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Original poster

Cyclists on pavement

289 replies

Rentergob89 · 21/09/2016 17:23

So this week a lady has been riding her bike on the pavement whilst children and their parents are attempting to walk in the opposite direction. She does not stop for anyone and yesterday had knocked a small child over grumbled something and carried on riding her bike on the pavement. Today I could see her coming towards me so I stopped where I was and refused to move for her. She stopped and said I was an inconvenience and I should move my fat a### out the way. I replied " you should not be riding your bike on the pavement you should be in the road" she then rode off swearing and shoving her two fingers up at me. Charming!! Two other mothers witnessed this and said thank you to me for saying something another however said I was in the wrong for not moving out of the way for her.
The pavement gets really busy after school as its the only way children and parents can walk to either their cars or the bus stop. All I am concerned about is the safety of the children but she seems to only care about herself. Was I in the wrong??

OP posts:
KERALA1 · 22/09/2016 11:36

I occasionally cycle on the pavement but only if I've forgotten my lights and there are very few pedestrians who I of course give way to. I feel guilty when I do and know am in the wrong. This lady sounds like a loon

Cloudspider · 22/09/2016 11:38

Anyone regardless of age cycling on a footpath is breaking the law under the 1835 highway act, in 1999 the fixed penalty notice of £30 was brought in max fine £500. Children under age can not be prosecuted but are criminals!

JacquesHammer · 22/09/2016 11:40

I think it would be great if cyclists were required to wear an identifying number like number plates.

Then there is recourse against the ones who are idiots and the ones that aren't don't get tarred with the same brush because people feel like something can/will be done.

We have a number of cyclists around here. 85% are perfectly decent and capable road users. The other 15% are terrifying quite frankly.

FullTimeYummy · 22/09/2016 11:48

Apparently when they brought in number plates for cars and it stopped all traffic offences over night

myfavouritecolourispurple · 22/09/2016 11:49

Funnily enough a discussion about this has started on my local Facebook parents page this morning :)

Cycling on the pavement is illegal. However, in the real world, cycling on the roads can be very dangerous. I can't see the issue with riding on the pavement if they are completely empty, which they often are, or if you give way to pedestrians, which obviously wasn't the case in the OP's situation. I would not necessarily get off my bike, as I take up more room walking alongside it than I do riding very slowly on it, but I would ride at walking pace past the pedestrian. If the pedestrians are completely blocking the pavement, I would expect them to give me some room, as they would have to give me room if I was on foot.

The cyclist in the OP's example was an idiot. I had a similar experience with a mum and her 4 year old son. She told me to get out of the way, I said they should not be on the pavement and she told me I was being stupid because of her 4 year old. Well I wasn't, because it was a busy road and she was expecting me to walk in the gutter alongside cars and lorries. Whereas if she and her son went single file on the pavement, there was plenty of room for me as well.

It's all about give and take. It would help if more pavements were made shared use.

VioletBam · 22/09/2016 11:51

This is all a bit goady.

OP posts once about an often contentious subject, then buggers off again aside from one minor post and sits back to watch everyone froth about the "woman on the path"

WheelofPan · 22/09/2016 11:52

Well quite - no-one who rides a Bike has even tried to 'defend' the woman in the OP who sounds like a right arse.

The stupidity of trying to 'lump' all riders together is one thing, but advocating violence against bike riders which will probs. involves an offence of wounding seems to be very well tolerated round here. Not sure which other group of people posters are so blase about attacking.

acasualobserver · 22/09/2016 11:55

I think it would be great if cyclists were required to wear an identifying number like number plates.

Every feasibility study of number plates for bikes concludes in the same way: they would be expensive, impractical and difficult to enforce. However, a few countries have introduced them - North Korea being one.

WheelofPan · 22/09/2016 11:55

yep, number plates totally obliterated car drivers commiting offences. No-one phones/texts, speeds, drink drive, no insurance.......blah.

Probs work just as well with bikes. AND police have infinite resources to enforce rules. As we know...

HunterHearstHelmsley · 22/09/2016 12:01

Laughing at "smacking someone in the face" if they caught you with their hand bag Grin I'd love someone to try that with me.

mypropertea · 22/09/2016 12:06

As it is happening at the same time every day, and there has already been an child knocked over, I'd probably call 111 and see if anyone is available to be there.

MitzyLeFrouf · 22/09/2016 12:10

I've started telling pavement cyclists to get on the road. I care not a whit if this puts them out.

wasonthelist · 22/09/2016 12:12

As it is happening at the same time every day, and there has already been an child knocked over, I'd probably call 111 and see if anyone is available to be there.

Like a doctor or nurse presumably?

IceRoadDucker · 22/09/2016 12:27

I don't move for these tossers either.

JacquesHammer · 22/09/2016 12:30

Apparently when they brought in number plates for cars and it stopped all traffic offences over night

Oh come on that's clearly not what I said. It does mean however that if you're in an incident you have SOME chance of recourse.

I have actually complained to the police about a dangerous cyclist - they said "oh well we couldn't prove it was the same one". He does the same batshit stuff everyday - he is going to kill someone, most likely himself through utter stupidity and not knowing the rules of the road.

ShotsFired · 22/09/2016 12:40

What exactly is this guy doing?

RebootYourEngine · 22/09/2016 12:45

There are three people who cycle passed me om my way to work everyday. Two(females) cycle on the road and one(male) cycles on the pavement. The guy cycles comes screaming up behind me. Then slams on his brakes. Then rings his bells like mad if it a narrow bit of pavement. If it is wider he just cycles passed at quite a speed.

One day i lost my temper and told him he should be on the road. He just muttered something and carried on. The road isnt busy so he has no excuse for being on the pavement.

wasonthelist · 22/09/2016 12:46

As if the (tiny minority) of batshit cyclists would bother to put a reg plate (or at least the right one) on their bike. There is zero chance of reg plates for bikes being any use at all, it would be, like most such "clamp down" measures simply another burden on the decent and law-abiding whilst the tossers carry on as before.

Cloudspider · 22/09/2016 12:50

Lycra clad cyclist zooming down the pavement is dangerous and illegal, I think everyone would agree. The issue for me is recreational bike riders. The question is by using the pavement to avoid dangerous busy roads. Are they sensible for preserving their life or mind less monsters?
I would never ask a child or clearly inexperienced cyclist to move on to a road.
Forcing children on to roads putting them in danger is morally wrong but legally right. The law is nearly 200 years old and needs to be reviewed.
Everyone has the right to be safe and that is where the conflict starts.

I'd do agree stupid people do stupid thing pedestrian, cyclist or driver.

MitzyLeFrouf · 22/09/2016 12:54

'The question is by using the pavement to avoid dangerous busy roads. Are they sensible for preserving their life or mind less monsters?'

They should dismount and walk until they reach a stretch of road they find less intimidating.

ShotsFired · 22/09/2016 12:54

wasonthelist simply another burden on the decent and law-abiding

Do you know what? I'd have a reg plate if only to shut certain people up.
The haters can then do what they are crying out for and report me for my disgraceful cycling behaviour, including:

Obeying all traffic signals and road markings
Using ASL boxes
Giving clear signals
Wearing bright clothing and using lights to be easily seen
Wearing a helmet
Riding defensively and confidently according to the conditions
Being aware of other road users and treating them with courtesy
Removing another vehicle from the traffic
Emitting no pollution
...

I'm sure the Police will be delighted that I am registered and so easily 'caught' being such a disgusting lycra lout Wink

wasonthelist · 22/09/2016 12:56

But it won't shut haters up, next it will be compulsory insurance, tests, bike MOTs etc etc

wasonthelist · 22/09/2016 12:57

And still the few bad apples will carry on.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 22/09/2016 13:06

I use a pavement frequently that has a cycle path right next to it all the way along, yet cyclists still insist on using the pavement Hmm

Hedgehogparty · 22/09/2016 13:07

Just been out on my bike along the local shared pathway
Encountered pedestrians of various types, joggers and what I took to be a grandma pushing 2 young children in a buggy.
No incidents,just respect and people getting on with their lives.

The anger and generalisations made here regarding cyclists-this woman was stupid therefore all cyclists are- is offensive and dangerous. Attitudes like these expressed on this theead and many others inform subsequent behaviour and put vulnerable cyclists such as young children and more slderly people -at risk.