Cycling at speed on pavements

[sequenci]

I don't believe insurance/registration is needed. I do firmly believe, though, that they should reinstate cycling proficiency tests in school.

[renegadeimp]

Thing is seq, its not normally todays kids that have problems on the bikes. It's the people in their twenties and thirties who think they own the road on the bikes, or that vehicles and pedestrians should move out of the way. Kids, at least around where i live, seem to have much more road sense and awareness than people with £1000 road bikes.

 

You see teenagers stop at junctions, or slow down and look when overtaking, and then 5 mins later, you see the idiots on expensive road bikes ignore everything and just ride past as if they are immune. One of these days someone is going to have a very serious accident.

 

Case in point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDAYkdlKEGI

[citizenB]

Should cyclists have to have Insurance of some sort..

 

Yes - I think they should.

 

You want to try walking round Richmond Park, there are 1,000s of them. Outside of the park there are dedicated cycle tracks on the pavements - however the cyclists still use the roads or ride on the pedestrian parts of the pavements.

[renegadeimp]

Yes - I think they should.

 

You want to try walking round Richmond Park, there are 1,000s of them. Outside of the park there are dedicated cycle tracks on the pavements - however the cyclists still use the roads or ride on the pedestrian parts of the pavements.

 

As a "country cyclist" myself, i'd whole heartedly agree with that. ANY vehicle that goes on the road, no matter what it is, should require a form of insurance.

[sequenci]

Thing is seq, its not normally todays kids that have problems on the bikes. It's the people in their twenties and thirties who think they own the road on the bikes, or that vehicles and pedestrians should move out of the way. Kids, at least around where i live, seem to have much more road sense and awareness than people with £1000 road bikes.

 

I don't dispute that, but I bet they wouldn't have grown up to be as bad if they WERE taught the rules when they were at school. I'm 35 and was taught, my younger brothers were not. They are pretty clueless on a bike in comparison.

[Desperate Daniella]

I nearly took one out this morning. Stupid fool. I was coming to a kind of T-junction/roundabout arrangement. I had right of way and was turning right. To my left was a one way street and those drivers have to give way to the traffic approaching from their right so stopped for me. But of course as I start to make my right turn there is a cyclist coming straight down in front of me ignoring the No Entry signs because he wants to go the wrong way down the one way street. It's only because I do this journey every morning that I always look to my right even though there should be nothing coming from that direction.

[Conniff]

I nearly took one out this morning. Stupid fool. I was coming to a kind of T-junction/roundabout arrangement. I had right of way and was turning right. To my left was a one way street and those drivers have to give way to the traffic approaching from their right so stopped for me. But of course as I start to make my right turn there is a cyclist coming straight down in front of me ignoring the No Entry signs because he wants to go the wrong way down the one way street. It's only because I do this journey every morning that I always look to my right even though there should be nothing coming from that direction.

 

 

It looks as if you missed out on getting yourself a few points there

[Desperate Daniella]

I really don't know to take that.

[andydd]

I live in the south east and commute to london everyday and I honestly do not recognise the scenario's you paint, the pavements are simply not full of hundreds of lycra lout cyclists, the number of injuries caused by cyclists is extremely low and deaths as rare as hens teeth, yet we read about cyclists injured and killed on a daily basis, especially in London, why are those moaning above not complaining about those deaths, why are you not moaning about lorries and buses that regullary crush cyclists at corners and roundabouts.

 

Now this morning on my walk back from Basnk to fenchurch Street station I witnessed three near misses involving cyclists and pedestrian in EACH case the cause was the pedestrian walking into the road and/or cycle lane without looking. As mentioned before I sometimes walk ride along Slouthend seafront, it has a cycle lanmd in various forms, sometimes on pavement, sometimes on road and sometimes 'shared' space..it is almost impossible to ridfe along it without pedestrians wandering aimlessly onto the cycle path without looking.

 

Now clearly there are cyclists who do ride aggresively and cause problems but as Ive pointed out the tiny number of accidents must surely point to somethjing obvious that despite the moaning, cyclists are not a serious problem or the cause of accidents certainly not compared to drivers who cause millions of more deaths and injuries than cyclists.

 

And I certainly to not believe in compulsary insurance, a pedestrians is just as (in fact I would argue more) than likely to be the cause of an accident yet do people suggest they have insurance ?

 

Andy

[ploddertom]

I live out in the sticks and we have issues here as well. Monday - Friday is not a problem as it is the more"genteel" cyclist who is out for a nice ride in the countryside. They are pleasant and polite. Come Saturday & Sundays however it couldn't be more different. These are the ones that see it as their right to have the whole road, they throw their rubbish in the hedgerows. I once had to take some of them to task for blocking the door to our business with their bikes but they couldn't see what they had done wrong, cyclists are now barred on Saturdays & Sundays.

[renegadeimp]

I live out in the sticks and we have issues here as well. Monday - Friday is not a problem as it is the more"genteel" cyclist who is out for a nice ride in the countryside. They are pleasant and polite. Come Saturday & Sundays however it couldn't be more different.

 

Yep. City Cyclists. They think they own the road and don't have to answer to anyone. Can't wait till the ones around here get caught out by the local police. The police around here don't mind the regular cyclists, but keep a close eye on the ones they don't know.

[Desperate Daniella]

Andy,

 

Of course I have enormous sympathy for any law-abiding cyclists hit by lorries, buses, vans and cars.

 

I agree there are stupid pedestrians out there too, but I am always looking out for them at particular spots and I just know that some idiot chatting or texting on their phone, or with their earphones in, is likely to step out in front of me. The point is that a lot of cyclists do not want to stop and overtake/undertake stationary cars at speed and whereas I personally always stop and look for cyclists if I am crossing a road between stationary cars a lot of pedestrians don't. So if cyclists are overtaking/undertaking a line of stationary cars they really should be riding with caution at a reasonable speed, not going at 30 mph in these situations and hoping that no-one steps out in front of them. That is not cycling responsibly.

 

And where would you stand on sympathy for cyclists who get injured when they are deliberately breaking the law? In the part of town where I live there are three sets of parallel streets - one way in each direction. The roads are very close together so for a cyclist to use the correct one way road would take them all of five seconds to get there. But of course many of them can't be bothered to add that extra five seconds to their journey so they go the wrong way down the one way street.

 

And then there is the local garage which has a pelican crossing just outside. When cars are stopped at the traffic lights it should be possible for cars exiting the garage to pull out on to the road safely, but of course any driver would be crazy to do this because at least half the time there will be a cyclist coming along and he won't stop at the lights as he should do, and don't the cyclists swear at any driver who has the nerve to pull out in front of them. If any cyclist gets hurt breaking the law I'm afraid my sympathies are with the poor car driver who'll have a damaged car and a claim on his insurance.

 

With regard to shared space, this should only be offered with a cycling speed limit. Otherwise if cyclists want to travel at 30 mph they should be in designated cycle lanes or on the road.

 

As I have said, I have friends who are cyclists and they just don't behave like this.

 

Plodderton,

 

I know what you mean. My mother used to have a tea shop in the country and she ended up banning large groups of cyclists. Three or four were fine, but larger groups were not. They would come in, dump their bikes in a heap all over the place, only ever want cups of tea or tap water - no profit in that, and this was my mum's business - and take up three or four tables for ages while other customers - who actually wanted tea and food - would leave because there was no space. Then having all used the loo - cesspit/loo paper/soap costs - they would depart and, like you say, they'd invariably leave a load of rubbish behind. I don't blame you for barring them.

[nut.magnet]

Hi

 

Here is the New 2012 £7,000,000 Chatham Buzz Station.

And where is the cycle route...

 

It's there..... The Pavement where children and the elderly (who Medway Council reckon they care so much about) have to dodge cyclists as there is no separation or marked route for cyclists and pedestrians.. Lovely LED and HID lighting along with shiny stainless fittings but no thought for how Medway residents are supposed to use it safely..

 

 

And from the other direction into the Buzz Station the cycle route is ON the pavement passing by council offices on the rather thin pavement passing a lamp post and cycle route sign making the pavement just wide enough for a pedestrian to safely pass let alone a cyclist.

 

 

 

Don't you just love council's and knowing that many cllr's are local magistrates who should know the highway code and rule 64.... No Cycling On The Pavement...

Edited March 27, 2013 by nut.magnet
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[Desperate Daniella]

Ludicrous, just ludicrous.

 

Highway code, what is that?

[Tati]

Lol i dont even know how to ride one.

[legoearth]

I cycle to work. I can't afford public transport. I leave my house on a main road and cycle on the pavement. If i don't I have to run the gauntlet with articulated lorries going far too fast for the bends in the road. i then turn the corher and attempt to use the cycle lane. It is invariably blocked by parked cars as the resdents don't use their driveways?????? I then turn again and cycle on the road. If I am delayed for whatever reason i get stuck in the 'school run'. Women are the worst drivers in this respect, I am woman so I am allowed to say this. They drive aggressively and don't seem to know what stop lines are at junctions! Then i have to cross a motorway junction. I use the pavement again here. Most mornings I pass two families here. Mother, two young children and one little one in a pushchair. Both families of a similar age. One is lovely, if the path is narrow I stop and let her pass, where the path is wide we pass each other with a smile. I don't go fast and her children stay by her side. family two, however, is a different matter! I say family two because they are always a few minutes behind, rushing. Mother yelling, children trotting, eating crisps for breakfast. I always stop. She plows through children scattered all over the path. I have tried to rejoin the road here after crossing the motorway roundabout. Impossible as the traffic light sequence does not allow for the speed of a cyclist coming from my direction. I have to get off, stand in front of stationary traffic and wait for a gap. All pedestrians have to do this here as traffic comes from five directions with no pelican crossing!!!!! The next part is always fun. Up a steep hill, cars parked both sides, children, dogs, you name it, it's running wild. Yes another school! Rude aggressive parents! Driver I doubt have passed a test. I also pass disability scooters and these are the most rude and aggressive of all!!!! It's a matter of politeness and mutual respect, road users and pavement users. You can't legislate for that or fine for it, it just has to happen...

[Conniff]

I bet you're looking forward to retiring

[Consumer dude]

If there were fewer cars on the roads then cyclists may feel more secure about going on the road which ideally is where they belong. As a pedestrian I have this anxiety of being run over by a cyclist at any time..

[Perseus1]

It is illegal to cycle on footways but not on other Rights of Way (sometimes)

 

A Footway means a way comprised in a highway, which also comprises a carriageway, being a way over which the public has a right of way on foot only [section 329(1) Highways Act 1980]. So, in towns and cities, technically, we have footways, not footpaths or pavements.

 

http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/

 

There are other pages somewhere.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Perseus1

[Conniff]

I'd give my grandchildren hell if I saw them cycling on the road. It would be a case of get on the pavement or don't cycle.

[Consumer dude]

Too many cars on the road with just one person in them is also taking up to much public space..

[Kinger122]

Shouldnt cycling on the pavement be acceptable if it is done in a safe and considerate manner. It makes women and children feel safer and more confident and can reduce frustration drivers can feel when they are stuck behind slow cyclists.

[Conniff]

Shouldnt cycling on the pavement be acceptable if it is done in a safe and considerate manner. It makes women and children feel safer and more confident and can reduce frustration drivers can feel when they are stuck behind slow cyclists.

 

 

Yep! Agree with that. But obviously not up or down the main shopping centre areas if they are thronged.

 

 

Maybe you could just follow a disabled scooter, there would be a path cleared, but that would only work if you could peddle at 90mph to keep up.

[Desperate Daniella]

Shouldnt cycling on the pavement be acceptable if it is done in a safe and considerate manner. It makes women and children feel safer and more confident and can reduce frustration drivers can feel when they are stuck behind slow cyclists.

 

 

But that is the point. It's the lycra louts who cycle at great speed on pavements. And you can't say that some people can cycle on the pavement but not others. How would that be policed?

 

I don't think anyone minds young children on small bikes riding on the pavement provided they are going slowly, but as some 14 year olds these days are as big as adults they shouldn't be riding there, and neither should any grown ups, men or women. There are aggressive women cyclists too.

[Perseus1]

Shouldnt cycling on the pavement be acceptable if it is done in a safe and considerate manner. It makes women and children feel safer and more confident and can reduce frustration drivers can feel when they are stuck behind slow cyclists.

 

Not really. On bits where there are houses, no shops and just a footway alongside a busy road, yes. We can't rely on the judgement of the cyclist though, not always.