when I’ve been surprised or felt threatened by a speeding mountain biker. Not really a big problem is it?

Not really a big problem is it?

Well if it never happens to you then I guess not 🙂

Seems to happen at CX races quite a bit. A lot of races use caity parks where people go to walk their dogs so until the day of the event they’re often unaware of anything (no-one ever bothers to read the notices that organisers/the council stick on the gateposts).

So they go round walking their dog on the exact same route that they always use with no regard to the fact that there’s a race on. One old woman at Todmorden was REALLY rude to us as we were putting the course up. I’d only heard language like that from drunken soldiers in the past!

Years ago down south a woman did the same, walking her dog right along the middle of the CX race course while the Elite race was on in spite of me first asking, then telling her to get out of the way. “I always walk my dog here!” Yes, there’s only another 40 acres of hill to use but you have to be right here…

I despair sometimes.

come ride on the malverns.

Really? I obviously don’t get out enough, as I’ve only ever had one incident in all the times I’ve been up there (and that was marginal – it was a narrow path I couldn’t easily pass one person and they did get out of my way eventually).

Its pretty rare in the week aracer but sunny summer weekends bring them out in droves.

I can only recall one occasion when I was knowingly impeded. Cycling down the canal, some officious pratt said that I was not allowed to cycle along the tow path and that he was a government official. He seemed quite surprised when I offered to tell him my name and contact details and he could report me the relevant authorities! After considering to barge him into the canal (he was starting to annoy me) I managed to get round him. I was amazed at the level of abuse I received from him!

Remember it because it was such a novelty

aracer – normally since I ride either at night or in the rain It’s not a problem. But the odd occasions I do go out on a sunny weekend or early evening, it’s happened probably 3 or 4 times, in different places. And mostly on BWs too.

There’s just grumpy sour sods who live round here who dont believe that anyone else should be out enjoying “their” hills on “their” paths.

Did you ever read the letter in the Gazette from some unbelievable old Meldrew complaining about para-gliders looking down on him in his garden? It’s that mentality.

Yeah!!!!!! I was Ridding along on the towpath near Bath once when I saw some proper rambler types up ahead, walking along 2 a breast with their backs to me, blocking the path!!!!!! So I slowed down and said a cheery “hello!” to which they replied “haven’t you got a bell?”, to which I replied “no, I find saying hello a more friendly approach and ringing a bell a bit impersonal.” to which they replied “ok then”, to which I replied “have a nice day” to which they replied “you too”. It was a bit of a non event, like this thread.

I think some people are just angry and when they meet angry people without bikes, confrontation ensues.

Yes it is that attitude stoner they are aware of their rights but not yours.
When I owned a narrowboat one old boy who bought a new house that backed on to the canal. He once came and complained that I moored my boat on the canal and parked my car on the road.
I explained that he should have forseen this issue when he bought a house on a road that backed on to a canal ..he thought i was rude.

project – Member
It seems as if a certain minority of walkers, and ramblerists are now blocking designated cycle routes, by walking (eg walking side by side) without due concern for cyclists using designated cycle routes

Hmmm – would this be at trail centres or on cycle paths?

I can never understand this mentality. For one thing it’s damned annoying when you are out walking and have somebody on a bike constantly hovering behind you.

I guess it is the same small minded idiots who stretch string across the trails 😡

some people are just inconsiderate asshats.

law of averages dictates that some asshats will have red socking as their hobby.

i don’t let it spoil my fun or my awesomeness.

You’re always going to run into the mentals in every walk of life, whether you’re on a bike or trying to get past some bloke blocking the overtaking lane of the M25 at 65mph (yes, I’ve seen this happen too).

It’s not worth getting annoyed with them, because the old goats are out for confrontation.

I was out a while back minding my own buisiness on a local bridleway when a woman in her late fifties pulled over in front of me in her Vauxhall Corsa, jumped out and started to quiz me on where I was intending to ride, dropping in veiled threats about prosecution for riding on footpaths etc. I cheerily replied that I was going to use the bridleways as per my right and with a nod and a wink pointed out that obstruction was also an offence and that perhaps parking a Corsa on a bridleway wasn’t the most environmentally considerate act.

I’ve never seen her since, so I can only assume that she wasn’t local.

where do you have priority over pedestrians?

Not had intentional blocking, just stupid walkers and especially stupid dog walkers. Sure, it’s fine to walk / dog-walk on the #15 bike path, but if you do, expect that there’s gonna be cyclists… coming from both directions. Don’t clock me, turn away, and assume that because I am no longer in your field of view that I no longer exist! And if yer walking yer dog, and it’s rummaging around in the undrgrowth, don’t call it to cross the path in front on me! Either tell the “dog” (my cat was bigger) to sit/stay, or walk on the erm same side of the path as it!. Came –><– that close to hitting one. No make that closer than that. Paws under the side of my tyre kind of close. If I’d have been on a commuter bike with rim brakes, it would have been messy.

Seen some paths blocked by logs, but tbh they’re all (illegal?) cheeky trails on very sandy ground that got wrecked by MTBers in a very short time. Bits of tree were laid along the path. Although now the undergrowth is dying back a bit, I see a new path going around it 🙄

Nordic walkers are worst. They can’t hear cyclists over their clack clack clack of sticks on gravel. And are always 2/3/4 abreast.

/rant.

where do you have priority over pedestrians?

no where TJ but would you like every bike ride to be you following a slow walker?
The issue is not about as demanding they adandon the path for us and leap out or way. we simply ask they do not deliberately block it and stop our progress.
Like the cars v bikes on the roads it just requires some greater respect from both sides and some mutual cooperation.

where do you have priority over pedestrians?

where do people have the right to claim everything for themselves when there are resources for all to share ?

where do people have the right to claim everything for themselves when there are resources for all to share ?

When you’re from the USA.

/politics

where do you have priority over pedestrians?

Where do pedestrians have the right to block my lawful activity?

some walkers are also reported as being threatening, and a cyclist was recently prodded

I would have snapped the bloody finger in 2