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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Cycling etiquette

55 replies

oldgrandmama · 26/07/2013 15:26

I know, after the mauling from my last post, I said I'd go and never darken the Mumsnet doors again, but I'm a bit peeved and would welcome the comments from the lovely ladies here. I am walking along an Islington road. A lady cyclist - at a glance, I estimate in her late thirties, suitably accoutred in crash helmet (excellent - wish all cyclists would wear one) and nice lycra gear, comes bombing towards me. As she approaches me, fast, because, I suppose, I don't move fast, she shrieks: 'Get out of my WAY, you stupid old [c] word!'

Despite my seventy plus years, I hurl my arthritic self sideways into the hedge and railings, because, YES, you got it, I am actually walking along the PAVEMENT, where I though pedestrians were supposed safely to be able to walk without being called 'stupid old [c]' words or being in danger of run down by cyclists.

Now, before the more vehement graduates of the Mumsnet charm school pour scorching vitriol on my white head, I have absolutely NO OBJECTION to kids cycling along pavements. In fact, I would encourage it, since traffic is lethal in so many places. But, really - adults using pavements as thoroughfares? That 'lady' who shrieked at me is not a one-off - an awful lot of cyclists seem to consider it a handy cycle-lane and this is not good. Not just for ancient crones such as I, but for everyone - a mum with a pushchair and toddler is especially at risk.

OK - puts on tin helmet ...

OP posts:

Crinkle77 · 26/07/2013 15:28

The cyclist was being totally unreasonable. Cyclists should not be on pavements. I have heard of pedestrians being seriously injured by cyclists careering in to them.

Dahlen · 26/07/2013 15:30

I tend to be pro cyclists but YANBU and the cyclist certainly was.

Hope you're ok.

quoteunquote · 26/07/2013 15:31

start using a stick jolly useful in these situations, and next time report to the police 101.

angelos02 · 26/07/2013 15:31

Absolutely YANBU. On every single point.

HollaAtMeBaby · 26/07/2013 15:31

Unacceptable. I would have stood my ground, but I am lot younger than seventy! YANBU.

kittykarate · 26/07/2013 15:32

If it isn't shared use path - then she is soooo unbelievably unreasonable.

If it is shared use - she's still bloody unreasonable, common sense says that you should ride at a safe speed on shared use paths. However, it does my fruit when people wander around on shared use paths and give me mucky looks for cycling by. (admittedly the only evidence of their shared use status is an easily missed sign)

AmericasTorturedBrow · 26/07/2013 15:34

I am a cyclist and normally stick up for cyclists on threads but she was def in the wrong and no, YANBU

Beastofburden · 26/07/2013 15:34

I hate it when adult cyclists use the pavment. I fantasise about sticking a branch through their wheels and watching them crash off.

I especially hate it when they whip round corners, or come right up behind you and nip past, no warning, god help you if you dont look both ways and behind you, before drifting a bit from a dad straight line, or bending over to pick something up.

It's the pavement. It's for walking on, by people with little kids, disabilities, shopping, etc. We are not all in a position to leap out of the way, nor are we psychic. Cyclists are going way too fast for that to be safe.

Understood if the road is a bit chancy at that spot and they'd rather not bike that bit. Feel free to join us on the pavement- but push your bike for that short way. Otherwise, you make the pavement as dangerous as the roads, and we have nowhere else to go.

Original poster

oldgrandmama · 26/07/2013 15:35

It was most definitely NOT a shared path. Just an ordinary, narrow pavement.

OP posts:

Amibambini · 26/07/2013 15:40

I am a cyclist and YANBU. She was totally in the wrong! I love cycling, will defend decent cyclists as they do get a lot of stick, but that woman was dangerously in the wrong and tars us all with her reckless behaviour.

Sorry you had to experience that, glad you are ok and weren't knocked over.

firesidechat · 26/07/2013 15:43

What your lovely cyclist did was illegal as well as unreasonable. Not much you can do now, but that sort of thing gives decent cyclists a bad name.

MiddleAgeMiddleEngland · 26/07/2013 15:50

She was totally in the wrong - I'm speaking as a cyclist here.

Hope you're ok. Also, sorry that you have encountered rudeness on here in the past. There are a lot of bad manners here, but there's no need for it.

GreenShadow · 26/07/2013 15:53

I am generally quite happy to share the pavement with cyclists of all ages as long as they realise they need to travel at suitable speeds and slow down if they do encounter pedestrians.

If they don't give way to those on foot, then I'm afraid they may end up in the road if they come too near me. I would be willing to risk injury to myself by not moving if they came up to me at speed....

PedantMarina · 26/07/2013 15:54

I am a [decent] cyclist, and I'm here to say, she was absolutely unreasonable and YY ^^ breaking the law.

Disagree that there's nothing much you can do now. You can (and I will tihnk YABU if you don't) ring the police with a report on this. Chances are the cyclist does this a lot in the area, and if you report, nothing much may get done this time, but it will go on a log, and someday her luck will run out.

Also glad to see you're OK. If you're rattled and mad, however, channel it for the greater good. Make that call.

diddl · 26/07/2013 15:59

I'm in Germany.

We have cycle paths.

That means that cyclists are allowed to cycle on them.

Not that they have right of way over pedestrians!

Justforlaughs · 26/07/2013 16:05

YANBU, I'm also glad that you are ok, and I would encourage you to carry a walking stick for just such occasions as this. I always kind of hope that I'm going to meet idiots like this, but either I am lucky or they see me coming and know that they would end up in the hedge themselves if they tried it. I will confess to cycling, at times, on the pavement, but I promise you that I have never overtaken a pedestrian on the pavement and always stop if there is one coming the opposite direction. And I always get back on the road as soon as it is safe.

whatsthatcomingoverthehill · 26/07/2013 16:07

I'm a cyclist and I don't understand why people feel the need to cycle on the pavement. If I'm walking and encounter a cyclist I certainly do not get out of the way, but then I'm a bolshy git. You were unreasonable in not having a suitable expletive to shout back at her, but I understand you were put on the spot.

Original poster

oldgrandmama · 26/07/2013 16:10

Yes, I've thought about using a walking stick to put a spoke in their wheels (is that the right term?) or even using the crutches I have from recent hip surgery. Or ... giving them a smart push as they hurtle past me. But then ... I think that I'D probably be in the wrong if they fell and hurt themselves (or topped in the path of a passing bus) and I'd be prosecuted. Can't win, I reckon.

OP posts:

whois · 26/07/2013 16:16

Bloody hell did this really happen?? Even on a shared path pedestrians are meant to have priority and you're meant to cycle slow!

I actually don't believe someone would be so unhinged as to think they were in the right to shout that?

Justforlaughs · 26/07/2013 16:20

A 4 wheel push along shopping trolley would do the trick. If you have to move out of the way, just leave it behind. They fall off, no blame attached to you at all

sausageandorangepickle · 26/07/2013 16:48

Had a similar thing happen the other weekend - pushing the pushchair up a hill at the side of a main road with a bus lane, 2 cyclists came up behind me and shouted at me to get out of the way. (although they didn't swear) I didn't, and pointed out that they were old enough to ride on the road - they'd have the whole bloody bus lane, plenty of space away from the cars. They both bumped down the kerb but back up again immediately in front of me, with much muttering under their breath.

idiots.

hope you were ok, and next time swear back!!

Justforlaughs · 26/07/2013 16:54

Just a minor point OP, it's not an issue about cycling etiquette, it's a case of the law.

LimeLeaffLizard · 26/07/2013 17:02

YANBU. Cyclists on the pavement terrify me. It happens a lot on my walk home from school and I am scared that one day one of my children will be hit and injured or killed. It is particularly scary when they come up silently behind you. Small children rarely walk in an exactly straight line and it is an accident waiting to happen.

I faced down a young man the other day by refusing to move out of his way for him to cycle along the pavement. He argued with me for a while before eventually dismounting and walking past.

badguider · 26/07/2013 17:05

Wow! I've honestly never really seen a cyclist on a pavement round here. Except maybe to cross it to get onto a pedestrianised street that is blocked to cars... or when mounting and dismounting or very occassionally to cross a scary junction on the green man instead of with the traffic.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 26/07/2013 17:11

Oldgrandmama - I think you could have simply told your story without all the passive-aggressive '..mauling from my last post...', '... vehement graduates of the Mumsnet charm school pour scorching vitriol...' and 'putting on of tin helmets...' and you would have got the same responses.

Of course the cyclist was utterly unreasonable, not to mention rude and dangerous, and you have every right to be more than peeved.

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