To try to cycle inoffensively?

[Confrontayshunme]

My DD started a new school about 1.5 miles from our house. We don't own a car, and my husband and I cycle everywhere. I am a VERY law abiding cyclist and super conscientious not to make drivers or pedestrians angry. To this end, I never zoom around cars at intersections and endeavour to actually just get out of the way at all times. I frequently stop and just get off the road to keep from annoying drivers. Please don't just start with the cyclist bashing, as I am really desperately trying to do the right thing and not annoy people.

The problem is that the shared pedestrian/cycle path between our home and school is closed for about a year for building works. There is a partial cycle lane for a bit of our journey, but car parking on both sides makes it too narrow for cars to go around if DD and I both go on the road, but I can't be near her on pavement due to said cars parking and it being a very narrow pavement.

DD is 7 and very confident riding and stopping and listening to me, but I am struggling not to get shouted at by motorists. I am definitely NOT doing anything illegal, but I just think busy people near a school and industrial estate in a 20mph zone = a lot of verbal criticism and stress for all.

I have done all of the following and been shouted at by drivers for every option.

AIBU to ask which of these is the LEAST anger-inducing for drivers (particularly industrial vans, since we are by an estate)?

1. Child on pavement in neon jerkin and me on bike going a slowish 8mph (but cars can go around at 20 if no cars on opposite lane).
2. Child in front of me on road (not visible to drivers so I can see why they yelled at me for being slow). This feels the safest to me, fyi.
3. Child in neon jerkin to the left of me, visible to drivers but only small cars able to go around due to both of us being on narrow road.

OR (haven't done this)

1. Both of us on pavement (though technically against code for me to be there and there are pedestrians).

I really do welcome any advice as I can't seem to get it right. Recently, on a marked bike lane near us, a car screeched its brakes like it was going to hit my DD then laughed out the window and shouted "f---ing cyclists" so I am desperate to get it right so my DD is safe.

A friend said to just go on the pavement as long as the shared path is closed, but that feels like breaking the code and I really don't want to.

Sorry, but fuck off from the pavement.

Sorry, but if there is an empty pavement next to a busy road, and especially if I'm with a child I'm fucking on that fucking pavement.

The key words being 'empty pavement' and 'busy road'. If anyone wants to give me a reason why it would be saver to be on that road other than whine whine what about the pedestrains on the empty pavement good fucking luck with that.

And incidentally, the police will tell you to be on the pavement as well.

Please can all the considerate pavement cyclists on this thread identify where they live so that I can move there?

Interestingly due to said dicks.

The tourist spot around here is becoming less and less cyclist friendly because on the whole cyclists using it are utterly without consideration.

Barriers have been erected to force cyclists to dismount, gates to the tunnel that is already “no mounted cyclists” but is ignored are being installed.

Croydon

Unlucky

"Please can all the considerate pavement cyclists on this thread identify where they live so that I can move there?"

As soon as you identify all those motorists who give a tiny fuck about cyclists, bikers, horse riders etc are.

As soon as you identify all those motorists who give a tiny fuck about cyclists, bikers, horse riders etc are

Bingo!

Sorry, not moving to
Croydon, there’s limits to everything.

As soon as you identify all those motorists who give a tiny fuck about cyclists, bikers, horse riders etc are

I'd like to distance myself from that mentality. I'ts not an us vs them kinda thing

ime, and surely the experience of anyone who's ridden a bike for more than 5 minutes its that the vast majority of drivers are just fine. Which is why you don't get run over hundreds of times each day

I even like pedestrians, despite being the reason for about 80% of serious crashes. It wasn't pedestrians as a whole, it was a few dickheads who treat the cycle lane like a pavement extension

Tribalism in this kind of situation is why threads like this are so polarised and repetitive

*my serious crashes

It isn't them and us.
I drive.
I have ridden a fair bit and I have also cycled.
I have dc that cycle.
Many people have a range of different experiences.

You shouldn't dismount and walk because cars can't passes you. You continue to cycle in the centre of the road. You have a right to be on the road.

Tribalism in this kind of situation is why threads like this are so polarised and repetitive

For me the issue remains that on MN you simply cannot discuss poor behaviour by a cyclist without certain posters tying themselves in knots to excuse the behaviour whilst throwing in a chorus of “oh but cars do it worse”.

It's not difficult, is it?

People with kids who ride on the pavement and dismount for pedestrians: not a problem.

Teenagers/adults: get in the road, or get fined.
Louts who endanger pedestrians: get in the road, or get fined.

It's not as simple as either having everyone allowed or everyone not allowed. Do you really want young kids on narrow roads being cut up and intimidated by idiot drivers? Nationwide, how many deaths a year might that cause? Do you want infant school kids dying on the roads because teenage louts on bikes intimidate you? Really??? It's just not necessary. A bit of discretion, a bit of plain old common sense: that's the answer.

it is naive to suggest that everyone on two wheels behaves considerately and everyone on four doesn't.

it is indeed. It is also naive (and highly disingenuous) to suggest that the end result of an inconsiderate cyclist is on a par with the end result of an inconsiderate driver.

[I say this as someone who stopped their child cycling on the pavement when she went up to a 20 inch wheel. If it's not safe for her to cycle on a road then we walk.]

YABU for trying to cycle inoffensively. You should be cycling assertively not apologetically. I’ve been cycling with my dc to nursery and then school since they were on balance bikes at age 2. Before that they were on a seat on the back. I will ride on a pavement with them as the majority of the journey is a major road. We are going at little more than walking pace in the last few metres before we get to the school.

It is also naive (and highly disingenuous) to suggest that the end result of an inconsiderate cyclist is on a par with the end result of an inconsiderate driver

Who suggested that?

Totally agree with person above. Busy road and empty pavement = cycle on pavement. Dismount or cycle slowly if there are any pedestrians. Easy.

For me the issue remains that on MN you simply cannot discuss poor behaviour by a cyclist without certain posters tying themselves in knots to excuse the behaviour whilst throwing in a chorus of “oh but cars do it worse

Because you are not comparing like with like. People on bikes are vulnerable. Some are stupid and put themselves at risk (I got annoyed myself yesterday with one who would not use the safe, well surfaced, off-road cycle path and used the road instead). But generally, drivers are the problem, not the person on the bike. Pedestrians are not generally at risk from people on bikes, they are at risk from people in cars, with a very few exceptions.

(and I kept my annoyance to myself by the way, before I get shouted at on here for being annoyed)

The law, such as it is, makes no distinction between adults and children. Bicycles are by a 19th century court ruling "carriages" which are not allowed on footpaths. Any bicycle, any size, any rider.

you did, Jacques, with that comment. And you know it, so please don't continue to be disingenuous.

Because you are not comparing like with like

I was yelled at on a train by a man who wanted me to move from the foldable seats so he could stash his bike because the bike rack was full. I was in a full leg cast at the time and the train was full.

Someone on here actually said “well drivers are worse”, like it was reasonable for bike man to be a dick because someone would try and get a Ford Escort on at the next station

you did, Jacques, with that comment. And you know it, so please don't continue to be disingenuous

I’m sorry your comprehension skills are so lacking. Do try reading the rest of my comments.

Pedestrians are at risk from bicycles.

The elderly, people in wheelchairs, young children.

Even someone like me, with good mobility and generally healthy was nearly hit by a speeding bicycle today.

Two wheels are more dangerous than two feet.

1.5 miles? Have you considered just walking?

Off road cycle lanes don't work very well because they remove you from the rest of the traffic that everyone else is watching. I tend not to use them