To think cyclists don't need to be on the pavement

[Rosecatter]

Everyone is entitled to go out and exercise, obviously, and I understand that, at times, the roads are dangerous but there's hardly any traffic at the moment. I'm sick of having to leap out of the way for cyclists on the pavement, or then just whizzing past from behind me, and certainly not 2 metres away.
Get on the road.

I'm a cyclist and I never cycle on the pavement. I have a perfect right to be on the road. Pavements are for pedestrians.

Kill them!!! My absolute pet hate.

Remember that there are some pavements cyclists are entitled to use.

But; I agree. I've seen a lot on pavements they shouldn't have been on -- I think because a lot of inexperienced bike riders (note the very real distinction between bike riders and cyclists) have been out, using their time off work as a reason to get out on their bikes, despite not really having g the skills or experience

I won’t cycle on a busy main road. It’s far too dangerous. If I can I will use the quiet side roads, but even then have had my heart in my mouth at how close cars will drive.

My DH has had a few near misses and my colleague’s DS was nearly killed on a roundabout. He broke many bones, was 3 months in hospital and was a year out of work.

However, I only cycle on the path if there are very very few pedestrians. I will always give way to a pedestrian and if it’s not practical I will dismount and walk with my bike.

So no, I won’t get on the road.

YANBU. Was out for a run and refused to change my line for adult cycling bloke on pavement. He was not happy. Dick.

I do have some sympathy for kids but their parents need to understand that they don't have any form of right of way.

YANBU. Again. Fucks sake. It's so hard to walk anywhere these days without cyclists thinking they have primacy.

@Convict225 walk then. It's not hard.

I think kids are ok on the pavement if they're reliably able to steer/stop, cars can drive too close and make them wobble. If not able to steer/stop reliably then they need to stick to parks.

Anyone else - get on the road.

So no, I won’t get on the road

Pavements are for pedestrians, not cyclists. If you don't feel the roads are safe enough then don't cycle, you don't have the right to make pavements unsafe for pedestrians. How selfish.

First off, the law, such as there is a law, there is no statute, it is Victorian case law relating to 'carriages' which has been applied by judges to bicycles which weren't even a thing when this law was enacted.

Second, this law makes no reference to age or size of the carriage in question. Every child is breaking this law.

Third, we now live in an age of powered vehicles all over the pavement, be it mobility dragsters on pavements or delivery lorries in pedestrianised shopping centres. (I was once ordered off my 'dangerous' bike whilst an army recruiting exhibition was parking a Challenger tank nearby. I have also been told to get off whilst on the National Cycle path.

In the town where I live now, the restriction on cycling in the shopping precinct were lifted two years ago. No deaths yet, but I'll keep you posted.

The safety issue is speed.

Pavements are for pedestrians, unless they’re specifically marked as shared spaces.

If you can’t cycle confidently and safely on the road then stick to walking until you can go back to cycling in parks etc after lockdown is over.

If you can’t cycle confidently and safely on the road then stick to walking

Here is the flaw. You do realise that cyclist own cars?

There were 2 adults cycling past me on the narrow pavements on my high street the other day. The road was pretty deserted and they had no excuse for doing it. Even DD, age 12, commented as she manages to cycle on the road. The council make them do the cycling proficiency test and we cycle to some of her after school clubs as it's faster than getting the bus.

I understand that some roads are dangerous and if I don't feel comfortable negotiating roundabouts or that particular stretch of road I get off and push the bike.

Not on busy pavements, no.
But slow cycling on empty pavements, using a bell and getting off around people and blind corners is safer than using the road. The police cycle on pavements around here and say hello when we pass.
I'm always surprised how fast road cyclists go tbh. I would never cycle that fast.

I won’t cycle on a busy main road.

Convict225 So you have three choices:

1. Miss out routes with main roads
2. Gain some confidence and cycling skills
3. Don’t cycle

I've seen a child caught in the spokes of a pavement rider's wheels. Her arm was broken. She may not be dead, mockers, but that doesn't mean it's ok to cycle on the pavement.

And your 'flaw' that cyclists own cars does not invalidate the point.

The pavement (British English) has long ceased to be for pedestrians only. It is now covered in powered vehicles.

I'm lucky that where i live is all shared pavements and cycle paths cause i refuse to cycle on main roads, far too dangerous, especially with my dd in her bike seat on the back.

Where the pavements aren'shared i cycle on them until i meet a pedestrian, and then normally slow to a stop until they have passed

I only cycle on the path- but i slow down or get off when I see someone walking.
I have my baby on my bike or my elder 2 in the trailer behind.
There is no way the road is safe enough for us.

To be honest even if I were to cycle alone I wouldn't risk the roads. They are busy and the odd time I have been forced to go on the road the cars have come exceptionally close to us- even with a luminous trailer with a flag.

How are you supposed to become a confident enough cyclist to be safe on a road without using a path first? Surely you will cause more accidents/ deaths your own trying to cycle on a road before you are ready?

Petition for better cycle routes where you live if you can.

We have a good few cycle routes near us (mostly where we cycle but you have to get to them/ go between them depending on where you are going) but people still walk on them. They aren't safe/unsafe for either walkers or bike riders.

I ring my bell and if the people we pass dont move to the side then we wait until we can get past.
I have never known an adult to not ring their bell or shout when im walking.

If there aren't safe bike paths for people to use why the hell would you expect them to risk it on a busy road? Motorbikes get hit regularly- why wouldn't a bike?

The more people who bike rather than drive the safer we all are anyway. I know not personally 4 people who have died from being hit by a car and I know one person who broke his back (and can still walk! It really was a miracle) but I don't know of anyone being hit by a bike except in fleabag

ALSO when i have been on a cycle path with a pedestrian side, people have walked all over the bike side anyway so there really is no difference. I don't moan about them though because its floor.

@heartsonacake how can you gain confidence if youre not allowed to cycle on a path?

I can't believe how selfish people are! Trying to justify their actions by saying oh the roads arent safe enough. If that is the case then bloody walk, don't put your bike on a pavement and make it dangerous for people walking. Such entitlement.

@Sleepsleepmeepmeep my point is that the roads really aren't that busy at the moment. I fully understand why cyclists don't want to be at risk normally. We need to exercise and we need to keep at least 2m apart. It makes sense that cyclists use the road, when they can. If it's not safe to do that where you are at the moment, then why not get your exercise by walking?

I sometimes take my bike to the park if DS wants a bike ride. I’m not confident to ride on the road, and DS is only 5 so I don’t want him to, so I walk my bike to the park on the pavement. Is that not ok?

@MockersxxxxxxxSocialDistancing

Alctually you are right, one of our neighbours has a scooter type thing (for old people, you know the big ones that go quite fast) and I bloody hate seeing him because he nearly runs me over EVERYTIME, but there is another lady with the same one and she never runs me over.

I think the problem @Rosecatter is inconsiderate people not cyclists in general.

And again, try for better cycle paths if it bothers you so much. I imagine a lot more people will be cycling when this is all over because I can't afford a car even with a decent income so I don't know how people will be able to keep their cars with no job and tonnes of debt.

mockers then they can drive rather than walk? Not following why owning cars is an argument for cycling on the pavement

I think the problem @Rosecatter is inconsiderate people not cyclists in general.
Fair point