Motorcycles to use towpaths.

[Sea Dog]

CRT and Sustrans have provisionally agreed with MAG, the Motorcycle Action Group, to run a trial allowing motorcycles to use towpaths. There will be a restriction to 125cc and below, both for safety considerations and because these small motorcycles represent are the most vulnerable group when it comes to riding on the road. Apparently a series of limited trials to demonstrate the feasibility of a future longer running trial starts today and runs until midday and will take place at various locations across the network. 

Be careful out there, y'all! 

[mrsmelly]

13 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

CRT and Sustrans have provisionally agreed with MAG, the Motorcycle Action Group, to run a trial allowing motorcycles to use towpaths. There will be a restriction to 125cc and below, both for safety considerations and because these small motorcycles represent are the most vulnerable group when it comes to riding on the road. Apparently a series of limited trials to demonstrate the feasibility of a future longer running trial starts today and runs until midday and will take place at various locations across the network. 

Be careful out there, y'all! 

Porkies 

[Murflynn]

fairyland day.

 

it is the case though that some Formula One races will use the circuit in the wrong direction, to give drivers and spectators a new perspective of each location.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Murflynn

[Sea Dog]

40 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Porkies 

Nice to be 'outed' Tim - part of me wondered whether it might be taken a little too seriously for a 1st April posting!

[zenataomm]

Motorcycles have always used towpaths around here.

[Gareth E]

It would be lunacy, of course Having said that I regularly push mine along the towpath to get it to my boat, where it lives. When the towpath is wide enough I'll chain it up at night on the towpath, on its side stand, leaning towards and very close to my boat. The very occasional CRT official has taken exception to this. "No vehicles are allowed on the towpath". Yes, but unless the engine is turned on it's a cycle, which are encouraged onto the towpath.

Fortunately, the vast majority of officials and others have some common sense.  

[RichM]

26 minutes ago, Gareth E said:

It would be lunacy, of course Having said that I regularly push mine along the towpath to get it to my boat, where it lives. When the towpath is wide enough I'll chain it up at night on the towpath, on its side stand, leaning towards and very close to my boat. The very occasional CRT official has taken exception to this. "No vehicles are allowed on the towpath". Yes, but unless the engine is turned on it's a cycle, which are encouraged onto the towpath.

Fortunately, the vast majority of officials and others have some common sense.  

That's interesting to read. Do you transport it on to your boat? If so, how? I've seen a few narrowboats with some kind of rack mounted to the stern.

 

[rusty69]

Many years ago we stopped at Evesham, and since the safety certificate was due thought we would have it done there. The 250cc motorbike, however was balanced across the front of the boat resting on both gunwals and blocking the front door. We made the mistake of taking it off the boat and leaving it in a local car park whilst the boat was checked. 

The bike was promptly stolen by the local youth, and the boat failed the test. 

[cereal tiller]

8 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

CRT and Sustrans have provisionally agreed with MAG, the Motorcycle Action Group, to run a trial allowing motorcycles to use towpaths. There will be a restriction to 125cc and below, both for safety considerations and because these small motorcycles represent are the most vulnerable group when it comes to riding on the road. Apparently a series of limited trials to demonstrate the feasibility of a future longer running trial starts today and runs until midday and will take place at various locations across the network. 

Be careful out there, y'all! 

I Always look forward to April 1st,have a Green thing

Edited April 1, 2017 by cereal tiller

[Gareth E]

4 hours ago, RichM said:

That's interesting to read. Do you transport it on to your boat? If so, how? I've seen a few narrowboats with some kind of rack mounted to the stern.

 

Yes it's a rack made from 3mm 4 x 4 3 sided steel. There's also a ramp made from the same, that slots into the main rack. The connection between the two can tilt to allow for towpaths being of variable height.

This system has worked well for nearly 4 years. It's limited though, I have to remove the rear light assembly of the bike to reduce the overall length of the bike to 6'4", before going through any locks. A bigger bike is impossible because of the length issue. Plus, it's a bit tricky loading it if the towpath is low, you need to push it up a fair uphill slope whilst making sure you don't lose control, this would be a disaster. My bike weighs 115 kilos, wouldn't fancy it with a heavier bike.    

[Iain_S]

6 hours ago, Gareth E said:

(snip)

Yes, but unless the engine is turned on it's a cycle, which are encouraged onto the towpath.

(snip)

Having once obtained a conviction (and three points on a non-existent driving licence!) by reporting a local ned for no insurance while pushing a motorcycle along the pavement, I have to disagree ... 

[Gareth E]

OK strictly speaking, technically, the letter of the law and all that, a motorcycle is probably a vehicle whether its engine is on or off.

Back on the towpath: Pushing a motorcycle along a towpath constitutes no more danger to anyone than pushing a wheelbarrow with a bottle of gas in it. It's less dangerous than cycling. I guess CRT could write to me, tell me that I'm breaking the byelaw that prevents vehicles being on the towpath. Or maybe the local authority could prosecute me for the same 'crime'. If either of these things happened it would be a life changer for me (very bad) whilst not mattering a jot to anyone else, perhaps other than the person who brought the case, who might gain some rather sad enjoyment from the feeling that they'd upheld the letter of the law. That's what it will be, the letter of the law. The spirit of the law is almost certainly to (quite reasonably) prevent people riding motorcycles along the towpath, rather than pushing them.

Life tends to be better for all if responsible people who clearly cause no problems or dangers to anyone or anything else are left to get on with it, rather than being hounded on the letter of the law. 

[Alan de Enfield]

27 minutes ago, Gareth E said:

OK strictly speaking, technically, the letter of the law and all that, a motorcycle is probably a vehicle whether its engine is on or off.

Going back a few years (well - a lot of years) as a 'gang' of young teenagers we acquired an old moped which we would push along the road to get down to the local woods and our 'trials course', we were eventually spotted by the local 'Bobby', he stopped us and warned us that we were breaking the law, as we were underage to be in charge of a motor vehicle, and, it had neither road tax, mot or insurance.

 

His suggestion was that if we removed the fuel tank, the spark plug and the chain ( one could push the bike whilst the others carried the 'bits') then it would not, in his eyes, be a motor vehicle and we could 'carry on'.

He was unconcerned where we would be using it.

That was 'proper' policing.

[Irob]

reminds me of an old joke.

Small kid asks his dad "whats difference between getting engaged and being married dad ?"

"Well son, its like having a bike for xmas and not being able to ride it till your birthday."

" wow dad, cant you even push it up a back entry ? "

sorry ladies, its my old coventry upbringing.

 

 

 

 

[Iain_S]

On 4/2/2017 at 07:35, Gareth E said:

(snip). The spirit of the law is almost certainly to (quite reasonably) prevent people riding motorcycles along the towpath, rather than pushing them.

(snip)

No disagreement from me there 

[Heartland]

Motor cycles on towpaths - an April Fool? 

On Saturday also heard about a BCN day boat fitted with a powerful engine so that it could attempt a new speed record for BCN day boats!