AIBU to think that cycle paths are for cycles

[FantaIsFine]

Why are cyclists still cycling on the pavement?

There has been so much investment locally in cycle lanes - often unnecessary and causing massive traffic disruption alongside amendments to their design that make them unsafe for pedestrians ANYWAY - that I can't see why cyclists can't use them, but instead choose the pavement.

Add to that, round my way, often cyclists who are bothering to at least use the cycle path don't trouble themselves to use the right one on the correct side of the road for their direction of travel. Extra unsafe for pedestrians checking the correct direction to be sure they won't be run over.

To use a MN phrase, it rips my knitting.

Can't work out how to poll on my phone but YABU = get over it. It's extra safe for cyclists despite being illegal. More so when they don't bother with a helmet as well. YANBU = they should cycle where they are supposed to and particularly when it's been specially built and designed for them

Edit: FWIW yes pedestrians can be oblivious to cycle paths where they are placed "on" the pavement and not the road

Firstly as a cyclist I cycle on the road, or on cycle paths if they are safe (some near me are in such a terrible state that they really aren’t safe). I never object to small kids on pavements, and the only significant group of cyclists on the pavement near me are the Just Eat / Deliveroo crew. They need to be regulated.

Cyclists around here are shocking. It’s like they are deliberately trying to cause an accident to prove some sort of point.
They should be built into the Highway Code so that everyone is clear who belongs where and the rules of engagement.

Having been hit twice now by cyclists on the pavement i agree. I'd also like to see the law changed to punish reckless riders much more severely and some kind of licence and registration being required for them too as too many pedestrians are being badly injured by cyclists with no real recourse in law, i was lucky and only had a broken wrist last time I was hit by 1 but my poor oap neighbour was left with a broken hip that required surgery and nothing happened to the twat who hit hee got off scott free

Often a "cycle lane" is just a line of paint on a busy road that everyone drives over and ignores. It's not safe to cycle on them so people on bikes often feel forced onto the pavement.

I lived abroad in a city with raised cycle lanes separated from the road - there were thousands of bikes but never a one on the pavement!

Some of the cycle lanes near me are in awful condition, full of potholes, wet leaves not cleared.
Everywhere’s so busy and crowded too.

DH works in a massive industrial area. There is a walking/cycle lane, sat unused. It’s very unusual to see people walking about there also.
Cyclists are all on the road which are in terrible condition always because of the massive amount of industrial machinery/lorries that use the roads there. Massive potholes and dips at the sides from all the weight. I’ll never understand it as well as it’s more dangerous because of the types of vehicles about.

Not an excuse for going on pavements and putting pedestrians at risk. There safety is not more important than mine.

Again, no excuse. They cannot use the pavement unless they are a child.

This. It’s the wee teenaged thugs are deliveroo ‘cyclists’ on their illegally modified e-bikes who are on the pavements around here.

One time it’s difficult not to is when you are cycling along side a young child. My 5 year old cycles on the pavement. I cannot cycle on the road next to them as I am on the wrong side of the road, and crossing a busy road with a 5 year old and 2 bikes only to cross back a few hundred metres later is madness. So I try to keep up jogging while pushing my bike. But in doing so I take up more space than I would if I was on my bike, and if I cannot keep up with my child then it’s pretty dangerous for them. I can see why some parents might feel the need to cycle on the pavement in this situation.

Oh and I NEVER ride on a pavement myself unless it’s a shared use one.

I don't cycle on the pavement unless it's a mixed use cycle lane. Even then I generally prefer to cycle on the road unless it puts me in a very difficult position for junctions.

I think my main issue is with drivers getting mad with cyclists for using the road (rather than the pavement) when there is a cycle lane available. Where I am, they carefully fitted plastic bollards on the outside of the cycle lanes. The lanes are still max 2 ft wide so terrifying to try and cycle in that close to the kerb. Street sweepers can't get in to them so they fill up with debris. There is no room whatsoever to swerve round the debris because they are so narrow. So surprise surprise, I end up in the road and piss the drivers off.

Or it's a mixed use cycle lane where you share with pedestrians. If I am cycling at 15 miles an hour, I am a lot closer proportionally to a car's speed than a pedestrian, so again, I end up using the road for the pedestrians' safety.

Or it's a cycle lane but it's just got tree routes growing every 5m. I didn't sign up for a cyclo-cross ride, I just want to get to the supermarket/my doctors appointment. Again, I end up on the road.

I do agree that cyclists shouldn't be using the pavement, in the main though. One thing my town does is put a "shared cycle lane" in round pedestrian crossings for about 5 m each side, so you're permitted to hop up onto the pavement, cycle round the red lights and then hop back into the road immediately afterwards. I imagine that pisses off anyone who doesn't check the signage and probably a decent chunk of people who do notice the signs!

It’s been a long time since I was a regular cyclist, and there are some cyclists who truly are *ts, but the real issue here is the UK has appalling cycling infrastructure & education compared to similar countries: no consistent routes, no maintenance of cycle routes (potholes, gravel, sand, wet leaves etc all blocking the few cycle paths that exist, causing cyclists to crash into the road) - it’s so unsafe for cyclists to use many of these.

Also motorists are generally overly entitled on the road - towards other roads users too (eg horses, trucks, buses) - causing a lot of agro, opening doors without looking, speeding, blocking cyclists off, parking over pedestrians drop curbs etc.

Some pedestrians are a nightmare too, and behave dangerously, such as blocking cyclists from getting off the road if they need to (I needed to get on the pavement once to check my phone safely [ie not when cycling] and although I was slow, and had dismounted, two older ladies saw me, then blocked and berated me for… well, existing. They actually tried to stop me getting off the road!). I generally avoided cycling on pavements but sometimes there was no choice as the roads were too dangerous or the pavement was the only route for where I was going (eg through parks, around uni, etc). Although I was slow and gave way, on some pavements it was a quagmire on either side so I would have fallen off my bike or got stuck if I tried riding alongside.

As a cyclist you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t, so I understand why so many have developed an aggressive road attitude, just to survive. Unfortunately they then become a problem and a danger themselves. And there are some terrible cyclists out there too, including those that don’t seem to know how to use their gears and so hold all the traffic up.

Obviously I don’t include kids in this, they should be on pavements, not the road.

Finally, to address the points by PP on here: there’s a whole section on cyclists in the Highway Code. People should read it: www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82

A few reasons.
The cycle lane may be closed. True story, they are often closed for a good stretch to protect workers further along. Of course drivers and pedestrians take no notice of signs not for them, and I've often had abuse (yes, actual abuse) for not using a closed cycle lane.
They may be going too fast, those on road bikes, riding for sport purposes reach speeds at which a cycle lane, especially with pedestrians and vehicles crossing over, render it unsafe. It is much safer for them to stay with the traffic and be part of the flow.
The cycle lane doesn't go where they need to go. Imagine there's a perfectly good segregated cycle lane, but your home is the next right turn and to come off the cycle lane you need to ride further up, cross the road at the junction then come back on yourself. It's not convenient so you don't use it. There's one near me that I don't use for that very reason, I'm taking a right and the cycle lane would take me out of my way. Didn't stop the white van driver from undertaking me, shouting at me and calling me a fat bitch for not using the cycle lane.
The cycle lane is poorly made or kept, rough surface, potholes, puddles, litter. The local council roadworkers will sweep debris from crashes into the cycle lane so save those precious car tyres, not thinking of those on bikes with far less protection now at real risk of serious harm from getting a stray piece of metal or glass trapped in their wheel. The cycle lanes are never swept either.
The design means you can't actually get on it. This always makes me chuckle. Fancy brand new cycle lane, segregated, well lit, beautiful surface right into town. Well the kerb between the road and the lane means I can't actually get on it as I don't ride to it from its beginning. I have to join it further along the main road, where I have to find a break in it due to a pedestrian crossing. Of course drivers don't think of this and the amount of harassment I've had because they see the cycle lane and me on my bike and think, like you, I have to use it. If I were I'd have to do a dead stop in the road, get off my bike with traffic whizzing by, budge it up and down the kerb, watch out for bikes coming up and down etc. Now which is safer for me?

But ultimately, its down to the person on the bike to ride where they see fit. They are not mandatory, and for very good reasons too.

Just to add, from the Highway Code:

Rule 61
Cycle Routes and Other Facilities. Cycle lanes are marked by a white line (which may be broken) along the carriageway (see Rule 140). Use facilities such as cycle lanes and tracks, advanced stop lines and toucan crossings (see Rules 62 and 73) where they make your journey safer and easier. This will depend on your experience and skills and the situation at the time. While such facilities are provided for reasons of safety, cyclists may exercise their judgement and are not obliged to use them.

Some brilliant points. I was also talking to a friend last night (40 something female) who was cycling home (she’s v sensible and obeys every light) when a male pedestrian with ear buds walked straight in front of her. She skidded and fell off. 2 other cyclists had a go at him, he shrugged and walked off without so much as an apology. She also said her dog had recently been injured by a cyclist on a shared path. He was clearly going too fast, but did apologise profusely. My friend did say it was a busy path and she should have had the dog in the lead. Do not clear cut.

Final point, a road near me is closed (cycle lane being put in). The signs are clear. The road is shut…. Yet several cars were charging up there regardless. One had stopped to see what was going on /let another car turn round. And some idiot overtook him! I confess I (and my bike) took refuge on the pavement as I was at risk of being hit on the way to joining the cycle lane.

More respect and consideration is needed all round.

To clarify, Where I live some pavements are shared use for cyclists and pedestrians as well. They are marked as such , although I’ve been told to get on the road.

I cycle a cargo bike with children sitting in it. I'm not going at rip roaring speeds to injure anyone. We are very rural so there are not any designated cycle paths. I'm either on the road or on the pavement for a very short time but for safety. I make sure I'm super friendly polite,wait, get over to one side and only go when the pavement is free. Most people are really nice and enjoy the time to look at my bike, it's a bit of a spectacle.

I would 1000% be on a safe cycle lane if there was one. I can't afford to learn to drive or buy/run another car so this is the option for freedom we have. I hope people can stop to think and not mind us being on the road/pavement for the short time we might inconvenience someone.

In some weather it's like cycling through a car wash I'd certainly be choosing another option if I could.

A shared path is just that - SHARED. At no point should either a pedestrian or a cyclist expect to have more than half of it. Anyone who walks an off lead dog on a shared use path is an entitled idiot.

I used to cycle to work until I got knocked off my bike by a car (who just drove off), ended up in hospital and was too scared to try it again. Cycling in this country is awful. The cycle lanes here are barely worth it, they're not fit for purpose and often dangerous. Drivers treat you like a nuisance if you use the road, even though you're perfectly entitled to. Do they realise that if they hit you, you could actually die?? The chance of being hit by a car is proportionately much higher than being hit by a cyclist, but no one seems to care about that because we love cars over here.

Other cyclists are intimidating and arrogant, of course you shouldn't be cycling on the pavement unless it's mixed use or you're a child, and delivery cyclists are the absolute worst. Mind you, delivery drivers swerving at the last minute to park up and then running out into road in front of you are also a menace.

It's not worth it so I just contribute to the traffic jams by driving instead now.

I'm a cyclist and I have never ridden on the pavement unless it is an officially designated shared path and I sometimes prefer the road if that's the case, but you can't win either way.
But many cycle paths is this country are simply not fit for purpose. There are many where I live that are in such a bad state of repair that I won't use them - I'd rather take my chances on the road. Or they are badly designed. You can imagine the planners getting to a difficult section, not being able to decide what to do so just ending the cycleway, not infrequently dumping the cyclist into a worse situation than if they were on the road in the first place. And don't get me started on the supposed magic properties of white lines on the road. If there is one, I do ride within it but I'd say I get more close passes when I'm in the designated cycle lane that I use regularly* *than anywhere else. I think that subconsciously some drivers think "well I'm in my zone, she's in hers so it's ok" and come far closer to the line than they would do to me otherwise. And then there's the broken glass, other rubble and parked cars you often find in cycle lanes.
If I find good cycling infrastructure somewhere I am always delighted to use it. I don't enjoy cycling on busy roads and I don't know many people who do. I'm always glad to be able to get away from traffic. But so many of the so called cycle paths in this country are so badly designed and badly maintained that they're not fit for purpose. And that's before you factor in things like pedestrians wearing headphones and dogs on trip wires extending leads. If there's a cycle path near you that cyclists don't use it's probably because it's shit.