Good news for the cyclists of London! From next Monday you'll no longer need an official permit to cycle along canal towpaths. What do you mean, you never knew you needed an official permit in the first place? Oh yes. Canal towpaths aren't a public right of way, so previously you were supposed to request a Cycling Permit from British Waterways before venturing onto the towpath. I'd be amazed if anybody biking around London ever bothered, or if any official ever checked. But no more. British Waterways have recognised that the current regulations are unenforceable, and are withdrawing the need for unnecessary documentation. Hurrah! Except that in its place they're introducing another unworkable scheme for cyclists, called Two Tings...
Ting your bell twice... ...pass slowly, be nice! Use a bell and ring it twice when approaching a pedestrian. This will provide a signal that you are there and waiting to pass when it is safe to do so.
Yes, it's a whole new towpath etiquette based on bell-ringing. But that's never going to work, surely? As a pedestrian my natural instinct is to interpret bell-ringing cyclists on towpaths as rude and impatient, not polite and courteous. Why is he double-tinging at me, the self-obsessed two-wheeled speed demon?! Only if I've been paying attention to British Waterways publicity will I realise that I now have towpath priority, and that this cyclist merely wants to detour slowly around me as soon as a "safe opportunity" arises. I'll believe such angelic behaviour when I see it.
In another sudden change of heart, London's canalside pedallers are now permitted to cycle under bridges. They always used to cycle under bridges anyway, gleefully ignoring all the "dismount" signs, but from Monday they can ignore these with impunity. Just as long as they ting twice before careering headlong riding slowly into the darkness.
British Waterways are piloting a completely new Towpath Code of Conduct in London, aimed at both cyclists and pedestrians. Essentially this is an exercise in canalside civility, with all towpath users being asked to be jolly nice to one another and to say thank you every time they pass someone. There's a 1950s-style innocence to the regulations, as if they were written by a cub scout leader or Blue Peter presenter, but also a recognition that the Two Tings concept is fatally flawed.
Cyclists: Be aware that some pedestrians may have visual or hearing impairments and might not hear your Two Tings. Pedestrians: We advise you not to use headphones at peak times so you can hear a cyclist's Two Tings.
So cyclists can't rely on their tings being heard, and iPod-plugged joggers are taking their life in their hands every time they run along a canal towpath. That's not clever, is it? These are over-optimistic guidelines, relying on every bike having a bell (which they don't) and every towpath user knowing the new rules (which they won't). But I thought I'd let you know. Just in case you wanted to rip up your old British Waterways cycling permit and start tinging.
Good news for the cyclists of London! From next Monday you'll no longer need an official permit to cycle along canal towpaths. What do you mean, you never knew you needed an official permit in the first place? Oh yes. Canal towpaths aren't a public right of way, so previously you were supposed to request a Cycling Permit from British Waterways before venturing onto the towpath. I'd be amazed if anybody biking around London ever bothered, or if any official ever checked. But no more. British Waterways have recognised that the current regulations are unenforceable, and are withdrawing the need for unnecessary documentation. Hurrah! Except that in its place they're introducing another unworkable scheme for cyclists, called Two Tings...
