To cycle ON the pavement?

[Hum2]

Haven't ridden in years and just getting back on it. Do not trust some of the cars on the road to overtake me with enough space. I'm still wobbly on it.

AIBU to ride on the pavement? Even when there is a cycle lane on the road (which was a locked at two points today by parked cars!).

I also use the 'green man' to cross the roads rather than moving to the road and crossing like a vehicle.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44612642

It's all very well hating on cyclists but in their favour, at least they're not contributing to the massive pollution problem we have in our cities. Perhaps that little girl would still be alive if less people used the car. And no they should not be cycling on pavements but until the cycling infrastructure of this country improves I'm happy for cyclists to share the pavement with me.

It's all very well hating on cyclists

Why is this trotted out in any thread where people might criticise a behaviour?

I don’t “hate on cyclists”, I’m quite happy to share the road with cyclists. I am however concerned about unsafe cyclists, just as I am concerned about unsafe drivers

By the way YABVU not to use cycle paths if they exist.

The cycle paths near me are terrible! They literally just made the pavements a shared space and mixing pedestrians with cyclists in practice doesn’t work and eliminates the benefits of cycling. Factor in the junctions you need to cross, where if you are in the road aren’t an issue, then you realise these “cycle paths” are just a way for the council to meet cycling provision targets.

Besides all that, cyclists are absolutely entitled to use roads so nothing unreasonable about not using cycle paths.

What evidence??

There is documented evidence that drivers are more careful around cyclists without helmets than they are around those with. My own experience is that car drivers treat me with more care when I am wearing normal clothes and obviously using the bike as transport, than when I am wearing lycra and going out for a leisure ride with local groups.

Fuck me, I wish all cyclists would get on the pavement. Can’t stand cyclists on the road, just causing unnecessary traffic !

This is an unfortunate attitude that I wish the government or motoring organisations would tackle.

Have a think about what you are stating here. You can sit in miles of traffic caused by traffic lights, congestion, accidents, poorly designed road layouts yet the cyclist who has “hindered” your journey for a matter of seconds is now suddenly being hated for causing traffic jams. How absurd does that sound? Swap a few of those cars for bikes and your traffic will begin to improve.

I really wish all cars would get on the pavement. My commute on my is about an hour in heavy traffic - I am horrendously held up by the amount of slow moving vehicles. I'd otherwise be much faster.
If drivers wish to queue up, lemming-like, for hours on end then that's their decision. I don't see why they should be allowed to interfere with my unquarrelsome, healthy, inexpensive, environmentally-friendly, congestion free commute.

We have our prioritise wrong.

Yes

Operation snap is now being rolled out by many police forces.

This means you can upload your dash cams of cyclist breaking the law and the police will deal with it...

Don’t forget whilst you’re driving that many pedestrians and cyclists are filming as they are also fed up of people travelling badly

Mrpan

Well said

Who has hours to waste traveling by car

Cycle on the pavement where pedestrians are and you (as an adult) are a total wanker.
However, I give you space when I'm planning to overtake you on the road and watch out for you should I open the car door onto traffic.
Pls don't ride two abreast on minor roads.

MrPan - please don't send the drivers onto the pavements! I do a lot of running and I have no wish to die!

I live in Japan and funnily enough everyone seems to get along all right, cycling and walking in the same spaces. Also cars and bike seem to do relatively alright.

Belinisurge why would you ask cyclists to stop doing something legal?

Riding two abreast is not allowed in all cases under the Highway Code. It says that if a road is narrow you should not do it.

Basically if it's difficult to pass, you should let cars get past from time to time. I ride with two groups and they take different approaches to this (on larger roads). One group tends to go single file when a car comes and if there are quite a few of us, we leave gaps so a car can overtake some of us and then pull in and then overtake the next group etc.

The other group is a local Breeze ladies group and they have been told on their leader training to double up as much as possible as it makes you smaller, like a small van or truck. So the cars can overtake all of you in one go. They tend to go out in smaller groups eg 6-8 people, so I think it does work although I feel a little uncomfortable about it and I know there is a certain amount of ranting from some drivers. That said, a car should be going over the other side of the road to overtake anyway, so it should not matter if you are two abreast.

BUT on a narrow road, you ride single file and pull over where necessary to let wider and faster vehicles get past.

MrPan - please don't send the drivers onto the pavements! I do a lot of running and I have no wish to die

They already drive on the pavement, when they park there!

Along with people who have garden bonfires (see other AIBU thread) people who park on pavements are my biggest bugbears at the moment.

@ivykaty44 Is there a similar initiative where people with dash cams in their car can upload filmed evidence of cyclists breaking the law? And how would the Police track down the cyclists if so?

Running - should not is not law must not is law. The HC sets this out and it is not illegal to ride twos up or even 3 or 4 up as latex out in the Highway Code

It’s for all traffic notorists cyclists and pedestrians- anyone can upload and criminals can be found in the usual way

@ivykaty44 Good - but so much easier to find a car and driver due to a number plate than a cyclist though

Hmm but MrWig it's all about preventing harm and damage. Hence the focus on tonnes of metal, glass, rubber and plastic that travels at 70mph.
and not the 10kg of bike with a lump of flesh, blood and bone sat on it traveling at 12 mph.

It's proportionate.

@frenchjunebug

It's illegal for children as well, anyone over the age of 10 (criminal responsibility) needs to ride on the road

Hmm but MrWig it's all about preventing harm and damage. Hence the focus on tonnes of metal, glass, rubber and plastic that travels at 70mph.
and not the 10kg of bike with a lump of flesh, blood and bone sat on it traveling at 12 mph

But wouldn’t it be great if there was a system whereby everyone who causes harm and damage had means to be dealt with.

Oh bollocks. How many times does it have to be said? It's at the discretion of a police officer.

Which is a good job as most people on this thread have fuck all idea about applying discretion.

@MrPan as a matter of interest would you object to having some sort of registration number like cars do?

Yeah it's why I used the term 'proportionate'. Collecting evidence of people riding through red lights, on pavements etc isn't really a priority compared with the mayhem caused by vehicles.