Should I stand my ground on pavements?

snooks

I don't cycle on pavements, but I see it done too much....On Saturday I felt ashamed to be a cyclist, when 5 lads on bikes were cycling down the hill through Richmond on pavements full of Saturday shoppers. :evil:

The only time I've had my doubts about it was when you see a kid on a bike (who's the age where they're allowed) and their parent or guardian is cycling on the pavement with them. I think it would be more dangerous for the child if the PoG was cycling on the road the other side of parked cars, and out of instructional range. But even then there is no reason why they can't push their bike, and teach their child to ride at slower speeds.

Anyway on my work this morning, walking through the quiet back streets of Southwark, a bloke was cycling on the pavement towards me (more pootleing), going the right way down a one way street. No traffic around.

So, was I a c0ck for standing my ground on the pavement and making them go onto the road around me?

Greg T

snooks wrote:

So, was I a c0ck for standing my ground on the pavement and make them go onto the road around me?

No stuff him.

Clever Pun

He'll think you are but if you exaplain why etc he might see the rror of his ways... or he's a c0ck

nickwill

Good for you! People riding bikes on pavements give real cyclists a bad name.

ChrisLS

...there isn't any reason why adult cyclists should ride on the pavement...round my neck of the woods I see whole families, mum, dad and the kids, out for a Sunday bike ride, all on the pavement...

JoeSoap76

Have to admit that there is a 25 meter stretch of my commute where I do ride on the pavement. It's just as I get to the office and I have the choice of riding the 25 meters of pavement or adding an extra five minutes to the journey to navigate a busy one-way system and come back to the same point. The pavement is wide (about eight feet) and is on a quiet street where people tend not to be. If I do see pedestrians they absolutely have right of way (even if they are wandering about aimlessly in front of me) so I'll hang back and let them go on their way. Hope that doesn't make me a c0ck? :oops:

It does irritate me when I see other cyclists on the pavement. But I'm talking about the times when they are going in the same direction as the traffic, squeezing in and out of pedestrians at mach 10, cycling right up behind pedestrians and harrassing them out of the way, etc. In those cases it's not unknown for me to make myself wider than necessary to inconvenience them.

Gawd! I'm such a hypocrite! :?

dondare

I'd never give way to a pedalestrian unless I could see a genuinely good and legitimate reason for them to be on the path rather than the road.

So that's probably never.

spen666

snooks wrote:

I don't cycle on pavements, but I see it done too much....On Saturday I felt ashamed to be a cyclist, when 5 lads on bikes were cycling down the hill through Richmond on pavements full of Saturday shoppers. :evil:

The only time I've had my doubts about it was when you see a kid on a bike (who's the age where they're allowed)

Actually they are not allowed at any age to ride on the pavement if you apply the law

and their parent or guardian is cycling on the pavement with them. I think it would be more dangerous for the child if the PoG was cycling on the road the other side of parked cars, and out of instructional range. But even then there is no reason why they can't push their bike, and teach their child to ride at slower speeds.

should they be teaching their child to ride where cycling is not allowed?

Anyway on my work this morning, walking through the quiet back streets of Southwark, a bloke was cycling on the pavement towards me (more pootleing), going the right way down a one way street. No traffic around.

So, was I a c0ck for standing my ground on the pavement and making them go onto the road around me?

spen666

JoeSoap76 wrote:

Have to admit that there is a 25 meter stretch of my commute where I do ride on the pavement. It's just as I get to the office and I have the choice of riding the 25 meters of pavement or adding an extra five minutes to the journey to navigate a busy one-way system and come back to the same point.

Here's a novel idea- you could get your arse off the bike and WALK - the law applies to you

The pavement is wide (about eight feet) and is on a quiet street where people tend not to be. If I do see pedestrians they absolutely have right of way (even if they are wandering about aimlessly in front of me) so I'll hang back and let them go on their way. Hope that doesn't make me a c0ck? :oops:

It does irritate me when I see other cyclists on the pavement.

but of course not you. You are not being a cyclist on a pavement

But I'm talking about the times when they are going in the same direction as the traffic, squeezing in and out of pedestrians at mach 10, cycling right up behind pedestrians and harrassing them out of the way, etc. In those cases it's not unknown for me to make myself wider than necessary to inconvenience them.

Gawd! I'm such a hypocrite! :?

yes

Mark_K

ChrisLS wrote:

...there isn't any reason why adult cyclists should ride on the pavement...round my neck of the woods I see whole families, mum, dad and the kids, out for a Sunday bike ride, all on the pavement...

Ohh no string them up :roll:
Yes I can see the point of ppl getting the hump with competent adult cyclists riding on the pavement I often think why the hell is he riding on the path ?
But come on ! If I see a family all out on their bike for a nice Sunday ride I think to myself GOOD ON THEM no ooh noooo someone call the cops they are on the pavement !
I cant see why this is such a big deal for so many ppl on here tbh ??? Maybe I'm missing something ?

iainment

Nickwill wrote:

Good for you! People riding bikes on pavements give real cyclists a bad name.

"Real cyclists"?

He's riding a bike, he's a cyclist. Not a particularly good one but....

Surf-Matt

ChrisLS wrote:

...there isn't any reason why adult cyclists should ride on the pavement...round my neck of the woods I see whole families, mum, dad and the kids, out for a Sunday bike ride, all on the pavement...

Yes there is.

Cycle a short distance in the pavement then under the subway just down the road.
Or try and negotiate probably the most dangerous roundabout in the South West and probably get knocked off (no one does) - even the Police have unofficially okay'd it. As long as you ride very politely.

The blinkered attitude of some of you on here makes cyclists seem very stroppy and dull.
Reminds me of IAM drivers (I'm one) that do nothing but moan about how bad everyone else drives while never actually considering they may be wrong.

Oh and how about nipping up onto a pavement to stop at a cashpoint, have a coffee somewhere, say hello to a friend, etc, etc?

ChrisLS

...pavements are not for cycling on...if you want to use the pavement, get off and walk...

spen666

Surf-Matt wrote:

ChrisLS wrote:

...there isn't any reason why adult cyclists should ride on the pavement...round my neck of the woods I see whole families, mum, dad and the kids, out for a Sunday bike ride, all on the pavement...

Yes there is.

Cycle a short distance in the pavement then under the subway just down the road.
Or try and negotiate probably the most dangerous roundabout in the South West and probably get knocked off (no one does) - even the Police have unofficially okay'd it. As long as you ride very politely.

The blinkered attitude of some of you on here makes cyclists seem very stroppy and dull.
Reminds me of IAM drivers (I'm one) that do nothing but moan about how bad everyone else drives while never actually considering they may be wrong.

Oh and how about nipping up onto a pavement to stop at a cashpoint, have a coffee somewhere, say hello to a friend, etc, etc?

how about getting of your bike and walking those short distances like the law says.

i presume you are happy with motorists who drive short distances on the footpath or in the cycle lane as well

Surf-Matt

Oh no, here we go...

A person walking their bike is MUCH more unstable AND wider than a person riding safely.

Actually, I'm going to leave this and ignore you Spen.

You have a habit of creating enormous levels of exasperation with almost all the Bike Radar community with your hateful pedantry and nit picking. It's not worth it. So I'll leave this one and let you all argue until your heads explode.

Do you also read the Daily Mail by any chance and meddle in your local community constantly?

There is a hardcore bunch of very sad people on here who just love nothing more than inflating themselves with self righteousness. It must be damn hard work keeping up appearances.

robmanic1

Let's get ready to rumble!

idaviesmoore

I gotta agree with spen666. Pavements are no place for cyclists. If it's a family outing then go find safe cycle paths, parks or anywhere that pedestrians are expecting you to pop up. If road conditions are dangerous then walking has got to be the option. 'As long as you ride poilitely'? What does that mean in legal terms, anyway?
As for cash machines etc there is still no real reson you shoud be pedalling on the pavement. Get off and push.
I know it's getting dangerous out there but if we start cycling through pedestrians then there'll be more blood shed. And we really don't need that at the moment :?

robmanic1

Balanced view here, I sometimes ride a very short distance on a pavement, only when there's no or few peds, and at a slower-than-walking pace speed.
What I'm saying is there'll always be smeg heads who'll charge through busy ped areas on there £50 chav chariots no matter how well we try to educate them.
I'll ride the odd pavement when I judge it safe and I won't run into anyone because I am old + wise enough to predict when peds are about to suddenly change direction without warning, and I'm travelling at a speed at which I have time to take avoiding action.
All that said, I don't live in a city like many of the folk on here, so maybe that's the difference?

spen666

Robmanic1 wrote:

Balanced view here, I sometimes ride a very short distance on a pavement, only when there's no or few peds, and at a slower-than-walking pace speed.
What I'm saying is there'll always be smeg heads who'll charge through busy ped areas on there £50 chav chariots no matter how well we try to educate them.
I'll ride the odd pavement when I judge it safe and I won't run into anyone because I am old + wise enough to predict when peds are about to suddenly change direction without warning, and I'm travelling at a speed at which I have time to take avoiding action.
All that said, I don't live in a city like many of the folk on here, so maybe that's the difference?

Also know as CRIMINAL VIEW but I excuse my criminal activity whilst condeming those who also cycle on the pavement- often known as HYPOCRITICAL view

Me_and_the-Tree

I agree that pavements are for pedestrians. In falmouth where I live we are lucky enough to have a resonable amount of continuous cycle lanes, however the council has seen fit to alternate these lanes between the road and the pavements at random intervals causing problems for both pedestrians who often ignore the lanes "because Its a pavement" and car drivers who overreact to cyclists rejoining the road.
My point is that If pavements are for pedestrians why exaserbate the situation with cycle lanes across them instead of following the law and saving confusion and accidents?

saveswalking

spen666 wrote:

snooks wrote:

I don't cycle on pavements, but I see it done too much....On Saturday I felt ashamed to be a cyclist, when 5 lads on bikes were cycling down the hill through Richmond on pavements full of Saturday shoppers. :evil:

The only time I've had my doubts about it was when you see a kid on a bike (who's the age where they're allowed)

Actually they are not allowed at any age to ride on the pavement if you apply the law

and their parent or guardian is cycling on the pavement with them. I think it would be more dangerous for the child if the PoG was cycling on the road the other side of parked cars, and out of instructional range. But even then there is no reason why they can't push their bike, and teach their child to ride at slower speeds.

should they be teaching their child to ride where cycling is not allowed?

the teaching should include awareness and consideration of pedestrians if you are going to share the pavement.
Shared cyclist/pedestrian paths do (lawfully) exist and I suppose it must be quite irritating
for those cyclist bashers not have the ammunition of 'lawbreaking criminal' to use.

sw

robmanic1

spen666 wrote:

Robmanic1 wrote:

Balanced view here, I sometimes ride a very short distance on a pavement, only when there's no or few peds, and at a slower-than-walking pace speed.
What I'm saying is there'll always be smeg heads who'll charge through busy ped areas on there £50 chav chariots no matter how well we try to educate them.
I'll ride the odd pavement when I judge it safe and I won't run into anyone because I am old + wise enough to predict when peds are about to suddenly change direction without warning, and I'm travelling at a speed at which I have time to take avoiding action.
All that said, I don't live in a city like many of the folk on here, so maybe that's the difference?

Also know as CRIMINAL VIEW but I excuse my criminal activity whilst condeming those who also cycle on the pavement- often known as HYPOCRITICAL view

No, not at all. I'm not looking to excuse my pavement cycling activity, it's just something I occasionally do. I've never come close to injuring a ped either on or off the road because I take a great deal of care. I'm not condeming everyone who cycles on the pavement otherwise I'd be condeming myself, I'm condeming those who hold a basic disregard for the safety of others generally.

idaviesmoore

Also know as CRIMINAL VIEW but I excuse my criminal activity whilst condeming those who also cycle on the pavement- often known as HYPOCRITICAL view[/quote]

However, I don't agree with your inflammatory manner

spen666

Surf-Matt wrote:

....

There is a hardcore bunch of very sad people on here who just love nothing more than inflating themselves with self righteousness. It must be damn hard work keeping up appearances.

There is a hard core of people on here who think they are above the law and willlargue until they are blue in the face that THEY are justified to break the law.

The same people are the ones who condemn others for breaking the law.

The word hypocrite as well as criminal comes to mind

robmanic1

spen666 wrote:

Surf-Matt wrote:

....

There is a hardcore bunch of very sad people on here who just love nothing more than inflating themselves with self righteousness. It must be damn hard work keeping up appearances.

There is a hard core of people on here who think they are above the law and willlargue until they are blue in the face that THEY are justified to break the law.

The same people are the ones who condemn others for breaking the law.

The word hypocrite as well as criminal comes to mind

Hmmm, feel like a child between to divorcee parents here.

No arguments from me, it's a fact that cycling on pavements IS illegal, but need not be antisocial.

mekonta

On the odd occasion I have to get across a pedestrianised bit - I'd never get off and push the bike. Partly because it's a pain in the arse with cleats and partly because as long as you ride respectfully I don't see what the problem is (legalities aside). If you don't cause any more obstruction/danger whatever to the peds on the bike than you would pushing the thing - what's the problem?

Of course, most people on the pavement are ignorant kids hurtling along at a dangerous speed, which is why the practice is understandably frowned upon.

Surf-Matt

So Spen - still got all your reflectors attached to your bike? One front, one rear and four amber ones on the pedals?
Still got a bell fitted to it?
Do you ever cycle on private land without express permission of the landowner? This includes any National Trust land of course.

Answer no to any of these and you are breaking the law.

Do you cycle at over 18mph on cycle paths?
Well if so, you have broken the law.


Your angry little man comments really do show you up as a complete waste of space.
Wind your neck in and try and tone down the mass patronisation. You have the emotional intelligence of a bailiff.

spen666

Surf-Matt wrote:

So Spen - still got all your reflectors attached to your bike? One front, one rear and four amber ones on the pedals?

No -don't need them as I do not use bike after lighting up times and as such are not required

Still got a bell fitted to it?

Not required by law- only requirement is on retailers to supply one at point of sale

Do you ever cycle on private land without express permission of the landowner? This includes any National Trust land of course.

Never

Answer no to any of these and you are breaking the law.

Wrong on every count. I have answered no to them and have not broken any laws- better get back to learning the law

Do you cycle at over 18mph on cycle paths?

I never ride on any cycle paths

Well if so, you have broken the law.


Your angry little man comments really do show you up as a complete waste of space.

Oh dear- you seem to be getting very upset at the truth. Cycling on the pavement is illegal. Face the facts you are breaking the law and no amount of protesting by you will change the fact you are behaving like a criminal

Wind your neck in and try and tone down the mass patronisation. You have the emotional intelligence of a bailiff.

I may do, but I am not trying to justify my law breaking unlike you

saveswalking

Surf-Matt wrote:

So Spen - still got all your reflectors attached to your bike? One front, one rear and four amber ones on the pedals?
Still got a bell fitted to it?
Do you ever cycle on private land without express permission of the landowner? This includes any National Trust land of course.

Answer no to any of these and you are breaking the law.

Do you cycle at over 18mph on cycle paths?
Well if so, you have broken the law.


quote]

and if you did 'break the law' did you turn yourself in at the earliest opportunity at the nearest police station and demand to receive the harshest punishment on offer ?

sw

Surf-Matt

Fine Spen. You are a very clever man. I must apologise.

However you cigarette needs a little flick.

ChrisLS

...steady on Surf Matt this is becoming way too personal...