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, and I imagine many others, would have far more respect for cyclists in general if some of the cyclists on these threads would only acknowledge that poor road behaviour is unacceptable. It is the attempts and need to justify such behaviour that I find far more damning than anything a person posts about an encounter with one cyclist. It does come across as rather arrogant and I believe that influences cyclists' experiences on the road far more so than an "unchecked" poster's comments. I cycle btw!

Cyclists choose to cycle, knowing the risks that cars pose when cyclists choose to enter a space that is shared with cars.

I don't choose to be exclusively a pedestrian, yet I am forced into very risky and dangerous situations by cyclists illegally entering what are legally NOT shared spaces but spaces that are supposed to be for the exclusive use of pedestrians which are illegal for cyclists to use.

Cyclists are so wrapped up in the mindset of seeing themselves as the victims or potential victims of cars, they don't stop to think what a threat and how frightening and intimidating they are to pedestrians.

I wish the UK had better infrastructure for cycling the way other European countries do, because it would make everyone safer. But we don't, and cyclists can make a choice, which I can't.

Indeed, and drivers kill people on a regular basis (every day, multiple times). Cyclists do not, despite claims to the contrary. It is incredibly rare.

That doesn't mean that they are not superannoying at times. I hate hate hate the dinging bells at you especially when the path is perfectly wide enough for everyone. Some cyclists seem to think you should stop for them even though there's enough space. Nope, if there's enough space you slow down and pass carefully.

I don't choose to be exclusively a pedestrian, yet I am forced into very risky and dangerous situations by cyclists illegally entering what are legally NOT shared spaces but spaces that are supposed to be for the exclusive use of pedestrians which are illegal for cyclists to use.

I realise this, but actually where I live I am affected far more by cars and vans on pavements than cyclists.

Where do you live where you regularly see vans driving down the pavement??

I've never in my entire life seen a car drive over a pavement, and only maybe twice seen a car break a red light. With cyclists, it's a dozen times a day at least.

Motor vehicles of all kinds are left on the pavement where I am. It makes it impossible to pass at certain points and they block dropped kerbs so disabled people are buggered.

I have often had to stop or get out of the way because a delivery driver has thrown his van up onto the pavement where I'm walking.

On Thursday I was walking home and a driver decided to take a shortcut over a pedestrianised block of a street.

Cyclists aren't the problem.

@Flickersy

"Cyclists aren't the problem."

Yes, they very much are when they decide to ride through a red light at a pedestrian crossing when pedestrians are actually using it! (The OP's point!)

It is clearly long for cyclists to endanger other road-users just as it is clearly wrong for other road-users to exaggerate the danger that cyclists pose.

it might be wrong too!!!

Own goal. Not much point in a pithy post if it doesn't make sense.

That's very true, but vehicles parked on a pavement (which does make me angry) is very different from vehicles actively driving on a pavement. I've never seen a car actively driving down a pavement, but with cyclists it's a daily occurrence. If I see a parked car on a pavement then I have time to react and plan accordingly, that choice is denied me when a cyclist races past or into me on a pavement because it happened too quickly for me to be able to react, and that's what makes it so very dangerous and frightening.

And with all due respect unless you're a profoundly disabled person who is forced to be exclusively a pedestrian and doesn't have access to any form of vehicle (not counting public transport) I don't think it's okay to claim that disabled non-drivers are exaggerating the risk that cyclists pose.

And I'm not negating your experience, because different areas are very different and I think London is unique here. Just that I personally haven't ever seen a car or van drive on or over a pavement.