To remonstrate with those riding bikes at speed on the pavement?

[cyanarasamba]

... weaving in and out of people, bus stops, etc. DS is in the buggy at the moment but in a few months will hopefully be at large on his reins. He could easily be knocked down by one of these morons young men.

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I had a blind friend who was excellent at thwacking them with his white stick. His hearing was fabulous and he timed it right all the time

I snarl at them too. I cycle with my girls and I don't let them cycle on the pavement - if a 7 yr old can manage the road......

Children are meant to cycle on the pavement are they not? I would much rather be inconvenienced by them there than risk the lives of more children on the roads.

It can be hard to tell age based on face too - today, and not for the first time, a cashier refused to sell me alcohol without ID because I apparantly look under 18. They look sheepish when I produce it and reveal myself to be twice that. These "young men" might just be big boys, quite literally.

children can ride on pavements IMO, at least until they have done their cycling test in year 6.

what bugs me is the grown man who rides every day on the pavement and glares at dd2 as she meanders along with her head down looking at her shoes.

My understanding is that nobody is supposed to cycle on the pavement. I think the way to avoid deaths on the road is to teach children how to cycle responsibly and carefully with due caution and courtesy for other road users.

Hollow laugh

NorthernLurker - cycling on the roads is genuinely very dangerous. I will not allow my dcs do it until they have done their cycling test.

Other road users just don't know how to do observations. I think I do but even I failed the observation test that is doing the rounds.

should be:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7DHR9rcwg&feature=related

No-one can legally cycle on the pavement. But children who are below the age of criminal responsibility (10?) cannot be prosecuted. And neither can the adult with them, because there is no such offence as "allowing a minor to cycle on the pavement".

But teenagers and adults should be on the road. And yes, it annoys me too. Particularly when they whizz past my gate, tight to the fence, just when I'm pushing the buggy out.

They also give responsible, law-abiding cyclists a bad name, which then results in my husband getting abuse, or worse, as he rides to work

Can't see why criminal responsibility would come into it - it's not a crime to cycle on the pavement, it's an offence.

BIG difference.

i know it's annoying but there's no way on earth i'd let my DS cycle on the road, especially where we live. if he wants to cycle to school he has to go on a very busy main road where the cycle lane suddenly disappears and the traffic has no consideration for anyone else. my DH hates it in the car and even more when he's on the motorbike, so god only knows how terrifying it is for cyclists.

www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/cycling/cyclingpolicyoverview?page=6

Q. Is cycling on the pavement against the law?

A. Yes. Cycling on the footway (pavement) is an offence under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 as amended by Section 85 (1) of the Local Government Act 1888.

Q. Who is responsible for enforcing the laws and what are the penalties for breaking the laws?

A. The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for local police forces. The police use the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £30, which provides them with a direct means of dealing with most minor offences. The Road Traffic Act 1991 makes the two most serious cycling offences parallel to those of dangerous and careless driving. The maximum fines are currently £2,500 for dangerous cycling and £1,000 for careless cycling.

Q. I would like to report a cycling on the pavement incident, what should I do?

A. As with other offending the Government encourages members of the public to give evidence of specific problems and of particularly dangerous behaviour to the police, which will help ensure that the police target their resources effectively.

The Government fully realises that illegal cycling on footways causes much concern particularly to our most vulnerable road users, such as elderly, disabled and visually impaired people. There is no excuse for cyclists who break this or other road traffic laws such as going through red lights.

Q. Are children allowed to cycle on pavements?

A. Whilst there is no exemption to this law for children, the police have always used common sense and discretion in exercising their powers over children cycling on the pavement.

I went to look up the law and it's more complicated than I thought.

As near as I can tell under current laws even small children do not have the right to cycle on pavements, but the police are advised to use their judgement.

A lot of cyclists, adults and teenagers use the pavement I use to get to my town center. The road really is impossible for them to use and in my experience they are considerate enough. I think we are supposed to approve of cycling on 'save the planet' grounds and on it being healthy exercise.

Madmuggle, your blind friend should be arrested for assault rather than congratulated on his aim.

But if you don't cycle on the roads with them ( I would as soon let my dd out on her bike alone as I would fly to the moon) then how do they learn to cycle safely and responsibly? One course at the age of 10 is not going to do it.

On my road, little old ladies, parents with children on the back, all manage to cycle on the road. It is inevitably hulking great teenagers and men who seem to be too timid for the road and so cycle on the pavement. One came around a bend at speed, wearing headphones a few weeks ago and narrowly missed my dcs.... he wouldn't even look at me while I was screaming at him.... just wait till it happens one day when i have PMT!

What's the difference between a crime and an offence FreddyTeddy? Honest question - I thought they were the same.

And I know the difference between criminal and civil law.

(As in "criminal offence".)

Obviously there are some bad ones like that and they should be stopped. But I move in a bit to let cyclists pass (the pavements are very narrow here) and have been politely thanked by teenagers. A sign that all is not lost with the younger generation.

I should mention that I have also had to step in the road to avoid two mums pushing buggies side by side and unwilling to consider other pavement users

Crime applies to more serious offences; things like assault, theft, burglary etc.

Offence refers to things like driving offences - it's dictated by the maximum sentence that can be imposed.

You might be prosecuted for cycling on the pavement but you wouldn't get a criminal record for it.

I think a lot of the problems with cyclists would be reduced if there were proper cycle lanes as in other countries, keeping them safe and separate from traffic. Here we have cycle/bus lanes that are also used for parking.

The local council here meets targets by painting lines all over the place - never mind if it is remotely feasible or sensible to use them. Then drivers get angry because cyclists don't want to risk their lives just to use these lanes.

God yes this is one of my bugbears too - I am a real miserable cow about it. My son (5) was knocked into the road recently by a hulking great teen on a bike and only saved by my grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the path of the traffic. My question is this - how do you respond to someone cycling on the pavement who is wearing a cycle helmet to protect them from the impact of scattering pedestrians in their wake - does it make it worse or should we applaud them for their sheer bloody nerve?!

i loved living in stevenage, it has cycle lanes almost everywhere. unfortunatly its also the place where mopeds can use cycle lanes.

Sorry to OP and run, good to know IANBU. I had a feeling I was not being that unreasonable as I was only told "get lost" and not worse by the cyclist this morning.

I have no problem with young children cycling on the roads under supervision, this was young men who looked like they were on their way to work (and therefore in a tearing hurry).

Will consider a call to the police next time. Surely there should be signs up in problem areas, in the same way as dog fouling, littering, etc?

I child i know has just had surgury as he has broken his leg after begin hit by a bike on the pavement. He is in plaster from thigh to ankle for at least 8 weeks and may need further surgery.

OTOH cycling on the road round here would be plaun scary.