Confused Newbie Question - Bike, Pavements, and One-Way Road

newbietothemax

I have only been cycling to work for the better part of a week, and for the most part there is a bike path which I use, but I still need to negotiate the busy city bit on parts of my journey. Here is what I have been made to understand:

(a) No cycling the wrong way on a one way route
(b) No cycling on the pavement, but if you get off your bike and push it that's okay because then you're a pedestrian.

This morning I was told off for pushing my bike on the pavement, taking a shortcut on a one-way road. Effectively what I was doing was that since I could not ride on the road (wrong way on one-way route), I became a pedestrian and pushed my bike on the pavement. I was told this was not allowed: I had to push my bike on the road, or not use the shortcut.

I am now totally confused. Can someone help me figure this out? (I hope I've explained the situation well enough.).

Thanks in advance

iainment

They're wrong, you're right.

newbietothemax

Short and sweet, I like that

Many thanks!

Gussio

How strange that somebody would tell you off for pushing your bike on the pavement - sounds to me like they don't know their @rse from their elbow. You are not allowed to cycle on the pavement, but pushing your bike isn't cycling.....sounds like you are in the right.

attica

So who told you off?
They're plain wrong.

Give it a week or two and you'll want to ride the one way system (the right way) just to get there quicker and increase your distance anyway.

Enjoy!

newbietothemax

A pensioner in a nice suit and his wife, walking on the pavement.

I was tempted to just ride on the pavement to p**s him off further, but I was confused and then also, there was a policeman round the corner so I was glad I didn't!

daniel_b

On the rare occasions I walk with my bike on the pavement, like after I broke my collarbone, I will walk with it on one side of me, and if the path is a bit tight for room and the road is clear, I will either stay on the path and push the bike on the road, or walk myself on the road, and keep the bike on the path.

If you keep the bike to the edge of the path, you can run the wheels right along the curbstone, and walk inside the width of the other half of the handlebars if that makes sense, so extra space taken up is minimal.

I always try and be courteous whether walking or whatever, funny how many pedestrians don't seem to want to drop into line behine each other, like on a path wide enough for 2 people, and 2 pairs of 2 are walking towards each other, I'll always drop back, but I rarely see the same behaviour - strange people around.

SmellTheGlove

Makes me glad that you didn't decide to ride the pavement just to p!ss the bloke off - pushing makes you a ped as others have pointed out. Open and shut case m'lud.

cee

Daniel B wrote:

I always try and be courteous whether walking or whatever, funny how many pedestrians don't seem to want to drop into line behine each other, like on a path wide enough for 2 people, and 2 pairs of 2 are walking towards each other, I'll always drop back, but I rarely see the same behaviour - strange people around.

I have also noticed this. What i do now is wait to see if they look like they are going to meet half way and if they don't (sorry ladies, but in my experience it is usually always groups of girls who are the most guilty), I don't leading to me standing still in the middle of the path with them in front of me both looking at each other!

Obviously, pushchairs, prams, older folks or kids etc and I always either move or stop to the side to allow them past first.

newbietothemax

Daniel B wrote:

If you keep the bike to the edge of the path, you can run the wheels right along the curbstone, and walk inside the width of the other half of the handlebars if that makes sense, so extra space taken up is minimal.

I always try and be courteous whether walking or whatever, funny how many pedestrians don't seem to want to drop into line behine each other, like on a path wide enough for 2 people, and 2 pairs of 2 are walking towards each other, I'll always drop back, but I rarely see the same behaviour - strange people around.

I do this when I can; it was only that there was no space to do so this morning - cars were parked near the curb, so I had to wheel it onto the pavement. Courtesy, as you pointed out, is always best; and in busy traffic, even a smile makes a difference (to me at least!).

meanwhile

newbietothemax wrote:

I have only been cycling to work for the better part of a week, and for the most part there is a bike path which I use, but I still need to negotiate the busy city bit on parts of my journey. Here is what I have been made to understand:

(a) No cycling the wrong way on a one way route

Unless you're either a bike messenger or willing to accept their 90% serious injury rate because it's so cool, yes. And legally speaking, always correct.

(b) No cycling on the pavement, but if you get off your bike and push it that's okay because then you're a pedestrian.

Completely.

This morning I was told off for pushing my bike on the pavement, taking a shortcut on a one-way road. Effectively what I was doing was that since I could not ride on the road (wrong way on one-way route), I became a pedestrian and pushed my bike on the pavement. I was told this was not allowed: I had to push my bike on the road, or not use the shortcut.

What cretin told you this? Did he have a tail?

Manners of the year award to DanielB, btw. And nice selection of bikes.

Jamey

It's amazing how many people are convinced of something that's actually completely wrong.

One of my hobbies is photography and the amount of people that think you need permission to take photos of people in public is amazing. There's actually a video on the net somewhere (will try to find the link) of some police officers (well, CSOs, so 'play police' really) trying to tell a journalist/cameraman that he needed people's permission to film them in a public place. He stood his ground and eventually they went away but it really does annoy me when things like that happen.

In this country you can do anything you want UNLESS there's a law against it.

Some people seem to think it's the other way around and are under the impression you need permission for everything. I think the amount of red tape, form-filling and general admin that the average person has to do nowadays is partly to blame for this mentality, personally.

Mark Alexander

iainment wrote:

They're wrong, you're right.

Old people. :evil: Grrrr!

'nuff said

helz

iainment wrote:

They're wrong, you're right.

I concur also. I can't believe someone told you to push your bike in the road. What an absolute moron.

Jamey

Found the link to that video I was talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKl2sEN4yNM

It really is astonishingly bad policework.

iainment

Mark Alexander wrote:

iainment wrote:

They're wrong, you're right.

Old people. :evil: Grrrr!

'nuff said

I'm young at heart!

8)

saveswalking

You dont actually have to be cycling on a bicycle for some miserable folk to dislike cyclists - and given the opportunity they will tell you so :roll:

sw

newbietothemax

So I've realised.

As it is I get singled out for abuse anyway (wrong skin colour, among a myriad of other things). What's another notch to the belt?

always_tyred

You should have dismantled your bike first, and made several trips to transport the bicycle in manageable and considerate pieces to the other end of the road, before re-assembling it, continuing on your way and throwing yourself underneath a truck (quietly).

newbietothemax

In a hurry this morning, I forgot my toolkit! In retrospect, it would have been expected of me to dismantle said bike with my bare hands, of course. Noted.

spen666

newbietothemax wrote:

I have only been cycling to work for the better part of a week, and for the most part there is a bike path which I use, but I still need to negotiate the busy city bit on parts of my journey. Here is what I have been made to understand:

(a) No cycling the wrong way on a one way route
(b) No cycling on the pavement, but if you get off your bike and push it that's okay because then you're a pedestrian.

This morning I was told off for pushing my bike on the pavement, taking a shortcut on a one-way road. Effectively what I was doing was that since I could not ride on the road (wrong way on one-way route), I became a pedestrian and pushed my bike on the pavement. I was told this was not allowed: I had to push my bike on the road, or not use the shortcut.

I am now totally confused. Can someone help me figure this out? (I hope I've explained the situation well enough.).

Thanks in advance

Only situation that I can think of where you would be in the wrong was if you were sitting astride your bike as you are walking/ scooting it- that counts as riding your bike- even if you are walking it

meanwhile

spen666 wrote:

Only situation that I can think of where you would be in the wrong was if you were sitting astride your bike as you are walking/ scooting it- that counts as riding your bike- even if you are walking it

But if you do this, you look such a prat that you're normally considered to have punished yourself.