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?

Bad not mad. Although I suppose it could work either way!

When cyclists are treated as motor vehicles and made to compete for space on the road, they get edgy, nervous and more aggressive. So you see more dangerous cycling, not less.
I think cyclists are a lot closer to pedestrians than to cars. They are basically pedestrians on two wheels. The emphasis should be on cycling safely and considerately, then everyone would be better off.

This means you know the problem. It happens frequently on pedestrian designated (widened) precincts. It's almost always single adults, though rarely consenting adults as well! Protests elicit everything from a laugh to a sworn retort. No-one has mentioned the bystander apathy surrounding these incidents. I am not a parent but have studied parenting at university, and I would argue that stepping out of shops is now hazardous at times. The only place I would cut some slack is where cyclists have to do a right turn across busy traffic or to get directly onto the road from a bike stand adjacent to the shops in question.