To expect pedestrians to move out of way on a shared cycle/pedestrian path

[Watsername]

I have recently moved house and now cycle to and from work every day. I cycle almost exclusively on cycle paths which are shared spaces for cyclists and pedestrians.

Because of where I work I travel at the same time as children are going to and from a local secondary school. So I am on the shared space cycle path at the same time as a lot of teenagers.

AIBU to expect the teens to move out of the way when they see a bike coming? I am getting fed up of having to stop on the path as they walk 5-6 abreast and don't move. When I stop I wobble off and have nearly fallen into a busy A-Road several times.

Surely they don't want to get run over?!

If I ring my bell or say 'excuse me' politely I get dirty looks, sworn at, or roared at (yes, really!)

I work in a university. God knows I spend my days battling against flows of enormous groups of teenagers as I try to get to my next meeting on time. I get that it’s annoying and inconsiderate and sometimes downright rude, I really do. But in the situation of a shared cycle/pedestrian path, if you are really getting frustrated or even worried about your safety re wobbling into a busy road, you’re just going to have to get off and walk for this quarter of your journey. A pain, but there you go, because you are the one on a vehicle and they are not

YABU, cyclists don't have priority on shared pathways, so they have just as much right to use the pathway as you do.

If you can't slow down without wobbling and losing your balance then, quite frankly, you shouldn't be riding a bike anyway.

So.....are we agreed that
a) the pedestrians are being unreasonable by blocking the full path
b) I should stop for them,
c) and not run them over.......?

......which is what I was thinking/doing anyway.

oh....and cyclists are the pariahs of the path/road

No.
The pedestrians have right of way so can uses as much of the path as they like.
It would be polite for them to move for you but they do not have to.

B and c yes.

I personally hate cyclists. I live in the countryside and frankly they are entitled and annoy me more than tractors

Oh don’t be so silly and self-pitying. Cyclists shouldn’t have to put up with the shit they do from drivers. That has nothing to do with how the fact that they should give priority to pedestrians

hmmm. attempt at humour has failed. Bowing out now.

Goodnight.

The only cyclists on the road who have ever irritated me are the men in Lycra who used to meet at 6am on summer weekends in my tiny village and would mill around in the street outside my house waiting for all their pals to arrive, chatting at the tops of their voices. that was inconsiderate

OP if it is teenagers, presumably on their way to school giving you the rage, why don't you leave for work ten minutes earlier instead? Then you'll probably avoid them.

An entitled cyclist nearly (purposely) ran me and my children over on a shared path recently so I am a bit biased.
As far as I see it, pedestrians have the priority

Reminds me of when I used to walk along regents canal. Cyclists went way too fast and there just wasn’t room for everyone.

It sounds really frustrating with these teenagers but you don’t have priority and I doubt they will change so either leave a bit earlier and hope to miss them or resign yourself to a slower cycle along this shared path and try not to let it bother you.

Regardless of whose way they’re in, people who walk several abreast and block the pavement are arseholes

I hate shared paths too, our local park is designated shared paths and frankly some cyclists ride far too fast. I also don't think cyclists realise that pedestrians probably don't even hear them until the last minute as they come speeding from behind. I have had cyclists brush me as they shoot by at top speed many times.

For safety I think the rule has to be that cyclists give way to pedestrians. Their safety trumps your need for a falser ride.

Regardless of whose way they’re in, people who walk several abreast and block the pavement are arseholes
Unless they're preventing cyclists using a shared path... Then the cyclist shouldn't be there despite it being quite clearly shared use

I like shared spaces in general as everyone has to slow down and take care.

I feel like you haven't read or understood or acknnowledged ANY of the PPs who pointed you at the correct part of the Highway Code.
It's another AIBU thread where the OP actually means "validate my gripe". Yawn.
A reasonable person would get off and push through very busy areas with lots of pedestrians. I say this as a veteran cyclist of 20+ years including many long-distance routes.

*acknowledged. Feeding a baby with other hand.

If they are walking towards you and have plenty of time, it is expected that they will adjust so they only span half the pavement.

If you are coming from behind there is not much to be done except stop and ask them
To move over. Many cyclists think ringing a bell or shouting out should make people move over, but it’s frightening and rude.

If you are coming from the front and moving so fast that they actually have to jump or run, then you are the type of cyclist that makes people hate cyclists and you need to slow
Down.

Yanbu but I don't know what the answer is. There's a cycle path (not a shared one, just a cycle path) near ours that goes near a secondary school. The teenagers tend to walk several abreast on it. Tbf they are very polite teenagers who move to one side if I say excuse me, or ring my bell if I come up behind them (or if in the other direction they see me coming). I just slow down and am prepared to stop. But that's just a short bit of cycle path.
I think I'd go for the road for that bit of your commute

“ Unless they're preventing cyclists using a shared path..”

the cyclist isn’t prevented from using the shared path. They can slow down, stop, or get off and walk with the bike next to them if necessary. They just don’t have the right to cycle as fast as they choose. Annoying, but pedestrians have priority even if they are being inconsiderate

IvinghoeBeacon
I was taking the mick out of the more ridiculous posts on this thread, hence the

Nobody should have to get off an walk around people being an arse

Just like nobody should have issues getting past because dogs are on massive long leads on shared paths

Just like nobody should have to dodge running groups 3 abreast.

The onus should be on everyone to apply common sense, not expect everyone to move around the arseholes (whatever their mode of transport)

YANBU, and I'm surprised at the responses on here, really. For a group of pedestrians to block the full width of the path and leave no room for anyone to go the other way is dick move.

What the OP is expecting is nothing like the equivalent of expecting cyclists to stop and allow cars to overtake on the road. The OP has already said she'd be happy to follow the pedestrians at walking pace, but what these kids are doing is like cyclists travelling six abreast and blocking oncoming traffic as well as cars trying to overtake them.

Some of the responses on here are a bit harsh. The OP isn't asking for priority on a shared path. She is just asking for people to use common sense and manners to give her space to pass when they can clearly see her. Isn't that the point of a shared path, ie that all users are tolerant and considerate to other users. She is not talking about sneaking up behind someone and ringing a loud bell then expecting them to jump out of the way.

They shouldn’t block the path

They shouldn’t be rude

You should slow down if you want to use a shared path or use the road if you want to go fast

You shouldn’t be cycling (anywhere) if you can’t stop without falling over

Love how the attitudes of cyclists change to suit themselves. On the roads, they have a right to be there and can slow traffic as much as they like - it's drivers with the attitude problem. On shared pedestrian paths, how dare slower movers get in their way - it's pedestrians with the attitude problem.

YABU it’s a shared space, not designed for speed. And you are trying to go too fast during pedestrian rush hour - either leave earlier or suck it up.

I do not move for speedy impatient cyclists on shared pathways because I don’t have to - and because my reactions are slow. But on the other hand I always look out for learner cyclists and toddlers on scooters and give them lots of room. Leave those teens alone and slow the fuck down.

Poor cyclists can't win.

Ring your bell - 'I'm not moving just cause you're ringing your bell at me'
Don't ring your bell - 'oi haven't you got a bloody bell??'