To think that adults should cycle on the road

[LoopyLou1981]

It’s been a long time since I’ve been organised enough to get up (and get 2 kids up) and out early enough to walk to the station instead of getting the bus.
On a 2 mile walk, I’ve been ‘dinged’ at by 3 cyclists to get me to move over on the pavement so they could get passed.
Is this a new thing?! Our roads aren’t narrow or any more dangerous than any others. AIBU to think they should be on the road?!

I live in Bristol, home of the entitled pavement cyclist. I hate pavement cyclists - if you can't manage on the road, don't cycle.
Yesterday, on a quiet road, a young man cycled, fast, towards me on the pavement. Being polite, I find myself automatically moving over to make space, which makes me annoyed with myself as well.

'If you can't manage on the road don't cycle' - is an insult to all the law abiding cyclists who die on the roads, including one of my friends killed by a lorry on her way to work. Don't be so insensitive

Nearly got seriously injured once when innocently stepping from my front path onto the pavement. A racing cyclist missed me by a whisker. There is no way that I could have seen him coming.

you know I'm not talking about people who die in accidents, don't be obtuse.

People who ride motorbikes die on the road - nobody says that they should be allowed on the pavement. If you ride any kind of bike then you're more vulnerable as a road user, if you're not happy about this then stop riding your bike, don't ride on the pavement and endanger pedestrians.

Silver - i'm not being obtuse in the least. The small risk to you is nothing compared to the risks cyclists take on the road just trying to get from a to b.

In my town many of the pavements have been designated as shared use for pedestrians/cyclists (without any change to the pavement other than putting up a sign). This is because the council have recognised that 1. Roads are often dangerous to cyclists due to inconsiderate drivers and 2. Pavements are often underused.

For many years, this is what a formally designated shared use path I used to use looked like. There are actually the required and approved shared use signs visible in both pictures, but can anyone really suggest they are adequate or fit for purpose of clearly informing all users?

Shared use paths need different coloured/painted tarmac, big bike/people icons on the ground, plentiful signs and clear lane demarcation.

I always tell them they're fully grown so they should be on the road.

I've had a male cyclist put his hand on me to move me out of the way before when I hadn't heard his requests to move.
Round here we get a lot of 'feral youths' on bikes on the pavement who feel tat they are so cool they can cycle without their hands on the bars, but instead they put them down the trousers, use a phone, have a cigarette, etc. IMO if you think you are enough of a badass that you can cycle without holding the handlebars then why are you so scared of the big bad traffic. Although I have seen idiots cycling down the middle of a busy road with their hands down their pants, etc. Is it wrong of me that I hope they get in an accident :) My personal 'favourite' was the guy cycling along, reading a paper, and having a cigarette, all at the same time on one of the busiest roads near where I live.

If cyclists are going to ride on the pavement, the least they can do is go at walking pace, stay well away from pedestrians and recognise that pedestrians have priority.

Is it wrong of me that I hope they get in an accident
Yes it is, and the smiley face doesn't make you sound any less sick.

I wonder if a good psychologist could get to grips with the completely disproportionate loathing that some people seem to have towards cyclists - I would be fascinated to know where it comes from. It seems to be a peculiarly British thing.

Fwiw, I frequently ride on the pavement for safety reasons and to let the traffic flow, I seldom have any problems with pedestrians (but I am exquisitely polite and considerate if I do say so!)

The only demarcation more than a faded line, up here, seems to be that cyclists get lovely smooth tarmac and pedestrians ankle twisting, slippery, wonky paving slabs. About 2' wide, each.

While cyclists are supposed to use roads, roads can be dangerous- especially as some people drive too fast. I quite happily stand aside to let cyclists pass. I am always worried knocking them over. There are too many accidents involving cyclists on our roads. That is someone's parent/child/spouse.

I'm sick of the way cyclists are selectively pick road rules. In our area we have ongoing work o er a railway bridge with three way traffic lights. I waited patiently for the light to turn green the other night only to be met with a cyclist coming from the opposite direction on the narrow bridge. Why do red lights not apply to cyclists?

'While cyclists are supposed to use roads, roads can be dangerous'

Big boo hoo. Travelling by any means is dangerous. It doesn't entitled you to put the other travellers at risk. I would say the same to those idiot pedestrians who go wandering out into moving traffic like they own the roads, or never take their head out of their phones

Well it means being a bit grown up and seeing that often roads ARE very dangerous to ride on in sections and also lots of stretches of paveme f are perfectly safe to ride on incl along side peds

And drivers complaining about riders at traffic lights is very rich.

Problem is cycling on the pavement is dangerous to pedestrians. I can think of at least one case recently where a child was injured by a cyclist on the pavement.

Yes roads are dangerous to less confident cyclists but surely the answer is campaign for more cycle paths. It's entirely unfair to shift that danger to pedestrians who are also contributing to lack of pollution.

I live near a roundabout where there have been cycling fatalities- which is awful. However, the answer is designated cycling areas. It doesn't help shifting risk of injury to pedestrians. The vulnerable (I.e. Children, elderly and hard of hearing) would be disproportionately at risk.

Cyclists should follow the Highway Code - it's not a guideline. And the person than mentioned being clumsy and unsafe on a road hence using pavement do you think it is fair to subject a pedestrian to the risk of your clumsy unsafe cycling?

Yes roads are dangerous to less confident cyclists but surely the answer is campaign for more cycle paths. It's entirely unfair to shift that danger to pedestrians who are also contributing to lack of pollution
I agree with this ⬆️

I have encountered extremely antisocial and aggressive cyclists but the problem is not cyclists the problem is people who are antisocial and aggressive
there are lots of polite cyclists, I personally make an effort to be ultra polite and considerate whenever I am cycling

Cyclists can’t have it both ways. On the road cars, quite rightly, must pass them with care as they are the vulnerable road user. If they use the pavement legally, they should demonstrate the same care to those on foot, as pedestrians are the more vulnerable.

If they are illegally using the pavement, they should be fined/bike removed etc - the same as a driver driving illegally.

Yes I agree unless the path is segregated for both. On another note I walk to work during the school run and am constantly being rammed into by toddlers on trikes and scooters, I have a nasty cut from Fridays incident, of course they should not be on the road but it’s not great to have so many at this busy time of day

Pavement cycling would be possible, if the minority could stop behaving like entitled idiots. But they can't, which is why it's illegal and generally not a great idea.

"Yes roads are dangerous to less confident cyclists but surely the answer is campaign for more cycle paths. "

Disagree, and with a fair amount of rage tbh. The answer is for motorists to stop killing people. Some of that can be obtained from better cycle training. Maybe in schools for example. But most is really convincing drivers that it's no longer acceptable to drive over a cyclist, crushing their bones and turning their internal organs to pulp, only to claim SMIDSY.

Cycling is enjoyable good for your health and good for the environment it should be encouraged and facilitated.
Are there other countries who do it better...manage to accommodate cyclists without inconveniencing Motorists or pedestrians?

Why all the hate for cyclists?
why not more Disapproval for lazy Motorists cluttering up the roads by driving short distances which they could easily walk or cycle?