to think that adult cyclists who ride on pavements are selfish & irresponsible?

[Rafi]

I can understand it if there's a child on the back. But normally it seems to be some selfish idiot who thinks they can do what they want & never mind the pedestrians...

AIBU?

even as a cyclist, I love that MonkeyDust link, northern

If the road is too dangerous, cyclists should dismount and walk alongside their bikes until it's safe to get back on the road. If the whole route is too dangerous, don't cycle. Being bullied by drivers is no excuse for breaking the law and bullying pedestrians.

Btw, keen cyclist mate of mine went on some course about cycling in London and was told you shouldn't hide in the gutter but take up as much roadspace as you need - idea was it's safer to claim your space as a road user.

Not sure how wise that is if you piss off white van men, though.

stitchtime if you come up to some pedestrians whilst cycling on the pavement do you get off to overtake them or stay on your bike?

i do exactly the same thing i do when walking , and going faster than someone else. i say excuse me, and cycle around them, slowly.

edam my sentiments excactly....

mollyrodger.. they're brill aren't they? I love monkey dust

Worldsworstmummy - I LOVE your response - will have to remember it! Drives me mad when SOME cyclists don't stop at pedestrian crossings either!

YABU

The law that states riding a bike on the pavement is illegal, was made ywears ago when the roads were emptier and the pavements busier. Its not appropriate now - its really annoying to have to risk life and limb on a busy road when the pavements are barely used.

nice point lil about the changing times - I hadn't thought about that angle. Thanks.

Someone well-considered post further up says we should grow spines and get on the road. Well, I've grown my spine and wish to keep it intact thank you v. much. So pavement cycling it will be at no added stress to any pedestrian. I am a car driver, bikist and pedestrian - though never all at the same time.....I'll choose which ever mode, and where, is safest for me

Northern love the cyclists - very true to life it seems...

lil - I so agree! There is fast busy A-road throuhg our town with wide empty pavements. Ideal for cyclists. The law says that cyclists are breaking the law by using them? But they are supposed to risk life and limb on the A road? As I said earlier, the law is an ass.

But it would be a firmer one if it cycled everywhere

Indeed! Not to mention more shapely and with fewer unsightly bulges.

Actually er, I patrol on a bicycle. And have only ever gone onto the pavement once, in pursuit of someone - that sounds really bad but the pavement was empty and I'd cycled ahead and then back to cut their escape route off for colleagues...

sorry

wide empty pavements are not ideal for cyclists, they are there for pedestrians. How hard is that to understand?

well...maybe wider pavements could have a cycle lane added...i.e. just a matter of painting a line and a cycle sign...

considering that the world would be a better place with less cars on the road and more cyclistr, I think it wopuld be worth considering a change in the infra structure....

Edam...busy main roads are not ideal for cyclists, they are there for fast,enormous metal cars. How hard is that to understand?

Cyclists

You are never going to achieve your utopia of an all-cycling world if you cycle on the pavement every time things get a little scary. I am a cyclist and would love it to be easier and safer but breaking the law is not the way forward.

By all means WALK on the pavement, pushing the bike, which is what I do. But if you cycle, no matter how slowly, you will alienate pedestrians and quite rightly so. Pavements are for them. Also drivers will never learn to deal with cycles. Get on the road, cycle well out from the kerb, stay in the middle of the road at busy junctions so lorries can't hit you as you turn and don't shoot red lights.

Capeesh?

mrss is that with my 5 year old in front or behind me?

yanbu -and lil the pavements are not empty where I live so that argument doesn't stack up .. they are full of pedestrians (including a lot of young children) - I can't remember the last time I walked into town and there wasn't an adult cyclist on the pavement. Its not that wide and I have nearly been hit a number of times.

northernrefugee is right that the answer is more cycle lanes as I do sympathise with the argument about behaviour of motorists on the road, absence of cycling lanes etc . That said I don't see how two wrongs make a right. The fact it is its dangerous and illegal to cycle on the pavement. Using the its dangerous to cycle on roads argument to justify cycling on the pavement and potentially causing accidents is flawed logic. And stitchtime people don't say anything/use bells (there is an old fashioned idea!) so you don't know they are behind you etc

Lil, yes, it is

I cycle with dds aged 4 and 2 behind me ON THE ROAD

Sometimes the road is too scary for me, then I walk. Why does having a child with you make it OK to intimidate/endanger and at best obstruct/annoy pedestrians? Walking is environmentally friendly too.

Because children cannot be expected to deal with fast cars etc- they are still at the stage where they are a bit swervy and need extra space. You cannot guarantee that a car driver will give them that. The roads are just too dangerous. What are they supposed to do?

Cycling on the pavement isn't flawed logic at all.

To be knocked over by a car whilst cycling on a road has massive consequences re fatalities. I don't have the stats to hand, but commonsense tells us this.

To be hit by a cycle whilst walking on the pavement has nooo such profile of deaths recorded. So compare. Cyclists killed by vehicles v. pedestrians killed by cyclists.

This bollocks about 'don't cycle on the pavement every time it gets a bit scary' or 'grow a spine' is utterly banal, as is the tiresome little jobsworths who whinge "But it's illegal!" - like THAT'S going to convince me to say "Ok - in white van man I trust my life and my dd's future happiness."

I won't wait for proper bike lanes ( which aren't blocked by parked cars [that's illegal too you know]) as this society is in a great lust fest with car ownership and the 'rights of the motorist' crap.

So I'll happily ride on pavements whenever and wherever I wish, recognising the primacy of pedestrians as I have always done.

cyclists do kill and injure pedestrians though it's just that the statistics are not so well publicised.

If cycles remove themselves from the road drivers will never learn to accomodate us.

It is only by being a visible presence (and not alienating pedestrians) that we can hope to get things changed.

If you aren't happy with provision locally join your local cyclists pressure group, lobby your councillors/ MP. Ie. do somethin about it instead of sucuumbing to pressure and breaking the law yourself.

faint hope gasman I'm afraid. Faint hope.

tattifer, if you're around, can you answer me a question please - is it illegal to cycle on the road wearing headphones and listening to a CD walkman? If not it bloody well should be but I would like to know the legals of it.