Cyclists on pavements

[origamiunicorn]

Ok, please tell me if I ABU.

What's your opinion on people cycling on pavements? I don't mean young children who are clearly learning or parents who are accompanying them but adults. Full blown, fully grown adults.

Where I live it seems common place and I don't get it. AIBU to say if you are an adult and aren't comfortable on the road you shouldn't be riding a bike. It always seems to be middle aged men too who whizz past, so not an adult learner or someone who is gaining confidence.

Just now I was walking home from work and I hear this bell ringing and as I turn around this man in his 40s? whizzes past me and shouts "out the way!" to which I throw my hands up in the air at him and tell him to get off the pavement and then as I walk past him further up the road at a crossing he says something, calls me the C word and rides off. I mean what?!

I actually feel a little shaken with the confrontation so AIBU in my reaction? I thought it was justified considering. I mean if you're going to ride on the pavement like a child at least give people a chance to get out the way and... should people even be on cycling on the pavement?!

[Lazypuppy]

I'd rather cyclists were on the pavement

Round here all pavements are joint cycle paths so i'm used to it. They ring the bell to ask pedestrians to move out the way, never bothers me.

[TheLightSideOfTheMoon]

I don't love it but can understand that cycling in the road may be scary and dangerous.

It gets my goat when the ring their bells at me rather than saying 'excuse me' but other than that I'm not bothered.

I think children on scooters can be a bigger hazzard sometimes.

[FriarTuck]

YANBU! The only wheels that should be on pavements are wheelchairs and buggies/prams. Maybe scooters with small children on them but they should be told to stop when pedestrians are there. I'm sick of teenagers bombing along the pavements to school and expecting you & your dog to jump out of the way.

[eaudynamisantee]

They're cunts. And round beret the pavements aren't cycle lanes and pavements they're pavements.

[dinkydonky]

I used to cycle to work, there was one horrible bit of road with several adjoining roundabouts, double lanes, cars drove really fast. So I cycled on the pavement there as it was FAR safer and there were rarely any pedestrians around. if there were people walking then I cycled really slowly or just wheeled along with my feet at walking speed. So I think there are some circumstances in which it's justified, but I would always give way to pedestrians and definitely never swear at them!

[ginghambox]

They ring the bell to ask pedestrians to move out the way
Like fuck they do.
They should be on the cycle path , the road or in jail.

[Dotty1970]

He was the C...*.
If you had a stick handy you could of stuck it in his spokes.

[Jess499427]

Regardless of whether he should or shouldn’t have been on the pavement, he absolutely should have slowed down for a pedestrian and been kind about asking you to move aside, how rude!

Down here, we have plenty of cycle paths which pedestrians walk on and pavements which cyclists cycle on. Also lots of shared use paths which mysteriously merge into a normal pavement at no specific point!

[RainbowWaffles]

Unless a designated cycle path, cyclists should be in the road. The pavement is for pedestrians. There are laws surrounding this for a reason, people can’t just pick! I would have been very angry with that idiotic cyclist OP, entitled dick.

[Jess499427]

To the people saying bell ringing is rude, I think it depends on how it’s done and how far behind you the cyclist is. If they speed up behind you and ring as they slam on their brakes, quite rude and also terrifying. But if a bell is rung at a distance it can be quite helpful because it means you can look round and work out what’s happening, then potentially move or just be aware, without being scared half to death.

[SquatBetty]

I despise adult pavement cyclists (unless it's an official shared pavement/cycle path thing). If you're going to cycle, have the balls to do it in the road or don't fucking bother. Pavements are for pedestrians.

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

I'm on the fence about this tbh.

As a cyclist I use the road because it's quicker. Every time I go out though I get cut up by drivers and cars pass too close, it makes me feel very vulnerable but as I am trying to get to work, those minutes do count.

A lot of pavements are very quiet though and there is an argument for getting bikes off the road as it's safer for them on the path. I do think though that walkers have to have priority.

On quiet roads, I can't see any justification for cyclists on the path, it's just ridiculous.

[Spudina]

There are lots of mixed cycle paths/pedestrian paths near me. I rely on them frankly as I'm not that confident to be on very busy roads all the time. But I am always courteous, and would never treat any pedestrian that way

[AdaColeman]

YANBU
In the busy town where I used to work, the local Vicar would cycle on the pavement!

Cyclists should be on the road, and leave the pavements for pedestrians.

[RomanyQueen1]

I think the cycling proficiency test should be compulsory and revised for modern times.
it's not safe on the roads even where there are cycle paths.
It's ok saying don't ride if you don't like the roads, for some people it's their only means of travel.

[MaggieAndHopey]

Commuting cyclist here - the only time I'd cycle on the pavement is if it a designated shared use pavement - those ones with the blue signs that show both cyclists and pedestrians. Otherwise, if you're not comfortable on the road, you shouldn't be cycling. Pavements are for pedestrians.

[HeathRobinson]

I hate it. YADNBU!
I've nearly had a cyclist hit me twice.

[StoneofDestiny]

I hate it - a deaf family member was hospitalised because of a skateboarder on the pavement! They also had their spectacles smashed to smithereens.
They and cyclists with bell or loud voices just seem to assume everybody has no hearing or sight disability. So very dangerous.

[ChocOrCheese]

If I am walking I hate cyclists on the pavement. If I am driving I hate cyclists in the road (though that is where they should be, I accept that). If I ran the country I would ban cyclists. puts on tin helmet and waits for abuse

[FrenchJunebug]

I am a cyclist and happily would tell off other cyclists who ride on the pavement. Unless it's a pavement with a cycling lane it is very dangerous.

[gemmaxyz]

It is awful for the elderly, people with disabilities and people carrying anything heavy (eg big shop, toddlers), so they can't move out of the way quickly as nimbly as they'd like. These cyclists (often students IME) don't seem to know what that's like, and don't give enough space or show soon enough that they will get out of your way.

The underlying problem is that there aren't enough cycle lanes in the UK, but adult cyclists on the pavement are still a nuisance and sometimes scary.

[lljkk]

I don't care as long as they aren't menace.
Around here the pavements are extremely empty, somebody may as well use them.

[bridgetreilly]

It's illegal to cycle on the pavement unless it's got a specifically marked cycle path section:

Section 64
Something that confuses many cyclists is whether or not they are allowed to cycle on the pavement. According to Laws HA 1835 section 72 & RSA 1984, section 129, cyclists must not cycle on the pavement.

[TedAndLola]

Utter cunts.