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.

What do you do when you’re walking on a pavement and someone in front of you is going more slowly than you?

Do that.

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain

Yes actually, we ring our bells when we're blocked either by people or dogs on long leads.

Apparently we should get off and wait until they notice us, walking behind with our bikes.

See my previous post.

@SirChenjins

I am doing that.

Yup, that's exactly what you should be doing. Thereby showing consideration for other people using the space and teaching your son the same.

I ring my bell, though many people have iPods in which I have to shout excuse me, could we get past! Over.

I honestly might try this wierd tailgating with bikes thing next time.

What are you doing?

Not everyone can hear a bell though. I'm hard of hearing and cyclists just fly past me on the pavement and I've no clue they are near.

@MrsDanversGlidesAgain

You want us to walk slowly, silently behind you. For how long? Isn't that a bit creepy?

I'm going to tell my son that we're playing grandmas footsteps

I agrée with you op. I very rarely cycle (only ever with DS) and I can't ride on the road so I do use the pavement. But pedestrians have priority and I pootle on slowly behind them and pull over and give way where necessary.

Cycling on the pavement is a criminal offence. Jogging is not.

I don't give a scooby what you do. I do wonder what's so important about your time that everyone has to get out of your way when you demand it just because you can't walk for a few minutes, though.

So, yes. You dismount or get on the road like the vehicle with the potential to maim and kill that you are 👍

No, you do what you do as a pedestrian when you don’t have a bike with you - you dismount, you say excuse me, you get past, you remount. Or, you wait until the pavement becomes wide enough tat you can cycle past.

Think of it this way. A car driver who beeped a slower moving cyclist to get them to move into the side would be a) a good driver, or b) a twat. (It’s b, btw)

I have a scar on one hand from a cyclist coming up really quickly behind me on the pavement - knocked me over and my hand got caught in the spokes.

I do think that cycling on pavements - yes you should slow down and if necessary get off and walk. I know pedestrians can be irritating so walk slowly - don't move aside to let others through take over the whole pavement but in this instance I would back the pedestrians .

The truth is - you should not be cycling on the pavement. @DatumTarum So stop it.

I follow rule 63 of the Highway Code which recommends a bell.

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-cyclists.html

The law bans you from cycling on the pavement.

@DatumTarum Nowhere in the Highway Code does it say ‘when cycling on pavements ding your bell to tell pedestrians to move into the side of the pavement’.

Unfortunately you’re the kind of cyclist that gives responsible ones a bad name.

It does not ban children (this is stated) and children cannot cycle alone, ergo...

The law is not as straightforward in these matters as lay people think.

Anyway, the bit too school is shared use.

We're using our bells as stated in the Highway Code.

Don't like it? Write to your MP.

Maybe the Cyclist haters could join forces with the dog haters and bore themselves instead of everybody else.

Well, as a pedestrian I have to say some of the replies on this thread aren't doing anything to change my opinion of cyclists in general. I' sure there are cyclists who don't run red lights, don't speed down pavements and don't expect pedestrians to inconvenience them by making them get off their bikes and WALK for a few minutes, my God; but they don't appear to be on this thread.

It states:

"let them know you are there; for example, by ringing your bell (it is recommended that a bell is fitted to your bike)"

I'd love to know how people on this thread expect a five year old to cycle to school.

Can you post the bit where it says that cyclists are fully entitled to cycle on pavements and you should let pedestrians know you’re there by ringing your bell?

You’re confusing shared paths with pavements. Why is that?

Well, there's another thing I don't care about. I'm baffled why you think it's anything to do with anyone but you.