To feel sad at how much worse life is for pedestrians than it was ten years ago

I live in Hampshire and there's an epidemic of pavement parking!

The government really needs to do something about the all the parking on pavements.

There are some housing estates that are designed with pavement parking in mind.

But elsewhere, pavements are for feet, not wheels. The other day I went out to join my running club session and someone had fully parked over the entirety of the pavement on a reasonably busy road near my house. Tosser.

And they often start to move when you are approaching, too.

I see workmen parked on them too but they could stop briefly to get their tools out and then park somewhere safer.

A few years back I had an altercation with a Sainsburys delivery van driver who parked on the pavement on a busy road (on double yellows and opposite the entrance to a petrol station, too). He really couldn't see what my problem was.

Also agree that pavements suddenly get blocked by workmen with no warning.

And drivers need to remember that pedestrians crossing side roads, openings or driveways have priority and they wait until they've crossed (and if you aren't going to wait, don't dawdle for ages either - turn in and go).

Thanks.

I suppose that makes sense from the cyclists' point of view, as they don't have to go round buses and risk getting hit by cars, but does it put pedestrians at risk of getting hit by bikes as they cross to the bus stop?

This was one of the reasons I hated London, It's just not built for humans (except the South Bank, Embankment etc).

I moved to Hampshire. I can walk or cycle to work, across a common, down a green lane, through a farm, along a tow path. There are no fumes, no people parking on pavements, no thirty six wheel lorries, no homicidal taxi drivers, no road rage. Just calm and bird song.

A bus stop separated from the pavement by a cycle lane. So, it resembles an island, 'floating' between the cycle path and roadway.

And you can easily hear most cars coming, bikes are near silent.

I think electric cars should make more noise, too.

What is a "floating bus stop"? I've never heard of them.

Mind you, I'd never heard of a "bus gate", either, that bit of ignorance cost me £30!

I’m only a pedestrian because I can’t see properly to be anything else. I can’t say I’ve found things considerably worse just different. I don’t like shared paths as it is hard for me to see cyclists and then there are the ones just cycling on normal pavements.

Cars are much more dangerous but less likely to be be moving on the pavement. Everyone is looking at screens, and it is more dangerous. That includes me if I’m in a new place. Before I’d have looked at a map for a route, maybe printed it. Now I’m using the phone. I do try to be careful and move to the side to pause, not just stop in the middle of the pavement.

Due to necessity I think visually impaired and blind pedestrians are some of the most aware people and there is bad and stupid behaviour from all.

It never will be their fault
pedestrians are at the top of the hierarchy even when they are blind/deaf to the danger around them
the other road users must always be aware and responsible for them as they are most vulnerable even if they won’t take responsibility for themselves

Surely the kid on the bike would be more susceptible to fumes

What if the accident is the pedestrians fault? I live near a secondary school. The amount of teens that suddenly step out in front of cars with their heads in phones in unbelievable

And sticking them in the back of a fumy car is better? How many accidents involve kids on the back of bicycles?

I would love to

But in london, no sorry, its insane to havw your baby on the back of your pedal bike

Don't go to holland then

Of course it's the problem 😭, cant believe my eyes when I see it

Carrying babies on bikes is not the problem, and is the norm in many places, heavy metal vehicles are the problem

An elderly lady killed last month on a pedestrian crossing near me. Car didnt stop.

if I move an inch to the side at any moment, I’ll likely get knocked over by a lime bike.

wtaf. How is everything so crap now!

Here in London I think things are slooooowly getting better for pedestrians, in particular disabled pedestrians, but it's still bad and progress is too slow.

What I like:

• More flat junctions, so you don't have to push a wheelchair up and down ramps
• Pavements becoming wider
• 20mph roads - oh this is amazing. Needs way better enforcement
• Roads being narrowed by cycle lanes
• Many more cyclists slowing down the traffic

What I don't like

• Cars jumping red lights
• Lime bike users jumping red lights
• Lime bikes all over the pavements
• Any stupid 'shared space' schemes - hasn't anyone realised that when people are moving at different speeds, they need to be separated?? And that this applies just as much to bikes and pedestrians as to cars and pedestrains (and bikes and cars)
• Lights that take forever to change
• So SO SO much space being given over to parking
• Ever more screeny distractions in cars (yes phones but also distracting car screens)

I would add dog poo to that list. I have just come back from spending time in a French city and the dog poo on pavement situation was so much better than here. I’m sick of having to avoid poo left by idiot owners.

Weve been sharing the roads with cars for decades

I disagree, cities are beginning to give more space over to both pedestrians and cyclists, paris bring just one, and more space for cyclidmsts is less space for cars, which is better for all non drivers, pedestrian or cyclist

Cycling on pavements is normalised now. And those deliveroo guys are a menace - most of the time they're chatting/watching shit on their phones too so they don't even see pedestrians until they're right on top of them.

This trend of "shared spaces" needs to stop - it's piss poor planning and incredibly lazy on the part of councils. And yes why, when there's actually a footpath and a cycle path, is the footpath always the longer and less convenient route, and always right next to the cars?

I give way to pedestrians and cyclists for sure.

I am in a heavy car that could hurt them so I always try to look many times before pulling out.

Saying that, I agree with the person above about people on motorised scooters and bikes. Not all of them have a balaclava on either. And none of them wear helmets!

Don't get me started on ubereat and deliveroo bike riders and some normal cyclists who ignore red lights and go straight through them, regardless of if pedestrians are there. No one seems to give a toss about the green cross code in my city. You need eyes in the back of your head. Am aurprised there isn't more crashes, especially with the arseholes on the scooters.

And they are making my city more pedestrianised and making it less accessable to card which annoyed me at first but I can see the benefits.

Pedestrians do deserve to feel safe for sure.

I must admit I can't say I have noticed any difference as a pedestrian between now and 2015.