Cycling on pavements

[Fuzzgin]

Following on from the cars on pavements thread, does anyone know if cycling on pavements is illegal? Specifically in Scotland?

 

I don't drive and have one lazy eye that recently got a lot worse, I also have dizziness and nausea and several times a day I nearly get whipped off my feet by some **** (*doesn't want to get cagbotted!*) who whips past me on a bike. I've nearly fallen over on occasion. In my home town there's an underpass that's being repainted and in the early stages of this the cyclists were still shooting through it even though half of the width was barriered off.

 

As a naturally grumpy person I really want to shout at them to get off and walk, but I don't know if they have the right to do it, even though it's stupid, ignorant rude and dangerous. I'd also like to demand that the council put up a sign in the new uderpass that cyclists must dismount but I'd like to be sure of my facts before going off on one. Not that tha usually stops me.

[BankFodder]

Rules for cyclists (59-82) : Directgov - Travel and transport

[qa19]

yes my brother got fined for riding on the pavement years back although now there's cycle lanes to confuse things. I know by experience you can be on a cycle lane for it to 'run out' and you end up on the pedestrain pavements but don't actually realise. Once it happened a pensioner delibrately stood in the middle of the pavement and refused to move out of my way so I had to dismount and walk passed them. Not realising at the time the path had ended it's likely if they were any younger I would have forced them out of the way with a swift slap. Pensioners... you got to love them!

[ForestChav]

Yes, it's illegal. And if you're a pedestrian at the time, damn infuriating for cyclists to be coming at you from all angles. Especially if they sneak right up behind you and don't have a bell to alert you to move out of the way.

[buzby]

Yep, illegal, although prosecutions are very much a rare beast, as it is not sufficient for a complainant (unless a police officer) to to 'report' an individual for so doing.

 

Even worse, our local council has now adorned routes to/from schools with banners on lampposts and pavement printed advisories that pedestrians need to 'share' the pavement.

 

This may well be an ideal when primary children are making their way to school, however this 'sharing' is usually nothing of the sort, with certain kids treating is as they have the sole right of way. Add to this adults using the same pavements for no other reason that it is 'safer'.

 

Since cyclists are relatively immune from prosecution (look at the number of red-light jumpers who become a 'wheeled pedestrian' to avoid being held up, I think you'll see this is not a priority for the enforcement agencies.

[Fuzzgin]

I can understand with small children. No one would expect them to cycle on the road, but for adults shooting round at all angles my attitude is they should get off and push if there's no cycle lane.

[sailor sam]

Yep, illegal, although prosecutions are very much a rare beast, as it is not sufficient for a complainant (unless a police officer) to to 'report' an individual for so doing.

 

Even worse, our local council has now adorned routes to/from schools with banners on lampposts and pavement printed advisories that pedestrians need to 'share' the pavement.

 

This may well be an ideal when primary children are making their way to school, however this 'sharing' is usually nothing of the sort, with certain kids treating is as they have the sole right of way. Add to this adults using the same pavements for no other reason that it is 'safer'.

 

Since cyclists are relatively immune from prosecution (look at the number of red-light jumpers who become a 'wheeled pedestrian' to avoid being held up, I think you'll see this is not a priority for the enforcement agencies.

 

I agree 100%. Something only happens when there's an accident. These issues about cyclists should be taken more seriously. I neally hit a couple of kids a while back riding along a poorly lit road late at night with not so much as a reflector on their bikes. Prevention is always better than cure!

 

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[Fuzzgin]

I've e-mailed the council asking for signs in the underpass anyway. Maybe a few other signs would remind people to dismount but I doubt it. Considering the amount of time I spend at work trying to find out information people have already been asked to provide and asking people not to have loud conversations on mobile phones next to the no mobiles sign outside the office, I've come to the conclusion that people don't pay attention.

[labrat]

someone in our areas taken a more direct route

 

BBC News - Nottinghamshire scooter boy injured by nylon rope

 

hope they catch them soon although annoying and dangerous (theres been some injurys around us from people cycling on pavements) there is proper ways to deal with it

[Fuzzgin]

I would like to publicly state that I am not in Nottinghamshire. I may be grumpy about it but I wouldn't do that.

[ForestChav]

That story is awful, poor boy got badly hurt because some idiot put a trip hazard where you don't expect one.

[My Real Name]

Rules for cyclists (59-82) : Directgov - Travel and transport

64

 

You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.

 

[Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A 1984, sect 129

 

The Highway Code is worded incorrectly - The law makes it an offence to cycle on the footway (which is a part of the carriageway), or in an area that has been designated a footway (e.g. by bylaw).

 

In the past 10 years in London, 54 pedestrians have been killed on the footway.

[My Real Name]

A question for the OP - is the pavement a shared use zone?