To think if cars don't allow enough room for my bike, I have no choice but to go onto the pavement?

[Hammy02]

I cycle to work everyday but increasingly I've found that cars are so close to the pavement that I couldn't fit my bike inbetween. What am I supposed to do? I live in a city in which there are loads of bikes so locals should be used to cyclists. Unless it is tourists but still.

I haven't read every post on this thread, so apologies in advance if this has already been said.

Riding on the pavement, even in a quiet street, is dangerous and illegal. You may say you are careful, but that's no guarantee of not hurting a pedestrian.

Some years ago, my DS, who was 6 at the time, was knocked down by a cyclist on the pavement on a quiet estate road. He was with my DH at the time, holding his hand, yet the cyclist came round the corner and knocked him down in a moment.

This resulted in a 999 call, 2 days in hospital, plastic surgery, and finally a permanent scar on his face, which 15 years later is still visible. The police did go and have a 'friendly chat' with the cyclist, but that was all.

The cyclist did come round and apologise, and I think he was very sorry to see the damage he caused. I'm pretty sure he won't have cycled on the pavement since.

From the other point of view, my DD cycles daily in city conditions, and of course there are dangers in riding on the roads. I worry about her safety. But the answer is not to endanger pedestrians.

Wow, I posted a thread about cycling on the pavement a while a go, it was a very very different scenario to the op, and even the vehement anti cyclists said YANBU.

So I don't think we should be tarring and brushing people for their opinions on this one.

I think in the ops case she is bu as I would stay in the flow of traffic. Its not right to undertake at all ever.

In regards to the law I sought advice on this directly whilst trying to get the road issues fixed. The law on cycling on pavements is based purely on wheel size. After that it is based on discretion.

Cycle at speed with your nose down and arse in the air...you'll get done.

Cycle slowly, giving way to pedestrians and dismounting where necessary and you'll be fine. I have since regularly cycled past the local constabulary on the pavement in my town and have not been fined or stopped as yet, nor have a been told off or glared at by pedestrians.

Personally I think you should queue, which is what I would do as a cyclist. You can usually filter past most cars, but a few might hold you up.

However, I know that cycling on the pavement is illegal, but in many of the countries I visit, it isn't, and I don't know we have such a problem with cyclists on pavements. I generally think it's good for every party to have to share space, be it cyclists, walkers and drivers (within reason) as it makes everyone more aware (and there's good evidence for this)

Don't go onto the pavement unless its an official cycle path.

WoahWoah, one of DS's school friends was in a similar position (holding mums hand) but hit my a mobility scooter, the difference being that when the police called to discuss it she insisted she was being victimised for being disabled

Wow, hungrydragon, that takes the I think! At least the cyclist in our case was sorry!

hi hungryDragon - I remember the thread. Good to see you are still with us!

can I have a biscuit too, please? I do that sort of thing all the time!

ED - thanks for the defence of the personal abuse bit. 'twas ALL tit-for-tat.

if we have focussed down to 'pavement or not', then there isn't really much more I can say. I am not having dd made fatherless because of some brainless driver. Riding with care on the pavement IS fine when one has to - I threaten no-one - and that position isn't arrogant. It's utter common sense.

I commute to the station by bike (I'm up before most of the inconsiderate car drivers so I don't have a problem in the morning). In the evening when I cycle from the station, most cars accelerate past me like they are being chased my something then pull in front of me & slam the anchors on when they get to the queue that is ever present causing me to need to stop urgently.

If they don't want me to pass on their left why don't they just pootle along behind me rather than get past at all costs just in case the queue which they can see is a mirage?

If no-one cycled all of the inconsiderate drivers would be stuck in even larger queues.

Never on the pavement though (well I did once to avoid a van that didn't see me but I think that's acceptable).

I'm sorry, but all the cyclists who've hit me/made me jump away no doubt assumed the same. I expect so did the cyclists who've killed people. It is not good enough for me.

But I wish we could sort things out better for cyclists, that's the answer IMO.

oh FFS "cyclists who have killed people" - get a grip. and a bit of proportionate thinking.

and suddenly everyone will be knowing of the case of the family of 7 who were mowed down by a cyclist and all killed and witnessed by a girl guide group.

S'true.

Okay, so today I'm driving on a busy road and I see cars coming the opposite way swirving on to my side of the road. Drive a little further and see a man riding a bike, AND PUSHING ANOTHER BIKE ALONGSIDE HIM.

DO THESE CYCLISTS HAVE DEATH WISHES FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHER DRIVERS?

I don't think cars should be able to drive on pavements under any circumstances. I was on a pavement when I got hit by a car and it fucking hurt jolly well smarted.

technically though if it wasn't safe to over take they shouldn't've done so MrBloom. I think you were at that point facing a horde of oncoming dickheads regardless of mode of transports.

hence I think your shouting was well justified

yes, my thought as well. Such irresponsible drivers having a death wish for themselves and others! Shame on them.

I don't drive or cycle but every time I come back to the UK I am horrified by bloody selfish moron drivers. It's bad enough being a pedestrian - I feel bullied - but I'd hate to be a cyclist.

Why don't we all embrace cyclists? Peaceful, quiet, no poisonous fumes, safe etc etc.

No, lets embrace all good cyclists

(and kick the other ones off the pavement )

Pan - I have a grip, thanks. I'm mentioning that extreme because it seems to be the only way to get through to people that cycling is actually not always the act of an angel of safety.

It is purely selfish to insist your safety is so important, you won't choose to walk (like the rest of us) - you'll endanger other people's safety instead.

"you'll endanger other people's safety instead." .

must be orff. HD - stay safe!

BUT, it was a 20mph road!!!!!!!!!!The bloody cyclist was going at 5mph because he obviously had another bike to push along! Technically it is not illegal to overtake if you are not breaking the speed limit, and this idiot cyclist was taking ALOT of space.

Who the hell rides two bikes on a main road?

Well, he does.

Ok, lets get some stats on this.

17,430 cyclists were killed or injured on the road in year to September 2010. 2,770 were killed or seriously injured.

British roads are not good compared to other countries. Apparently:
"the average cyclist in Denmark rides over 10 times further than his or her British peer every year but runs only 20% of the risk of being killed."

Thats a lot, and it is understandable why you would consider using the pavement. HOWEVER:

This is from 2009:
In the last ten years, just over 7,600 pedestrian were killed by motor vehicles while 29 were killed by cyclists. Over the same period, 364,000 pedestrians were injured by motor vehicles, almost 76,000 (or 21%) of them seriously while cyclists injured just over 2,600 with roughly the same proportion (22%) being considered serious.

So, yeah cars are more dangerous to pedestrians in theory, but then there are a lot few cyclists... and there are a lot more fatalities/injuries by cyclist than I thought there would be. Cycling on the pavement isn't the solution to the problems on the road.

I think its worth pointing out there are good cyclists and bad cyclists and the same for drivers. BOTH need to improve to get those stats down.

I think there needs to be a minimum speed on roads as well as a maximum ( caught behind cyclist this afternoon, 5 mph for about 1/2 mil, couldn't overtake.

Lots of very frustrated people, can see how this would cause accidents