Evolution or revolution?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Aqueduct etiquette
(253 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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So last night on the way East I stop and let a dude come past the other way on his bike. From behind comes a voice with a West Coast inflection; 'Good to see someone else who lets folk through.' I turn to see a gentleman bicyclist who appears to be missing one eye, and reply that indeed there's no rush, room for everyone & co & co.
A jogger arrives at this point also heading East. He comes past just as we are about to set off, muttering 'Thanks..', clearly believing that we're waiting to allow him to go before us.
The gentleman behind me takes umbrage and begins to bellow; 'Aye on you go, you baldy c***!' I turn round quizically and by way of explanation he says 'I'm disabled. I've got that many broken bones....'
I'm not clear at this point what etiquette demands. Should I remove my polystyrene bicycle hat and reveal that I too am both baldy and a c***? Discretion seems the way forward. It's a nice evening. I carry on my way and am greeted with a cheery 'See you later pal.' when I exit the towpath.
Posted 10 years ago # -
IWRATS, discretion is indeed the better part of valour
Can this etiquette extend to boardwalks?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Aquaduct etiquette = aquaquette?
Junkies told me to dismount tonight. I didn't.
What's a boardwalk? I'm sure aquaquette will cover it whatever it may be.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Cross post with redmoss thread
In the redmoss instance a boardwalk is a wooden structure above an ancient bog which forms a short circular walk. At the start of this there is a sign saying leave yer bike here.
There has been mild conflict, potential to increase very slightly as due to rebuilding of the boardwalk it is easier to cycle round.
Posted 10 years ago # -
It strikes me as unlikely that junkies will ever come into play on a raised bog boardwalk. Grapple fans may also be dissappointed. I'd expect to see Berghaus and Tilly hats. The worst a cyclist might get would be a catty letter to the Scotsman.
Posted 10 years ago # -
So last night I again encountered the Man in the Charcoal Suit from the wrestle-mania incident.
This time he stopped opposite a stone pillar and addressed the gent in front of me;
'I'm not as brave as you guys.'
So the chap inches around Charcoal Suit, who has left little space.
'I've got my suit on.' he adds.
I make my way around the suit, giving him the bare minimum of thanks, and he takes off before I'm quite past him.
Not sure I or the other guy appreciated the implication that our clothes were more worthy of a dip in the canal than his. I guess he's very anxious, but in that case why use the aqueduct at all?
Posted 9 years ago # -
What time were you crossing the aquaduct? A man wearing an 'old-fashionedly' smart suit cycled by heading out of town just after I had traversed the aquaduct at half 6ish
Posted 9 years ago # -
I left my desk at 17h45, so I'd guess it was around twenty past six. Doubtless the same dude.
Also spotted today (and you'll know them);
Martin Clunes (Effort face)
Straggly Rutger Hauer aka Gembo's Ent (Big hello)
Purple Helmet Lady (Cheery smile)
Upside-down riser bars guy (Inscrutable)Maximum Spaceman not spotted.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I definitely know, and also exchange cheery smiles with, purple helmet lady. Not 100% sure about the others but I have ideas... Are they all cyclists? I stop and chat to a pedestrian some days who may be straggly Rutger Hauer.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Straggly Rutger Hauer is on foot. Intense eyes. On Gembo's suggestion I greet him warmly and this seems to make him very happy.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Did you pass the lady on the lime green and cream town bike this morning? Purple coat and Ugg boots. The bike was so smart I complimented it in passing. I did not complement it.
Posted 9 years ago # -
" 'I've got my suit on.' he adds. "
Not sure what he might be expecting as a response?
"I'm wearing my favourite blue pants today!" or similar might work.Posted 9 years ago # -
I don't remember any of those details I'm afraid, but it is entirely possible. Yes, that's straggly Rutger Hauer then I reckon. He's called John and is a very friendly guy, although I imagine that he can be quite intense.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Glad it's not just me that exchanges smiles/nods with Purple Helmet Lady. Was getting paranoid she might think I was stalking her, British society being what it is.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Well I'm glad that you're feeling better about that now; I'm feeling a little bit less special in comparison ;-)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Also spotted today (and you'll know them);
This had me laughing out loud in the office - yes, I know at least two of them!
Posted 9 years ago # -
It's the smiley regulars that make towpath cycling a pleasure. I too smile and/or wave at Purple Helmet Lady (you'll know who you are if you're on here too: please introduce yourself!)
There's also Callum, who's a cheery chap who wears shorts all year round who I normally pass near the aqueduct in the morning (and who I don't think is a CCE person) and Pauline who walks east in the morning from at least Wester Hailes to Meggetland.
Of course I go a littler earlier than @IWRATS (and @jdanielp, by the sounds of it) so I see a slightly different set of people.
...and now I'm off to do just that. If you see me on my bike with red panniers and a dynamo light on, do say hi.
Posted 9 years ago # -
So last night I cycle on to the aqueduct heading home through the haar, overtaking a lady in a pink jacket who is dismounting to push across. There's another lady coming the other way after about ten meters so, as is my wont, I stop and gesture boldly for her to proceed.
She does not proceed. I wonder why until, from behind me comes the lady in the pink jacket, who takes advantage of my attempted chivalry in order to overtake me. I do a comic double take and the other lady nearly cracks up.
I cycle over the 'duct behind pink jacket, who is walking. No big deal, but why would anyone do that? Most odd.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have had joggers and cyclists (still cycling) overtake me in a similarly opportunistic fashion when I've moved over to let someone by in the other direction, which is usually just annoying, but sometimes outright dangerous when they do so at any speed, but never a 'pedestrian'.
The other evening I moved over to let a pedestrian past, but a cyclist behind them instead took the opportunity to overtake the pedestrian and then pass me as well.
I am also becoming increasingly annoyed with some cyclists who cycle confidently onto the aquaduct, but when seeing me cycling towards them they will get off their bike at the last minute for the sake of having the priority for the pass as a 'pedestrian', before getting back on and cycling the rest of the way, when in my mind they should move over and give way to me.
Posted 9 years ago # -
So the inevitable finally happened last night. Gembo, on a promise to dismount and bow to any senile Yes voters equipped with dogs meets IWRATS (who qualifies for a bow on two of the three pillars of this dismount decision framework) going in opposite directions on the viaduct.
The result? A remake of one of my favourite ever images, Paul Klee's 'Two Men Meet, Each Supposing the Other to be of Higher Rank'.
My etiquette failed due to the arrival of third cyclist (known on my internal canal database as 'Tit-for-Tat') and I missed the opporchancity to thank Gembo in person for his delicious pea, lime and pesto soup recipe.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Who needs etiquette...
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have taken to saying to timorous cyclists on the aqueduct, the first rule of aqueduct club is Do not go in the water..
As I had clocked IWRATS from our earlier morning spot, it was ordained that there should be a Vulcan mind meld (given the three nil spotting record IWRATS possesses).
A good draw ensued. Only spoiled by oncoming cyclist. The middle of the aqueduct not being the best place for a pow wow.
Must buy a new hand held blender for autumn winter soup opportunities (always get one which has two parts so the blending blade can be separated from the motor for cleaning purposes)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Close enough to the Scott Russel aqueduct for this to be the correct thread I witnessed the canal etiquette field reach a local maximum last night. Indeed it may have been an etiquette soliton.
Approaching Bridge Nine I spotted a chap coming the other way at some distance. Quickly appraising his kit and style I calculated that we would cross exactly under the tricky bridge. He is lost to view and I approach the bridge, slowing down for him to emerge first. He does not emerge. I wait, and wait. I ring my bell. He rings his bell from the other side of the bridge. I crane my head round the parapet just as he cranes his head round the other side. We smile in abashed fashion. "We're just too British..." he says. "SAOR ALBA GU BRATH!" I reply, outraged, and head home to retrieve the claidheamh-mòr from the thatch. Oh no, hang on, what I actually did was laugh politely, thank him and wish him a pleasant evening.
Extending the idea that the canal is a theatre of British politeness I greeted Lilac Helmet Lady this morning by taking hold of the peak of my helmet in a deferential cap-doffing way.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Quickly appraising his kit and style I calculated that..."
Were you wearing/riding similarly?!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Were you wearing/riding similarly?!
I'd like to report that he was in immaculate tweeds and riding a Pashley with acetylene lights. Alas, MTB-derived commuter gear and mid-range hybrid made us all but indistinguishable. You don't think it was some kind of kitten/mirror wind-up do you?
Posted 9 years ago # -
@IWRATS who actually took the initiative and went under the bridge first in the end? It was certainly clear this morning!
Did Lilac Helmet Lady appreciate your gesture? I haven't seen her for a little while now which is probably due to currently being on a slightly earlier morning schedule...
Posted 9 years ago # -
@jdanielp
I lost the stand-off and advanced first, so the etiquette points go to the other chap. I love the idea of a genial all-night bridge stand-off, diffidence levels rising as the sun sets.
Lilac Helmet Lady appears to enjoy my occassional displays of Quixotic humour. My helmet doffing earned me a big grin, but I think she is of general good humour, which is why people notice and greet her. If I don't make an effort I look like what I am - a gimlet-eyed calculating machine going to work in an office.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@IWRATS I had to look up "gimlet" – I'm assuming you are using it in the context of "tool" rather than "cocktail"?
Posted 9 years ago # -
@jdanialp
Sorry, I meant a calculating-eyed gimlet machine working at the Opal Lounge.
Posted 9 years ago #
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