Cycling on pavements...

Mithras

bigjim wrote:

quote]See my post above...It is as it is. PC's and PCSO's can't do thier job without riding on the pavement. I do it all the time. I also cycle at night without lights and in dark clothing.
But it gets the job done

Thats confirmed then. One law for...............

Jim[/quote]
Jim I agree, I said that right from the start......

geoff_ss

One of my dislikes of riding in Flanders is that not only are the cycle-paths compulsory but they're often just shared pavements with a painted line. That's quite scary if you're riding a well laden tandem with camping gear etc. Doesn't make for very quick journey times.

It's wonderful when you get into the Ardennes when the hills start and the cycle paths largely disappear. My experience is fairly old - perhaps it's different now but I still prefer the road.

Geoff

redvee

Nearly got KO'd this morning by a pavement cyclist. Crossed the road and did the usual things like look for traffic but silly me forgot to look for cyclists on the pavement. First I knew was the tinkling of his bell at which I shouted 'You should be on the fucking road', guess that wasn't understood as he wasn't of English descent. The usual dangerous traffic excuse can't be used this morning as there was only a bus on the other side of the road, no cars for a good 30 seconds. This was 8:30am on a sunday morning.

Lagavulin

I'm not sure what the worst type of cycle lane is around here; the ill thought out section reclaimed from the road that fills with all kinds of crap, drains etc. that drivers expect you to use or the divided pavement.
The majority of the latter around here - despite being cleared marked with both regular signposts and painted bikes on the cycle path itself every fifty yards or so - seem to attract tosspots. There's a section a few miles down the coast that must be at least 6 meters wide split for pedestrians and cycles equally. Despite the markings you still get groups of morons who simply walk 5, 6, and 7 abreast. :evil:

Mithras

redvee wrote:

Nearly got KO'd this morning by a pavement cyclist. Crossed the road and did the usual things like look for traffic but silly me forgot to look for cyclists on the pavement. First I knew was the tinkling of his bell at which I shouted 'You should be on the ******* road', guess that wasn't understood as he wasn't of English descent. The usual dangerous traffic excuse can't be used this morning as there was only a bus on the other side of the road, no cars for a good 30 seconds. This was 8:30am on a sunday morning.

Catch any of the Bleeders cycling on my pavements they will get a ticket.

richardast

Maybe it's his job.

rossbarney2003

I was thinking about this today actually.

Today I was cycling along and there was lots of road works going on. There were those temporary traffic lights and it was taking forever to change. I ended up sitting in traffic for ages and I was tempted to just nip on the pavement since it was clear, but something always stops me. I think it's probably because I don't want to give drivers the satisfaction of watching me do something they think all cyclists do.... :roll:

richardast

Maybe it's because you like living in a society.

Lagavulin

rossbarney2003 wrote:

I think it's probably because I don't want to give drivers the satisfaction of watching me do something they think all cyclists do.... :roll:

I think I know what you mean. Invariably I get caught in traffic at lights coming through a town nearby at weekends, usually backed up quite a distance.
I refrain from jumping onto the pavement or filtering though to the front of the queue. I tell myself "No, don't do it, wait your turn, that's what they're expecting you to do!".
I say that is my excuse but if it is that or because I could generally do with a bit of a rest is anyones guess. :P

Tom Butcher

I don't ride on the pavement but I don't object to some people doing it some of the time - it depends on the situation. An empty pavement and a nervous cyclist going not much more than walking speed I wouldn't object to - someone tazzing along bunny hopping kerbs as they cross junctions I would normally have a word with.

Sue Wass

PETER 216 wrote:

Cyclist should be on the road (unless it's a child), same goes for motor vehicles parking partly or fully on the pavements. Pavements are for pedestrians.

what about cycleways! big bug bear where I live - perfectly good footpath beside the cycle track/way but wobbly chav and sprogs walk on cycle track/way - 'cos dey got rites!!]


I know, I know - 2 wrongs don't make a right, just winds me up that's all

Fantasia

Hi

I got a car stopping, the young male driver hanging out the window shouting - "YOU MAD COW - GET ON THE ****** PAVEMENT". This was because of a narrow road with cars parked on his side - my side was clear - I had right of way - he objected as he had to stop to let me through. Plonker!!!!

cee

Fantasia wrote:

Hi

I got a car stopping, the young male driver hanging out the window shouting - "YOU MAD COW - GET ON THE ****** PAVEMENT". This was because of a narrow road with cars parked on his side - my side was clear - I had right of way - he objected as he had to stop to let me through. Plonker!!!!

Mad cow disease doesn't bother me..........I'm a helicopter

webbhost

Ok personally I think the "dont ride on the pavement" idea is a little over rated, but maybe not.

I believe that they should be used when you are permitted to (cyclists paths), and when they are being used to avoid dangerous roads (wait before you explode, I will explain).

On way back from my work place, There is a short stretch of road (100 metres or so) .. It is a busy road, and half way up there is a bridge. Now I have been across here in the car plenty of times, and I know that until you get onto the bridge its somewhat of a deadspot... you cant see over it.

Therefore, when I bike, for my own safety I mount and ride on the path until I have crossed and got some clearance from the bridge.

I should also add through that this is right on the outskirts of a village, and there are rarely people on this pavement. If there "are" people on there, I jump back onto the road and give them the right of way.

I also mount the pavement when I get home (at a slow speed) for about 5 metres so that I can get to the entry and get around the back of my house.

I do feel however there is no excuse for teenagers going down the path on their mountain bikes, because they merely feel like it, and they cant be bothered to go out and buy a helmet making it "dangerous" for them to use roads atall.

pottssteve

I live in Hong Kong and about the only place I don't ride is on the road as it appears that most car drivers got their licence out of a cereal packet. We do have lots of cycle lanes, this is where the pedestrians walk.

Ruari

Pavements, ahhhhh. They are very poorly marked (the cycle bit) and often the markings just mysteriously end, or end up, if you follow them, leading you out into a busy road... Not good. So, as a road tax paying member of the public, I use good signals, make myself visible and use the road. The road surfaces in Colchester are much better than the pavements in any case.

pyro_maniac

i admit sometimes i do use the pavement, but in town the main roads have pavements over 15 feet wide and they are not that busy with foot traffic, if it is congested then i will go into the road, also there are a lot of shared cycle/foot paths about so its not too bad, there are also marked cycle routes that run parallel to the main routes down some quieter roads

redvee

Had a confrontation tonight with a pavement cyclist. I'll put ny bravado down to the glass of wine earlier and a low BS mmol/L.

Coming back from the Italian takeaway(pizza shop) I was walking down the pavement and saw a cyclist approaching and moved into his path but giving him planty of time to change his line but no he carried on and stopped when we met and uttered the word p****. I said you're the p**** for riding on the pavement and he replied that he lived a few yards up the road and should he ride up the road and cross over when near his place, Yes. As he rode off he uttered another expletive and I called him the same for riding on the pavement and chased after him with pizza in one hand and paper in the other. Not sure what i would have done if I caught him but I was amazed how brave I was due to the wine etc

caretaker42

HELL NO!!!!
thats what roads are for
have you ever tried getting bits of pedestrian out of you chain and mech.

not to be serious what worries me about pavement riding and cyclepaths is could it be a way of getting us off the main roads, ergo, extinction of the roadie???

shogun12345

The only time I ride on the path is when I'm just startin my ride. For easyness I hold on to my fence and clip both feet in and am moving on the path for like half a sec. Not really riding on the path I know but I just I just thought i'd mention it lol

I cant recall the number of times i've nearly been run over by those "little angels" on bikes before

pigeon42

Here here to Knedlicky - as a pedestrian, I don't mind pavement riders, as long as they're not expecting you to get out of their way (sometimes using the eyes that are in the back of your head to see them coming...) I agree it's all about tolerance and common manners - charging along a pavement (particularly when it's not even really wide enough for 2 people to pass) isn't manners.
However, as a cyclist, I don't feel comfortable at all riding on a pavement and would much rather be on the road. There are plenty of these "shared" cycle/pedestrian paths near where I live, and frequently they're not wide enough for a cyclist and pedestrian to pass...

chainlincs

It's just too dangerous to ride on the pavement, whatever you're excuse. If you're not confident riding on the road find a local cycling group or a good cyclist and go out with them for a few rides to learn the ropes.

Cycling badly tars us all with the same brush.

NWLondoner

As a rule i don't.

Except last week when i had planned a route around town which included going around grosvenor square. However the bloody US Embassy had shut the road for more security works.

The diversions were cr*p so i went on the pavement to get to the other side, so i could get to Oxford Street.

grayo59

Massimo wrote:

Real men don't eat quiche or ride on the pavement...

Real men don't call cheese flan quiche ...

shimanoshaun

never ever, totally unneccessary, onlyrises to piss everyone off, cyclists need to show respect for the rules to gain respect from peds ands motorists

nolf

Only the odd time when the rest of the bunch has zoomed through orange/red lights and you've fallen back to take your gilet off and have to bunny hop up on the pavement to bypass the lights so you can catch up.
Obviously only done when the pavement is completely empty.

Also sometimes to cut corners and get further up the pack in a race

daviddd

In Oz it's sometimes safer to cycle on the pavement provided you're careful. Some Oz motorists can be a tad careless! It's also legal to do so in Queensland and the ACT...

Denny69

Only as a last resort, and if that last resort transpires then I'll walk the bike or ride at a v.slow pace.

Squaggles

I certainly do ride on the pavement . Our local council likes to build short stretches of cycle path sometimes separated by stretches of pavement and other times only accessible by riding over the pavement . To be fair they do put a white line down and call it a cycle path , but pedestrians still treat it as pavement .
They also have approved cycle routes through parks which use paths , does that count as pavement or is it only pavement if it's next to a road ?

I'm as confused about it as my local council obviously is .

passout

On my commute the pavement (in certain sections) is faster and safer by some way. There are few pedestrains and i always slow down / give way and say hello. I stick to the road whenever i can or when I'm not commuting. What harm am I doing?