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.

YABVU but you’re clearly not going to accept that

Pavements are for pedestrians.

If you can’t cycle well enough to be on the road then don’t cycle. It’s a choice, and your choice shouldn’t put other people at risk (and please do read the many stories pp’s have posted about near misses and accidents caused by idiots like you that think rules don’t apply to them).

Blimey, people get a lot more worked up about people cycling on the pavement than the cycle tracks being blocked by cars...
I would push your bike to a quiet residential street or segregated bike path - maybe in a park or something - and get your confidence up before tackling busy roads.
It is theoretically illegal to cycle on pavements but there's practically zero chance the police will stop you. A much better reason not to is that pavements tend to be much bumpier than the road, and filled with pedestrians!
We really, really need to stop using cars so much in this country, people get scared off cycling because drivers are disrespectful - we need more segregated bike lanes and harsh penalties for people parking in bike lanes.

well i seem to have a different opinion to everyone else.. surely a bicycle is going to do less damage to a pedestrian than a vehicle would do to a cyclist? i think that if you're cycling over a certain speed then you should be on the road, if not then cycle on the pavement.

(runs away)

I'm with Greeper on this.I regularly have to cycle along a 3 mile straight stretch of road with a 40 mph limit. There are crossing islands at intervals so the road repeatedly narrows, making them perfect places for idiots in cars to try to beat me through the narrow parts. The footpath is wide with additional grass verges and pedestrians are rare. I therefore think it's safer for me to cycle on the footpath. If a pedestrian happens to come along I stop to let them pass. Therefore, chances of there being a casualty if I cycle on the footway - zero; chances of there being a casualty if I cycle on the road - high (me).

In fact, this thread has made me wonder why there is no cycle path on this footpath (there is plenty of room for one to be installed) so I think I'll enquire about it with the Council.

I do mainly cycle on the road and wouldn't dream of cycling on a busy pavement where I would be a danger to pedestrians. I also take the point about using the road so that cars see it as a shared space, but I'm not prepared to risk my life over it.

So many cunts on here. I am done with Mumsnet.

I see the police cycling on the pavement all the time.

YABU. I feel very vulnerable when a bike comes up behind me, especially if it's going to be you and your daughter. It sounds as though both of you aren't competent cyclists and you could easily injure or frighten someone.

If you can't ride a bike learn and then cycle in a legal way on the road. Very selfish.

I'm disabled. If you cycle too close to me on a pavement I will put one of my sticks up to protect myself.

I wouldn't blame you. And I see your point about cyclists maybe not realising that they're dangerous to pedestrians. Especially if they're going fast & veering or wobbling.

I've been knocked over by a bike, which then sped on & vanished. I didn't appreciate it. If I had to throw my arm or whatever I was carrying up to stop another cyclist hitting me, then that would be an instinctive move & the consequence of their actions.

"If you're YABU and you know it clap your hands."

Start clapping OP.

I'm still wobbly on it

So if a toddler pulls away from his parent and dashes into your path, what are you going to go - wobble over onto them?

If you're not yet confident on the bike, go for some training/practice in a safe place until you are ... and then ride on the road or, if it's not safe, get off the bike and push it on the pavement

I'm not riding for speed and slow right down or go onto road when I need to pass pedestrians

Yes, and IME every other pavement cyclist says the same ... until they scare someone badly and when criticised deliver the standard reply of "f**k off"

And I'm a cyclist, BTW

YABVU. I was knocked down by a cyclist on pavement some years ago. You are a menace to pedestrians. If you're nervous of roads then you're a hazard hence not ready for cycling. Practice for another year.

There’s a cycle lane and yet you think it’s ok to cycle on a path because you’re unsteady?! So, a designated safe spot for you to cycle but you’d rather put pedestrians at risk because it makes you feel better?!

Earlier today my 3 year old was nearly knocked over by not one but THREE cyclists going at speed on the path. I have mobility difficulties and couldn’t get there fast enough to grab her out of the way (she was walking about 5m ahead to go hold her dad’s hand instead of mine and walking with her older brother). The first idiot startled her which made her side step out of his way and then the other two lunatics whizzed past one either side! She was hysterical at what happened. But yes, don’t you be worrying about children, elderly, deaf, blind, disabled etc as long as you feel better not cycling in a marked area!

Your 3 year old child cycling on a pavement is, IMO, fine as long as she is taught to go slow and stops to allow pedestrians past. You however should be either cycling on the road/cycle lane beside the pavement not ON the pavement, or walking on the pavement and pushing your bike.

The only exception would be on a totally deserted footpath that goes along a busy/fast national speed limit type of country road where there are never/rarely any pedestrians, there are no designated cycle lanes and where there would be a serious danger to using the road as per the Highway Code.

If you’re still confident that you are right and nearly everybody else is wrong then just ask yourself whether you’d be ok with a cyclist whizzing past on the bike with your young child walking close by and if you’d be ok with them knocking her over and potentially seriously injuring her, or worse, because she’d stepped to the side to avoid something on the path or had seen something exciting so she’d pulled towards it etc....if the answer is no then DON’T DO IT!

I can’t believe that you even have to ask whether it’s ok to put others at risk by cycling on a footpath when there is a designated cycle lane there to use

If I can't cycle on the pavement I probably wouldn't cycle at all!

There's your answer then. Don't. It's no great loss to the world.

You're being unbelievably selfish and egocentric.

The pavement is for people on foot. That is the law.

Grow up, and until you can cycle safely, don't cycle on the road. Practice on off road cycle paths.

YABU get on the bloody road. I've got no patience after a cyclist nearly hit me when cycling quickly down the narrow pavement that I was walking on. If anything similar happens in the future i'll put my arms out to push the idiot away.

And stop with these stupid passive aggressive exclamation marks.

They're childish and do you no favours.

Your arguments are very childish too.

Ethylred
"If you're YABU and you know it clap your hands."
Start clapping OP.

Best comment so far

If you're not competent, go and practice somewhere until you are, be it a park or an industrial estate or something. Your lack of planning does not constitute my emergency.

I've been knocked over twice by cyclists on the pavement, and I'm a fairly big hardy bugger and wasn't hurt, but had I been elderly or very young or disabled, it might have been different.

There's a special place in hell for adults who cycle on the pavement.

Well I'd say YANBU. You're obviously not going to be cycling top speed like a twat on the pavement. But at the moment cycling on the pavement is illegal unless it's marked as allowed, so don't do it. Go to a park if you need some more practice.

(My 2 pence is that cycling on the pavement should be made legal, subject to a speed limit and other reasonable restrictions. Drivers pose far more danger to cyclists than cyclists ever have to pedestrians.)

I am also a cyclist, BTW, and would like to protect our (not great, but hopefully getting slightly better) name.

People are telling you not to cycle on the pavement, and explaining why. Listen to them.
If you will only cycle on the pavement, don't cycle.

When there is a safe alternative, yabvu.

I hate cyclists on pavements. And it is anti highway code. BUT...if you're trying to get your confidence up then I would go for it. Perhaps wear L plates? Cycle lanes are all well and good but can be scary. Just don't be entitled and expect pedestrians to move!