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

"Shared" doesn't give the cyclist the right to go at any speed they wish. They still have to slow down according to the circumstances, and to walking pace if necessary. They have no greater right than the walker.

Yes.

Of course cyclists should use the shared space responsibily.

I agree they shouldn't be there, but keep it in perspective. As a pedestrian on a pavement (not even crossing the road) you are ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by a car than a bicycle.

I’ve had that phone call telling me a loved one has been brutally killed in a cycling collision due to a careless driver.

So my child cycles on the pavement where the road is a main road and on the road on quieter side streets.

I don’t care if other people don’t like it, the standard of driving where I live is poor and cycle lanes are non-existent. I don’t want that phone call again. He’s been taught to slow down around pedestrians and be sensible.

Like most things, a minority spoil it for the majority who act sensibly.

I do say "excuse me". But the fact they can often see me coming and continue walking without shuffling to one side honestly does my head in.

We are in east london in an area colonised by young couples with children, the pavements are mostly full now of kids on scooters, roller skates, bycycles and of course the double and treble buggies...they never give way, even to people with walking issues...i want to get a mobility scooter with an air horn and blast them..we also get the roads full of delivery bikes with no road sense, all on learner plates etc, pavements full of these bikes and even parked up cars outside the dodgy cafes....

I cannot get annoyed about bikes. Admittedly I don't like them dinging their bells at me when they can say "excuse me" or ride by me because there's plenty of room. I do agree they can't win but I do find it imperious and rude (though today I had to say excuse me twice to people walking across a shared use path (not a pavement) and they still didn't move. I actually did need my bell on that occasion.

And where I live, cars and vans on pavements are by far the bigger issue. The odd bike is an annoyance. But EVERY TIME I go out and it is really every time, I am not exaggerating, there is a car or van parked on the pavement somewhere which means I have to squeeze past or go in the road - and sometimes they drive onto it while I am walking along.

Those of you saying you won't get out of a cyclist's way on a pavement because they shouldn't be there - how do you react to someone running or walking faster than you are? Will you move for them? And if not, why won't you move for a cyclist? I take up more room alongside my bike than I would on top of it...

Basically cyclists are unwelcome everywhere.

Cycle lanes get parked in (and are often unfit for purpose)
Cycle paths get walked on by people with dogs on extendable leads and people moan about sharing them
Pavements they get moaned at (and yes I know it's against the law, anyway)
Roads they get killed by impatient drivers.

Despite being an efficient, green form of transport. You really couldn't make it up.

Yes apparently about 80 million people have been killed by cars.

I wonder what the equivalent figure for bikes is. I bet it isn't even in five figures.

Putting a line down the middle of the path encourages cyclists to go faster, as it’s no longer a shared space. Putting a line down the middle of the path reduces the space available to pedestrians. It’s what they’ve done in my area, using raised blocks to separate the two, and I hate it. Absolutely not needed. The vast majority of cyclists and pedestrians are courteous and mindful of other users, and on proper shared paths using a bell is polite and useful. I write this as both a cyclist and pedestrian, and occasional dog walker.

It doesn't bother me hugely unless and until people think they have priority on the pavements - which many cyclists and scooterists think they do, particularly when there is a parallel road and sometimes even a cycleway adjacent.

Answer- so they don't startle you when they pass you, so you know not to step put ans cause both of you an accident. I honestly struggle to see how anyone can take such offence at a bell. It's the bicycle version of a car horn - to let people know they are there. I bet you're delightful on the road too aren't you!

I live in an area well serviced by bike lanes and you still see cyclists on the pavements. Not just for a few seconds, but cycling at speed for a considerable distance. As a fellow cyclist, it makes me extremely annoyed. If for whatever reason they don't want to cycle on the road, get off and wheel the bike.

On the other hand, I'm equally annoyed by pedestrians who think the bike lanes in my local park are a great place to wheel their children or walk their dogs. So I guess there's plenty of irritating behaviour to go round!

Fair enough if they are being reckless, but are you suggesting that all children should be on the road? If so you are being absolutely ridiculous. I tried my 10 year old on a cycle lane until she was nearly knocked over by an idiot coming out of a car park. Unsurprisingly she's not wanted to go back on her bike since.

Perhaps I should have started her on the road with her balance bike?

But they startle you anyway either their aggressive little bell.

Just cycle on the cycle lane and if you are in a share space then slow down and leave plenty of space when you overtake people.

The point is, if I’m on a FOOTWAY (clue is in the name) then no cyclist should be passing anywhere near me anyway! It would be like a car honking its horn at cyclists while driving down a cycle path.

Let’s hope you’re better at reading road signs than you are at reading Mumsnet posts.

So please can we have some agreement. I’m cycling on a shared use path, I come up to some pedestrians. Do I ring my bell or not?

Where I live there’s a shared path with multiple signs saying that pedestrians have priority and cyclists must give way to those on foot. Kids, people with dogs, walkers two or three abreast, joggers, families cycling together and even groups of teenagers on bikes are almost always considerate of each other. Middle aged men who think they’re on the Tour de France, however, are twattish cyclists.

Nope. Slow down so you can pass them safely. If you can’t do that on your bike you should get off and walk, or wait until you reach a safe passing point.

Use your bell in the same way a car uses its horn. You’d be pissed off if I started honking because I was having to drive super slowly behind you on a narrow country lane. Ringing a bell at pedestrians you can’t overtake on a narrow shared path is equally unacceptable imo.

That's an assumption. I have never had someone ring their bell 'aggressively' at all, just one ding and I know they're there and don't jump out of my skin when they pass. Also never had anyone racing past me The nearest cycle path to me is 6 or 7 miles away so it is common for children/teens especially to cycle on the pavement, a lot get to school this way. Ideally there would be cycle paths but there just isn't. I'm glad they cycle on the pavement safely and,for thr vast majority of the time respectfully. Only last year an experienced cyclist was killed locally out on a bike ride.

Of course you should slow down so you don't endanger the pedestrians.

But it is absolutely fine to ring your bell to make the pedestrians aware that you are there.

And if the pedestrians are walking two or three abreast then they should allow you to get past.

How hard is it to have mutual respect between cyclists and pedestrians? We all want to go where we want to go with the minimum of fuss. Why make it hard?

So because it allegedly hasn’t happened to you it hasn’t happened to anyone else?

Numbers aren't relevant, you have to look at how many deaths per mile/hour per number of cars/bikes. There are a lot more cars doing a lot more miles, so you'd expect a lot more deaths. To compare, you need proportions.

@RikthePoet

And if the pedestrians are walking two or three abreast then they should allow you to get past.

Some ignorant/oblivious pedestrians don't even go into single file to let other pedestrians pass them. Rambling groups are the worst on our canal tow path - happy to just carry on 2 or 3 abreast and expecting people coming the other way to leap into the canal or the shrubs.

I didn't say that, just sharing my experience. Perhaps you should consider sharing your manners?

I agree, as a walker and cyclist, I ring my bell as a gentle warning that I'm about to pass. I don't expect them to leap out of my way. If it's a very narrow part of the path, I'll happily stay behind at walking speed until it gets wider and I can pass safely. When I'm walking and I hear a bike behind me I just carry on walking, but at the left side of the path, giving them room to pass, but I don't stop or jump into the shrubbery to give them a clear path.

Funny how some cyclists are often happy to take the "safe" line on a road making cars wait behind them (if unable to overtake), yet expect walkers to leap out of their way so as not to delay them when cycling. Hypocracy.