Bicycles and scooters on pavements and shared walking spaces

[PerhapsPerhapsMaybe]

AIBU to think that scooters and bicycles on pavements is out of control and it’s time there were laws to protects pedestrians

At apprix 45,000 journeys a day in london, rental e-bikes are incredibly popular and growing. Are you saying all those people are a 'scourge'

Given the sheer number of drivers, cars, and journeys, they have a remarkably good safety record with road deaths continuing to fall year on year for the past few decades.

1.2 million deaths a year world wide from motor vehicles. If these deaths were a virus it would be called a pandemic.

Not compared to Oslo & Helsinki, which have reduced deaths to around zero in recent years. Nor compared to the railway, which has a very good safety record & very serious investigations when collisions occur.

I’ve seen about 10 reports in my local paper about collisions since this thread began (mix of court reports & live reporting). All involving private cars. That’s just one regional newspaper - there will be more in the many other local papers.

The reason I've not seen vehicles parked on pavements in London is because it is illegal and has been for years. Very simple explanation!

But in the rest of the UK (excluding Exeter and Scotland) councils have to make their own rules about it and that's new.

I find it difficult to believe that you never encounter a badly behaved driver in London though and it's only those evil cyclists. They are a pain but I get just as annoyed with drivers - it's just that they stay off the pavements. Although I did see one drive on the pavement on Monday to get past a lorry because it was too impatient to wait a few seconds.

They don't need e-bikes, they managed fine with the Boris bikes (or their own bikes) before.

Anyway it's not just e-bike riders who go through red lights but they tend to cause worse accidents if they do hit something (or hurt themselves more badly).

And out of that 45,000, many are a scourge yes. Especially the ones who just dump their bikes all over the pavements, instead of leaving them somewhere safe. Admittedly they should have docking stations like the Santander ones do, but that's no excuse for leaving them right across a path for someone to fall over.

This.Is.Not.About.Drivers.

Why is this so hard to understand?

Start a thread about bad drivers and opine about them as much as you wish.

It is about drivets - because bad drivers are why the bikes are not on the road!

I think what strikes me from this thread is the language that is used towards cyclists- so many posts using rude or offensive terms towards cyclists which is completely unnecessary. There are obviously inconsiderate cyclists like there are inconsiderate pedestrians and drivers but it isn't helpful to anyway or a good example to classify based on what mode of transport they use. Ultimately on a shared use path everyone needs to show consideration- cyclists need to slow down near pedestrians and be aware of other users but pedestrians also need to understand they are on a shared use path and walk as such with awareness of others. It may be helpful for some to rethink 'cyclists' as people who have families just like you.

Ultimately on a shared use path everyone needs to show consideration- cyclists need to slow down near pedestrians and be aware of other users but pedestrians also need to understand they are on a shared use path and walk as such with awareness of others.

Shared use paths, of course. But cyclists on pedestrian-only paths have no right to expect consideration because they’re not supposed to be there.

Not all cyclists are on the pavements, only the bad, entitled, those who lack manners and any sense of decency.

I don’t give a fuck about the cars. Use the cycle lanes provided to you at great expense or don’t cycle if you can’t do it safely, but don’t saddle others with your problem.

Why can’t you understand that cycling on the pavement brings the same sense of lack of safety to pedestrians? You can’t, because cyclists are selfish and they only care about their own safety, even when it means breaking the law.

I also see cyclists on the pavement even when the road is clear, so clearly it’s not only safety.

As for consideration on a shared path shown by cyclists?

Dream on! Never happens.

I’d rather they weren’t on bikes at all if they can’t use them responsibly or sensibly.

The OP sayes shared spaces hence my comment to shared paths.

That is simply not true in my experience as a pedestrian and a cyclist. It is like when people say cycle lanes are never used, a comment that I often see said about my route to work. Yet I never cycle along the cycle path I use, I always encounter other cyclists. Often because cyclists are not queued up that is changed to never use.
I think it would be helpful for parents to remember when they are using rude and offensive language to cyclists based solely on their mode of transport that it could be your child as an adult cycling and would you want people thinking it is funny if people shouted offensive things out of the window at them, throw drinks at them, degrade them.
I dont judge all car drivers based on inconsiderate ones, I dont judge all pedestrians based on the ones who walk on a cycle lane with earphones in with no regard for cyclists or those who verbally abuse me based on being on a bike.

Ah, so long as you are ok, then the rest of the world can go jump?

People who can't drive or can't afford a car should just stay home and never go out?

You can't come up with a decent rebuttal, so you sink to that?

What rebuttal? You write a goady post and want me to do what?

Cyclists belong on the road and not on the pavement. They must show extra consideration when on shared paths.

That’s it.

They can walk or they can take public transport.

I don’t cycle on the pavement nor do I cycle in a pack. I despise those types of cyclist a lot as they give the rest of us a bad name.

It’s not as joyful like it used to be because there is just a huge amount of traffic on the road. I just had a check online there were 11 million cars on the road when I started cycling now there are around 32 million.

The paths where I live and this includes the canal which a lot of people cycle on have signs asking cyclists to ring their bell.

I agree, when I'm walking as a pedestrian on the pavement the safety of cyclists on roads isn't going to be my immediate concern.

Like others I simply don't cycle because there isn't a safe place for me to do so. It's a shame because we are otherwise quite an outdoors family and I'd really like to go on family bike rides. I don't think it's the responsibility of pedestrians to move aside for us on unsuitable paths though.

I see your point. As an ex cyclist, however, I have trouble getting upset at cyclists being close to me when walking, because I know exactly how awful their only other option is.

That's ridiculous.

Public transport is only a reliable option in a relatively small number of places.

Walking doesn't get you far, especially if you are carrying things.