Canal cycling permits

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Permalink Reply by LS on January 27, 2012 at 13:10

http://www.birminghamcyclist.com/forum/topics/canal-permits

Attachments:

• 4 british waterways cycle permits.pdf, 100 KB

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Permalink Reply by CKS on January 27, 2012 at 13:23

I take it you just print them off and put your name in?  It makes you wonder why they bother.

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Permalink Reply by James Russell on January 27, 2012 at 13:30

Yes. Never been asked for it, though.

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Permalink Reply by LS on January 27, 2012 at 13:30

They don't. If you do get stopped say you have one but it is in your other wallet/bag etc. It's more a way of trying to get people to ride safely.

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Permalink Reply by doug salmon on January 27, 2012 at 14:51

Requirement has existed for years; never heard of any enforcemen, and never been stopped despite frequently using for years.

As British Waterways cannot even keep the towpath in an adequate condition, very much doubt anyone will ever ask for a permit.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Ingram on January 27, 2012 at 19:13

I have downloaded it as a pdf but I refuse to print it. I even emailed British Waterways to say that if they supplied me with a copy that was black print on white ground I WOULD print it and carry it but until then I refused to waste all that ink on something I was never likely to need - carbon footprint and all that. No-one replied. 

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Permalink Reply by BrownhillsBob on January 27, 2012 at 19:49

It’s just a way for BW to abrogate responsibility. If you sign one of those things, you sign all your rights away in any accident caused by their negligence and you effectively agree never to cycle above 6mph.

No thanks, I shan’t be doing that.

Bob

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Permalink Reply by Basil W Bloke on January 27, 2012 at 20:36

Yes I have.  Somewhere.  Laminated versions that they used to send you on application back in the last millennium.

Never been asked to show one in the last 30 years.  Although I don't ride a lot of canal tow path these days as I find them rather tedious.

Best story I heard was of a cyclist being challenged by a fisherman.  Fisherman asked if the cyclist had a permit.  Cyclist produced permit after much rummaging in pannier, and then demanded to see his fishing permit. 

Which of course, wasn't available.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cooper on January 28, 2012 at 23:47

I'm tempted to print one out the next time I go up the canals near lapworth.  Quite a few fishermen blocking the paths with industrial sized nets/poles.

Basil W Bloke said:

Best story I heard was of a cyclist being challenged by a fisherman.  Fisherman asked if the cyclist had a permit.  Cyclist produced permit after much rummaging in pannier, and then demanded to see his fishing permit. 

Which of course, wasn't available.

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