To think cyclists shouldn’t be on pavements, and certainly shouldn’t expect pedestrians to move for them.

[GoldenLabbie]

I was walking home just now, when a bloke on a bike came right up behind me and said ‘can I get past please’. I was that taken a back I actually moved for him! But then if he’s arrogant and entitled enough to ask me to move, he’s not going to take kindly to me pointing out he should be on the road is he? Surely he should have moved onto the road, which wasn’t even that busy BTW, to pass me? Or ideally been on the road full stop.

Maybe they would have slowed down and cycled around the pushchair or wheel chair, no drama

Richard Goodwin, 56, father of five children.

Jay Callacher, 15, from Scotland.

Paul Oxberry, 26, from Sunderland.

Sgt Lynwen Thomas, serving police officer in Wales.

Harley Smith, 16, in Falkirk.

Just a few of the hundreds of people riding bikes killed by people driving motor vehicles in Britain in 2021 and 2020. And based on the attitudes of some in this thread, we can be confident some of those killings were deliberate.

"But whatabout the pedestrian that got killed by cyclists"

Peter McCombie, 73, in London. And a few others each year. Any death is a tragedy, but 99% of pedestrians killed on the road or pavement are killed by drivers.

So maybe, just maybe, people might understand why some choose to break the letter of the law - a law that predates the pedal cycle itself - rather than risk their lives.

But I'm not holding my breath.

@Flawedperfection

I fucking hate cyclists and want to run them down when I’m driving at times tbh, due to so many of them being annoying, entitled twats who can’t cycle for shit. Some blind people would probably do a better job. Cyclists are a pain in the arse wherever they are tbh, whether they are wobbling all over the place on the road, riding 2 or 3 abreast (and daring to scream at YOU when you get too close to them) or when they are threatening the elderly and infirm on a pavement.

Lol there are some very angry people on here. Maybe take up cycling it can be very relaxing.

The Highway Code, Rule 64: ' You must not cycle on the pavement'.

Surely, this is the problem: cyclists are interpreting rules in their own intelligent, rational way, and doing what they want, instead of following rules. It's the same with electric scooters, and I'm not even sure whether these are permitted on the roads, as there is some new information about rental electric scooters and ones you own.

I saw a cyclist drive across the lane of traffic going in the opposite direction. There would have been the option to dismount and walk across the crossing ( when the traffic light permitted) then cross another road at 90 degrees to the first, or follow the movement of the rest of the traffic, but, no that wasn't most convenient to the cyclist. Scooterists do similar and more illegal acts because they can mount a pavement easily, almost anywhere, and so feel inclined to ride across the lane of oncoming traffic.

It's a big distraction having to watch out for cyclists and scooterists weaving about as they please. I don't appreciate, as a pedestrian, not being able to know I can safely cross at a crossing - cyclists don't want to stop for the lights and they don't think the rules of the road apply to them.

I see some potentially dangerous incident involving cyclists or scooterists almost daily.

My city has quite a lot of cycle lanes next to the road so I use those where I can.

On roads where its a bit narrower or theres no cycle lane I tend to go on the pavement BUT I will always cycle round people where I can without causing them disruption or if absolutely necessary i'll go on the road for a little bit.

I know cyclists should be on the road and I fully understand and appreciate that. It's just the last time I cycled properly on the road I had a car honking and driving so close upto my back wheel (as there wasn't really space for him to get past due to cars being parked on the other side and coming the other way)... I ended up being out for six weeks healing a broken arm after he forced me into a pothole and I came crashing to the ground...

So to avoid more broken arms...i'm sticking to the pavement (Although as I said I won't expect a pedestrian to move and I'll go on the road for a few seconds or just stop and get off and walk round)

Recently I saw what I'm assuming was a father and daughter out on their bikes. The girl was probably around 14 and she was on the road, the man was a grown man, I would guess around 40's and he was on the pavement!
Also at out local beach park there is a path that runs about 4k along the length of the beach and then a road that runs adjacent to the path. Not a very busy road and it's in decent condition, yet every bloody cyclist that goes along that way uses the path. Even groups of them. Everytime I go for a run a get some idiot wizz by me at full pelt. You can hardly let your dog off the lead incase they come shooting round a corner, and you're just supposed to have some psychic ability that let's you know they are coming. It is NOT a cycle path, and it really pisses me off!

I think it isn't safe for bikes and cars to share the road and that special cycle paths ought to be built away from cars. I think the disparity in weight and power of a car and a bike makes it too dangerous.

I don't believe that all cyclists are chilled, rational planet-loving people, I believe they are like individuals everywhere, they vary.

The worst incident I saw last month was on a high street. A cyclist was riding along turning round to swear at a woman who had just crossed the road. I spoke to her to ask if she was all right, and she said she had spoken to him because he'd gone through the red light. He was turning round on his bike shouting that she was ' a fat xxxx.' She was actually about seven months pregnant. I just don't buy into this notion that all cyclists are zen and thoughtful and treat the environment and others with care. I think they take short cuts because it is easier for them and they are prepared to entertain risk, because they are confident in themselves and don't care that that momentary distraction to a motorist: " Hey, what's that cyclist doing now?" could cause a more prolonged lapse in concentration for the motorist, which could badly affect their next manoevre. Why shouldn't we be allowed to cross the roads safely?

@Flawedperfection

I fucking hate cyclists and want to run them down when I’m driving at times tbh, due to so many of them being annoying, entitled twats who can’t cycle for shit. Some blind people would probably do a better job. Cyclists are a pain in the arse wherever they are tbh, whether they are wobbling all over the place on the road, riding 2 or 3 abreast (and daring to scream at YOU when you get too close to them) or when they are threatening the elderly and infirm on a pavement.

What an unpleasant person you are!

If cyclists are on the pavements, then they need to 'give way' to pedestrians.

If cyclists are on the roads, then they should be paying road tax, and drivers need to 'give way' to them.

At no point, EVER, should cyclists use roads when there is a designated cycle path available, because it's been created specifically to accommodate cyclists (usually because the road is a busy one and traffic needs to maintain speed to avoid traffic jams).

At no point, EVER, should cyclists suddenly decide to become 'pedestrians' to avoid red traffic lights !

In the case of the cyclist you encountered, I wouldn't mind as he was polite and not going at speed. I used to cycle and I stopped because the roads are hostile to cyclists. I had loads of near misses and the second time I got knocked off I got the fear and that was it. So I can understand someone wanting to cycle but safely coming to the conclusion that the path is the only safe place for them.

The neds bombing around on stolen kids' bikes who are only there because they're bombed off their faces and using the path is just one more law to break, yeah ofc they're annoying. But not someone doing their best to travel safely.

@safariboot

If he had been walking, would you have come here and started a walker-bashing thread?

Yes, cycling on the pavement is against the law. So are loads of things loads of car drivers do all the time. There was in this case no real risk to anyone.

Oh right. Cycling on pavements is against the law but because car drivers break the law all the time it’s all ok is it? How do you know there was no ‘real risk’ on this occasion? Are you saying it’s up to a cyclist or motorist to assess the ‘risk’ themselves before deciding whether or not to keep within the law & follow the Highway Code?

If cyclists are on the roads, then they should be paying road tax,

There is no such thing as road tax. You mean vehicle excise duty, and that is for polluting cars only. It would never apply to cycles, just as it doesn’t apply to some cars.

The only cyclists who seem to cycle on the pavement near me are Just Eat couriers. They're bloody everywhere! There are a few cycle lanes local to where I live but they're are usually full of parked cars.

Cyclists on the road quite rightly expect car/van/lorry drivers to drive carefully near them because they are a much more vulnerable road user.
Why then do so many cyclists not extend the same courtesy to pedestrians (who are more vulnerable) on pavements (where they shouldn’t be) or on bridle paths or foot paths (again where they shouldn’t be)?

I'm very sorry for all cyclists who've been forced into potholes by cars - it's very dangerous for them. But this makes me think that our main highways are not safe for cyclists if a pothole, spillage, stone or ice could force them off their bike - and it certainly isn't safe for them when they have come off their bike in the middle of moving traffic.

@daisypond

If cyclists are on the roads, then they should be paying road tax,

There is no such thing as road tax. You mean vehicle excise duty, and that is for polluting cars only. It would never apply to cycles, just as it doesn’t apply to some cars.

Vehicle Excise Duty - widely known as car tax or road tax.

Or vehicle tax

Pisses me off.
I will not ride a bike in the roads where I currently live, so I don't own a bike.
Bikes are not for pavements where pedestrians are walking.
The solution is a massive national drive for cycle paths everywhere, but thats obviously not going to happen.
Young children obviously is different.

yanbu it's a real bugbear of mine, I live on the coast and the promenade is full of cyclists haring past people trying to enjoy a leisurely stroll ridiculous!

I'm a cyclist and I totally agree that cycling on the pavement is wrong, unless it's a very young child.

So, when my DCs 11 and 12 cycle on the road, within the law, as they have been taught for years, I hope that car drivers are kind to them and treat them with respect. I hope they don't come across aggressive attitudes displayed by some on this thread and become aggressive cyclists in the future having had to tolerate years of abuse from drivers.

Just to clarify, I know people use ‘road tax’ in error but we all know what they mean.

@safariboot stupid comment ! Pavements are for walking on ???

Cyclist shouldn’t be on the pavement if it’s not for dual use.

I also think it should be in the Highway Code that they need to pull over if causing traffic to build up or a car has been trapped behind them for more than 5 minutes.

I live semi rurally and the school run is on country roads (no pavements, but plenty of pull over stops that the tractors use). They are winding and often it’s not safe to overtake a cyclist so you spend your whole journey behind multiple cyclists (it seems to be a biking hotspot!)

I have to factor in “stuck behind cyclist” time into the school run and set off 15 minutes early for a 9 minute drive

Don’t get me started on the older mothers on horses at school run times. They should know better

I hope they don't come across aggressive attitudes displayed by some on this thread and become aggressive cyclists in the future having had to tolerate years of abuse from drivers

Well it depends what sort of people they are doesn’t it?
I have come across many aggressive drivers/ cyclists in the 20+ years I have been driving and it hasn’t rubbed off on me.
I guess from what you’re saying, if I did decide to become an arsehole driver I can just blame them?