Pavement Cyclists

[fiftiesfresh22]

Probably done to death.

Pavement cyclists are a menace on the street on which I live (reasonably busy road, narrow footpaths (not shared) wide verges both sides. There are several alternative quieter roads very close by which cyclists could use if they feel unsafe/not confident to ride on the road down here, all of which end up on the same main road at the end, literally a minute away from each other. But still some choose to ride on the even narrower pavements down those.

So todays offering...walking my dog on the footpath, on his non-extendable, standard lead as always, from behind me come two cyclists who I did not see or hear approaching obviously, who ''buzzed'' me {passed very close at speed) and made me jump. Thankfully my dog was on the other side of me, and as I startled I said ''FGS''. To which one of them turned & said ''FGS? you should have your dog on a very tight lead...'' along with something else which I could not hear as they continued riding away. I guess it was probably along the lines of ''so that we can pass''.

The arrogance of some cyclists (who we are led to believe are in the minority) who believe that the footpaths are their domain if they see fit, pedestrians are in THEIR way, and it is the pedestrians responsibility to walk looking over their shoulder/with eyes in the back of their head etc in order to facilitate the cyclists illegal journey., all without challenge. So many times I see elderly/mobility scooter bound/parents with toddlers & prams/dog walkers being passed at speed & close quarters. This of course is facilitated by the fact that the law is interpreted, not upheld, and pavement cyclists are completely ignored, even when witnessed by passing police, both on foot or in a vehicle and now of course we also have electric scooters.

I always ride on the pavement with my child. It’s wide, we go slow and use the bell if needed. It’s a shared space - in the bylaws apparently. Never rush past anyone.

Occassionally get pedestrians shouting for no reason other than to tell us off for being on the path.

I won’t take my child on the busy road which doesn’t have a cycle lane, where cyclists have been killed. Where there are crazy deliveroo drivers and scooters.

So I will continue to ride on the pavement with my child.

In my town it’s more dangerous than ever using the roads as a cyclist die to the scooters and delivery riders. I think it’s the reason why I see a lot of people cycling on the pavement.

i always cycle on the road with helmet when not with my child, but increasingly feel unsafe due to very fast electric bikes and e-scooters

I always ride on the pavement with my child. It’s wide, we go slow and use the bell if needed. It’s a shared space - in the bylaws apparently. Never rush past anyone.

If it's legal, and you're following the guidelines, then I'm sure nobody should object, if they're aware.

Unlike a pp whose child apparently cycles so fast she needs to be on another bike to keep up with him - I'd say that child wasn't ready for a shared path as it's unsafe for other users to be passing pedestrians at speed.

I walk with my 5 year old when he cycles because he doesn't go fast enough yet for me to bike with him but he does go too fast for me to keep up with him walking. Its a very annoying stage. I just shout at him to stop and wait every so often so I can catch up.

I just wanted to say how measured and reasonable you have been in your responses to some really nasty posters

So sorry for not bowing down to the cyclists and their entitlement that they're the only people who matter and everyone else should just get out of the way.

Someone at the start of the thread mentioned how visually impaired people were impacted.

I am visually impaired and generally don’t mind cyclists. I don’t always need to use a cane so sometimes you can’t tell I have a disability. When I am using my cane most cyclists will really try to give me space.

When I’m not? I get people whizzing right by my shoulder and scaring me (I only have shoulder width peripheral vision). That’s frustrating because it can be so frightening - especially in winter when it’s dark in the morning and early evening when I’m walking to and from work. Some people are whizzing around in dark clothing, no lights, and they don’t seem to care if you nearly twist an ankle on the verge trying to avoid them.

i actually don’t mind people ringing their bell as it at least gives me a warning that they’re coming.

As this thread has shown, there’s no easy answer. Personally I don’t think the roads are safe enough for cycling on, and not everyone is a respectful enough cyclist to make sharing the pavement viable.

Unlike a pp whose child apparently cycles so fast she needs to be on another bike to keep up with him - I'd say that child wasn't ready for a shared path as it's unsafe for other users to be passing pedestrians at speed.

Yes - does this 5 year old understand that the people on foot take priority over the people on bikes, & that he needs to go slowly & carefully? If he’s going faster than fast walking speed, he’s going too fast.

Slightly disingenuous.

Rule 63 is specifically talking about shared spaces where cycling is allowed (so not a pavement) and also says "always be prepared to slow down and stop when necessary".

There's nothing specific at all in the Highway Code about the rules on cycling on the pavement not applying to children. And certainly not the adult accompanying them. I accept that people are generally fine with children cycling on pavements. Almost all of the times when I see this though, the adult is either walking, or cycling on the road next to the child.

When my children were younger, we cycled together to various activities.

They cycled on the pavements initially, to get to the local shared use paths. The rules that applied were exactly the same as I had enforced from the time they started using scooters as pre-schoolers: stop when I shout; get off, stop and walk when you see a pedestrian; stop, get off and wait before a road crossing.

I walked when they were slower, and cycled on the road alongside once they were faster. If they stopped, I stopped, to negotiate the way around pedestrians. I also taught them how to wheel a bicycle over the edge of the path onto the road, so single file we took up no more pavement than a pedestrian .

Any breaking of the rules, not stopping etc = no cycling. Walking was slower and more boring, especially if one sibling was still allowed to cycle, so it worked pretty well.

I think cyclists seem to want it both ways and I say that as a pedestrian who doesn’t drive and sometimes cycles.

They want laws to protect them against cars passing too closely and won’t/don’t pull over to let them pass but also expect to pass pedestrians as close as they want and expect to be able to ding ding them to move out of their way.

Now cars are to bikes, what bikes are to pedestrians. Pedestrians should be treated with the same passing safety as which cars are supposed to pass bikes and bikes should wait patiently just like cars are supposed to for a safe place to pass. That’s when they are legally allowed on pavements however.

I see that all the comments on mine conveniently ignored the fact that vans and cars parked on pavements are far more of an issue.

I really get fed up with all the cycle hate. Thousands of people are killed and injured by cars every year. I bet many more are injured by dogs too. But no, cyclists are the biggest evil in society

Concentrate on the real ills in society, people.

PS I also hate cyclists who ring their bells to get you to move. Especially when I am well over to the left anyway.

Now cars are to bikes, what bikes are to pedestrians. Pedestrians should be treated with the same passing safety as which cars are supposed to pass bikes and bikes should wait patiently just like cars are supposed to for a safe place to pass. That’s when they are legally allowed on pavements however

And again, if you kept over to the left hand side and allowed people to pass, there would be no issue. Many conflicts happen because people hog the paths. Some paths are narrow, yes. But when they are wider, people spread themselves out and then get annoyed because someone (faster walker, runner, cyclist) has the temerity to want to get past them.

You can say the same to cyclists in the middle of the lane. You’ll come back with they are allowed. Well there is no rule to say a pedestrian must walk to the left or even to the right.

Maybe as cyclists love to point out it’s not suitable to be that far over. Maybe it’s overgrown. Maybe theres glass etc. All excuses cyclists use.

If cars can be held up behind cyclists. Cyclists can be held up behind pedestrians. It’s all about protecting the more vulnerable user in each case. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable out of all options.

Cars shouldn’t be parked on paths it really pisses me off. But it still doesn’t excuses others poor behaviour and this thread is about shitty cyclists not shitty cars.

I see that all the comments on mine conveniently ignored the fact that vans and cars parked on pavements are far more of an issue.

I live in London where this isn’t generally an issue as it’s illegal to park on the pavement. I understand that outside of London it is still legal to park on the pavement. You are comparing a legal (but I agree annoying) activity to one that is illegal. Also the parked car is an inconvenience but not a danger to a pedestrian, whereas a cyclist travelling at speed could cause a serious accident.

This is what we did so I find the poster who claims to need to cycle on the pavement to keep up with her child disingenuous. Either her child is going too fast and needs to slow down as they are a danger to themselves and others, or she should be able to keep up with at most a quick jog every now and then.

Ds2 is profoundly deaf and has had so many near misses with bicycles coming up behind him... Its terrifying that he could get hit or step out into the road.
Same thing with the seafront near his flat. Cyclists bombing up the seafront behind him.. There are rules there which are ignored. I have been known to shout at them. When I am with him!

Exactly this.

gingerguineapig · Today 10:19

PS I also hate cyclists who ring their bells to get you to move. Especially when I am well over to the left anyway.

When I did my cycling proficiency in 1979, the copper said that the bell was to warn people that you are behind them. The thing to do then is to slow down and wait for the pedestrian to react - this was aimed at children, obviously. The same applies now, for all ages, on shared paths.

Obviously, selfish adults riding on footpaths can go to Hell and I'm not minded to move for them.

If adults are supervising children, I don't mind, as they are almost always polite and make it obvious that they are there, or slow down and go away from the kerb side. That doesn't bother me at all. They usually give a nod and say thanks, or sorry - at least, round my way.

If you must ride on the pavement at least give pedestrians priority and that means not ringing your bell. If you say you just ring to mean to let them know you are there then just slow right down and get off to pass them. It is a bit like a car beeping for no good reason. When I hear a bell it startles me and I don’t know which way to jump. Some people won’t hear a bell at all. I cycle with a local group sometimes on shared paths and HATE the way they officiously ding their bells and no, saying thank you does not mitigate.

Yeah but OP remember cyclists have right of way everywhere and if they run you over that's on you 🙄

I would find it much worse if a cyclist just slowed down and cycled behind me. I much prefer them to say excuse me or ring their bell then they can pass by

They shouldn’t be cycling behind you on a pavement full stop.

On a shared path they should ring the bell well before they come up to you, give you time to gather kids/dogs/etc and then move over if you’re able to - if you’re not able to do that without going into undergrowth or pressing yourself flat against a wall or hedge then they should dismount and walk until there is space to move past you. They absolutely should not cycle right up behind you and then ring the bell to instruct you to move NOW as so many cyclists seem to think is the case.