I fell in the canal with my bike!

It's good idea to stop when you approach a bridge on the canal route. Use a bell, shout, whistle, anything really.
There are other clueless cyclists and joggers with headphones, so better be weary than sorry.

yeah - I do all this and am terribly careful and considerate. It was my thoughtful stopping for a (non-ting-ting-ing) other cyclist that was my downfall. Or sideways fall.