Cyclist at Pedestrian Crossing

[grumpypedestrian]

First off I’m all for people cycling, it’s a great mode of transport.

Ive had yet another close encounter and narrowly avoided being hit by a cyclist. Is there an unknown rule that cyclists can go full speed through pedestrian crossings?

Ive experienced nearly being hit by cyclists going through red lights too.

I don't condone any form of bad travelling but....the mode of transport is not the issue here, it's the person. A bad cyclist would be a bad driver and would be a bad pedestrian too.

And realistically, the danger posed to pedestrians is ALWAYS greater from tonnes of metal than from a bike.

My walk to work is only 15 minutes, yet virtually every single day I have a bad experience with a vehicle - today was two separate instances of car not stopping on the zebra crossing plus one not giving way to me when they were turning left.

Yesterday, issue was cars pushing through the lights and being stopped by the traffic jam - meaning of wasn't safe for the kids (not with me) to cross to get to school.

Last week, someone was knocked off their bike by a car jumping the red lights and a dog hit by car going the wrong way up a one way street.

And this isn't what aboutery, it's a reminder that we all need safe streets and it's the cars that pose the biggest risk to us all. By all means call out bad cycling, just let's call out the bad drivers too.

I've been almost-hit by cyclists far more often than by cars

Not meant to be goady at all! As a pedestrian I prefer cycling to cars.

Just genuinely curious if there’s a cyclist rule to speed through pedestrian crossings as it makes me very nervous.

Chuck e scooters into the mix and I have more near misses with bike and e scooters on paths than I do with cars .

Almost saw a cyclist killed in Bristol by the station the other day as the red light clearly didn't apply to him. He was very very lucky that the driver in front of me was paying attention and had excellent brakes.

You know there isn't, it's completely goady.

You get inconsiderate dicks on all modes of transport. The difference is the ones in the cars are exponentially more likely to disable or kill you.

But this post is about a cyclist going straight through a pedestrian crossing and narrowly avoiding a collision with a pedestrian. The cars stopped.
You could say “but what about” to virtually anything but it would simply be trying to deflect/defend this issue of dangerous cyclists that the thread is about.
OP there are many dangerous cyclists who don’t care about the safety of those around them. I too have had many incidents with cyclists cycling dangerously and there incidents where they have caused serious injuries.
There should be consequences for them.

You needed to ask if there are rules that allow for cyclists to ride dangerously? Ok then...

Can I be the first to say road tax? And insurance, 2 abreast blah blah yawn, another Mumsnet cycle bashing thread is in the offing

I'd rather someone who doesn't know the Highway Code ride a bike than drive a car - they will do much less harm on their bike!

And no, of course they are not supposed to speed through a red light or pedestrian crossing, but they think because they are small that they can. Drivers often go on amber even if someone is still halfway across a crossing or ignore zebras so lets not pretend that cyclists are the problem here.

I am fed up of all the cycle hate when drivers kill and injure far more people, cause pollution and traffic jams. Cyclists are not the problem. And yes I drive a lot more than I cycle!

Why are you defending/deflecting this issue of dangerous cyclists? It’s a common problem. It’s not okay for cyclists to do this.

I'm a cyclist, driver and pedestrian

As a cyclist I see terrible drivers who come way too close when they overtake or switch lanes without looking. Just tonight I was nudged onto a (high) kerb and nearly came off - a driver just not looking. Then there are oblivious pedestrians just stepping out into cycle lanes without looking, usually on their phones - who proceed to get angry with you

I'm not sure calling someone an inconsiderate dick is a defence.

It's an obvious goady thread designed to get people frothing about cyclists and you've swallowed it hook line and sinker.

I cycle a lot, including my commute, and don’t run red lights personally but suppose I can see why some cyclists do: they assume they pose relatively little danger and can quickly dodge people crossing.

I think it probably works in reverse to some extent: I come across a lot more dozy pedestrians misjudging how fast I’m cycling and deciding to jaywalk or cross on a red man when I cycle than when I’m driving.

I am pro cycling, live in a city and it’s much nicer than traffic jams full of cars. I’m just annoyed that it now seems that even pedestrians are seen as annoying to some cyclists. I want to cross zebra crossings without the threat of a cyclist not even considering stopping for a pedestrian.

Why are you defending/deflecting this issue of dangerous cyclists? It’s a common problem. It’s not okay for cyclists to do this

no, but the danger is minimal. The danger from cars (and vans and lorries) is not minimal.

Try asking NHS A&E depts what injuries they see most often. I bet injuries caused by cyclists are way down the list, way below cars, and probably dogs, too.

I regularly see pedestrians crossing in cities without even checking to see if it’s safe. It’s not just cyclists, people walk in front of buses.

But drivers do this all the time at zebra crossings. You have to step out very firmly and make eye contact and then they will usually stop.

I find cyclists in London can be very annoying and I think a lot of that stems from the fact that most of them don't drive so they don't have any road sense. But even then, if you give them a hard stare, they usually stop. And it's an annoyance, they won't kill me, I just have to stay on the pavement longer if they don't stop. They can usually meander round people anyway.

At crossings with red lights, drivers will usually stop although they'll always start again on amber even if you are halfway across (and bus drivers like to stop right across a crossing when they stop). Cyclists usually stop but you always get the odd wotsit who won't. But as I said above, better they are crap cyclists than crap drivers (unfortunately they may well have an oversized SUV at home that they can't drive either and cause much more damage in).

I think it probably works in reverse to some extent: I come across a lot more dozy pedestrians misjudging how fast I’m cycling and deciding to jaywalk or cross on a red man when I cycle than when I’m driving

yes I am sure that happens. But you can't really blame people for not waiting for the red man if drivers and cyclists don't stop for them anyway ;)

And jaywalking isn't a thing in the UK.

Just genuinely curious if there’s a cyclist rule to speed through pedestrian crossings as it makes me very nervous.

Sure you were. Just like Americans can turn right on a red, right?

I am equally genuinely curious as to whether there is a black/white variation of colour blindness, because I see so many car drivers ignoring zebra crossings. Though surely the yellow belisha beacon should cover that...

Credit where it's due though, the hatchback that looked like it belonged to a boy racer was impeccably behaved yesterday. Waited for a clear road and moved right over to overtake. Wish that I could say the same about the following SUV

sometimes if the pedestrian is crossing to quickly and the lights gone from green to yellow quickly that ive seen some cyclists go trough, although whets more puzzling is it appears at times its more middle age people riding, that go through the lights without stopping

But but but, the drivers! C'mon so many more cyclists are guilty of running red lights & not stopping at crossings than cars, that surely can't only be my experience?!

Cyclists (rightly) complain about how dangerous it is cycling on roads because of cars (it is).

Why can’t cyclists accept that they can be a danger to pedestrians when they ignore crossings at speed?