to tell (adult) cyclists to GET OFF THE PAVEMENT!

[CelticPromise]

On my run last night a man cycled up behind me and passed pretty close. I didn't hear him cos listening to music. I didn't plan to say anything but 'get off the pavement!' just came out of my mouth. He shouted back something about there being no space on the road.

He then waited outside (i presume) his house and asked if I had a problem, to which I said I did with adults cycling on the pavement. He seemed to think that he was perfectly justified in cycling on the pavement because 'there is no space'. This went into a minor slanging match and I just told him to grow up and ran off.

Now I am not proud of shouting and if I could do it over i'd apologise for that and quietly point out that what he was doing is illegal and dangerous. But AIBU to say something? Has is become acceptable to cycle on pavements? Am I in the wrong?

YANBU, I'm a keen cyclist, and if I see someone go through reds or on the pavement, I usually shout

I am afraid it is so difficult or dangerous t
y
hat sometimes the only option is to go on the pavement

YANBU if his wheels were over a certain size (aka adult size bike) then it is illegal to cycle on the pavement.

I know exactly what you mean. It's inconsiderate and annoying, particularly when you get groups of people taking up the entire path. It is actually against the law for anyone over a certain age to ride on the path (unless it's a cycle path). I remember getting a police warning at 13 for riding my bike on the pavement.

is it really? I never knew it was illegal. I will cycle on the pavements if the roads are very busy as Im not a confident rider really untill we get to more remote areas.

YANBU

I walk to work and I have often encountered adults cycling on the pavement. Just to clarify, the road I walk along can be busy-ish but really not that bad. I would, and have, cycle along it myself. Alos I have regularly seen a mother and son of about 9/10 cycle along it on the way to school - so clearly she doesn't think it too dangerous.

What really annoyed me once though was meeting a womand cycling on a fairly narrow bit of the pavement and she waited for me to step in to the road so that she could stay on the pavement. Oh she did say thank you but even so!!!

I didn't know it was illegal! There are certain short stretches of road near me that are too busy or dangerous (ie you are pushed into the kerb by passing lorries or cars who cannot seem to give cyclists room) so I go on the pavement for a short stretch. It is a problem with runners who are listening to music as they won't know you are there, so not quite sure what the solution is there, other than to ring a bell or get off your bike? Agree it's not pleasant if you are are taken by surprise

Ah thanks I thought it was illegal but I didn't know about the wheel size, it was a full size bike.

Mutti this was on a reasonable quiet road that is a recommended cycle route, I regularly cycle along it with a child seat on the back. I hear what you're saying about dangerous roads, but I would argue if you are not confident with a particular road you should get off and walk your bike. I do this at a roundabout near me sometimes if I have DS. I think if a cyclist isn't confident enough to cycle in traffic at all, they should get lessons.

YANBU I agree, drives me potty.

Part of the solution is decent cycle paths and lanes and drivers having courtesy for cyclists, but yes, cycling on the pavement is illegal and dangerous.

I'm a cyclist, but not particularly confident, so if I don't feel comfortable on the road I dismount and push the bike along until I feel able to get back on.

I agree cyclists should get off bikes if not confident and there's no excuse for out ifc the road isn't dangerous

I think that is precisely the solution muttimalzwei. If you do have to cycle on the footpath, you should get off your bike, wait, or otherwise be considerate of pedestrians. They're the ones that the footpath is there for.

I've had a few slanging matches with van drives. One a courier van that pulled up with its two left hand wheels onto the pavement, just down the road from a busy school and right next to me and two six year olds. Just pulled up and parked there as if it was a parking spot in the street. When I called him on this he told me that I didn't own the footpath! I said that actually, as a pedestrian I do, and that if he's going to park on a footpath because there's no othe choice then fine, but don't just pull up expecting everyone else to look out for you! You know becuase for some strange reason, and I simply CANNOT think why, little kids aren't actually expecting to DODGE CARS WHILE ON THE FOOTPATH.

Sorry OP didn't realise how angry I still was about that.

How do you not know it is illegal? Runners are pedestrians, so entitled to use pavements. Cyclists are not.
Too busy/dangerous...get off and push/walk like a pedestrian has to cos they are using the pavement.

Yanbu . Was it on another thread someone suggested the response "do your mum an dad not let you ride on the road yet?"

YABU - not because of the cycling on the pavements, but because of your restriction to adults. All cyclists need to be on the road, because by allowing non-adults the leeway to do they will become habituated to it, and used to riding in those places. The limit for when children should not be on the road is when they're only at walking speed with their parents, after that I'd say they should also be banned from the pavement.

Dave Moulton recently blogged about this, and I'd agree with everything he says.

I have to say if someone rings a bike bell at me on the pavement I will not move and have been known to deliberately get in the way, because they shouldn't be there!

I am really not aggressive but this really bugs me.

YANBU. I agree that if a route is not safe to cycle, or if a cyclist is not confident on it, it should not be cycled, or the bike should be walked part of the way.

I think there is a big difference between cyclists (sensible, aware, law abiding, competent) and bycicle riders (ignore red lights, cycle on pavements because they are afraid to cycle on the road, no lights etc)

Interesting Fred fred. Talking of which what happened to that thread about the boy who ran into a younger child when he ran out in front of him. That seemed to go round in circles on when it was ok to cycle on pavement (no one put it as clearly as has been discussed here).

Btw I am not anti cyclist and agree its shockingly hard to cycle on road and some drivers are dangerous. That doesn't mean it's ok to put pedestrians at risk.

If you can't cycle on the road you are supposed to dismount to walk up the pavement. I do think there should be more cycle lanes but I'm regularly nearly annihilated by cyclists going full-pelt on pavements and it makes me really angry. I'm partially sighted and so have limited periphery vision- cyclists seem to assume that people must be able to see/hear them but we can't always and if you run into someone you are personally liable.

It happens a lot in central London- I once saw an idiot actually mount a buggy because he went round a corner too fast and didn't realise anyone would be walking down Baker Street, it would seem. Fortunately the child wasn't in the buggy at the time but it was sheer blind luck or else he would've killed them.

It is also illegal (by bylaws) to cycle on a lot of towpaths but no one pays any attention to that, even though it's really dangerous, especially for small children who are walking and will move around erratically/might not be visible/etc.

I don't blame him if the alternative is a really busy and dangerous road TBH. I have no problem with cyclists using the pavement as long as they cycle sensibly and give way for pedestrians (who have the greatest right to use them after all). Pedestrians are at the bottom of the food chain I agree and they need protecting, But I think your beef should be mainly with the lack of cycle paths and the attitude of car drivers to other road users.

That article was abit risible. "The lawlessness of cycling", ha.

Riding on the pavement isn't ideal but with due consideration on all parts there is plenty of room in 99.99999% of cases. Obv pedestrians take primacy. I ride on the pavement fairly daily - my commute to work involves an horrendous dual carriageway. So I'm breaking the law. So shoot me...well actually don't. I don't wish to die.......and as such I don't wish to become another statistic in the carnage that drivers cause amongst bikists.

The man sounds a bit of a wazzock, maybe even a twatbadger. But a contributory factor to his nearly hitting you was your having your earphones in. Nature gave you hearing as a means of warning and it's not in your interest to disable that, even temporarily.

chemiseblair Do towpaths need a local byelaw to restrict cycling, no vehicles are allowed on any without a permit - which can be downloaded for free for cycling - but some I guess could be bridleways in addition to towpaths and then need a byelaw?

Interesting blog fredfred. I wouldn't shout at a child on the pavement but I do think they should be taught to cycle properly in traffic. I cycle on routes I wouldn't want an eight or ten year old on though so it's difficult to get the right cut off. I think drivers have to have a lot more respect for cyclists first, although I find I get much more room when cycling with a child.

OrmIrian I agree about some drivers, although it has got better in the years I have been cycling. I don't always find cycle lanes helpful, on the road they are ignored and off the road they are often useless (like the ones near me where you have to give way to crossing pedestrians, turning cars and basically everyone. Easier to cycle on the road.)

Even worse: teenagers cycling through a park at high speed and almost running over my 6 year old.

I felt truly murderous.

CelticPromise Obviously the age depends a bit where it's suitable to ride, although I don't know many truly unsafe roads without a very viable alternative - the urban dual carriageways around here all have shared use if not full cycle paths next to them, or not out of your way smaller roads.

chemiseblair realised the rules are different within london so assume you must be in london.