Cyclists have made my home city too stressful to live in any more

[valianttortoise]

Cycling on the pavement (on e-bikes, racing bikes, whatever) at speed, silently, no lights often, no pausing for pedestrians to cross at zebra crossings or even green men. An e-bike nearly hit me yesterday while a policeman was literally standing there watching (outside a government building in case you're wondering where on earth I saw a live one) and he did nothing, just looked at me like "wow that was close!"

I can't handle it any more it's miserable. I can't drive so it's not a car thing it's a pedestrian safety thing.

I also think seeing that it's fine to do this, in balaclavas often, is sending a message that crime and bad behaviour in general are ok. No one will stop you.

Some men (boys? hard to tell in balaclavas) on e-bikes provided by the council took an angle grinder into a busy central square last week and just calmly cut out bicycles from stands to steal them (obviously a crime I feel conflicted about in itself but how long until they realise they can just mug pedestrians at knifepoint? It was 3pm, bright sunshine).

I find it kind of hard to believe what we're just supposed to live with now. No safe spaces for walking - forget about it if you're visually impaired.

If you live somewhere with no antisocial cyclists where is it please as I'd like to join you.

Cambridge is impossible for driving now though, in fairness to cyclists.

But pedestrians do get a raw deal in ‘active travel planning’ as does public transport. At my council they no longer call walking routes safe, they call them available.

And the lycra racers. They are a huge problem round here - they are usually doing a timed route and speed, don't stop for pedestrians....they often travel in packs and can be intimidating. On our local next door group I replied to one of these guys in a perfectly friendly way (he asked what people thought of the new cycle lanes and i said it was a pity they had taken out the bus lane to do it) and he became really angry and any time I posted on the site he mocked me, got his friends to join in...it was appalling.

OP - whilst \i agree with you, you were never going to win on this. The cyclist para militaries will swarm - their rights, cars are worse, pedestrians get in the way - they pay tax etc etc.

nothing excuses the fact - there are more cyclists - not a bad thing
There is a lack of ability to share, the roads, footpaths, pavements with anyone with any sense of decorum or manners from a growing number of cyclists.
As a pedestrian - you used to think you were relatively safe on the pavement - not a chance anymore.
i had to stop walking down a path last week, because the cyclist coming towards me had such a glaring head light on, I could not see at all. I stopped and got a volley of abuse for blocking the path but as the canal was one side and brambles the other I was safer stationary than moving either way. The light blobs in my eyes left me blinded for a few more minutes aswell. Felt v vulnerable.

Cars have to wait for cyclists now, pedestrians have to move out of the way for cyclists - there is an air of entitlement and arrogance that has developed since the law changes.

I’m a pedestrian, cyclist and driver (roughly in that order). I also get annoyed by cyclists who ride on pavements. I agree the food delivery ones are the worst - but as PP have noted they often ride illegal e-bikes anyway. Ten years ago they would have been on petrol scooters.

The bike thieves OP saw were definitely not “cyclists.” Obviously actual cyclists despise them. They were thieves who happened to be using bikes to steal other bikes. Using them to tar actual cyclists makes no more sense than saying the thieves who nicked my neighbours’ Land Rover prove that all drivers are bad people.

The solution is better policing and better punishment of those who are caught. Unforgivably the government has decided that neither policing nor courts and prisons are spending priorities.

That was my first thought too. Every time I go out, I can guarantee that at some point I will see a car parked on a pavement which may well force me into the road or I'll have to cross the road. There's a high likelihood that a driver will speed through a red light or fail to give way to me crossing a side road.

And yet people still moan about cyclists? Oh dear. Admittedly they can be a pain in Central London but that is more the delivery guys on e-bikes.

Cars have to wait for cyclists now, pedestrians have to move out of the way for cyclists - there is an air of entitlement and arrogance that has developed since the law changes

Car have to wait for cyclists but cyclists are meant to give way to pedestrians. Although we have a dedicated cycle path near where I live and it's really irritating when people walk all the way across it, or don't keep their dogs on leads. The clue is in the name "cycle" path.

Cycling on pavements should be banned outright and anyone doing it should face significant jail time.

Ebikes need to be cracked down on as many of them are really powerful and basically like motorcycles.

You are making this a cyclists thing when it’s an antisocial behaviour thing. I would be Reporting every instant police getting into my local MP or newspaper about this as it sounds awful. But active travel and getting people out of cars is a good thing on so many levels & should be encouraged and applauded.

I agree op.
Pavements are not for bikes. End of.
I too am sick and tired of cyclists riding towards me on narrow, winding pavements or zooming up behind me.
In winter I will be wearing my hat and have my hood up. I won’t be able to hear them at all, can’t hear the electric ones anyway. I shouted at one who neatly ran straight into me.
Get off the pavement.
There is never an excuse for using it.
I’m sure Leeds city council is looking at making it illegal for cyclists to ride on pedestrianised areas. They have had so many complaints from pedestrians who feel it was safer when cars where able to ride about.

E-bikes that can go at very high speeds are illegal. The police need to be more active in removing them from the roads. This is an issue with people buying illegal motorbikes, not an issue with “cyclists”.

Legal e-bikes have pedal assist capped at 15.5mph (ie it’s not so much that they “go at that speed” but more that it is hard to get them beyond that speed. In practice, as with any bike, it depends how hard you pedal and how fit you are. 15.5mph is slower than most people who are on a lightweight commuting bike.

Of course no one should be cycling at 15.5mph on a pavement, regardless of what kind of bike they are on - again that’s no more a “all cyclist” issue than someone speeding or driving on the pavement is an “all driver” issue.

I have never, ever had a car drive at me on the pavement. Not saying car drivers are perfect but at least they use the bloody roads!

That's not what I said though.

I said the problem was "poor active travel infrastructure and poor planning."

Children too?

The speed of some bikes means that they are definitely vehicles. I've seen people on pedal cycles speeding off without pedalling, so a covert motorbike basically. These need cracking down on.

The pavement thing is difficult because in my local city many designated cycle routes are a pavement with a line painted down it or just a sign indicating it is shared. Its not any wider than it was when it was just for pedestrians.

Not sure why you are targeting cyclists. Do you not have an issue with other means of transport when, for example, many road users illegally fly through red lists, fail to indicate, travel beyond the speed limits etc?

Cyclists are not your problem, those that fail to follow the law are.

Look at places like Denmark and The Netherlands, where the vast majority of short and routine journeys are made on bikes by people of all ages. Their quality of life and their shared spaces are actively enhanced by increased bike traffic.
I haven't been to Denmark for many many years but the last time I went to Amsterdam a few years ago cycling was hellish with aggressive cyclists who obviously had no patience with people who were a bit usure and also e bikes in the cycle lanes. I think the speeding e bikes and the balaclavas are deliveroo/ just eat etc riders ( some of whom are working illegally hence the balaclavas). These delivery companies need to be sanctioned far more harshly if they encourage or turn a blind eye to people delivering for them, but people also need to realise that their need for McDonalds to deliver to their house at any time they feel like on a whim is part of the problem.

The pavement thing is not difficult - not bikes.
We have a split pavement arrangement where I live - the cyclists refuse to use it unless the traffic is stopped at the lights, then they swerve at speed onto the pavement and beep at any poor bastard to get out of the way before weaving back on to the road infront of some unsuspecting driver. Like i said a small number want roads, pavements, lanes etc for them first and the rest second.

the law changes have made manners worse from cyclists who feel entitled to scream their rights even when they are in the wrong.

Edinburgh? There was an attempted theft using an angle grinder but it was unsuccessful I believe.

I (partly) share your concerns. I have no issue with cyclists but there is an increasing number of balaclava clad numpties on modified e-bikes and it’s bloody terrifying. They put me off cycling as they use cycle paths at excessive speeds behaving aggressively. They’re dangerous to pedestrians and not great for drivers either. I don’t lump them in with cyclists though - they’re a different beast

I’m a cyclist and been out on my bike today. I don’t break any laws or intimidate anyone. Cars were courteous to me, and I pulled over to let some go past too. No drama. Just respectful either way. It’s not all cyclists, it’s anti socials you have an issue with

E-bikes can be legal, but what I tried to explain is that they don’t always class as bicycles.

Having just looked up the rules (Riding an electric bicycle:the rules on gov.uk), anyone over 14 can ride an e-bike as long as it counts as an “electrically-assisted pedal cycle” (which means that the motor cannot exceed 250 Watts and the motor cannot propel the bike at more that 15.5 mph). So your council’s bikes sound like they do class as bicycles so they can be ridden anywhere you can cycle.

If an e-bike exceeds those limits, then it is classed as a motorbike so should only be ridden on the road. It needs to be taxed and insured, and the rider needs a licence and a motorcycle helmet. If this type of bike isn’t insured, the police can issue a fine and seize a bike.

If you don’t like the e-bikes that your council has licensed because they are creating problems, then you need to complain to your councillor so they can take it up with the operator as they might be able to force them to make changes.

Re delivery bikes, the journalist Laura Laker recently did an investigation into that issue which is worth reading - it’s too complicated to summarize.

Just think how much worse it would be if they were behind the wheel or on a moped. My former quiet, one way, 20mph road has been made so dangerous by a minority of car drivers going super fast the wrong way as it saves them a set of traffic lights. Makes it so dangerous and miserable walking to school/work.

We have so called "floating bus stops" where bus users and cyclists are supposed to co mingle and they are awful. Here is what my council says about them:

"There are short areas of 'shared use' at bus stops where bus users will be getting on and off of buses. This type of layout has been successfully used in other parts of the UK and in Europe. Cyclists are expected to make safe and sensible allowance for bus passengers at bus stops."

Ha ha, no the cyclists often don't give way and bus passengers are genuinely in danger.

Ummmm, I don't know where you live, but it is reasonably well known in my city that the 'deliveroo' riders (especially the ones on e-bikes and scooters that have had been modified to go over the limited speed) are often (not all) in fact drug dealers. They use the uniform, bag and council scheme bikes/scooters as cover. They cover their faces with masks and hoodies too...The balaclava lot (on very fast and expensive scooters) are often higher up the food chain and are moving their product across the city to the network of deliveroo riders.
Obviously there are actual deliveroo drivers too, but my guess is that the pavement light skipping lot are highly unlikely to care about their risk taking antisocial behaviour given that a good many of them are already involved in criminal behaviour.....

Have you seen the stats for the number of pedestrians kills or injured by cars on the pavement?

I'd rather police time and money was invested in dealing with the greater threat of dangerous / illegal driving.