A little moan from me...I know, I know it is very unusual for me to have a little moan I do like to go out walking, and thats about the only exercise I can do, albeit it is a march more than a walk.
Now, I usually like walking the river from Harlow Mill to Roydon Lock, I have stopped that because of two things, The towpath has become treacherous to walk on. It looks like the entire population of the County of Essex has been down there in the last week, it is nothing more than a churned up track where you could easily end up in the river.
When you can manage to get going the sheer inconsideration of other walkers is highly apparent. I try to keep my distance but on a three to four foot wide path it is a tad difficult. I find myself having to step down into the meadow/hedgerow/nettles or swamp to make way for walkers coming from the other direction who are either three or four abreast and/or with dogs on leads or pushchairs too. Now while I dont mind making space, (being the well brought up respectful person I am and who did learn a few manners from parents & schooling in the 1950's and 1960's) These wonderful people push on past without so much as a 'thank you' or a casually tossed 'cheers mate' in your direction!
Then you have the cyclists. Now having driven the nations roads commercially for about 46 years, and have had to share space with these people I am more than aware of the rudeness and arrogance of many who favour this mode of transport, but when they are on a river towpath they turn into something even more. They become unfriendly...extreme mountain bikers ! dressed in muddy black lycra covered ninja they hurtle at breakneck (I wish they would) speeds along these crowded towpaths like they are on an endurance mission. No respect, no audible means of approach (like a bell) and a foul mouth to swear at you because you might just slow them down a bit.
So then I start to walk the local woodlands, these too are also full of people, the footpaths that existed then have now become four lane woodland versions of the M25, no cyclists though, but plenty of hoody clad, skeleton mask wearing young 'yoofs' on illegal dirt bikes obviously taking a break for a few minutes from home schooling. I phoned the local Police the other week but gave up after 40 minutes on hold..ho hum.
So at the moment I am walking the many cycleways in Harlow, still putting up with pavement hogs and cyclists (who do actually have a right to ride here) but why do they look at you and shake their heads because you are giving someone a wide berth and have had to step onto the actual cycleway ? because I have found a new menace...dog walkers. I try to make way for the bikes naturally, but my progress on my walks now involve a stand off. Picture the scene, you are right on the edge of the footpath/cycle track and you come across three or more dog owners.
Each dog owner has two to three plus dogs, instead of a cheery 'hello, good morning ect to each other they have to stop and huddle ! right in the middle of the right of way. Then, after the dogs have been around the huddle sniffing each other they then seem to fan out towards all points of the compass with leads stretched across the whole path and cycleway and the whole group resembles a bloody Maypole!
'Excuse me' you say and three or four heads slowly turn to look at you..'I'm trying to get past?' at least two will mutter something and half heartedly attempt to pull one of their flea ridden charges out of the way..you squeeze past and toss a 'oh thank you' at them and you hear one of them say 'hhrruummpphh, he could have gone past on the grass' I give up! Roll on better times.
