The other day I had stopped to chat to one of my dog-walking nodding-acquaintances when suddenly we were almost knocked off our feet by a cyclist. We didn’t even have time to call out “You need a bell!” before he was gone. My nodding acquaintance declared that cyclists should be told that was a footpath, not a cycle path. I would say the same sort of thing about horse riders who clearly think it is a bridle path.
Indeed, at one time there was a gate preventing access to people on bikes or horses, one of those almost “kissing gate” affairs with a gate and a kind of enclosure you had to step into to get round the end of the gate. You could just about get a buggy through. At a pinch you could lift a bike over but there was not chance of getting a horse through.
The gate disappeared long ago and recently what was left of the enclosure collapsed or was pushed over. Now anyone can get through, but I agree with my nodding acquaintance that is really is just a footpath. This is especially true of a secondary part of the path that goes up the hillside, overlooks the millpond and then goes down again. If you meet a cyclist there - and I have done so - you risk falling down the hillside. The daring cyclists who take that path churn it up to a muddy quagmire!
I wouldn’t cycle that footpath. Neither would I cycle on the “woodland path” that goes through the bluebell woods, even though it is now designated a bridle path. That’s a serious misnomer as some parts of it are just too steep and narrow. However, I do use bridle paths all over the area to avoid cycling on increasing dangerous roads. And I make sure I have a working bell and ring it frequently to let people know I am about to pass them.
Apparently there is a new law to prosecute cyclists for dangerous cycling. Here’s some of what Peter Walker ranted about it in his Bike Blog:
“In the six days since a law to prosecute dangerous cyclists was announced, somewhere close to 30 people will have been killed on UK roads, none of them struck by bikes. About 500 more will have suffered serious, potentially life-changing injuries, with pretty much all connected to motor vehicles.”
Enough said but here’s a link to the rest of his rant.
Meanwhile, here’s another story about cycling:
“An 82-year-old grandmother has taken on one of the Tour de France's most famous mountains to raise funds for aid to Gaza.
Anne Jones, from Lewisham, south London, rode 20km (12 miles) up Mont Ventoux in southern France to support Amos Trust's Gaza appeal.
She battled hail, rain and fog as she cycled for six hours to the climb's summit at 1,910m (6,270ft) above sea level.
Ms Jones raised £13,000 for the appeal.”
Good for her. I’m impressed. I get off and push my bike up much lesser hill! I’ve been up Mont Ventoux, by car I hasten to add. It’s very steep and, as its name suggests, windy!
“The grandmother-of-six said she was "delighted" to have completed the feat and hoped it would change the "assumptions" people make when they see "an old face".
"I want to encourage people to get out there," said the retired psychotherapist and social worker.
"There are a lot of people who get to 65 and think their age means they can't do things but my message is they can."”
Quite so, Anne Jones! We need to keep showing how things can be done.
We also need to draw more attention to the plight of the war victims and also more publicity for those who have worked for years, and still want to work, towards reconciliation and cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians, such as the organisation Women Wage Peace and its sister organisation Women of the Sun, both mentioned in this article.
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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