Angler blocking footpath, I know I was unreasonable, but would this annoy you/what would you have done??

[Patienceisntvirtuous]

I realise this might need a diagram! I was out running with my dog today. There's a footpath off the main road which leads to a dam. People fish on it. The footpath has a fence either side of it right up until the dam, give or take about 4 feet of land comprising of grass and another footpath (between the end of the dam and the fence). An angler was sitting at the dam, with his fishing rod to his left propped up on some apparatus completely blocking the four feet of land which I was to run across, right next to the fence. No way around it without going for a swim. It was poised about a foot and a half high.

I stepped over it and my dog jumped over it. Dog is huge, didn't touch the rod just cleared it. I didn't take a flying leap, I stepped over it carefully. Then continued my run-but he shouted after me that I shouldn't step over it, he'd have moved it (he hadn't said anything like this before I stepped over it). I shouted back that it was okay, and he responded that had I broken a section of his rod it would have cost me £250.

It's then when I was unreasonable, I shouted back that I wasn't waiting for him to move the rod, I've as much right to the path as him.

And he was blocking it which isn't great. Further up from the footpath would have been fine, no fence there and grassy areas surrounding so I could have just avoided.

I imagine he'll spend half his day repeatedly moving his rod, sitting in the spot he was right opposite where the footpath emerges, It's a regularly used-route.

Would you have hung about while he moved it (again he never said 'hang on I'll move my rod')?
I had no reason to think he would, and I wouldn't have asked either because I didn't know it was possible without a lot of faffing about. It wouldn't have been an especially quick thing to do, a long fishing rod with various elements and garments attached to it.

Anyway no harm done but I perhaps shouldn't have argued back with him.

So what? Anglers should not block access to the canal or waterway they are fishing on! It's different if he has a swim on a fishing water, but a water with shared access? He has to be considerate.

Well they obviously get it wrong because they so often end up in stupid fights so I still think men are frequently rude and aggressive to each other maybe even more often as they seem to like to have a pissing contest.

He had his tackle out for one reason. For you to be so impressed you’d stop and admire how large it was. You failed.

However he should look after his precious tackle better.

Just ask him to move it keep calm, if he gers funny ask him how would he like it if you were fishing and blocking the way.
Turn it round of people but keep calm. Once ppl resort to bad language they have lost and it all goes downhill.

My daughter is blind, people like this make me very angry. My daughter could have been walking along the public footpath, tripped over the fishing rod obstruction and either hurt herself or ended up in the water.

When you choose to fish on a public footpath then you accept that there will be people walking along talking, with their children and dogs. The paying but is irrelevant. He was in the wrong. Yet another 'sport' mainly done by men who think they own the bloody place (see also cycling and golf)

If he didn't want you to step over it he could have said politely "oh hang on I'll just move the rod"

If you'd just stood there waiting for him to move it instead of stepping over it, he might have got equally annoyed

If it’s a public footpath where there is a right of way, he is not allowed to block it, even if he has a license to fish in that water.

We're you wearing an invisibility cloak which is why he didn't see you approaching?

Yanbu. If his rod is so precious he should be looking out for anyone coming and moving it out of the way long before they get there, let alone before they have time to step over it. Entitled wanker.

I pay to to use the tube, am I allowed to block the door into my local station then?

Think.

Anglers pay a pittance to use the canals. Yet think it’s fine to block both canals and footpaths and refuse boaters access to lock landings and water points. Guess what happens when 18+ tons of moving steel meets a twig of a carbon fibre rod…..
Some anglers are nice and share the space, but the vast majority seem to be grumpy, arrogant men who think the entire world should revolve around their maggot drowning antics.

I am so going to use the term 'maggot drowning antics' about them as a collective, now! 😅

It seems to be a common issue from these responses. Ugh. And yes, the picnic analogy. I'd have definitely gone around the rod without any ado if he'd have even positioned his rod a couple of feet away from the fence.

Oops, yes I was now I think about it 😅 (nope, I was wearing quite bright sports gear actually)!

Neither of us used bad language but I know what you mean.

He should read his rod licence.
It’s also important to lay your equipment out neatly so that others can pass by you easily.

Good Fishing gear is very expensive. I understand why they are precious about it. So this is how you learn how expensive & just call out to ask it to be moved, next time. No need to make it into a confrontation. I'd shrug that comment about £250 off, he's just saying he's scared of breaking it.

ps: I have leapt over carbon fibre rods before while out on runs, but now I'd normally shout "I bet you want to move that" instead.

I spend a lot of time on rivers. Most fishing people are really nice, helpful.

Why does she need to learn how expensive his stuff is and tell him to move it? He already knows how expensive it is, why can’t he figure out that he should move it for himself? Or, better than moving it, look around him and see he’s obviously in the way and move himself altogether to a place where there’s no risk of his precious things being broken.

Honestly I tell my kids this. They know they must put their bikes locked under shelter as soon as they get home because it’s their responsibility to protect their belongings. I wouldn’t tell them ‘just chuck it down on the pavement’ and then go out yelling at people who walked over it that it might get scratched.

Happens all the time on the canal here. Completely block the path. Once nags my friend and 25 schoolchildren climb up the banking to get round them.

I was irrationally pleased once when I saw a spaniel run off with an anglers sarnies.

I always want to push them in. I never have of course, but I can't see a man fishing from the bank without wanting to. Anyway I don't think you did anything wrong at all. Just because he didn't like it doesn't mean it was wrong

I need a diagram. You are seeming to say there are two footpaths plus “give or take 4 ft of land”
The footpath has a fence either side of it right up until the dam, give or take about 4 feet of land comprising of grass and another footpath (between the end of the dam and the fence). An angler was sitting at the dam, with his fishing rod to his left propped up on some apparatus completely blocking the four feet of land which I was to run across, right next to the fence.

So why were you running on the 4ft of land, and not on one of the two footpaths? I’m horribly confused.

They can be arsy to canoeists and kayakers as well.

We also pay Waterways licences and are entitled to be on the water. We go round if we can but if its a narrow river they have to move the stuff to let us past, or if someone is coming the other way.

So he shouldn't leave it blocking people's (and dog's) way. He could have put up a sign to say "beware of the prick" or be standing by ready to move it at a moment's notice. I haven't any patience with a stupid git who gets his kicks from putting a shark piece of metal into another living being. He'd have had a kick in the (wedding) tackle and been grateful for that...

I tried the Wey navigation once and there were anglers every 5 to 10 metres doing this. Pleasant enough when asked to move, but bloody irritating.

That's weird isn't it! Just shows it must be something they just do and expect the person not blocking the path to be the one ro have their time interrupted.