Cyclists on pavements

[origamiunicorn]

Ok, please tell me if I ABU.

What's your opinion on people cycling on pavements? I don't mean young children who are clearly learning or parents who are accompanying them but adults. Full blown, fully grown adults.

Where I live it seems common place and I don't get it. AIBU to say if you are an adult and aren't comfortable on the road you shouldn't be riding a bike. It always seems to be middle aged men too who whizz past, so not an adult learner or someone who is gaining confidence.

Just now I was walking home from work and I hear this bell ringing and as I turn around this man in his 40s? whizzes past me and shouts "out the way!" to which I throw my hands up in the air at him and tell him to get off the pavement and then as I walk past him further up the road at a crossing he says something, calls me the C word and rides off. I mean what?!

I actually feel a little shaken with the confrontation so AIBU in my reaction? I thought it was justified considering. I mean if you're going to ride on the pavement like a child at least give people a chance to get out the way and... should people even be on cycling on the pavement?!

I am a cunty cyclist who cycles on the pavement! We can't win really, when on the road we get abuse from drivers and when on pavement we get abuse from pedestrians.

Not the brightest spark are you?

The real wankers are drivers who don't indicate when turning and then look at you in horror when you carry on as you were, thinking you're safe to cross the road, and they nearly smash into you.

Boo hoo.

So many cyclists whining about the way drivers treat them and then merrily announcing they do the same to pedestrians.

Fuck them all.

@Bubastes jeez, what did I do to you?

A lot of the problem is our UK infrastructure is not set up properly for cycling which may lead to cyclists on footpaths and also pedestrians on cycle lanes.

I commute to work via cycling on the road/designated cycle lane for 90% of the journey. The small amount of pavement I have to cycle on is because I have to use the pavement to gain access to a specific pedestrianized/cycling route. I absolutely respect pedestrians, slow down and look out for them if I am on the footpath. I too have seen cyclists cycling far too quickly on footpaths and it makes my blood boil.

However, I have also been cut off my motorists and nearly knocked down last week by a driver who didn't see me in a designated cycle lane.

Incidentally, I see from this post that a lot of people see cyclists sounding their bells as if they are saying "f off out of my way". This is absolutely not the case - I use my bell simply just to warn people that I am there especially in a joint area.

I don't mind bikes on the pavement unless it's full of people who have to squeeze to make way for it.

I do wish the cycling infrastructure were more developed so it was a viable option for more people.

This photo shows a typical cycle lane near me. Cars are parked along most of its length (legally, as it's a broken white line), rendering it pretty much useless. For part of the way on the other side of the road, there is a cycle lane on the pavement. Cars are usually parked in that too.

We really need well-thought out infrastructure designed by people who actually cycle. I don't condone pavement cycling, but understand why people might be too scared to cycle on the roads. Some pavements along main roads are virtually empty and could be converted into shared use paths.

As this article shows, cyclists really can't win.

@apairofblueeyes100 I hear you. Out of my 5 mile ride to work, 4 are through the park and then I have no choice but ride on the pavement because there are no dedicated paths. I also slow down for pedestrians.

I'm not going to read all the posts but no YANBU because they are breaking the law no matter what their excuses are and I say that as someone who cycles, someone who is a pedestrian, someone who drives a car and a van and just for the record, I'm a traffic cop!

Having been knocked down by a sodding arsehole cyclist who shot round a corner as I waddled, 8 months pregnant, out of a shop, I firmly believe that if your mother won't let you cycle on the roads, you shouldn't be on a bike.

I know that many drivers are a bloody menace to cyclists, but many cyclists are a bloody menace to pedestrians.

In my experience it is rare for a cyclist to bother with their bell, nor will they slow down - they seem to think they have right of way everywhere. I hate them.

I'm a woman in early 30s and don't have a bell on my bike!

No bell?

You really are a twat!

I would also like to add that you should judge people by their behaviour not by their mode of transport - it does not make for harmonious understanding. The Highway Code is there to be obeyed by all road users not just some more than others. If this was the case I'd be out of a job but it would be worth it.

The chance of me as a pedestrian killing a cyclist is zero

A pedestrian caused the death of a cyclist here a few years ago.

I was called a fucking cunt by a Deliveroo cyclist hurtling along the pavement on Friday as he had to swerve around me and I told him to get off the pavement.

I live in a university town popular with tourists and see some very bad behaviour by all road users. The best one yet was the woman who stepped into the road just as a car was trying to reverse into a parking space. She didn't see the car and just kept walking, straight into the path of a cyclist, who's quick reactions avoided a collision. And yes, her attention was fixed on her phone the whole time.

Bold fail on my first sentence there.

HemlockStarglimmer complain to Deliveroo. I did after one of theirs shot past me on a pavement on my first walk out the house after an operation. They responded quickly and behaviour improved for a bit.

Highway Code Rule 61 and 63: use of cycle lanes is not compulsory
Highway Code Rule 64: you must not cycle on pavement

Where the Highway Code uses the term 'must' or 'must not' then it is the law. Where it uses 'should' and 'should not' it is advisory but not legally compulsory.

www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82

Cyclists should not ride their bicycles on pavements. This is most obvious in Hammersmith on Lower Mall, And Furnival Gardens also known as the Thames Path. Cyclists should dismount and push/walk their bikes in this conservation area where people go to socialise, enjoy leisure facilities... row, drink, at tables on the pavement dining areas, take photographs of themselves, the river, the bridge and keep watch on their children, etc. )
The Path is now used as a cycle route through the conservation area and gardens.

Recently signs have appeared on the lampposts saying -“Cyclists , Please Give Way. Cycle with Courtesy”. Not possible to read when you are in the saddle overtaking pedestrians, avoiding on coming cyclists, and weaving round people strolling in your cycle route. with their backs to you. Conflicting and contradictory interests.

I suggest the pavement from the Underpass to the Friends Meeting House on the A4 going East, is seldom used by pedestrians. Cyclists could use it both ways to and from the Dove Arms to Mall Rd, Rutland Grove, Bridge View and (1) cross towards Hammersmith using the cycle-crossing under the flyover and/or (2) go East, using the Pedestrian Crossing on the Hammersmith Bridge Approach Road which leads to the Surgery, School, Queen Caroline Street and Fulham. The Thames Path and Furnival Gardens should be for pedestrians of all ages.

www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/

It’s not a blanket law about cycling on the pavement

The motorists want cyclists on the path
The pedestrians wants cyclists on the road

They’re both jealous because we’te getting where we’re going quicker than either of them.
I ❤️ my 🚲

It's illegal!!!!! Surprised at how many people don't know this.

My MIL was knocked over by a cyclist on the pavement about 18 months ago, the sh*t just cycled off and left her, concussion and just sprained wrist and ankle thankfully! But she's in her late 70’s so took her ages to recover.

easyandy101 the law though is quite clear cut on cyclists on pavements....

It’s not clear cut that it’s illegal to cycle in a pavement, and many pavements are shared with cyclists - so it’s not illegal on every pavement

Shared pavements- fine. I presume OP was asking about those without blue signs on though.

Minnie paths don’t have to have blue signs for you to be able to cycle on them, that’s part of the problem - it’s not clear cut and so very confusing for everyone, including police!

Many posts on here show people think it’s clear cut and they state cycling on pavements is illegal end of- it’s not that simple.