Who was U - cycling in park

[blankee]

Ok, I don’t know where I fall on this so I’m turning to MN!

We have several parks in town where cycling is permitted and just one where cycling is explicitly banned. That doesn't stop quite a lot of people from cycling through.

Yesterday DH and I were walking with our DS when a woman cycled slowly past us. I overheard a man further up the path say to her, “There’s no cycling in here, you know,” and she said, “I don’t walk well, that’s why,” and cycled on.

I’m not going to get into the BU of the man challenging her, but I can’t decide whether she was BU for cycling (slowly) in a no-cycling park, or whether she was NBU for using a method if transport that suited her physical needs! I want to have sympathy and empathy as much as possible for disabled folks and people with limited mobility and I hate the idea of people not being able to do things they want to, but on the other hand, there are at least four other parks where she can cycle? 🤷‍♀️

YABU: she was unreasonable for cycling in a no-cycling park
YANBU: she was not being unreasonable to use a form of transport that was easier for her than walking

She is officially unreasonable to cycle in a non cycling park. Bikes aren't a recognised disability aid

However she wasn't endangering anyone if she was going slowly and carefully so I really couldn't care

Hmm, well I suppose that cycles are not a recognised form of transport for those with mobility issues (like a motorised scooter is or a wheelchair) so other people may not immediately view it in that way. But, on balance, I suppose it’s similar to it being a park where dogs are banned - that wouldn’t extend to Guide Dogs would it? And I also imagine she wasn’t going he’ll for leather and doing wheelies, so probably not too much of a hazard to others.

Interesting angle on starting an MN cycling thread though

Cyclist here. I think she shouldn’t be cycling in a place which specifically says no cycling. I do understand it might be easy for her, but she has to follow the rules. If it’s hard for her to walk, she has a bike with her to help steady her whilst she walks (one of my mates can’t walk very well but can cycle to get around - he uses the bike like a two wheeled walker when he gets of and walks).

I don't have an issue with people doing things like this if they are considerate, same as with pavement cycling. Mystery man should just mind his own business.

This is how I felt really, but I thought it was an interesting answer to being challenged about cycling.

For the record I’m a cyclist and wouldn’t dream of cycling in that park (it’s very clearly marked and there’s a route through the middle of it that is cyclable so you don’t even have the “need to get from one side to the other” excuse) but then my disability isn’t facilitated by cycling so I can’t quite imagine it being easier than walking! So lack of empathy on my part? 🤷‍♀️

The image of the wheelies has made me snort!

I love cycling and cyclists but I dislike all inconsiderate people. There are many inconsiderate cyclists who use that park but I don’t think disabled cycle lady was being inconsiderate. But still technically wrong, I guess. Hmm.

She is unreasonable. She should go to a park where cycling is permitted. Some people think rules don't apply to them, one of the plethora of reasons why society is such a mess nowadays 😒

So she was aware it was no cycling but chose to ignore that- she should have used an alternative route. Ultimately it becomes difficult to enforce a no cycle rule if it’s not upheld for all.

I'm a keen cyclist and have a choice of a 9 mile road ride to work, or 7 miles on the canal plus two road miles to work. In the summer I prefer the canal but need to get through a park to get to the canal entry. It's not banned cycling, and I ride through there before 7am but ride really slowly as there are lots of dogs off lead and I'd quite like to not fall off. If cycling was banned, I'd get off and push.

Having said that, if she was riding slowly then I'd not say anything - there are precious few traffic free areas for women who aren't confident to ride on the road. If it were three or four teenagers on MTBs hooning about the place then I'd kick off. IMO we need to support more women on bikes, and more active travel.

I'm with the man. No cycling means exactly that . she could have chosen the many other routes available.

Ultimately it becomes difficult to enforce a no cycle rule if it’s not upheld for all.

This is the point really. I think a lot of our anti-social problems today stem from rules not being followed and more importantly not being enforced. Yes, she probably was doing no harm, but where do you draw the line? Others will see her "getting away with it" and think they'll do it too, as they're not doing any harm either. Same with littering, bad parking, public drunkenness, etc. It's a slippery slope.

But having said that, it's not for random individuals to "police" such rules. The police themselves and local authority wardens should be policing the rules/laws, and if they can't or won't then the rules need to be removed. Having a rule that isn't enforced is worse than not having a rule in the first place.

I disabled and can't walk more than about 100m. The woman is very unreasonable.

it’s very clearly marked and there’s a route through the middle of it that is cyclable so you don’t even have the “need to get from one side to the other” excuse

So you can cycle through the park if using it to get from A to B, you just can't cycle "recreationally" round the rest of the park, which is where she was? But you can cycle in several other parks?

I think overall she was being unreasonable in that case. But I wouldn't have challenged her on it.

This.

Does it actually inconvenience you more than it would if they passed by on foot alone or pushing their bike? If not, forget it.

I'm.more curious about what ailment she has where cycling is easier than walking?

You'd think hips, knees, ankles etc would all feel greater strain on bicycle than walking.

It's a slippery slope though. Where do you draw the line?

If it's explicitly no cycling, then she was being unreasonable. Otherwise you just end up with everyone having 'a reason'

If you are on a bike you aren't bearing the weight of your body on your legs etc. Cycling gently doesn't really put a lot of strain on your lower body so if someone finds it painful to walk it may very well be easier to cycle about.

As a deaf person, I cannot hear someone coming up behind me
due to a while host of issues with my legs, I find it difficult to walk in a straight line, so I tend to meander all over a path. I also fall full length easily.

both of these mean that a cyclist coming up behind me is tricky. I’m not gojng to hear them ringing a bell, them swerving to avoid me might not be possible as I’m just as likely to walk into their path. I had several near misses while out walking during lockdown, with cyclists shouting abuse at me.

paths/pavements that are not officially cycle paths should be safe for all pedestrians to walk on.

the man was quite right.

her disability is not a reason to endanger other people.

If you are deaf, how did you hear cyclists shouting abuse at you?

Completely agree.

In a non-cycling park, she shouldn’t be cycling. People with hearing problems or limited mobility might not be able to move quickly enough out of her path; children are prone to scatter across footpaths randomly and parents won’t be expecting them to have to move for cyclists. If she doesn’t walk well then, unless we’re talking Hyde Park, she can detour around the perimeter with little additional distance.

And I say this as a cyclist who reserves a special place in hell for pedestrians who walk obliviously (or worse - let their children play) on the bright green cycle path marked with an image of a bicycle rather than the separate wider path marked with an image of a pedestrian right next to it, and get upset when cyclists ring bells at them or almost mow them down on blind corners.

Obviously you can be deaf and be able to hear some levels of noise. Someone shouting abuse tends to be louder than someone cycling..

If there’s no right of way/permission for cyclists then you shouldn’t be there. End of. I get so sick of entitled cyclists riding on footpaths across our land.

i heard when they cycled past me shouting at me.