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.

"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."

I'm the opposite. I think cyclists SHOULD ring their bells - it's what it's there for. I don't have eyes at the back of my head.
Unfortunately, most cyclists where I live don't use them and just weave through the pedestrians in a chaotic and scary way.

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

Why would you be in a ditch if you got off your bike and pushed it for a bit.
If it's not safe to cycle, don't cycle.

I'm the opposite. I think cyclists SHOULD ring their bells - it's what it's there for. I don't have eyes at the back of my head

If they need to ring their bell they shouldn’t be on the pavement. Fine if the pedestrian is in the wrong, on a cycle path for instance, but if i’m walking along a pavement Making a loud ping to get me to jump out the way so they don’t need to stop is rude. Slow down and say excuse me like any other footpath user.

@Clearyweary, if you're in England, and you live in a shire county area, it's the county council that is responsible for highways matters, including road safety, so the town council is not the right bunch of bureaucrats to write to!

@Gwenhwyfar because it's a stretch a mile and a half long. With excellent visibility down the whole path. I'm not pushing when I can ride it and meet no one on it. And if I do meet someone then what I've repeated several times will stand, I'll slow down, get off, move to one side and thank people.

cyclingmad
My child isn't old enough to ride a bike so can you please stop turning each your replies into a series of instructions about what I should do with my child. It's sanctimonious preaching.

In my area there's a lot of shared paths, well designed cycle paths and not so well designed cycle paths. In places children use pavements between these. As if by magic everyone manages just fine to pay attention to their surroundings. Maybe I should start lecturing the parents who let their children do this when on their family walks after all life loves a busybody.

Was it cyclepath / pedestrian path combined? so many times pedestrians (/ cyclists) dont seem to know that it has dual purpose.

Sometimes paddling on the pavement is safer, especially if it is not a residential pavement. But I am lucky, there are plenty of cycle paths where we live (South-East)

@MrsAvocet absolutely agree. Lockdown has encouraged people who haven't cycled for years to get out there, often with children who cannot ride well either. Because they are not regular cyclists with a keen eye for safety they take them out on completely unsuitable roads, often rural seemingly quiet ones but which are invariably used by boy racers and are the last place you'd cycle with an inexperienced rider. Many of them aren't wearing helmets either.

I’ve cycled every day in lockdown for my daily exercise and we are lucky enough to have lots of cycle paths and shared routes. Our shared routes have a thick white line down the middle and gigantic pictures of a bike and a person.
My personal experience of the shared routes is that cyclists keep to their side but pedestrians don’t, mainly because they aren’t usually walking along.
I don’t like ringing my bell in case they think I’m rude so I just slow down and say “ I’m just passing on the right” . Then I say thank you, I haven’t experienced any cross responses in 10 weeks.
We all just need to be more thoughtful about others

Alone not along

@LolaSmiles I'm not preaching just correcting the wrong advice your fishing out.

That is the law.

If it's a shared pathway then that's different but you said pavements not shared pathways. And if there is a gap then they should get off their bikes and walk it or use the road. I didnt make the law I just adhere to it as should everyone else.

@Knittingnanny I agree with out that pedestrians never stay on the correct side of shared pathways, countless times people walking in designated cycling lane.

Similarly a lot of car drivers cant seem to stop their cars before the ASL boxes for cyclists.

"I agree with out that pedestrians never stay on the correct side of shared pathways, countless times people walking in designated cycling lane."

I don't, though it has been necessary a few times in lockdown when people won't give me space. I have also had to walk in the road a few times to avoid people.

cyclingmad
And I'm saying that most people haven't got an issue with children because most people aren't uptight.

A common sight in my area is a family out walking the dog/walking to the park. The children have their little bikes or trikes or scooters.
I guess we should tell the parents to walk on the path and send their 4/5/6 year olds on the road because that makes some adults feel big and clever. Or better, say 'well back in my day we were never allowed to...' 'parents shouldn't incorporate learning as part of existing family time, instead they should go and find roads for their child to learn on separately in addition to walking the dogs because everyone has an infinite amount of time. If you haven't got time to specifically walk your bike to another road then your kids don't get to learn how to ride a bike'.
Meanwhile most people just get on with life without feeling the need to get in a tizz.

"Sometimes paddling on the pavement is safer"

Yes, safer for the cyclist, less safe for the pedestrian. If it's a pavement and not dual use, it's illegal to cycle on it.

But if it makes someone feel safer I'm happy to share the pavement

But if it makes someone feel safer I'm happy to share the pavement

As long as them feeling safer doesn’t endanger other people.

Hmmm....
In general yes I totally agree especially in the UK where pavements are narrow and there's heaps of people. However where my DF lives in the countryside there are some long A roads with no houses that have pavements...I had really see the harm in cyclists using those tbh as pedestrians definitely dont. I'm in a tiny fishing village in Australia at the moment and the pavements are really wide, more like the cycle lanes in Europe, and all the locals cycle on them because there are never any pedestrians. If you do see one you can just move off the pavement because the roads are so straight you can see them miles off but it hasn't happened so far in 8 weeks of being here and cycling every day.

@LolaSmiles I'm not getting in a tizz.

Like I said dont dish out incorrect advice and then you wont have other people having to correct you. You said children can cycle kn pavements and I simply told you that your wrong and the law is very clear on that.

And then I clarified that I was talking about children, not teens, gave examples from my area linked to poor infrastructure and examples of what we see a lot in our area (parents walking and younger children on bikes, trikes and scooters) and said that most people don't get in a tizz about it.

If anyone's response to seeing a child riding their bikes whilst out on a walk with their parents is 'but the law says... / Well they shey should be on the road or not at all even if their parents are walking the dog / if they won't ride on the road then they shouldn't at all / they should go and find a road for their child to ride on' then that's getting unduly worked up and in a tizz.

YANBU although cycling in the UK is a minefield!

I think that the issue is insufficient cycle lanes, but if you're an adult, you should be capable of cycling on the road.

The most ridiculous thing I saw last week was a woman cycling on the pavement wearing a helmet! 😂

@LolaSmiles what part of it's illegal to cycle on pavements do you not understand? It doesnt say it okay for children at certain ages to cycle on pavements. Its everyone of any age!

So you saying children can cycle on pavements is wrong! Doesnt matter if you or anyone decides to not mind if they do just means your turning a blind eye and that's your choice. It's still wrong to say children but not teens can cycle on pavements because most people dont mind because that's not legal

I haven't said it's legal. I've said people don't mind.

Most people wouldn't see a child on their bike and think 'ooh how awful, let's get the waggy finger out that's not ok. Get the 4/5 year old on the road where they belong. That's the law'.

Well OP started a thread about cycling on the pavement and you come along and say in your post children can cycle on pavements and adults cant. If your going to quote what's allowed then you should to quote what is legally allowed not what you think is acceptable.

Itll be alright until your injured from.a child riding on the pavement