AIBU re cyclist on pavement/cyclist going wrong way down one-way lane?

[blueberryporridge]

Just wondering, genuinely, if IWBU (I know I was a bit assertive) and also WWYD next?

Background (sorry, a bit lengthy): we live on a short stretch of narrow lane off a busy main road. The lane is one-way due to its width, and the direction of the one-way is because drivers coming off the main road are faced with a blind corner so, if anyone is on the road coming in the wrong direction, a car turning into the lane would be at great risk of colliding with him/her. Despite this, cyclists regularly cycle at speed the wrong way up the lane to join the main road. I always slow right down when turning into the lane in the car as I know there is a good chance there will be a cyclist (or a few of them) coming up the wrong way. There is a narrow pavement on one side of the lane (which is on our house's side of the lane and passes in front of our driveway).

Anyway, today, driving home at teatime rush, I was just about to turn into our driveway when I saw a cyclist heading up the lane in the wrong direction and just coming up to our drive. I normally stop to let any pedestrians past before I turn into our drive, but I must admit I was slightly fed-up by yet another cyclist heading in the wrong direction, and turned the car into the driveway making him stop. I also (and wouldn't normally do this but was feeling a bit exasperated after a hard week at work) rolled down my window and said "it's one-way". I noticed in passing at that point that the cyclist was actually on the pavement rather than on the road itself.

Cyclist proceeded to continue up the lane against the one-way flow, then turned round to come back and shout at me that he had been cycling on the pavement, not the road, and therefore it didn't matter what direction he had been heading in. I said that I felt it was inconsiderate and potentially dangerous to be cycling on the pavement, thinking of small DC or elderly mother possibly stepping out of our driveway unable to see cyclist about to whizz past our gate, and being knocked over. (Due to neighbour's mature trees, shrubs etc, visibility when coming out of our driveway (in the car or on foot) is not great.)

I also said that he shouldn't be cycling up the lane in the wrong direction due to the danger of the junction, and that approaching it on the narrow pavement wasn't any safer for him and made it more hazardous for pedestrians coming round the corner on the pavement.

He then told me that I didn't know anything about cycling. I explained that I do cycle quite a bit (well, I used to in my younger days) at which point he looked me up and down and said "I doubt it". (Obviously doesn't think I'd look good in black lycra, which is, unfortunately, correct....) He then went on to say that there was absolutely nothing in the Highway Code to say that cyclists couldn't cycle on pavements, and that he would be continuing to do this when he cycles home up our lane (in the wrong direction) every evening.

Well, I've checked up my Highway Code since and see, as I thought, that it states quite categorically that cyclists must not cycle on pavements. (It also contravenes a certain paragraph of the Road Traffic Act whose reference details I can't remember just now.)

So (1) WasIBU to tell him he shouldn't be cycling the wrong way up a narrow one-way lane with a blind junction and (2) that he shouldn't be cycling on the pavement?

And (3) Would IBU to print out a copy of the relevant Highway Code and legal paragraphs and hand them to him the next time he whizzes along the pavement in front of our house?

Or is it none of my business (unless, of course, I end up knocking the down or being knocked down by him as I come out my gate on foot one evening?

soulrebel63 - I explained why I cycle on the pavement for 50m in my post?

Yes, because you considered the road too dangerous. You did not explain why you had to break the law and cycle on the pavement instead of walking and pushing your bike for 50m.

Why did you have to cycle on the pavement?
Again I ask. Was it just laziness? Or was there another good reason?

After all, people would walk on it so why shouldn't I cycle?

Because it's a pavement for people to walk on maybe.

Then get off it, push it and become a pedestrian for that section

Exactly.

What is the problem with getting off and pushing?

I still don't get it. Sorry.

As for the op, could you print off or photocopy the relevant bit of the Highway Code and attach it to lamp posts or walls for the benifit of all road users.

And I agree with a PP. There are arseholes and considerate people everywhere. There are drivers on their phones, pedestrians who walk filling the entire pavement and cyclists who cycle on pavements and jump red lights.

Not all cyclists are arseholes but some are.

I cycle on our local pavements

A. Because I am too wobbly to go on the road
B. The road is far too busy
C. Virtually no one uses the pavements to walk on round here and if I see a pedestrian I stop and push.
D. The pavements are really wide and I can see all around.

It's still naughty though but I want to live and get fit!

Ps. Some pavements are divided into cycles and pedestrian areas like they do in Germany, just wish they all were!

YWBU to deliberately drive in front of a cyclist just because you were cross. He could have been seriously injured if he had hit your car. You are not the traffic police, and in any case the traffic police would not do something that might cause injury as "punishment" for riding on the pavement - it would be a fine.

HWBU to cycle on the pavement.

You and the cyclist could both instead lobby for a safe cycle provision where there is clearly demand, then everyone would be happy.

Some pavements are divided into cycles and pedestrian areas

Yes. I am a cyclist. There are several very long stretches like this in my area. In one long stretch the pavement is 10 feet wide, 7 for pedestrians and 3 for cyclists. Yet so many people choose to walk in the cycle lane. Why? This is so annoying. The other day I saw 2 PCSOs walk the entire length in the cycle lane.

Everyday though I see many cyclists go very fast on a narrow busy pavement yet the adjacent road is very wide, very quiet and very safe. Much safer than the pavement due to driveways, t-junctions to cross and pedestrians, pushchairs, kids on scooters etc. Why do they do it? I really don't understand. Yet the police and PCSOs walking along just ignore them and say/do nothing.

Frustrating.

Over here, it gets confusing as there are markings on some pavements that imply that cycling is permitted, then they disappear and reappear on the other side of the road! Or, you have to cycle a short way on the pavement, then are directed into the road, then back on to the pavement, then cross over and use the cycle path on the other side...take a breath and ...repeat!

Once any CC gets cyclists properly integrated with roads and pedestrians it'll sort itself out, but all comes down to ££ and most CCs simply don't have any.

In the meantime, I use the pavement when it seems safe to do so and there are markings on the pavement for cycleway, I do use my bell and thank people when they do get out of the way. If they don't hear me, I get off and push. If I'm on a ramp in an underpass I will stop and push if there's a pushchair / wheelchair. Until cyclists are fully integrated it's cycle / stop / push / cycle...Annoying, but still quicker than walking all the way!

BTW I expect the cyclist came back and shouted at you because you had frightened him badly - he was presumably not expecting a car to drive across the pavement in front of him, seemingly on purpose to scare him (no other real reason for winding down the window and saying "it's one way"). Not that that is an excuse for shouting, but it is an explanation.

Littlemiss - I understand the OP's frustration at the situation and she has stated she frequently has to take steps to avoid idiots like this particular cyclist. Bit rich of him to complain about her turning into her drive when he was breaking the law on two counts, no? What does it take to stop this arrogant, self-important behaviour?

littlemissmaths
"You and the cyclist could both instead lobby for a safe cycle provision where there is clearly demand"

How would that help in this case where the cyclist is illegally riding the wrong way up a one way street?

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Littmissmaths - would just like to clarify that I didn't drive across the pavement in front of him, put him in danger or drive unsafely in any way. I just did not wait on the road and gesture him to continue across our gateway like I would normally do with a pedestrian (or cyclist heading the correct way) before I started the manoeuvre into our driveway (which has to be done slowly as it's a very tight turn in a narrow lane). He was not frightened or in danger in any way - he was just obviously one of these entitled cyclists who think they can ignore the rules of the road (and pavement). I know cyclists are not all like that and I do cycle myself a bit as well so understand the problems.

Not sure if I have the nerve to present him with a copy of the Highway Code but can't get over the cheek of him quoting it falsely!

wowfudge clearly the cyclist was in the wrong by cycling on the pavement but actually I think that the OP may have behaved more dangerously through a sense of, um, wanting to be the traffic police. I understand drivers can be frustrated by cyclists, and especially by cyclists breaking the Highway Code, but Road Rage behind the wheel can kill and must be resisted. Drivers should not take "retaliatory" action against vulnerable road users, no matter how frustrated they are, and how much they think they are doing it "to teach the cyclist a lesson." Not quite sure if this is exactly what happened but it sounds rather like it.

Cross post with OP. :-) thanks for the clarification. That sounds fine then. It is incredible how MANY drivers (not you) think that they can teach cyclists something by deliberately driving so as to endanger them.

YWNBU OP. I am a keen cyclist and if I feel like I have to go on a pavement at any time, I always get off my bike and walk with it. I follow the highway code as I know when I drive that I get incredibly pissed off with cyclists who don't. This cyclist sounds like a twat.

Hmm, I have made myself sound like some kind of cycling saint. Sorry, I don't mean to sound so self-righteous.

littlemissmaths
"clearly the cyclist was in the wrong by cycling on the pavement"

And riding the wrong way up a one way street.

Sounds like a really effective solution would be to create a segregated two-way cycle lane for that stretch of narrow road, thereby making it safe to bike on it. IF it's too narrow for two cars that's no reason to not make it safe for one car and a bike lane. So we're all winners, and safe.

Interesting though OP you go to some length to create a narrative in which you knew you were not unreasonable, and merely go out to 'unleash' the usual MN bike-bashing throng and their idiocies about bikes not recognising the law and the HC.

BBJ - he was cycling on the pavement, not riding the wrong way up a street. You can't 'have him' for both.

pan

Are you saying that the op is lying about what happened?

Why would I want to 'have him' for anything?

He was on the pavement, not the road. His offence was riding on the pavement, not cycling up a one-way road.

Otherwise, you could prosecute peds for walking the wrong way up the road. This is not difficult stuff is it?

Panwearsamagicjersey - in my OP I was just asking if I was unreasonable to have said something to him. I don't normally go for confrontation and wondered afterwards if I had been unreasonable to speak to him. Genuinely didn't know what the MN response would be - half expected to be told to mind my own business!

I'm all for cycle-lane provision where it's possible. Not sure it would work on our lane though, especially in both directions, because it is so narrow and there are concealed driveways with limited views of the road on both sides of it.

He was an arsehole, rude to you and, more to the point, ill informed and acting illegally. I fucking hate arsey cyclists and come across a lot of them (usually shouting at me as I'm crossing at a green man and they shoot across it ).

No its not difficult, but then it shouldn't difficult to see that he was in the wrong without the passive aggressive put downs.