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?

This really bugs me....we used to have a local newspaper columnist( moany old git) who was a keen cyclist always banging on in his column about the selfishness of motorists towards cyclists......he was forever cycling on the bloomin pavement, don't think I ever saw him actually on the road. One time he came up behind me as I was pushing the buggy and rang his bell really loudly for me to move aside so he could get past. I told him that pavements were for pedestrains not pillocks on bicyles. He gave me some verbal back but I refused to move aside and the look I gave him would have fried a mouse.

tinkertitonk I could be deaf. I would still have the right to be on the pavement and he would not. I doubt anyone would talk about the earphones being a contributory factor if a car had mounted the pavement.

GateGypsy i'd be angry too. That is what makes me cross about cyclists, pedestrians should not have to be looking out for anything faster than a runner.

As a pedestrian in London I find cyclists more of a threat than cars because too many of them show a complete disregard for the law. Riding on pavements, jumping red lights, going the wrong way up one way streets. I have twice been crossing at zebra crossing where cars have stopped and cyclists have whizzed in front of me down the middle of the road

YANBU.

I cycle to work in a built up environment and don't cycle on the pavement (well, hardly ever and very slowly when I do).

Occasionally one bends the rules a bit e.g. I will often move a little way beyond a red light to make sure I am clearly visible and some pillock doesn't turn left on top of me.

It does piss me off when cyclists think the rules simply don't apply to them.

I work in the centre of London and am 6 months pregnant - yesterday a cyclist who couldn't get through the way he wanted to go because of heavy traffic then mounted the pavement and had to swerve to avoid me at the last second when I came round the corner. To be honest, it's not even relevant that I'm pregnant I would have been annoyed anyway!

you have to make your choice - pedestrian on the pavement or cyclist on the road.

the other day walking to the post office a whole tour group on hire cycles (at least 15!) came storming down the pavement because the road they were trying to use as a cut through was closed, dinging their bells telling everyone to move out of their way!! Errr no? Get off your bike and push it on the pavement if you have to use it!

YABU But I understand if he passed near to you.
I have three children and cycle with them on the path and me on the road.
I have been known to cycle on paths when it is safe and convenient. NOT near people. Also pedestrian zones. I am always careful and considerate. Unlike so many bastard car/van/bus drivers.
I find people still feel the need to shout at me sometimes. I suspect this is partly because cyclists are not encased by a metal cage which makes you 'safe' and difficult to yell at. These shouters must suffer from terrible road rage when behind a wheel.

FredFred Oh, that's interesting. I've definitely walked down towpaths outside London that you weren't allowed to cycle on- that said, it was probably about 20 years ago now so things have no doubt changed and/or my memory is failing.

YADNBU, pavements are for pedestrians, that's the law.

If cyclists don't feel safe on the road then they are welcome to use the pavement too, so long as they get off their bike and push it, why is that so difficult for some of them to understand?!

I recently stood in the way of a couple of teenage cyclists on the pavement. I explained that they ought to be using the road. They abided, then hurled abuse at me when they were at a safe distance.

I turned round and growled a bit, they were off like a shot!

(Sometimes it helps to be a 17st rugby player)

It is illegal to ride on the pavement though. My father once got told off by a policeman who saw him riding down an alleyway near our house. It cut a corner off and was barely used by anybody so he used to take a chance. Quite right too. It is dangerous to cycle on a pavement. Cyclists can and have killed pedestrians.

Problem is children - they shouldn't be on the road as they have no road sense but they don't have any sense on pavements either. It is a difficult one.

YANBU YANBU YANBU

I am a pedestrian who is sick to bloody death of bloody cyclists nearly knocking me down on the footpath. Bleating on about how motorists don?t give them any consideration but not seeing anything wrong in mounting the pavement when it takes their fancy. Agh! Makes steam come out my ears. I am more than happy to tell them to get off the footpath and in fact did so this morning.

The worst of all are those middle aged, new to cycling types with their shiny new helmet, their shiny new high vis gear, their shiny new bike whizzing along the footpath because they?re too frightened to cycle on the roads. If you don?t want to cycle on the road THEN WALK!

Disclaimer: I realise not all cyclists cycle on the footpath.

Who the fuck died and made you robocop, complex? I'd have just ridden at you you little bully. (sometimes it's better to be a 19st wrestler)

angrywoman maybe they're shouting at you because you are not meant to be cycling on the path. Just a thought.

5Foot5

Why did you step off the pavement? I wouldn't if I had been the walker!

I cycle to school with 3 or 4 children regularly (6-7 year olds). 90% of the route is cycle track but there are some odd bits that aren't. on these bits I cycle on the pavement with the children as for me to be cycling on the road would mean either the road being between us (so not great supervision) or alternatively the children would have to cross the road unnecessarily several times (dangerous) or cycle on the road themselves (also dangerous in view of their age/experience). Interested to hear that I'm actually doing something illegal, but still not sure how I get round this ...

YANBU. Designated 'shared' pavements are the worst, around DD's nursery all the pavements are shared for pedestrians/cyclists. Unfortunately this means the vast majority of cyclists cycle wherever they like on the pavement at whatever speed they choose, sometimes side by side and NEVER slow down or dismount for anybody. I've lost count of the amount of times DD's buggy has nearly been taken out. As I use the route everyday I think it's only a matter of time before either her or me are hit

It's illegal. I'm a cyclist and I would never ride on the pavement, unless it has a dedicated cycle lane, and even then you go slowly and carefully.

Near where I live, a fucking stupid cunt of a grown man was riding fast on the pavement, and crashed into an elderly man. The elderly man died I believe the CRIMINAL BASTARD didn't even get a custodial sentence.

you where in the right if it was a pavement.

There are plenty of shared cycle path and walking paths though which are badly signed so half the people either don't know they are a cycle path shared and runners running with music in their ears that when you get up close and ring your bell to let them know you are behind (so you don't scare them) they ignore the noise and there is no way of telling why?

i cycle along the canal - I have checked with the waterways that this is ok to do and have been told it is fine. I cycle along the tow path and say hello then ring my bell and still runners refuse to move over and let me pass - I have to wait for ages, which can be annoying but I can't cycle over them. Then all of a sudden they must get a sense I am behind them and turn and you see they have ear plugs inserted in their fucking ears.

but that doesn't excuse the behaviour of the twat last night OP

Disclaimer: I only know this from my reading my local paper at the time. It was a couple of years ago now.

Amen to cyclists remembering they're vehicles and obeying traffic laws! Was knocked down in the middle of a zebra crossing by a cyclist who just sped off!

YABU
Worry about something more important.
I've seen policemen riding bikes on the pavements, so it can't be that illegal.

I'm baffled that anyone can say that the OP, or anyone who has told cyclists to get off the pavement, is BU/a bully. There's no ambiguity - they're breaking the law!

happybubblerain I think you'll find the police are often above the law. Happily for them.

I prefer cyclists to ride on the pavement as they a damn nuisance on the road!!!

it does depend what type of pavement path it is as to whether a law is being broken. The pavements needs to have a highway beside for it to be illegal to cycle along - but - you can cycle along a pavement if the road is busy and you would cause problems on the road and if you come to pedestrians then you must be careful.

It isn't as clear cut as not riding a bike on the road is illegal