To think cyclists should ride on the road, not on the pavement?

[AgeLikeWine]

Every day, I go walking along our local country roads, which are very popular with cyclists, and every day I am forced to walk on the road or in the weeds to maintain social distancing from cyclists who are riding on the pavement.

I’m not criticising proper cyclists; the Lycra brigade invariably ride on the road. I’m referring to families, couples and teenagers out for a bike ride who think they are entitled to use the pavements and force pedestrians to choose between getting run over by them or take the risk of stepping onto the road. Why don’t they ride where they are supposed to ride?

YABU = Cyclists should ride on the pavement and force pedestrians to get out of their way.

YANBU = All cyclists should ride on the road.

@hellotoday27

We go on the roads when it's a side roads but many of the main roads are just not safe enough for inexperienced riders. Drivers aren't patient enough as there's not room for 2 cars to pass plus a bike.

Yes, many roads are not safe enough. You don't go then. You don't get to steal the pavements from pedestrians. I don't feel safe cycling where I live, so I don't cycle!

Actually the law says it's illegal for any cyclist to ride on pavement irrespective of age. It's just that children under 10 cannot be charged but that doesnt gove them carte blanche to cycle on pavement just because they cannot be punished.

End of the day if people are scared of roads go do cycle training, practice on quiet roads and build up your confidence. That's what we did back in 1990 when I was a child. Had to go through whole cycle assessment in stages practicing in a car park size space with cones. Then we went on the road for practical experience. It was very much like a driving test. Had to show we could do the hand signals, over take cars etc.

Aa a parent take responsibility and either sign them up for cycle training or do it yourself and dont let your child cycle on the pavement.

For any adults cycling on pavements then if I see you I'll have no problem telling you to get off it.

Exception being where pavenement is clearly designated as shared space

"More tolerance all round (from cyclists, pedestrians and drivers) is what’s needed."

Don't tell people to be tolerant of people breaking the law. Just don't break the law!

YANBU all adult (and even teen) cyclists should be cycling on roads, designed cycle lanes / tracks or not at all! No ifs no buts.. get off the pavement.

Do you do those things? What do you think about the many motorists who not only do them but feel entitled to complain publicly about speed cameras/traps, red light cameras and traffic wardens? Do you take the time to post on the internet about their dangerous law-breaking or do you pick and choose which law-breakers you care about?

Ha ha, why would I post on here about my feelings on people who break every law? It's not relevant to this thread in particular. I'm also not into ranting for the sake of it on the internet. I have a family and a job. If I read a thread and strongly agree or disagree with it I will comment on it. But no, it would be absurd to just randomly rant on the internet about everybody who breaks the law. For what it's worth, I have, unfortunately, very good reason to feel strongly about cyclists not being on pavements.

Yanbu. My wee neighbour was hit by a pavement cyclist years back and badly injured. Unfortunately my neighbour wasn't able to recover fully - she couldn't walk again after that.

Cyclists should absolutely be safe to be on shared paths and roads. There's good reason for them NOT to be on pavements. I really cannot abide the pathetic excuses as to why the few cyclists breaking this law think its ok.

Ha ha, why would I post on here about my feelings on people who break every law? It's not relevant to this thread in particular. I'm also not into ranting for the sake of it on the internet. I have a family and a job. If I read a thread and strongly agree or disagree with it I will comment on it. But no, it would be absurd to just randomly rant on the internet about everybody who breaks the law. For what it's worth, I have, unfortunately, very good reason to feel strongly about cyclists not being on pavements.

Well you made some high minded comments about not picking and choosing laws, and dangerous behaviour. So I thought you were concerned about breaking laws and dangerous behaviour. But if all you really wanted was to rant about cyclists regardless then crack on.

But this is a thread about cyclists on the pavement?! Why would I list all the other possible laws that might be broken and how?!

YANBU
I enjoy cycling but cyclists should ride appropriately:

• on the road unless they are children
• if riding in a pair or group, ride side by side or a small bunch so cars can do one safe overtake
• not string themselves out so there's possibly a car gap between them, but maybe not, as this increases the risk of more dangerous bunny hopping past them
• follow the road markings, traffic lights and so on

If they're shared paths then everyone using them needs a bit of common sense so cyclists watch out for other path users and pedestrians don't meander across the whole path, and keep dogs on a short lead. It's bloody annoying running, cycling or walking more than snail pace to have to navigate endless stupid retractable leads held by dawdlers.

But this is a thread about cyclists on the pavement?! Why would I list all the other possible laws that might be broken and how?!

All possible laws would be silly. Road safety laws however would seem relevant given that's the complaint you said you have about cyclists. But you've now explained you have a particular issue with cyclists that's not just down to law breaking and danger. Glad we cleared that up.

@LolaSmiles your wrong children are not allowed to cycle on pavements

This is what the law says and it is very clear

Cycling on the pavement is currently illegal in UK law. When it comes to child cyclists, however , this is actually something of a grey area. If children are under 10, they are under the age of criminal responsibility, which means that if they are spotted cycling on the pavement by the police they cannot be prosecuted or served with a fixed penalty notice. Children over 10 but under 18 will also be treated differently from adults who cycle on the pavement.

If you are concerned about busy roads, then if possible try to find an alternative route for your child to cycle on, so that they can be safe without having to resort to cycling on the pavement.

I got my elbow broken being mowed down by a pavement cyclist. I also see constant threads on mumsnet about joggers and how walking pedestrians can't possibly move out of their way, not sure why some people think cyclists have higher priority and people can get out of their way.

If you're too young to cycle safely on the roads you shouldn't be cycling about. We weren't allowed to as kids.

There are a number of intertwined but separate issues here.
I don't think anyone can rationally excuse adults riding on pavements, but there are huge problems with infrastructure and with motorist behaviour. Whilst these are not an excuses for people breaking the law, they are major contributory factors and unless they are addressed, the problem won't go away.
The normal problems are compounded currently by the fact that there are absolutely loads of people who are not regular cyclists who are getting out on bikes, possibly for the first time in a long while. Lots of them are riding bikes that don't fit, are badly maintained and they lack proficiency. Yes they should be learning what do do properly but right now, that is easier said than done. British Cycling has suspended all its sanctioned cycling activity so there are no GoRide kids clubs or other coached sessions running, no Breeze or other guided rides where adults might normally get support. Bikeability is largely run through schools so obviously that's not happening There are plenty of videos etc online its true but you have to know where to look and its not the same as real face to face interaction anyway.
On one hand its not great for other users (other cyclists included) to have hoards of inexperienced cyclists on roads or any kind of path, but do we really want to be discouraging people from taking up a more active lifestyle?
Yes, it is really important that people learn to cycle competently (I'm a coach who gives a lot of my spare time to try to help people do exactly that) but being competent yourself does not do away with the risks that are posed by the poor state of our roads and aggressive motorists. Its not a perfect analogy obviously, but advocating cycling proficiency as the answer to cyclists being afraid of the roads is a bit like solely trying to deal with street crime by suggesting everyone takes self defence classes.
Then there is the fact that the term cyclist can be applied to anyone riding any kind of bicycle, but they are not a homogenous group. In fact I doubt that any group of road users is more varied. A small child bimbling along at sub adult walking pace is a cyclist, but so is a professional who can average 50kph and have a top speed of over 100kph. Even a reasonable amateur will ride at 10 times the speed of a small child. We don't allow children of significantly different ages to race or even train on our circuit simultaneously - the speed and skill differential between typical 8 year olds and 15 year olds is too great to be safe - yet our town planners seem to think that all bike riders can be treated as one.There is no one size fits all answer, and the badly designed and poorly maintained cycle paths that are prevalent in this country frequently suit nobody.
There are huge problems with our national transport infrastructure which will probably never be completely solved but which could definitely be improved with time and a lot of money. However, the biggest difference I have noticed between cycling at home and abroad is attitudes, and those cost nothing to change. Particularly at the moment it would be good if everyone, however they travel, could cut other people a bit of slack and try to be considerate of others.

cyclingmad Few people would seriously be throwing the law at 4/5 year olds just learning to ride their bikes though. When I said children I meant young children, not teens.

Unless there's seriously people who think a child should learn to ride their bike and learn to master signaling etc all on the road.
Most people cut kids a little slack.

It's one of my greatest worries about the new craze for cycling. There needs to be a big push reminding people about the highway code.
we need to protect the cyclists from cars (of course) but we also have to protect pedestrians from cyclists, especially at crossings, traffic lights etc.

I am just back from 6 miles. A combination of mixed use (so cycle path and footpath designated route) so cycle lanes, some roads and some pavements. I encountered about 6 people in total on the pavement section and I moved aside for all of them. Everyone was lovely. I rode more on the roads this time but there is still one stretch I won't entertain on my bike, so I'll carry on (safely) as I am.

Have read most of the thread but not every message - keep seeing posters suggest kids on pavement and adults on the road - this can't work as the adult sail across the first side road and the kids are stuck crossing like a pedestrian.

I am always telling the kids it's actually safer on the road (and choose my routes carefully) but they are much less aware of other traffic than me, it's difficult.

@LolaSmiles

Just because e they wont punish an under 10yr old doesnt change the law.

Teach your child to ride in parks or other open spaces until they are confident enough to ride on the road and when cycle training is open send them along.

Or take them out somewhere the roads are quiet and supervise rides with them.

And font make excuses like time or effort if you have kids take responsibility dont break the law. A child on a pavement esp one ot confident is even more harmful, they dont move around people they panic and dont brake and just bash into things. Wasnt there some recent article where a child bashed into a couple walking along a pavement.

@Ratbagcatbag

I am just back from 6 miles. A combination of mixed use (so cycle path and footpath designated route) so cycle lanes, some roads and some pavements. I encountered about 6 people in total on the pavement section and I moved aside for all of them. Everyone was lovely. I rode more on the roads this time but there is still one stretch I won't entertain on my bike, so I'll carry on (safely) as I am.

How selfish and arrogant. If you can't cycle on the road don't cycle! If it's just one stretch, get off your bike and push it for that time. Why do you think you get to break the law?

If I come behind someone, I ring my bell after having slowed right down, again so far, people have just moved off to the side and let me pass and I thank them

I hate bell ringing at pedestrians! A it terrifies me, b it just sounds rude. If you’re going as slowly as you say, a loud “excuse me” does the job without the insistent pinging.

Also please think of hearing impaired. I can’t hear cyclists coming up behind me, which is why a bell pinging makes me jump. I will usually have headphones in a a visual sign to others that i probably can’t hear you, but then I get grief for the stupity of headphones meaning I can’t hear cyclists!

When i’m cycling too i will generally try and make eye contact and say thank you, because i don’t know how loud i am speaking. Again people who miss it get annoyed I haven’t said thank you and can get quite aggressive.

@Gwenhwyfar I don't think I get too, I'm just choosing to. The only people that I encountered on that bit were two cyclists on the pavement coming towards me, because that stretch of 60 mile an hour road with a ditch to the side is scary. And again both parties slowed down and let each other pass safely whilst saying hello. No pedestrians on that stretch at all.

So I'll be selfish and arrogant by your standards and not in a ditch somewhere, I'm ok with that choice.

@bluebluezoo I don't insistently ping, just the once. And I do say excuse me please as well. I don't want to scare or upset anyone. I want everyone to enjoy what they're doing.