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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking bike L platers should be allowed on the pavement

52 replies

breathing · 26/04/2011 21:25

Just a little bit? When there are no people around?

Ive just learned to not fall off ride a bike and can go on straight stretch with nothing around but theres no way I can ride on the road. Id love to go for a ride down to the shops.

OP posts:
Original poster
breathing · 27/04/2011 08:48

I'll have to find somewhere, otherwise I will never learn

OP posts:
CarrotsAreNotTheOnlyVegetables · 27/04/2011 08:50

breathing - wheel your bike to a park and practice there.

You can go on as much as you like about avoiding people but it is illegal and dangerous. You have already said that you are barely in control of the bike.

Sorry it's not what you want to hear but that's the way it is.

squeakytoy · 27/04/2011 08:50

I agree that pavements are for generally for pedestrians, but I also value my own life too, after seeing someone killed by a lorry. The cyclist who died was on the road, close to the kerb, riding sensibly but the lorry was too close and clipped him. It was horrific.

If I go out on my bike and am near a busy main road, I push the bike if there are pedestrians anywhere near me, if there are no pedestrians, I will ride on the pavement. I would never ride around pedestrians and would always give them their right of way as I agree, they have the priority over anyone else.

I would say pensioners on their scooters are fast becoming the biggest menace on the pavement, as they dont give a toss about anyone in their way as they zoom along.

Original poster
breathing · 27/04/2011 08:51

I'll have to drive my bike to a park, seems silly but needs must

OP posts:
mousymouse · 27/04/2011 08:52

I can understand where you are coming from, but the pavements esp around london are not suitable for both pedestrians and bikes.
Would love to see more dutch-style combined footpaths esp next to country lanes.

TandB · 27/04/2011 09:41

I agree that you shouldn't be riding on the road until you are safe to do so, but that certainly doesn't mean that you should cycle on the pavement where pedestrians are supposed to be able to walk safely.

It drives me nuts when cyclists come up to me on the pavement and excpect me to leap out of their way. If it is an adult I always say "Mummy not let you cycle on the road yet, aaaaw".

It's amazing how many of them suddenly decide to get off the pavement!

ChaoticAngelofchocolateeggs · 27/04/2011 11:13

YABU Find a park or somewhere else to practice.

YusMilady · 27/04/2011 11:28

squeakytoy it sounds like you witnessed a horrible accident, but I would just say that cycling 'close to the kerb' is more dangerous than taking up primary position (more or less where a car's nearside wheels would be), and cycling along confidently and with the flow of the traffic. Vehicles will give you the room you give yourself. If you creep along in the gutter you can expect to be sideswiped and clipped (not to mention get frequent punctures). Cars should only pass a cyclist when it's safe. If you cringe by the side of the road they'll take more chances.

OP, sign up for a cycling proficiency course. Cycling is awesome, but you do need to know what you're doing to be safe and confident around traffic.

campergirls · 27/04/2011 11:42

Congratulations on learning to ride a bike as an adult @breathing, it is not an easy thing to do and you've shown a lot of determination to master it. Agree though that practising off-road is key - confidence and assertiveness are big components of successful cycling and you need to build those up. Cycling on the pavement won't really help you with that, as well as being a menace to pedestrians.

Some councils run excellent cycling proficiency courses specifically for adults, worth finding out if there's anything like that in your area. Good for you for learning a whole new skill as an adult!

Original poster
breathing · 27/04/2011 11:45

The course sounds great! I'll have a look for one :)

OP posts:
animula · 27/04/2011 11:48

If there really is n-one around - who will stop you?

Thing is, it's a vehicle, and really has no place on the pavement where it may encounter small children, who suddenly do unpredictable things (on the pavement), or elderly, frail folk suddenly appearing from nowhere.

And a learner is going to find it harder, surely, to deal with unexpected hazards.

I see where you're coming from, though. My dc ride bikes with my dh. My heart is in my mouth every time they go out.

YusMilady · 27/04/2011 11:49

Attagirl breathing!

YusMilady · 27/04/2011 11:52

animula I'm not being flippant - but why don't you go out with them? It's just cycling, after all.

animula · 27/04/2011 12:18

Yusmilady - I'm an exercise-phobe and a bit of a slob, really. No very good reason. Blush so I just wave them off at the door, fret a bit, and sit on the sofa, reading and eating biscuits until they come back ....

YusMilady · 27/04/2011 12:26

Haha, well that sounds fair enough, though am a bit Sad that your DCs don't get to go cycling with their mum!

This is projection by the way - my mum couldn't/wouldn't come walking/cycling/swimming with us when we were little so my dad got all the fun bits of our childhood and it took me a while after I became an 'exercise refuser' in my teens to unlearn the lesson that physical exercise was just for men.

deepheat · 27/04/2011 12:33

YABU. At the risk of sounding harsh, if you don't feel proficient enough to ride on the road where the other users are protected in their vehicles, then you're not proficient enough to ride on the pavement where pedestrians have little or no protection from you. Just need to practise more on a quiet cul-de-sac until you feel comfortable on the main roads.

If you are genuinely frightened about going on the roads them you probably just need to walk. Personally, I don't like to see anyone under 11 - secondary school age basically - cycling on the pavement.

animula · 27/04/2011 12:53

Ooh! That's a terrible warning, yusmilady!!

animula · 27/04/2011 12:55

... I take them shopping .... maybe that counts as exercise, sort of??

Blush
COCKadoodledooo · 27/04/2011 13:10

May I recommend Bikeability?

Ds1 has just done the stage 1, and it has really helped his confidence. The bumpf he got included stuff about confidence building for adults too, accompanied and in a safe environment. Sounds like it might be the sort of thing you need.

YusMilady · 27/04/2011 15:37

sorry animula I'm really not trying to be an arse, honest! I'm one of those extremely irritating mid-life exercise enthusiasts. I was fat, unfit and a smoker until I was in my late 30s and thought exercise was completely pointless. Now I don't, tis all! Smile

Insomnia11 · 27/04/2011 15:51

I'm cycling to work once/twice a week, (15km, and hilly) I don't go on the pavement but I don't see anything wrong with cyclists on the pavement per se as long as they aren't bombing along and injuring pedestrians!

Does your arse ever stop hurting though? Mine has stopped hurting to fuck while I'm on the bike but I have arsearche for two days afterwards. And not just arse, but coccyx bone and fanny ache. It's not hideaously painful but a dull ache. I should probably just get some padded shorts shouldn't it?

Insomnia11 · 27/04/2011 15:52

Shouldn't I, I mean.

YusMilady · 27/04/2011 15:55

Yup, padded shorts. Or you can get padded knickers (try Wiggle) and wear them under normal shorts. But to be honest, for 15km you need proper comfy cycling shorts. Lycra...mmm.......

New (female specific) saddle too, perhaps?

Insomnia11 · 27/04/2011 16:00

I think it is a female specific saddle, but will look into it. Yes, will have to check out Wiggle, definitely. I have bought running stuff from them before. Thanks YusMilady. I did wonder if having a fat arse didn't help but seem to remember having a similar issue when it was considerably more bony as well. :)

GrimmaTheNome · 27/04/2011 16:15

Would love to see more dutch-style combined footpaths esp next to country lanes

that would be wonderful.

The lanes near us really aren't safe for cyclists (though one is designated as a national cycleway, apparently!).
We have to drive our bikes to parks/offroad cycle paths. Occasionally there's a linking section of road - DH (having not been on a bike for 40 years) and DD would use the pavement but slowly and considerately, always giving way to pedestrians. It really hasn't been a problem.

I think what the OP proposes really wouldn't be a problem in reality, but driving the bike to a park or cycle path if she can would be better.

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