thoughtless or entitled?

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

I was out unusually early this morning and witnessed the following:

A little girl on her micro scooter scooting along to the primary school on our road. She was about 5, I'd say, at a guess. Her parent/carer, a man on a bike, was following her on the pavement. This is a typical London side street of terraced houses, the roads were quiet because it was early and before the school run (it was 8am, so they must have been on their way to breakfast club).

Actually, I think my thread title is bollocks, come to think of it. The parent couldn't possibly think it's ok to cycle on the pavement, so he decided to do it because his little girl was scooting.

I conclude ... an entitled twit!

Exactly Looney I am not going to put DS or myself in danger just because some arsehole objects to moving slightly to the side so we can pass safely. We always slow right down and pass only when safe. Plenty of teens around here on bikes around here as well and I never begrudge moving out of the way for them if on foot.

DH was deliberately knocked off his bike by a car a few years back as driver objected to having to slow down until he could go round him.

No, he should not have been cycling on the pavement but where Iive many people do because the roads are mad busy and many are narrow.
I am sure they use cycle lanes or paths when they can but it is not always possible.
Most kids ride on the pavement but I would rather they do that than dice with death on the road.

Who spit in your beancurd this morning op??

Seriously, get worked up about other things

If the pavement was empty or if he got off his bike when he got to a pedestrian (or just stopped and got out of their way) then fine. But if he continued riding when there were pedestrians then he's wrong. It's illegal and the reason for that is to avoid pedestrians being hurt by cyclists. (But then I'm sick of having to leap out of the way for sodding pavement-hogging cyclists & I'm in a quiet area where they could cycle safely on the roads but don't)

I do this literally every school day. Dc rides bike on pavement, and I follow on my bike. If I was on the road I would be on the wrong side (on the way there anyway). I don't get in anyone's way If I was walking I wouldn't be able to keep up.

'entitled' is way overused on MN.

not appropriate here - you mean thoughtless or dangerous/illegal/selfish presumably.

Hang on a minute Looneytune!

You say your husband always cycles on the pavement? Why? What possible justification can he have for that?

No, I think I do mean entitled. Because he wants to let his daughter scoot to school. They could both walk?? The catchment for this school is about 600m btw.

OP - you haven't answered my question. Was he causing a danger to you or anyone else?

OP are you a 'stickler' for rules? Do you feel they should always be followed no matter what?

There is a penalty fine for it apparently bit "The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.”

I would cycle on the pavement, slowly and with consideration, if I was taking my dc to school and going elsewhere afterwards. I certainly wouldn't cycle on the road if I was following dc on the pavement. You can't possibly look after a child that way as your focus should be on the road.

But were they in your way, was the cyclist rude, being dangerous? If not, and doesn't sound like it, yabu.

Does nobody else live somewhere that there are cycle lanes along the pavement.? I am so used to it, I would not even notice. It can have hazards but around here everyone is used to it so the cyclists are careful as are the pedestrians. It seems fine to me and I am not a cyclist.

I think I justified it quite well in my post bippity? Drivers generally show no respect to cyclists and it can be quite dangerous. I'd much rather have a carefully riding husband on the pavements (who has never had a problem running down pedestrians incidentally) than a dead husband from riding on the road. For what it's worth one of his colleagues was killed by cycling to work and hit by a driver who was impatiently overtaking. Have you ever been harmed by a cyclist bippity? Those who cycle on the pavement?

I really couldn't bring myself to care about this. I presume he wasn't zooming along? Not the end of the world.

OP are you a 'stickler' for rules? Do you feel they should always be followed no matter what?

Lots of people do think rules should be followed, especially those set in law.

If pavement is empty and not many people using it, I don't think he was doing anything wrong. London is too horrible to be on a bike on the roads. Sorry. YABU. He was just trying to stay alive.

I see people cycling along the pavements a lot but it honestly doesn't concern me, I consider it the same as mothers pushing large prams on narrow pavements - A non issue for those with common sense.

As for "breaking the law" 😂😂😂😂 the holier than thou brigade!

For people saying what harm was he doing, he didn't hurt the OP etc, it's dangerous behaviour that has the potential to harm others, so morally wrong, as well as illegal and fucking stupid.

My DS is profoundly deaf and has been knocked over walking outside our house by someone cycling along the pavement. If you had seen your DS knocked off their feet and face first onto the pavement, you would know why this is so fucking stupid. In his case the cyclist wasn't going that fast, DS was very very lucky not to have been severely injured or perhaps killed. The cyclist obviously assumed that DS would hear him and made to go round him, DS literally stepped into his path unwittingly. It was terrifying. It took a long time before I felt comfortable with him leaving the house solo, even now I worry constantly.

People that ride on the pavements, no matter what speed are selfish and stupid, IMHO. It can't be justified.

Emerald what an ironic cross post. My DS has plenty of common sense but lacks the ability to hear. A cyclist's desire for an easier ride doesn't override my son's right to walk on a pavement safely.

It's saddening that so many people are "meh well it doesn't affect me so I can't be arsed thinking it's wrong". Personally I have never been hit by a drunk driver (for example) but it doesn't stop me thinking that drink driving is wrong and people shouldn't do it.

Emerald and lots more on this thread are showing an incredibly short sighted and self centred attitude.

You should have given him an epic MN judgemental look, he'd still be crying and wouldn't ever do it again.

No, I think I do mean entitled. Because he wants to let his daughter scoot to school. They could both walk??

Yes because likening a man cycling along beside his five year old on the pavement to being hit by a drunk driver is totally the same thing.🙄

I had a friend who was killed whilst cycling and know others who have been injured. That doesn't justify habitually riding on the pavements Looneytune. I'm absolutely astonished that you would try and justify it!

I find it difficult to believe a parent would cycle along narrow pedestrian pavements behind his scootering child (no, not the type with the additional cycle lane) but if he carried on like that for his whole commute I would be appalled.

Can't believe some wanker cycles on the path because he's afraid to use the road as he should.

You don't like the big scary cars? Walk. Or get a bus.

That riles me no end. And there's no way I'd move out of the way for an adult cycling on the footpath!

Oh don't you worry your funny little head Bluntness, I have other more important issues to worry about. But I didn't know, since you seem to be the self appointed Mumsnet aibu police, that you are only allowed to post about your no. 1 issue or worry of the day.