Why are cyclists not using the cycle lane?

[bridgewalker]

Namechanged as location will be easy to guess if you know the area.

There is a bridge I sometimes walk over which has a pedestrian footpath seperate from the road. It used to also be for cyclists as well, but a few years ago a cycle lane was put in alongside the road, wide enough for two cyclists to pass each other easily. The pedestrian path is quite narrow with railings on either side, just about wide enough for two people walking.

However, every time I walk over it now, there will be at least one cyclist passing me, and I have to stop and stand against the railings to let them pass. Why do they do this when the cycle lane is now there and is (I assume) much easier for them to use? The entrance at either end of the footpath is also curved, so it's impossible to see if there is a cyclist coming towards you as you enter or leave.

I would really like to know why they do this if anyone has any insight!

Cyclist here. I hate the term though. I merely ride a bike to get around.
I go on the pavement (and walk my bike! Still, it pisses people off especially if a mum with a buggy and walking toddler approaches- I get it! I’ve been that mum!).

The reason I do this on our bridge is that vans/cars coming towards me don’t respect the cycle lane or any lane, tbh. They could literally hit me when we meet/cross paths at the top of the bridge (it’s narrow and lawless). They can’t see me riding towards them and I can’t see them (I can hear them). Visibility is nil. The bridge is old and narrow. It’s safer for me to go up in the pavement. The truth is, cycling will never really work in the UK. The roads are too narrow to manage big cars, trucks, and cycle lanes. Sad but true.

I stand by my cyclists are the highest % of arseholes guestimate

Yet car drivers kill around 3 cyclists each and every week in the UK and injure approx 10,000.,, according the Police and Rospa, drivers are solely responsible for between 70 to 75% of these incidents where they involve an adult.. the most common cause of death is the driver pulling out in front or running them over from behind.

Being a former bus driver, it's a bit rich you calling other road users "arseholes" ...

No. The poster I was replying to was (as is standard) complaining the cyclists were using the road.

ive said several times that it’s not ok to cycle on the pavement. And I wouldn’t choose to. In fact, I’d prefer it if planners didn’t decide that pavements should become dual use ever.

But other people do choose the pavement over the road when the cycle path is terrible. The answer is to not have terrible cycle paths (even if non cyclists can’t see why they’re terrible) and for drivers to behave better so cyclists never choose to endanger the pedestrians instead.

So even when they are wrong? No personal responsibility for this behaviour and even if they are wrong it's other people who need to be 'fixed' to counter their wrongness?

I have no problem with a cyclist pushing their bike on a pavement, it's purely the entitled twats who think they can cycle on them that I have an issue with. Thankfully they are a minority.

There is no indication as to who you were replying to.

In our area people have been putting drawing pins in cycle lanes. There are some real cruel/unkind people in the world now. Others won’t appreciate this and berate cyclists for not staying in their area. All very sad and unnecessary for all.

People. Are breaking the law?l

The why does matter - it tells you that it is easy to prevent the rule breaking by designing things safely in the first place

But if you demonise a group of people and make their lives hard and dangerous you will get increasing levels of rule breaking - that's just human nature

Are you missing the bit where it’s actually the wrongness of people in charge of large, frequently lethal vehicles that is the thing that drives the poor behaviour.

Do you also like to ignore the causative and/or structural factors of other problematic behaviour and, instead, say it’s just about personal responsibility? When poverty is the thing that drives poor behaviour, do you stamp you feet and say ‘why are we talking about economics? These people are wrong and must be blamed?’

The cyclists on the pavement are wrong. But shouting about personal responsibility won’t fix the actual problem and improve things for pedestrians. Solve the actual problem and the problem behaviour is likely to go away.

But other people do choose the pavement over the road when the cycle path is terrible. The answer is to not have terrible cycle paths (even if non cyclists can’t see why they’re terrible) and for drivers to behave better so cyclists never choose to endanger the pedestrians instead.

No, the answer is for cyclists to not cycle on pavements. The choice for cyclists is the road or a cycle path, they don't get to invade a safe pedestrian space. Nothing to do with drivers "behaving better", cyclists need to "behave better" and keep the fuck off pavements.

You’ve already name changed, please just do a link to the bloody bridge on streetview!!

I bet cyclists wouldn't be impressed with a motorbike using a cycle Lane because they decided the road wasn't safe.

Clearly solving the actual problem and making things better for pedestrians is not your priority then. 🤷🏻‍♀️

At a local MTB track nr me, someone put a rope across a trail.....

Seriously injured the rider.. its happened on other cycle paths too.

TBH writing this makes me not want to use cycle paths ever.

Thats not an issue.. whataboutery at its finest!

midgetastic

Already answered For the third time

Sorry! I was looking out for a reply, but must have scrolled past, waiting for the dentist.

If I need to use a pedestrian section for safety I walk the bike

I don't understand why people would object to bikes being wheeled and it shouldn't happen. To be honest, I don't even really mind cyclists on pavements, if there are very few pedestrians, it's a busy road and they are considerate. If someone comes up behind and gives a cheery, "Excuse me," I'm happy to let them past.

I've had people run into me from behind several times and in every case, they've had a go at me. It's the people, not the mode of transport.

How on earth did you manage to turn my comment in to me 'stamping my feet and blaming the poor for being poor'?!

A pedestrian walking out in front of a cyclist, say doing 10 or 12mph and knocking them off.. may well cause serious injury, broken wrist or collar bone would be common plus damage to an expensive bicycle.

Don't ride an expensive bicycle then!

The only reason a cyclist can sustain injuries is when have been cycling at speed that is inappropriate.

As for registering child bikes, yes, why not?

You fail to realise, once again, that cyclists are in charge of a vehicle and as suck they have bigger responsibilities on the road.

Cycling on a foothpath shouldn't be done. It's wrong.

But what really frightens me is the hate towards cyclists and clear intend to cause harm and injure - drawing pins, ropes across trails. It's all there to harm.
Female cyclists are already prone to a lot of abuse.
I have third party insurance for when I'm on the road as I do for when I drive. I was knocked off by a car which stopped, the passengers jeered at me making comments about what I was wearing whilst I was lying on the verge trying to get up and then they drove off. I had simply been cycling down a road - hadn't held them up as it was quiet and had been sticking to my side etc. So what causes this hate? Clearly there are some bad cyclists who behave unacceptably - cycling on footpaths as in this thread, or cycle aggressively on the road and deliberately wind up other road users.
But there are bad drivers and drunk drivers etc - and I don't see the same level of hate directed towards them.

Now I have heard it all

Cyclists should go really slow so that pedestrians don't have to worry about knocking them over

Now you re just being an idiot.

We are talking about cyclists riding on a cycle path.

Lets face, you want cyclists banned full stop... cycle shops shut down... don't you...?

Oh dear, I wasn't expecting this thread to get so heated.

I've attached a screenshot from google streetview.

There certainly is at least one idiot on this thread.

All road users should travel at a speed that is appropriate to the conditions, and always behave in a way that does not endanger other road users.

That being so I would never consider cycling in a pedestrian area, whether or not a cycle lane is marked there. When passing a school, or other busy area, I will slow down and pay extra attention to my surroundings.

The question is why do so many other road users - the majority of whom are motorists not do the same? More than a dozen times on my cycle this morning cars with one occupant came past at a speed that was not appropriate to the conditions, rather closer than the Highway code suggests is appropriate.

Ahhh, okay. My guess would be that the “start” of the cycle lane is not that obvious/easy to use and that once they’re started down the pedestrian route, they’re committed. Looks like there’s a continuous barrier you can’t cross. I bet plenty of cyclists regret it quickly, but don’t have the option of moving off the pedestrian route.