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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that adults should cycle on the road

344 replies

LoopyLou1981 · 16/03/2018 08:12

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?!

OP posts:
FrancisCrawford · 19/03/2018 13:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Greenyogagirl · 19/03/2018 13:43

Where I live everyone cycles on the paths and most people cycle.
I don’t have a clue how to cycle on the road and have my son on the bike with me who can freak out and that means I have to stop to calm him down (he’s 8 so potentially could make the bike go over) I like to think I’m very understanding of pedestrians though and will go into the road to get around them but as I said most of the paths here are split in two

GhostsToMonsoon · 19/03/2018 15:48

Ohfortuna - that's shocking.

MrPan · 19/03/2018 15:52

It is true that in this country we have a weird slavish thing about cars v bikes. The equivalent of MN in other countries would be saying "What???" about this thread.

Yes of course there are stupid riders. But any look at the damage caused by riders v motor vehicles would put the entire debate into a perspective.

Ruffian · 19/03/2018 15:58

MrPan do you think it's unique to the UK, this antipathy to cyclists? I was wondering about it earlier in the thread. It just seems so ingrained, not just on Mumsnet but other social media and Phone-ins etc

Lethaldrizzle · 19/03/2018 16:07

3 pedestrian deaths a year due to cyclists and thats 3 more than there should be but its stil 297 less than the 300 cyclists that die every year on our roads. Roads are geared towards cars, pavements for pedestrians, meanwhile cyclists are dying in their hundreds every year because of the appalling cycling infrastructure in this country. Cyclists have as much right to be safe as pedestrians.

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:10

Cyclists have as much right to be safe as pedestrians.

Of course they do. And to best ensure everyone's safety they should dismount when unable to cycle on the roads. Simplicity itself.

Vitalogy · 19/03/2018 16:15

About 2 to 3 people die each year due to cyclist collisions and even they don't all happen on the pavement. More people die from bee stings each year That puts it into to perspective. Lives are being saved overall with pavement usage by cyclists.

Ruffian · 19/03/2018 16:17

to best ensure everyone's safety they should dismount when unable to cycle on the roads

Presumably if it was up to you there would be no shared paths because cyclists should just get off and walk if they feel concerned at being mixed in with aggressive, impatient, inattentive car drivers.

Thank god there are more forward thinking planners and environmentalists who understand the importance of promoting cycling.

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:18

Lives are being saved overall with pavement usage by cyclists.

All praise the pavement cyclers, they are true saints in our midst!

Meh.

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:20

Presumably if it was up to you there would be no shared paths because cyclists should just get off and walk if they feel concerned at being mixed in with aggressive, impatient, inattentive car drivers.

What are you wittering on about?

Lethaldrizzle · 19/03/2018 16:21

And when you think that 36 people are killed every year on pavements in the uk by cars buses and lorries, it kinda puts the menace of pavement cyclists into perspective

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:21

Shared paths are great. The issue here is........

cyclists
illegally
cycling
on
pavements

Okay?

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:22

And when you think that 36 people are killed every year on pavements in the uk by cars buses and lorries, it kinda puts the menace of pavement cyclists into perspective

You're great with the whataboutery. Top marks and a pat on the head!

Ruffian · 19/03/2018 16:29

Again. to best ensure everyone's safety they should dismount when unable to cycle on the roads

According to your logic if cyclists feel unsafe they on the road they should get off and walk - if that 'logic' had always been followed then no shared paths would ever have been created.

In fact, as I posted way back, my council has simply designated numerous pavements as shared use without any change to the pavement at all in recognition of the fact that cycling on the pavement it not generally a serious problem but that cyclist safety on the roads is and that cycling is something that should be promoted.

I cycle on the road and on the pavement according to road conditions. Sometimes on pavements not designated as 'shared'. I have yet to have a problem with either a pedestrian or the Police despite the constant banging on about the illegality of doing so.

FrancisCrawford · 19/03/2018 16:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:34

I'm all for more shared pedestrian and cycles lanes.
I'm all for increasing cycle lanes on roads.
And I'm all for preserving pavements for pedestrians.

I don't cycle and I don't drive, so you will excuse me if I choose to defend pedestrians rights against those in cars/on bikes who feel their interests should come first. In fact I will continue to happily 'bang on'.

Lethaldrizzle · 19/03/2018 16:35

What's 'whataboutery'? You mean statistics and facts that prove my argument? Is this what we've come to, making up ridiculous words? If I'd wanted that I would have argued with my 5 year old Grin

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:36

Is this what we've come to, making up ridiculous words?

Oh dear.

whataboutery
ˌwɒtəˈbaʊtəri/
nounBRITISH
the technique or practice of responding to an accusation or difficult question by making a counter-accusation or raising a different issue.

Everyday's a school day, eh?

Ruffian · 19/03/2018 16:40

You're all for preserving pavements for pedestrians - same point again, if my Council followed your narrow logic it would not have been able to create shared use paths.

Amazingly enough i'm also a 'pedestrian' on many occasions, I don't have your selfish attitude.

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:45

Amazingly enough i'm also a 'pedestrian' on many occasions, I don't have your selfish attitude.

I'm the selfish one? By your own admission you cycle on pavements that are for pedestrians. So I'm afraid if anyone is selfish it's you.

Until such a time that a pavement is officially designated for duel use it should be respected that cyclists should dismount. You clearly have an issue with this and think your rights as a cyclist trump pedestrians right, and there's nothing I can do about that. But you can't try and take the high moral ground over me. I'm the person who's staying in her designated space. Shame you can't do the same.

Ruffian · 19/03/2018 16:51

When I'm a pedestrian I'm perfectly happy for cyclists to share the pavement with me even if that pavement hasn't been designated for them. I'm happy to 'share' the pavement with kids cycling and scooting and people using mobility scooters. As long as they do it respectfully I think it's fine.

Bully for you in your 'designated space', I'm more concerned with living and let living.

Greenyogagirl · 19/03/2018 16:55

Is it really that difficult for you squoosh to very occasionally step a tiny bit to the side to let a cyclist pass?

squoosh · 19/03/2018 16:55

I'm happy to 'share' the pavement with kids cycling and scooting and people using mobility scooters. As long as they do it respectfully I think it's fine.

Me too!

It's just the likes of you I have an issue with.

gamerwidow · 19/03/2018 16:56

I dont mind sharing the pavement but I wouldn’t be happy to be dinged at to get out of the way. If it’s easy to do so then I’ll happily move over to let the bike through but if the pavement is too crowded to cycle on at speed then you slow down and stop for pedestrians or get off and push the bike or get in the road. It’s not up to pedestrians to give way on a non shared pavement.

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