Motorbikes down tiny footpath

[Eggyhair]

Where I live the parking spaces are at the end of a footpath that 12 houses are on. It provides a cut-through for the estate to the main road as well; all the estate has some houses like this.

Our houses are on each side of the footpath. It is very, very thin, not enough room for others coming the other way to pass, so if you're coming one way and someone is coming the other way, one has to go into someone's garden to let the other pass.

Most have high hedges too, and the path is curved, so visibility is not great, but never had problems with it in the past.

When DD started school, there were a few scary moments when a cyclist came past very fast as we were leaving our gate, but no major issues, we just were more cautious.

Lately it has got worse with the illegal e scooters that kids use. They are fast and silent, so we have no way of knowing if one is speeding the other way. As yet no bumps.

The major issue is motorbikes (not electric bikes, but proper petrol motorbikes). They go up and down the path fast. Sadly I've only realised when I've heard them go past, and I'm on crutches, so not fast anymore, but I really, really want to go out and stand in the path to stop them.

We've complained to the council who say it's illegal, ditto police, but they are fast, and unless they are here 24/7, then they will never be caught.

I posted previously about a neighbour we're worried about. The other day she was out again and fell into a hedge (DH went out, picked her up and took her home, her own DH says she is fine and he is looking after her). If a bike had come down then, it could have taken her leg, as that's all that was visible.

Eventually there is going to be a collision (or someone may push the motorcyclist over...not me, though crutches and wheels don't go well together).

Bollards wouldn't work, I don't know what else we can do. There are a mix of elderly, frail and young children here and motorbikes going up and down are unacceptable (and as I'm writing this another has just sped down, no helmet, luckily there was nothing slippery out there!

Are they cutting through or going to one of the houses? We do take ours down an alley to the garden where there's a shed

@gogomoto no they're not, they speed down, then loop round the road, about 4 - 5 times.

So you drive your bike down a narrow, winding footpath with gates literally on it?

@gogomoto it isn't an alley, it's the front of our houses.

Sounds like the footpath needs a kissing gate installed. Pedestrians can get through, nothing on wheels can - which is irritating for anyone with a pushchair, but it sounds like it’s too dangerous for them atm anyway.

if I were you I’d start emailing your local councillor each time you see a bike, e-bike, scooter, or motorbike down the path, and each time request he seeks out the relevant person in the highways / public rights of way department and arrange a kissing gate to be installed.

Councillors usually get their own (not huge) annual budget to spend in their area - make this your councillor’s most pressing issue to fund!

These photos are an example, it cuts through to the same place on both. It's hard to see, but you can see where the car parking ends and the path to the houses.

Since I started writing this post I went out when I heard the bike. I stood in it's way and the lad tried to get me to move, then said he would go round the road as it made no odds to him, as his friends walked up and laughed at me.

My neighbour came out and said he'd a go at them but they swore at him.

Start collective evidence, times, how many, how often etc etc and just keep on and on at your local council.

I would look up details of your parish council, see when the next meeting is and go along in person, especially in a group. Also look up who is your representative on the town council.

You will have to be organised and be a nuisance I’m afraid. None of these buggers do anything otherwise.

Cameras! As many neighbours as possible with Ring doorbells, CCTV cameras in windows, whatever you can manage. Lots of cameras are cheap these days.

We have issues with cars racing, doing burnouts etc in the town. Every time it's mentioned on the local Facebook pages, the racers and their mates pile on and basically issue veiled threats towards anyone with a problem. There's beginning to be kick back with more and more people reporting it to the police.

Thr police have to be in the right place at the right time to catch them in the act which we all know isn't realistic in an alleyway - they just not drive down that night! The second best option is video footage so get recording if you can!

So bollards won't work- but would a turnstile?

Unfortunately there's not much you can do. The riders don't respect the law so they certainly won't respect you as a person. You can complain and report but you can't make the police give a damn. And assuming it's a public right of way, there's no way to stop motorbikes that doesn't also block someone in a wheelchair, mobility scooter, adapted bicycle, etc.

(I'd say ANPR camera, but that's useless if it's a non-road-legal bike and often it is.)

Ask the council to install motorcycle barriers like these. Push chairs and wheelchairs can get through the lower part and pedal bikes can be pushed through, but motorcycles can't get through the higher narrow part.

Little bastards. I nearly killed a kid on an illegal bike who shot out of a pathway like that. I was in my car and thank god I was going slowly and able to do an emergency stop. I was so angry I got out of my car and before I knew what I had done, I ripped the bike key out of the ignition and threw it with all my might . No idea where it went. The kid was too shocked to react.

Then I went home, rang the police and told them what had happened and what I'd done. The woman I spoke to said "good for you".

Pester your local councillors about it and they in turn contact the council. Councils tend to focus their attention a bit more then they are being pushed by councillors.