To cycle on the pavement with children?

[Aquariusgirl86]

I commute to work on my bike and always cycle on the roads but recently bought a trailer for my bike so I can take my two children 14 months and 30 months out as we just got rid of the car. Is it ok to go on pavements? There are lots of cycle routes her but there's a few places I need to go that I can't use them, if I'm on small quiet roads I use the road but on medium- ish roads with wide pavements is it ok to use the pavement? I don't expect pedestrians to move out my way, I'm never in a huge hurry I just want to keep the kids safe.......aibu?

Medium-ish busy roads with wide-quiet pavements beside them? You'd be taking unnecessary risks if you didn't use them.

The laws are applied with a commonsense and pragmatic approach.

Where I used to live (lots of bikes) the police used to hand out spot fines to cyclists. It was £30 for not having lights after dark. £200 for cycling on the pavement.

It's no longer illegal to cycle on the pavement as long as you are careful, according to my adult cycling instructor. YANBU, especially given many drivers' poor attitude towards cyclists.

actually, I think it sounds OK - you have thought it through, it's not a busy place, the pavement sounds wide enough to take you and, say, a pushchair coming the other way, and you'll be on it for a short amount of time. You're not going to ring your bell or expect anyone (and it doesn't sound like there will be anyone very often) to get out of your way.

I would do it.

Can't you just walk with the bike for the bits with no cycle path? Cyclists on the pavement are really intimidating because you never know if they are going to accidentally crash into you.

If there's a short bit you don't feel safe on the road, or a dodgy junction, just get off and walk the bike along the pavement for that bit. Allow extra time to do this if you need to.

I would go on the pavement where the roads aren't safe for kids and bikes. So long as there is room for pedestrians and you aren't going fast I don't see a problem.

Thanks pan that's what I'm asking about. I did a route the other day that I used the road or designated cycle paths for 95% of the journey but there's a bit leading up to a busy roundabout with a wide pavement and no one on it...... These are the type of areas im talking about...... If there was a pedestrian on it I would have got off and walked round them......and if that's inconsiderate please consider that the trailer is the same width as my double buggy......., so I'm possibly being inconsiderate leaving my house at all.

MrsVegardYlvisaker
It is very much illegal to cycle on pavements and nothing has changed
You might want to check where your cycle instructor has got their misinformation from

YANBU. I walk nearly everywhere but I prefer sensible cycling on the pavement than seeing bikes on the road. As long as it's not fast or through a busy pavement then it doesn't bother me.

I won't be putting the dc's on the road when they're older. FWIW The police cycle on the paths where I live, I doubt they'd stop anyone unless they were cycling dangerously.

DeWe - that just isn't true. The FPN is £30 and then isn't dished out automatically, and v probably not in these circumstances. And police or support officer would be viewed as a bit of a bully.

Wouldn't bother me at all.

You sound very considerate and most unlikely to be reckless with other pavement users.

can you phone your council and just check their latest position - I would hat to think you could get a £200 fine !

YABU. And when your kids are old enough to walk to school you will be just as as the next mother, with cyclists who use the pavement.

Bikes are sharp, heavy metal things. They go faster than walking- that's kind of the point. If the road is dangerous, get off and push. It's not fair to make the pavement dangerous for the rest of us- where are we meant to go?

People always say they cycle really slowly on pavements, but they don't after a bit, and they also whizz round corners :(

YABU but it's a really tricky one. I have seen those trailers and I worry about them on the roads as well, they are low to the ground and tricky for a motorist to spot and sorry to labour the point, but they do seem vulnerable in them.

If it were me I'd use the path if no walkers are around, but get huge stick up flag for the trailer and use the road in other circumstances.

I don't think it's fair to visit the sins of inconsiderate riders on the OP. She has two little ones to consider, with a comparatively safe option.
Like I said, commonsense and pragmatism.

I'd also suspect the nay-sayers are mainly car users, so the complaints about 'it's the law' when car users ignore 'the law' every day is a bit risible.

I got told off by a policewoman for riding my bike on the pavement. I was 6.

I also got told off by the same woman for walking along the railing gate of my house! Think she was a bit of a jobsworth, tbh.

As long as other people can get past and you don't ride too fast then I think its fine. Too many drivers don't pass cyclists wide enough or slow enough so I think it might be safer on the pavement. There are lots of other people using the pavement who take up just as much space - double buggies, motorised wheelchairs, people who insist on walking 3 abreast. And children on scooters are sometimes a complete menace but it's fine for them to use the pavement.

Not a car-user here, we dont have a car and I cycle. Or walk.

I can't see a problem with it as long as you stop if a pedestrian needs to get past you, and don't come up behind people at high speed.
I was shouted at last night on an unlit road by a cyclist cycling in the middle of the road to pass slow moving traffic. She had rubbish lights too - I don't tend to look in my wing mirror for cyclists on that side of me - I would have thought she would have been a lot safer on the pavement.

Sorry OP, but comparing trailers and double buggies is silly. The latter are for pedestrian use and can (usually!) be easily manoeuvred out of people's way when required. Not so easy to do with a child-laden trailer attached to a bike! Suggest you read up on the law in this area, it is in place to protect the most vulnerable highway users - pedestrians.

norude that would be fine if the OP pushed her bike. Riding it, she will be going too fast. And she can do a lot more damage than a kid on a scooter.

But I would agree that these trailers are dangerous. IIRC they were built for countries where there are enough cycle paths- they were not designed for road use. I would never use one. What happens if you are involved in a shunt from the car behind ?

smashed- she might have been, nobody disagrees that the cyclist does well out of this. But anyone walking down that pavement would have been less safe.

Better if she cycles more carefully, you get used to looking right for cyclists as well as left, or she walks, really.

YABU, twice my son has been knocked over by people who think the rules don't apply to them. Try planning your journey a bit better, there is probably a longer way around. I know you want to keep your children safe, but I want to keep mine safe too.

Think I'll just get off and walk, seems less stressful

Of course, you do that OP.